A dedicated modder is painstakingly recreating Super Mario 64 for the Game Boy Advance. This ambitious undertaking, seemingly impossible given the GBA's significantly less powerful hardware compared to the original N64, is showing remarkable progress.

Super Mario 64, released in 1996, holds a legendary status as not only a top-tier Nintendo 64 title but also a beloved classic. Nintendo's pioneering foray into 3D platforming with its flagship franchise was a resounding success, selling nearly 12 million copies.

Joshua Barretto, a passionate Super Mario fan, recently unveiled a video showcasing their GBA recreation. Initially attempting a direct port, Barretto encountered insurmountable challenges, prompting a decision to rebuild the game's code from the ground up. The results, even at this early stage, are astonishing. A May update showed a rudimentary Mario represented as a red triangle; within just two months, the first level is now playable.

GBA Super Mario 64 Progress Update

Barretto's GBA port currently runs at a respectable 20-30 frames per second, with Mario executing key maneuvers like somersaults, crouching, and long jumps. While imperfections remain, the feat of running this iconic game on the GBA is undeniably impressive. Although still in its infancy, Barretto aims to deliver a fully playable version. The hope is that this ambitious project will avoid attracting the attention of Nintendo's notoriously aggressive legal team.

Super Mario 64 has experienced a recent surge in popularity amongst modders and dedicated players, who continue to push the game's boundaries. This year, a player completed the game without using the A button to jump—a monumental achievement attempted since the early 2000s, requiring an 86-hour playthrough exploiting a rare glitch on the Wii Virtual Console.

Shortly before, another player achieved the seemingly impossible: opening a previously unopenable door in the Snow World level without modifications. This long-standing mystery, baffling players for decades, was solved using an incredibly complex technique.