A programmer known as Mochi64 ran computational analysis software through millions of word and font combinations to try to decipher the long-unreadable plaque in Super Mario 64's castle courtyard. The software's closest match suggests the plaque reads "Eternal Star" on top and "We hope so" on the bottom, according to Video Games Chronicle. Even modern rereleases of the game retain the same blurry, illegible plaque image.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-19
A fan named supermochi64 used the AI model Claude Opus 5.5 alongside GPU-based font testing to decode the long-illegible 32x32 pixel plaque text in Super Mario 64's castle courtyard. The method, which tested millions of font and word combinations against the texture, scored 'Eternal star / We hope so' as a far better match than the popular fan theory 'L is real 2401.' The analysis also identified the likely font as Palatino Bold Italic from Adobe's 1990 Mac release.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-19
A project called diorama64, published on GitHub by developer Michael Steil, turns Super Mario 64 into a tabletop-scale diorama viewable through Apple Vision Pro. Players use a game controller while moving around a physical space to view levels like Bob-omb Battlefield and Big Boo's Haunt from any angle, built on existing decompilation work of the original game.
pagetable.com
· 2026-10-19
A hardware enthusiast who goes by Throaty Mumbo has built an experimental system called GCVHS that lets VHS tapes power playable versions of Doom and Super Mario Bros. The project draws inspiration from Worlds of Wonder's 1987 Action Max, a VHS-and-light-gun console, though the games aren't run directly off tape in the simplistic way that implies.
gardinerbryant.com
· 2026-10-17
A developer known as keepvaibin has released an unofficial, native PC port of Super Mario Galaxy, built with help from Anthropic's Claude AI but containing no Nintendo code or assets. The port runs on Windows 10 and up, needs only 8GB of RAM, supports ultrawide aspect ratios, upscaling and multiple controller types, and requires users to supply their own copy of the original game. It remains a work in progress, with some known bugs including frame drops in certain areas and audio skipping under heavy CPU load.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-14
A developer using the handle rsheldiii built a native port of Super Mario 64 for the discontinued Microsoft Zune HD, running through the unofficial OpenZDK homebrew kit without modifying the device's firmware. The project, based on the decompiled sm64ex PC port, plays mostly at full speed with sound, touch controls and save support, though users must supply their own ROM dump from a cartridge.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-11
A previously unpublished, full version of a 2001 interview with Nintendo programmer Giles Goddard has surfaced, expanding on a shorter piece that ran in NGC magazine at the time. Goddard, who worked on the Mario face animation for Super Mario 64, recalls the game's development team numbered roughly 15 people and describes the open-plan Nintendo office layout where programmers and artists clustered around active projects.
pixelatron.com
· 2026-10-10
A tech enthusiast known as Throaty Mumbo replaced an outdated VHS gaming console with a setup using a DE1-SoC FPGA board and a Raspberry Pi RP2350 MCU. His project features a VHS-based FMV system that plays modified versions of Doom and Super Mario Bros., with overlay graphics and interactive streams. The system tracks player input and displays video overlays, creating a nostalgic yet modern gaming experience.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-06
Nintendo has officially ended service for Mario Kart Tour, the free-to-play mobile racer launched in 2019, with servers going offline on Sept. 29. The app will remain installable but will only display player stats, and unlike Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, it is not being converted into an offline title.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-30
The SMGCommunity group has completed a full decompilation of Super Mario Galaxy, making it the first Wii game to be entirely reverse-engineered. Developer collective Luma's Workshop has already announced an unofficial PC port called AstroCore, which it says will be coded entirely by humans without heavy AI assistance.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-30
Nintendo's Nintendo 64 console launched in North America on September 29, 1996, priced at $199 with no pack-in game, offering buyers a choice between Super Mario 64 and Pilotwings 64. Over its lifetime the console produced hits including GoldenEye 007, Mario Kart 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time before Nintendo discontinued it in 2002, having sold nearly 33 million units worldwide.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-29
Nintendo has released Fortune's Weave, a new Fire Emblem title that adopts the open-ended structure recently seen in Zelda, Mario Kart World, and Donkey Kong Bananza. The game lets players choose between four hero routes before converging into a final act, allowing them to switch storylines freely and even combine character stats across playthroughs to build powerful hybrid units.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-16
GoKawiil