Stepping out of Peach's Castle into a fully refurbished Mushroom Kingdom, my first task was to save Peach from two Piranha Plants trapping her under a pagoda. Last Impact didn't make the best first impression.
I've spent a few hours triple-jumping my way through it, and while it might not knock Miyamoto off his throne, it certainly makes a good go of it. The product of more than 12 months and 4000 hours, Last Impact transforms SM64 into an entirely new experience, with 15 levels, 130 stars, and plenty of tricks up its sleeve. His latest hack, Last Impact, is his most ambitious project yet. From his Donkey Kong-64-inspired total conversion to his 3D take on Super Mario Run, Kaze is one of the most prominent hackers in the SM64 scene. Kaze Emanuar has spent the last three years doing exactly that for Super Mario 64. Through the power of emulation, ROM hackers have rejuvenated the games of yesteryear, injecting new levels, new stories, and new life into the games we grew up with.
The PC, sadly, has missed out on most of those contenders, like Ratchet & Clank and Banjo-Kazooie. SM64 was Nintendo at its best, and 3D platformers have spent the last two decades trying to recapture its sublimity. Leaping around the Mushroom Kingdom still feels great, and even the blocky, low-res environments have aged gracefully thanks to their bold lines and bright colours.
