For millions of 90s kids, Super Mario 64 is the video game equivalent of Proust’s madeleine — evoking a simpler, more exciting and infinitely more awesome time. And the game’s first level — that lush green hillside with bright gold coins, giant rolling cannonballs and a tense boss battle providing a taste of the epic, princess-saving journey ahead — has now been recreated in HD and can be played in your browser.
Developer Roystan Ross created the level to demonstrate a custom character controller he created, according to TechCrunch. He had to sacrifice larger features like the chain-chomp and the final battle with the Big Bob-omb, but other than it’s a pretty accurate rendition.
It may not the same as holding that three-pronged N64 controller in your hands, but you can play it online using a downloadable plugin called the Unity web player.
The project is not affiliated in any way with the game’s parent company Nintendo, but it does provide a glimpse of what the cross-platform forays that the video game giant recently announced it would attempt might look like.
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Write to Rishi Iyengar at rishi.iyengar@timeasia.com