The work-in-progress was demonstrated in a video by Video Game Esoterica. Given the PS1’s hardware limitations compared to the N64 and the fact this is an early build, the port shows some obvious compromises: black skyboxes, floating trees, and a variety of graphical and performance glitches. One particularly memorable bug shows Mario collapsing as soon as he lands after collecting a star.
Super Mario 64 Decomp Gets Ported to PS1 – YouTube
Even in its imperfect state, the port is an impressive technical achievement given how differently the PlayStation and N64 handle geometry, textures, and effects. One top commenter on Video Game Esoterica’s video summed it up well: “The best reason to do something is simply because you can.”
It’s easy to imagine why this would never be an official release, but the project calls to mind other impressive licensed feats — for example, Capcom squeezing Resident Evil 2 onto a single N64 cartridge. And if Mario had landed on the PS1 back in the day, debates over which console was superior would have been very different (personally, I’ll always defend the one that hosted gems like Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman).
The elegant level design of the original Super Mario Bros. has influenced designers for decades, and Super Mario 64’s jump to 3D remains a true watershed moment in game design.
Source: gamesradar.com
