It's common for budding game developers to utilise Nintendo games as a source of inspiration when learning their craft; the Kyoto company is regarded by many as the finest game creator in the industry, after all. Sometimes these efforts lead to impressive imitations, albeit running the gauntlet of takedown notices in the process.
We rather hope this doesn't happen to Unity programmer Roystan Ross, who has crafted a 3D platforming engine and created a version of the opening stage of Super Mario 64 to show it off. The HD aspect is charming, and the character models are actually from Super Mario Galaxy, as explained in the blog excerpt below.
All the art and animations were done by myself, with the exception of the Mario, Goomba and Power Star meshes, which are ripped (without animations) from Super Mario Galaxy. A large portion of the sounds are from existing Mario games, while the ones I found and edited myself are from freesound.org. If I've used anyone's work and missed a citation, please tell me in the comment section (or message me through the Unity forum). The UI elements were painted by me, based on the original Mario 64 user interface.
It's an admirable effort, which you can see below, and those with the Unity browser plugin can actually play it by following links from Ross' website.
Interest in this has spiked, especially since Kotaku picked it up, prompting the developer to have to toughen up his web hosting service. As the cat is out of the bag Nintendo will no doubt become aware of it, but as it's a free experiment (of one stage) that's not intended for sale, it could be left alone.
It's quite impressive, in any case, so let us know what you think of it.
[source roystanross.wordpress.com, via kotaku.com]
Comments 54
Well, I'm making a 3D platformer too :3
It's a pretty cool demo, but it definitely brings to mind the story of Nintendo spending a month just getting the movement and physics perfect in SM64, so that it would be fun to just play around with Mario in an open room with just a box in the middle. You simply cannot translate that level of refinement into a personal project.
I tried it out...it could be better.
Cool.
if those DS games ever make it to the Wii-u, i will readily buy mario 64x4.
Well, at least this looks much better than the other project featured last year. But the environments looks like it's made out of flat plastic: some animated grass and liveliness would give the level a better flavor.
Kinada neat,,,, Any new about the guy doing this in blender?
just played this and i must say using the assets from the Galaxy games makes for a interesting re-creation, the feel of the game isn't as accurate though but overall its a very fun demo abiet very short.
no offense but it looks kind of crappy... though I doubt the guy spent too much time on this.
Nintendo doesn't have to shut it down just make it a Wii U exclusive. With their recent abundance of successful remakes there's nothing wrong with this
It's runs so laggy on my little laptop. Oh well. I like the style in its basic form, but it needs more textures. Also, ground-pound.
I'm not a huge Mario 64 fan, but I'm up for a 3D game in Unity. Has the Wii U received 50 Unity games since Nitneod made the announcement last year?
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/03/nintendo_highlights_over_50_unity_games_on_the_way_to_the_wii_u_eshop
Have they ported Unity to 3DS yet? 1 year later seems like a good time for an update.
A rough demo but a great work, nevertheless. I want a Super Mario 64 3D or HD!
Would love an HD remake of Mario 64 on the Wii U, or even a sequel. I just loved the castle hub and all its cool secrets. So great.
@JaxonH - Guess you got your wish (though technically i don't know what engine they used) From last years article linked to above:
"I want that DK vs Mario that Nintendo showed off using the Nintendo Web Framework. Game looked slick, and super fun. Loved how you used the gamepad to view a smaller window and pan around the large, panoramic view of the stage on TV. If they can make a game THAT good using NWF, then anything's possible."
And here's the best part - from the article -
"Damon Baker, Senior Manager of Marketing at Nintendo of America's Licensing Department, has already confirmed Mario vs. Donkey Kong on the Wii U is nothing more than a tech demo, and Nintendo has no plans to make it publicly available."
So, once again somebody at NoA lied, shocker I know.
@rjejr
Not that people don't lie, cause they do, but I really don't think this instance is one of those times. I think plans change, and tech demos that at one time had no plans to release can always end up as retail releases at a later date.
Meh, at least it has Galaxy music. lol
Nice work. We need 3D platformers to make a come back, so many remake Mario 64, I really hope some use what they've learned in the process to work on something new.
@Kaze_Memaryu
Yeah, it definitely needs some polish
11/10 "would remake again" - IGN
Neat-O! Makes me want to play my copy of the game now.
Someone is also making a classic Spyro the Dragon style game.
I'm looking into making 3D platformers as well with that as my inspiration.
Looks good in the replica sense but the graphics could use some work. I'd like to see Nintendo do an HD Mario 64 themselves.
Looks terrible, I'm not even sure why the guy who made this bother when he ain't going to remake the entire game. Super Mario 64 DS looks and plays ten times better than this.
@retro_player_22 OK, go and make a better port.
I don't mean this negatively towards the guy at all, because I think this is pretty sweet--but it definitely makes me appreciate all the work that Nintendo has done in their HD games to texture the environments and give them some more life.
Yeah, this just proves that only Nintendo themselves can bring the magic needed to make things feel right. It feels dull, empty, and lifeless. The platforming is so off.
Watching this on the gamepad makes me angry I can't play N64 games on it yet.
@Inkling Don't have to, I already got the better game.
A HD remake for Wii U would be nice, but I'd actually prefer a 3D release for 3DS. It's just one of those games that I feel would benefit more from well implemented 3D than a HD coat of paint. But I wouldn't say no to either...
We need a Super Mario 64 remake on Wii U, it would be just perfect.
Since he made it public I ported it to iPhone and added touch controls. (Just for fun of course)
http://toucharcade.com/2015/03/27/check-out-super-mario-64-hd-running-on-my-iphone-6/
Needs work on the lights, tho.
@JaxonH - Replying to this comment now about "lieing" seems almost quaint in light of more recent developments
Your probably right though, that guy didn't lie, but the game did release less than a year after that tech demo was shown, and both 3DS and Wii U simultaneously no less, so I can't help but think somebody was planing on it being a game.
Important thing though is you, and many others, got your wish.
And now to go comment on the more recent developments
Well, at least my crew and I are torn between a Danmaku (Bullet Curtain) Shmup or Action (DMC style) Side-scroller with flashy 2D visuals... Gah, which to make?! game developer first world problems commencing now
Well if they remake old games like new then they need to put this on consoles or handhelds. The need is so strong. I would love so see pokemon xd remade hd or zelda twilight princess hd.
Poor textures but wow! So fast! Love the Super Mario World SFX
Some people obviously don't understand the time it would take to do even this... making custom art, a few of the 3D models, making all of the animations, applying the music and sfx, writing the code and compiling it and whatnot must take a long time.
I tried to make some test games on Unity (it's free), which was a really great idea, especially because I didn't know a thing about programming.
@BarryDunne just watching your video now Barry. God damn it looks amazing! Ninty did say no new Mario would come to the WiiU so it's still possible they are working in a remake of Mario 64 for the WiiU cause technically it wouldn't be a new Mario
Mario64 is on Wii virtual console. Also the DS version is a great remake. The textures back then may lack but the original is still so fun and immersive.
My partner at Mobot and I beat it all 120 stars back when it first came out and it was one of my favorite game memories. A huge part of why he and I started a business to focus on making nintendo games now.
At the time there was nothing like it. I think it still holds up today.
I also think nintendo does a great job at keeping the classics alive.
With Zelda getting pushed into next year, I'd take an HD remake of Super Mario 64 as compensation.
Don't know enough to comment on his accomplishment; just reminds me how much Nintendo should be working on a remaster of this or Sunshine. I think its been insinuated enough, if not directly stated, that Mario will not get another platformer this gen, so why not Sunshine HD? If they can get it out by Christmas it would soften the blow of Zelda slipping to next year. And we know nothing really about N's 3DS line-up for the second half of the year.
@retro_player_22 Are you really judging something that not even out of alpha? Of course the textures are going to look crappy, the stage is still under development.
Anyway, the game plays surprisely well on a keyboard. The only thing I don't really like is the camera, it could be speed-up.
Makes me want to play Super Mario Bros. 3
I'm downloading this bad boy to my HDD before it gets pulled. Preview vid is fun, although several key bosses are missing it still makes a good sandbox level. I hope to see more to come...
I'm having trouble getting this app to work with the Mayflash Wii-U Game Cube adapter (PC Mode). By default, the POV is mapping to the analog triggers instead of the C-Stick. I can't remap the POV inputs to the C-stick or reassign any of the buttons because the analog triggers are registering a continuous NW aixs on the POV and it is overriding anything I try to input on the Game Cube controller. Is there a way to make the app ignore inputs from the analog triggers? Thanks...
EDIT: Nevermind. I installed the driver from their website and all is good now (in the control panel)!
EDIT2: Scratch that. Unity still insists on mapping the POV to the analog triggers. I still need to ignore or disable the analog trigger inputs. Please help...
@rjejr I visited Unity's booth at GDC a few weeks ago. They had a Q&A session with a representative from Nintendo, and someone did ask when the engine would be available for 3DS. Sadly, his response was still a generic "we have nothing to announce about that right now."
Looks cute. the original looks better in HD though!
@Nimbus - ""we have nothing to announce about that right now.""
Well that's good news, means it will probably be announced real soon, maybe in the next Nintendo Direct For Nintnedo, no means yes. ie Wii U price cut, Nintendo IP on smart devices, Mario vs DK tech demo becoming a real game.
Looks nice.
Make it happen intendo
At a very basic level, it's quite well done. Honestly some polish, texturing and proper lighting and it could look pretty dang good. Don't really see the point in it though. The person that made this probably could have put a decent amount of work into something new.
Looking at Mario 64 in HD makes it look so empty. I know it's a demo for a project likely still in Alpha or at most early Beta, but this just looks sparse and empty. My favorite part of the video is the analog camera controls. SMOOTH as butter
How predictable. Everyone in the comments bashing it for how it looks -_-
That was probably an great game and Nintendo had no right attacking the Unity community.
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