"Super Mario 64" is two decades old, but fan modifications for the platform video game are gifts that keep on giving. Thanks to the initiative of three "Mario" enthusiasts, the game is now playable for up to 24 players at a time.
Nostalgia is the real winner in "Super Mario 64," the 1996 game released for the Nintendo 64. It was the first "Super Mario" game to make use of 3D graphics and is the best-selling Nintendo 64 game of all time, with over 11 million units sold.
Now, a fan project is bringing the game from console to screen and the modded "Super Mario 64" game can be downloaded for free, thanks to Kaze Emanuar, Melonspeedruns and Marshivolt.
Technically speaking, the downloadable "Super Mario 64" is a mod that alters the running version of the game. This means fans will still need an emulator software that plays Nintendo 64 games, some adjustments to the settings and a player willing to host the session.
The content and gameplay have not changed, with Mario still tasked to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser. Players need to navigate several courses where opponents come at Mario to prevent him from getting to the princess. The game is an open world-type game, which allows users to explore the game's environment freely and without time limits.
What the mod essentially adds to the game is the ability to include 23 more players, which makes a total of 24 players, whereas the original game only had a single-player mode.
"Mario" fans who missed "Super Mario 64" will need to act quickly, however. Nintendo shut down the last fan-released computer-playable Nintendo 64 game just days after its release.
Latecomers need not worry, though, as fans will continue to make multiplayer versions of the game, as they have done in the past.
Meanwhile, an official "Mario" release was made available in August. "Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle" was launched on Aug. 29. Meanwhile, "Super Mario Odyssey," the next "Mario" game, will be released for the Nintendo Switch on Oct. 27.
