• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Super Mario 64 - How Should I Play It?

How should I play Mario 64 again?

  • All Stars 3d on Switch

    Votes: 231 57.8%

  • Emulated on PC with enhancements

    Votes: 143 35.8%

  • Wait until a proper remake comes along

    Votes: 11 2.8%

  • On a 3DS

    Votes: 15 3.8%
  • Total voters
    400
BasilZero

BasilZero

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
36,343
Omni
All stars on Switch or emulated on PC.

I have played it on the N64 console, emulated it on PC (rom dump - not the PC port release) and played the DS version.


Emulated version I prefer more cause I can save state.


I have 3D All stars pre-ordered but not sure if I'll get it going by Amazon...was going for physical but I might end up going digital.
 
dabri

dabri

Member
Nov 2, 2017
1,728
Berordn said:
there is nothing illegal about the pc version since it only uses assets you give it

if you illegally obtain mario 64, that's on you.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'm sorry, I thought the PC version being discussed was the recompiled (of stolen copyrighted code) source code. Not emulation. Emulation would run whatever assets you gave it, assuming the rom was legally obtained.
My question was specifically about the recompile.
 
chrominance

chrominance

Sky Van Gogh
Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,639
If you DID want to play the PC version, what's the legit way to get a ROM? Do you basically need to own the original N64 version (and, I don't know, rip it from the cart somehow??!?), or is there a Virtual Console/Switch Online/whatever port that can be used for this purpose?

EDIT: Never mind, I'm a dummy: Wii and Wii U VC.
 
GingerbreadMan

GingerbreadMan

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,296
By 3DS you mean the DS version? Because the PC port has been ported to 3DS and if you a New 3DS you'll get 16:9. It's very good.
 
dabri

dabri

Member
Nov 2, 2017
1,728
la_briola said:
fast report them to github! https://github.com/n64decomp/sm64 https://github.com/nicknytko/sm64pc
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
ah ok this is the decompile project. Where they have been taking compiled code and reverse engineering it to recreate the game. Not the leaked source that has been going around and being recompiled to run on different things, which is far from legal. The above is legal as long as you aren't using any of the copyrited materials with it....which you know. Everyone is.
 
Tavernade

Tavernade

Tavernade
Moderator
Sep 18, 2018
8,630
Berordn said:
there is nothing illegal about the pc version since it only uses assets you give it

if you illegally obtain mario 64, that's on you.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

So everyone playing a Mario 64 ROM has somehow connected their original Mario 64 cartridge or N64 system to their computer to create their ROM?
 
strudelkuchen

strudelkuchen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,083
dabri said:
ah ok this is the decompile project. Where they have been taking compiled code and reverse engineering it to recreate the game. Not the leaked source that has been going around and being recompiled to run on different things, which is far from legal. The above is legal as long as you aren't using any of the copyrited materials with it....which you know. Everyone is.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yes, but you don't know if everyone is dumping their own n64 games or not.
It is not recommended to assume this of others.
 
dabri

dabri

Member
Nov 2, 2017
1,728
chrominance said:
If you DID want to play the PC version, what's the legit way to get a ROM? Do you basically need to own the original N64 version (and, I don't know, rip it from the cart somehow??!?), or is there a Virtual Console/Switch Online/whatever port that can be used for this purpose?

EDIT: Never mind, I'm a dummy: Wii and Wii U VC.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Technically the only legit way to own a rom is to do the backup yourself. It's not legal to download or distribute roms made by others.
 
dabri

dabri

Member
Nov 2, 2017
1,728
la_briola said:
Yes, but you don't know if everyone is dumping their own n64 games or not.
It is not recommended to assume this of others.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
They aren't. No one is doing new backups of cart games (N64 specifically). You need such specific hardware (and software) to do it that it's just not happening. Especially when the existing roms are so easy to find and download.
You are right to not assume things though. OP should clarify if they have the means of taking a sm64 cart and backing it up for use with the PC decompile project. Otherwise, we shouldn't be suggesting it as an option.

But I'm getting too far off topic. I wont derail the thread anymore than I have.
 
chrominance

chrominance

Sky Van Gogh
Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,639
dabri said:
Technically the only legit way to own a rom is to do the backup yourself. It's not legal to download or distribute roms made by others.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Right, what I meant was what's the best way to generate that backup. Definitely not looking to distribute or download a ROM from a non-legit source.

I'm getting the Switch version anyways so I guess as long as it's good enough it won't really matter to me. Never played these games before so I'm sure it'll be okay.
 
Berordn

Berordn

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,744
NoVA
dabri said:
I'm sorry, I thought the PC version being discussed was the recompiled (of stolen copyrighted code) source code. Not emulation. Emulation would run whatever assets you gave it, assuming the rom was legally obtained.
My question was specifically about the recompile.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The recompile is legal and unrelated to the leaks. It's reverse engineered from the existing binaries and doesn't contain any trade secrets or copyrighted assets, the latter of which you have to provide yourself.
Tavernade said:
So everyone playing a Mario 64 ROM has somehow connected their original Mario 64 cartridge or N64 system to their computer to create their ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
it's not our place to go around slinging accusations at folks (and is also bannable). it's possible and not overly difficult to export legally obtained versions of the game with modded Wii/Wii U hardware, so there's no reason to accuse others of not doing so.
 

Deleted member 5956

User-requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
353
The Mupen64plus-next core in Retroarch with the pixel perfect RSP + RDP plug-ins are by far the most authentic way to play the game outside of original hardware. Emulation with higher internal resolutions as well as the PC port just don't look right.
 
Tavernade

Tavernade

Tavernade
Moderator
Sep 18, 2018
8,630
Berordn said:
It's not our place to go around slinging accusations at folks (and is also bannable). it's possible and not overly difficult to export legally obtained versions of the game with modded Wii/Wii U hardware, so there's no reason to accuse others of not doing so.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

People in general just don't seem to acknowledge the extra work required to have a legal ROM of the game. Honestly I forgot about the VC ports, but even then anytime someone chimes in with 'PC version is better' it still is asking someone to go through a much more complicated process on top of already buying the game versus the much easier task of just buying the DS/Switch or VC versions outright.
 
JudgmentJay

JudgmentJay

Member
Nov 14, 2017
5,220
Texas
PC port is going to look and run the best, plus you've got lots of modding options. Emulation via the Mupen64Plus-Next core with downsampling to the original resolution + a nice CRT filter gives a very nice look as well and is a good alternative. So my answer is: PC.
 
Eila

Eila

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,941
PC port, and emulated on Dolphin for Sunshine and Galaxy, for that matter.
 
Xwing

Xwing

Unshakable Resolve - One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 11, 2017
9,879
The best way to experience Mario 64 is rubbing the N64 cartridge directly on your forehead. You can absorb the experience quickly and efficiently.
 
TechnoSyndrome

TechnoSyndrome

Member
May 15, 2019
2,454
The unofficial PC port has so many options to update that game. I absolutely love the look of the SGI mod, but even if you don't there's plenty of enhancements like 60fps, widescreen and uncapped draw distance that I can't imagine anyone not liking. Makes Nintendo's port look like an embarrassment.
 
sir_crocodile

sir_crocodile

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,506
Obv don't have the collection yet as it's not out, but based on reviews:

1) If you want to have the closest experience to how someone would have played it in '96 (albeit with a few bells and whistles) go with with switch
2) If you want it to look and play as good as it's likely to, get the pc version with the camera mod

Ignore anyone who says DS, it has awful controls.
 

Deleted member 79058

Account closed at user request
Banned
Aug 25, 2020
2,912
Just play it on Switch, it's looking good.
Play 64 DS in the future if you're interested, but don't use it as your "my first time playing Mario 64". There's no analog stick on a DS, so the movement is kinda crappy.
 
gblues

gblues

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,482
Tigard, OR
Also if you want BLJ and have a Wii U handy, buy the VC version and pull the rom from that instead of dumping the one in all-stars.
 
MaverickHunterAsh

MaverickHunterAsh

Good Vibes Gaming
Verified
Oct 24, 2017
1,395
Los Angeles, CA.
I'd go with the 3D All-Stars version out of sheer convenience personally and I think the up-rez looks nice despite the lack of widescreen and any major visual overhauls, but I'm also not a PC gamer at all so I'm admittedly a little biased against that answer.
 
J75

J75

Member
Sep 29, 2018
6,616
The most legal way to play the compiled version on PC is to buy a N64 cart dumper, dump your own copy and use that rom to compile it, right?

What's the best N64 cart dumper?
 
Why would you do that?

Why would you do that?

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,801
New York City
Honestly that PC port is probably the best way to play it. But IMO it should be experienced without any enhancements. Maaaaybe the camera one and 60 FPS ones, but that's it.

Back when the PC port first came out and it had only minimal enhancements like widescreen, I played it. I was intending to play it for 5 or 10 minutes, but the port was just so good that I got all 120 stars in a day and a half lol.


J75 said:
The most legal way to play the compiled version on PC is to buy a N64 cart dumper, dump your own copy and use that rom to compile it, right?

What's the best N64 cart dumper?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You can also dump it from virtual console versions with a tool like this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.