Huge Mario Kart 64 Upgrade Adds HD Graphics
Racers, start your engines because one fan has delivered a HD version of the beloved Mario Kart 64. Nintendo's Mario masterpiece raced into our lives in 1996 and set the precedent for the franchise's 3D days.
Following the success of Super Mario Kart on the SNES, Mario Kart 64 expanded the number of racers and tracks, while joining the N64's acclaimed catalogue of video game greats.
What Is Mario Kart 64 HD?
Although there have been plenty of Mario Kart games since, Mario Kart 64 has rightly earned a place in the history books.
Developer Andrat has modded Mario Kart 64 via GitHub, and runs a HD version of Mario Kart 64 through a standard emulator or the popular Dolphin emulator.
3D games were in their infancy when Mario Kart 64 arrived on the scene, and it's easy to see how far we've come. Still, the N64 was at the forefront of the industry.
In a Mario Kart 64 HD trailer, we see the differences between the pixelated Princess Peach and this spruced-up version. Other fans loved the project. One supporter wrote, "Looks better than MK Wii," while another added, "You did this? You are a genius."
Someone else questioned, "So, when will you release HD remasters on the rest of the N64 games? Because this is awesome." Mario Kart 64 HD uses the original's title screen and promo art as a template, then remodels everything from the characters to bananas.
Will Nintendo Remove Mario Kart 64 HD?
Mario Kart HD is a labour of love that's been in the works for two years. Earlier in 2022, the team confirmed that they'd finished character renders, so we knew the game was on the way.
We're reminded of when The Ship of Harkinian was released as a reverse-engineered version of the N64's beloved Ocarina of Time. These projects try to avoid Nintendo legalities, but we know it isn't always that simple.
Nintendo is notoriously quick to take down anything that even tiptoes around copyright infringement, but as this runs as a mod alongside a version of the game you might already legally own, it stands a much better chance of surviving the chop.
We'd get playing Mario Kart 64 HD while you can. Then again, Nintendo seems too busy releasing booster packs for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to notice a fan HD remaster of the GOAT... or give us Mario Kart 9.
