Following the massive success of Super Mario Maker, many anticipated that Nintendo would eventually provide a similar creative toolkit for its other legendary franchises. With the company yet to venture in that direction, independent developers are stepping up to fill the void. While the current landscape is saturated with 2D suites designed to mimic the classic SNES-era top-down perspective, one creator is daring to elevate the concept into the third dimension.
Temple Maker 64 is the passion project of Akela-morse, an independent developer who transitioned to full-time development eighteen months ago. In conversation with Polygon, the 27-year-old explained that his inspiration struck after observing the rise of titles like Quest Master and Super Dungeon Maker. However, he noted that because existing level editors primarily lean into 2D pixel art, pivoting toward a nostalgic N64-era aesthetic felt like the logical next step.
The suite empowers players with a comprehensive toolkit—featuring familiar weaponry, items, and adversaries synonymous with 3D classics like Ocarina of Time—all while carefully navigating legal boundaries by avoiding protected Nintendo assets. Even the lead character captures the spirit of the iconic hero without infringing on his specific design. This delicate balancing act may prove vital for the game’s longevity, especially considering that high-budget attempts at similar concepts, such as Amazon’s King of Meat, have struggled to gain traction despite robust social and design features.
I’m currently running a playtest for Temple Maker 64 And look, people have already published dungeons 👀 Let’s try one out! ⚔️ #indiegames #zelda #nintendo64
— Ki3 Games | Temple Maker 64 Steam Page LIVE! 🗝️ (@ki3games.bsky.social) 2026-04-09T16:31:51.795Z
The true challenge for these tools isn’t mechanical, but emotional: players are often reluctant to invest time in creating content for franchises they lack a personal history with. Super Mario Maker thrived largely because its player base possessed a deep, intuitive understanding of how a platforming level should function. Translating that familiarity into the complex, multi-layered architecture of a 3D dungeon is a significantly taller order.
Nonetheless, early playtesters are already pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Akela-morse recently showcased a clip on Reddit featuring a “Kaizo-style” dungeon—an homage to the notoriously difficult, frame-perfect custom levels that challenge even veteran players. These complex designs require mastery of advanced techniques like backflips and side-hops, demonstrating that despite the game’s unfinished state, the community is already eager to test their mettle.
I’m making a “Super Zelda(-like) Maker”, and playtesters have already started making Kaizo dungeons
by u/akela-morse in SoloDevelopment
Looking ahead, the developer plans to integrate community-centric features such as tagging and listing, while exploring the potential for a dedicated single-player campaign. When asked about potential legal pushback from Nintendo, Akela-morse remains unfazed, emphasizing that he has avoided any proprietary code or protected IP. “Legally speaking, there’s nothing they can do but watch,” he remarked.
While committed to the project, Akela-morse is keeping his professional options open, currently developing a secondary title titled Seed of Life. Regardless of the outcome, he intends to open-source the framework behind Temple Maker 64, ensuring that his efforts contribute to the wider ecosystem of indie game development.
Source: Polygon
