A new homebrew demonstration has brought Nintendo's landmark platformer Super Mario 64 to an unlikely place: the Vectrex, the vector-display home console originally from the early 1980s.
A video uploaded by user "ArcadeJason" (Jason Kopp) shows the 1996 Nintendo 64 release translated into monochrome vector wireframes, with recognizable geometry for Mario, Peach's Castle, and supporting characters rendered in the Vectrex's signature line-based style.
Super Mario 64 launched on Nintendo 64 in 1996 and has since been the subject of extensive ports, emulation projects, and official re-releases.
Nintendo included Super Mario 64 in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars compilation for Nintendo Switch, which released on September 18, 2020, and was later removed from the Nintendo eShop on March 31, 2021.
The Vectrex build is a fan-made, homebrew effort and not an official Nintendo product.
The demonstration is made possible by ArcadeJason's UVMC2 (Ultimate Vectrex MultiCart 2) hardware.
According to the video and supporting notes, the UVMC2 plugs into the Vectrex cartridge slot and handles rendering and computation outside the console, sending video output to the Vectrex's built-in display while audio is routed through a separate 3.5mm connection.
The particular Super Mario 64 conversion shown was developed using an SDK created by modder Daniel Ferrer Guerrero, as credited in the project materials.
In journalistic terms, Kopp explained that the UVMC2 acts as an external engine that enables modern homebrew projects on the Vectrex, and he invited developers interested in continuing the Super Mario 64 effort to contact him directly.
The team behind this demo previously produced a Vectrex port of DOOM, demonstrating a continuing interest in translating modern or mid-era 3D games into the Vectrex's vector aesthetic.
The video highlights how classic game geometry and iconography can be distilled into vector wireframes while remaining instantly recognizable, underscoring both the technical creativity of the homebrew scene and the enduring cultural footprint of Super Mario 64.
This project joins a long list of community-driven adaptations that repurpose historical hardware with modern tools and bespoke cartridges to explore platform boundaries.
For anyone seeking more information or collaboration opportunities, the project's author has signaled openness to contributors and further development.
A video uploaded by user "ArcadeJason" (Jason Kopp) shows the 1996 Nintendo 64 release translated into monochrome vector wireframes, with recognizable geometry for Mario, Peach's Castle, and supporting characters rendered in the Vectrex's signature line-based style.
Super Mario 64 launched on Nintendo 64 in 1996 and has since been the subject of extensive ports, emulation projects, and official re-releases.
Nintendo included Super Mario 64 in the Super Mario 3D All-Stars compilation for Nintendo Switch, which released on September 18, 2020, and was later removed from the Nintendo eShop on March 31, 2021.
The Vectrex build is a fan-made, homebrew effort and not an official Nintendo product.
The demonstration is made possible by ArcadeJason's UVMC2 (Ultimate Vectrex MultiCart 2) hardware.
According to the video and supporting notes, the UVMC2 plugs into the Vectrex cartridge slot and handles rendering and computation outside the console, sending video output to the Vectrex's built-in display while audio is routed through a separate 3.5mm connection.
The particular Super Mario 64 conversion shown was developed using an SDK created by modder Daniel Ferrer Guerrero, as credited in the project materials.
In journalistic terms, Kopp explained that the UVMC2 acts as an external engine that enables modern homebrew projects on the Vectrex, and he invited developers interested in continuing the Super Mario 64 effort to contact him directly.
The team behind this demo previously produced a Vectrex port of DOOM, demonstrating a continuing interest in translating modern or mid-era 3D games into the Vectrex's vector aesthetic.
The video highlights how classic game geometry and iconography can be distilled into vector wireframes while remaining instantly recognizable, underscoring both the technical creativity of the homebrew scene and the enduring cultural footprint of Super Mario 64.
This project joins a long list of community-driven adaptations that repurpose historical hardware with modern tools and bespoke cartridges to explore platform boundaries.
For anyone seeking more information or collaboration opportunities, the project's author has signaled openness to contributors and further development.
