Modders have released Mario Builder 64, a tool that allows players to create and share their own user-generated levels. The new ROM hack for the classic Nintendo 64 title produced by homebrew developers Rovertronic and Arthurtilly allows players to design and build their own Super Mario 64 levels within the ROM, as demonstrated in the beautifully orchestrated launch trailer below.
The new open-source ROM hack is playable via emulation, although gamers looking to experience Mario Builder 64 on original hardware can get the software running with a few extra steps. Players hoping to jump into a world of 64-bit design and build gameplay will need to patch their vanilla ROM files with the .bps file available from ROMHACKING.com.
Much like its official 2D counterpart, Super Mario Maker, Mario Builder 64 allows players to create 3D levels in Mario 64’s distinct art style, making use of familiar art assets from the 1996 original.
Adding to the authenticity of Mario Builder 64 is the ability to add a variety of gameplay elements including enemies, coins, switches, platforms, and stars into the mix.
While the ability to create your own Mario 64 levels is an enticing one, perhaps the strongest selling point, at least in my eyes anyway, comes from sharing those creations with the wider Mario community. Players have already begun crafting and sharing their creations online and some of the results are undeniably excellent.
As we know, Nintendo is fiercely (and rightly) defensive of its intellectual property so it’s likely their legal team is already assessing the release of this latest ROM hack. Mario Builder 64 gives players a glimpse of what a potential official Super Mario Maker 3 could become. A 3D version of Super Mario Maker‘s magical toolbox for the successor to the Nintendo Switch sounds pretty good to me!
