Thanks to the Quest 3, you can now play Super Mario 64 in mixed reality and it's amazing
Ever since the Quest 3 launched, with its superior passthrough and promises of advanced AR features coming in 2024, a lot more people have taken interest in mixed-reality. And that isn’t any wonder, especially in a world where Apple has already showcased the Vision Pro.
And do you know what comes along with taking an interest? The will to experiment with cool, wacky concepts that may not seem like much on the surface, but are highly likely to be inspiring ideas for the future of the entire industry.
Because when you get people talking about your achievement of running a 26 year old video game in a never before seen way, you’re probably doing something right. And even if it’s a shame that this project isn’t exactly official, we hope that the right people are paying attention.
Because this YouTuber managed to run Super Mario 64 in the Quest 2’s tabletop mode. And it’s astounding.
Let me say it before you have to do so in the comments: yes, VRified Games is running this experiment through the Quest 2, but I’ve titled it as such because it’s technically possible on the Quest 3 too. And because all of you love to click on that device’s wording, so there!
Oh, and just in case it isn’t obvious: this isn’t an official thing that Nintendo is doing, so keep that in mind moving forward.
So, why is any of this worth talking about then? Well, for those of you who have yet to experience Nintendo’s classic 3D platformer, this is a game where you do Mario things, but in three dimensions, meaning that you don’t just go from left to right.
And, even if a bit dated, it generally plays really well, even if I’d rather recommend you pick up one of the remakes, because it’s still a blast to play. But what about playing it in VR? Better yet: what about playing it in MR?
Well, then Super Mario 64 starts looking like some sort of pop-up fairytale book about the Mushroom Kingdom and I mean that in the best possible way. Thanks to the Quest’s tabletop mode, which is typically meant for digital board games, you can conjure a portal to Mario’s world right on your living room table.
And yes, that means that you can physically walk around and view the levels from all angles and it’s just as amazing as it sounds!
If you’re interested in checking out Mario’s classic platforming adventure on your own VR headset, you are going to need to download and set up several pieces of software:
That last bit is the difficult part, but if you read up enough online, you’ll manage to figure things out. Beyond that, though, the video above does a great job of explaining what you need to do in order to get this awesome version of Super Mario 64 up and running.
And do you know what comes along with taking an interest? The will to experiment with cool, wacky concepts that may not seem like much on the surface, but are highly likely to be inspiring ideas for the future of the entire industry.
Because this YouTuber managed to run Super Mario 64 in the Quest 2’s tabletop mode. And it’s astounding.
Let me say it before you have to do so in the comments: yes, VRified Games is running this experiment through the Quest 2, but I’ve titled it as such because it’s technically possible on the Quest 3 too. And because all of you love to click on that device’s wording, so there!
So, why is any of this worth talking about then? Well, for those of you who have yet to experience Nintendo’s classic 3D platformer, this is a game where you do Mario things, but in three dimensions, meaning that you don’t just go from left to right.
And, even if a bit dated, it generally plays really well, even if I’d rather recommend you pick up one of the remakes, because it’s still a blast to play. But what about playing it in VR? Better yet: what about playing it in MR?
Well, then Super Mario 64 starts looking like some sort of pop-up fairytale book about the Mushroom Kingdom and I mean that in the best possible way. Thanks to the Quest’s tabletop mode, which is typically meant for digital board games, you can conjure a portal to Mario’s world right on your living room table.
If you’re interested in checking out Mario’s classic platforming adventure on your own VR headset, you are going to need to download and set up several pieces of software:
- Dolphin VR emulator
- Steam VR
- Virtual Desktop
- OVR Advanced Settings
- A hopefully legitimate rip of Super Mario 64 to actually play
That last bit is the difficult part, but if you read up enough online, you’ll manage to figure things out. Beyond that, though, the video above does a great job of explaining what you need to do in order to get this awesome version of Super Mario 64 up and running.
Honestly, I'm deeply impressed with this result. It not only displays a load of creativity, but also a way to breathe new life into classic games through the power of MR. And, frankly, this is exactly the type of thing I'd expect Nintendo to actually make if they were thinking of creating a Mario game for XR.
And now that I've seen that, I'm really eager for such a game to come to life!
And now that I've seen that, I'm really eager for such a game to come to life!
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