Nintendo’s all-time classic 3D platformerMario 64is as popular as ever, hosting the most recorded speedruns and active runners on speedrun.com almost 25 years after it released — in fact, anew 120-Star world record was filmed liveearlier this year. However, the game is also incredibly popular for the mods that shake up its original experience, like this one letting Mario explore a platforming variant of the originalMario Party.
The hack, called “Mario Party 64,” released via YouTube by MrComit on February 16, and comes just in time for the21st anniversary ofMario Party’s North American release. MrComit’s minute-and-a-half long trailer shows the world-famous plumber running aroundMario 64-styled sandbox worlds recreating the original eightMario Partyboards, as well as “over a dozen minigames.”
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There are 70 stars in the downloadable hack according to the video description, and fans ofMario Partywill notice something has been highlighted which doesn’t belong. One of the recreated minigames called “Same Game,” based on the 1985 tile-matching puzzle gameChain Shot!, was fully-functional in the originalMario Party’s code but not playable without cheats according to The Cutting Room Floor.
There is a long list ofMario 64mods that do everything from adding new visuals, to upending intended mechanics, like asplit-screen multiplayer modby well-known ROM hacker Kaze Emanuar. MrComit’s “Mario Party 64” has been in the works since 2018, according to the video description on a showcase of the Yoshi’s Tropical Island board and Platform Peril minigame uploaded in January 2019.
Putting such a heavy focus on the Nintendo 64-era party game makes sense, as it still has some of the mostwell-regardedMario Partyboardsin the series. There’s also likely a strong dose of nostalgia involved, as MrComit says they’ve done 99 percent of the work themselves. Their commitment to the passion project shows.
TheMario Partyseries goes strong to this day, with its latest entry being 2018’sSuper Mario Partyon the Nintendo Switch. While it has had its ups and downs, the core conceit of a multiplayer Mario-themed board game continues to resonate with fans, and thanks to MrComit those fans can experience the original in a brand new way.
