What happens when you add the controls and characters of Super Mario 64 to the world of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? You get what may be one of the most impressive Nintendo 64 game mods to date.
Super Zelda 64 is an upcoming PC mod from modder Kaze Emanuar, who showed off the project on their YouTube channel. The modder even provides commentary on how the game works. In essence, players explore dungeons and complete puzzles from Ocarina of Time, with some Super Mario-style benefits and twists thrown in. Mario’s still fighting off Bob-ombs and running into Toads, and he uses his platforming prowess to make his way through some of the dungeons.
But Kaze Emanuar — best known for the popular Super Mario 64 Online mod (before it got taken down, that is) — has some other inventive changes to circumvent certain classic Zelda conventions that don’t translate as well into a Mario game.
“Since Mario does not play the ocarina, there needs to be another system to travel fast,” they explain in the video. “Playing without quick travel would be annoying in a game like this. For this, the fairy fountains have been repurposed to be a warp world.”
What this amounts to is a radical reimagining of two beloved classics. Super Zelda 64 remains a work-in-progress, as do Kaze Emanuar’s similar Mario crossover projects — which include a Nintendo 64-style hack of Super Mario Odyssey and even Portal Mario 64.
Kaze Emanuar is keeping players updated on their Twitter page and elsewhere.
Update (March 27): Kaze Emanuar’s fangame — now known as Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time — is now available for download. The trailer below shows off the game’s launch version, as well as hints at plans to develop a follow-up based on Majora’s Mask.
