Mario Builder 64 is a free Super Mario 64 ROM hack developed by Rovertronic and Arthurtilly that lets players build, save, and share their own custom levels using an in-game editor, all running natively on actual Nintendo 64 hardware. Released in May 2024, it essentially recreates the experience of Nintendo’s own Mario Maker series within the world of Super Mario 64, giving fans the tools to design entire stages tile by tile without ever touching a PC-based 3D modeling program. In this article, we’ll explore how the project came together, what the level editor offers, and why its release became such a massive moment within the ROM hacking community.
Born From an Even Bigger Project
Mario Builder 64 didn’t start out as its own standalone idea. Its creator, a ROM hacker known as Rovertronic, had previously released a far more ambitious project in 2023 called Super Mario 64: Beyond the Cursed Mirror, a full fan-made game built in the style of the celebrated hack Super Mario Star Road. While working on a custom level editor specifically to help build levels for Cursed Mirror, Rovertronic realized that with the right adjustments, that same internal tool could be released publicly as a standalone level creator functioning much like an actual Mario Maker game.
Fellow ROM hacker Arthurtilly joined the project shortly afterward, contributing what Rovertronic has described as a near-total rewrite of the underlying codebase, dramatically improving and expanding on the original concept. According to Rovertronic, the finished tool “wouldn’t be there without Arthurtilly,” underscoring just how collaborative the final release truly was.
A Level Editor That Lives Inside the Game Itself
What makes Mario Builder 64 particularly notable isn’t just that it lets players design levels, it’s that the entire editor runs natively within Super Mario 64 itself, directly on real Nintendo 64 hardware. Players are dropped straight into a level creator built around placing three-dimensional tiles, selecting from a toolbar containing different categories of building blocks, objects, enemies, and hazards.
The editor’s materials menu is divided into two main pages. The first contains basic building blocks alongside most general-purpose objects available in the game, while the second page is dedicated entirely to enemies and hostile elements, including hazards like fire-spinners and Bowser bombs, along with the all-important marker used to set Mario’s starting position within a level. Selecting any item from this menu assigns it to a highlighted toolbar slot, which players can then place freely throughout their level.
Two Distinct Building Themes
Mario Builder 64 offers players a choice between two different creative themes when designing levels. The standard mode sticks closely to the classic Super Mario 64 toolkit, while a separate “Beyond the Cursed Mirror” theme unlocks an entirely different set of building options pulled directly from Rovertronic’s earlier full-length hack. This expanded theme introduces a permanent, unlockable Badge system for granting players special powerups, along with unique elements taken straight from that game, including its memorable Showrunner boss encounter.
Players can also customize the audio experience of their creations, with the editor offering three separate music collections to choose from: the original Super Mario 64 soundtrack, the original score from Beyond the Cursed Mirror, and a curated collection of music ported in from other games by the wider ROM hacking community.
Sharing Levels With the World
One of the most significant features setting Mario Builder 64 apart from typical ROM hacks is its built-in level sharing system. Once a level is finished, players can export it as a standalone file and upload it online for others to download and play, while also being able to load and experience levels created by other members of the community. This functionality works through virtual SD cards for players using software emulation through tools like Parallel Launcher, or directly through a flashcart’s file system for those running the hack on genuine N64 hardware.
This sharing infrastructure dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for Super Mario 64 level design as a whole. Rather than requiring knowledge of PC-based 3D modeling software or traditional ROM hacking tools, anyone can sit down with the in-game editor and start building immediately, then share their creation with players anywhere in the world.
An Explosive Community Reception
When Mario Builder 64 launched in May 2024, the response from the ROM hacking community was immediate and overwhelming. Within just its first week of release, the tool had already accumulated millions of video views, tens of thousands of likes, and over 15,000 individual downloads, reception on a scale Rovertronic had never previously experienced with any of his earlier hacking projects.
Interestingly, Rovertronic wasn’t alone in pursuing this exact concept. Around the same time as his announcement, another ROM hacker revealed they had been independently developing a strikingly similar Super Mario 64 level editing tool. Rather than treating this as direct competition, Rovertronic publicly encouraged the other developer to continue with their own version, citing meaningful differences between the two projects’ approaches, even while acknowledging that being first to release inevitably shaped how each project was received.
Continued Development and Community Tools
Mario Builder 64 has continued receiving updates since its initial release, with version 1.1 launching in June 2025, adding further refinements and content on top of the original toolset. The project’s source code is also publicly available, allowing other developers within the community to build their own modified versions or contribute improvements directly.
Dedicated community resources have also emerged around the tool, including detailed setup guides covering emulator configuration, flashcart compatibility, and best practices for organizing and sharing custom levels, helping make the process of getting started significantly more approachable for newcomers unfamiliar with ROM hacking or N64 emulation in general.
Final Thoughts
Mario Builder 64 represents one of the most ambitious and accessible projects to emerge from the Super Mario 64 ROM hacking scene, turning a beloved 1996 platformer into a genuine level creation platform nearly thirty years after its original release. By running natively on real N64 hardware and offering a level of sharing and customization rivaling Nintendo’s own official Mario Maker titles, it stands as a genuine testament to just how far dedicated fan creativity can push a decades-old game engine.