Nintendos Mario Kart 64 received an unofficial Dreamcast adaptation in the year 2025, a move that seems remarkably apt given the recent release of Mario Kart World.
Mario Kart 64 Arrives on Dreamcast After Two Decades
In an exciting turn of events, fans of the classic racing game Mario Kart 64 can now enjoy the game on the Sega Dreamcast. The unofficial port of the game, developed by homebrew developer JNMartin, was released in August 2025.
This port utilizes the recently completed decompiled source code of the original game, a development that only occurred a few months prior to the port’s release. Initially, the port showed visual glitches, unstable framerate, and lacked audio. However, these issues were gradually addressed as development continued.
Interestingly, players need to provide their own Mario Kart 64 ROM (in Z64 format) to supply game assets because the port itself does not include game data. This means that players can run the game natively on Dreamcast hardware or emulator like Flycast.
One notable aspect of this port is that it allows players to use the Dreamcast controller, offering an alternative to the Nintendo 64 controller. This port was also supported by figures in the Dreamcast homebrew community, including Falco Girgis, who had earlier teased the development of Mario Kart 64 for the Dreamcast.
The Dreamcast version of Mario Kart 64 introduces a new challenge: helicopters in the game can now potentially eliminate a player's chances of winning, as mentioned in Mario Kart World. This port is part of a series of ambitious Nintendo 64 game ports to Dreamcast, following others such as Star Fox 64.
The release of Mario Kart 64 on the Dreamcast is expected to save the Dreamcast, as previously mentioned. This comes after Falco Girgis, a Dreamcast homebrew developer, managed to get Grand Theft Auto 3 to run on the Dreamcast.
- The Dreamcast community is abuzz with the arrival of Mario Kart 64, marking a significant addition to the console's library of games.
- In the realm of technology and gadgets, the Dreamcast's revival is gaining momentum, driven by innovative ports like Mario Kart 64 and Grand Theft Auto 3.
- The unofficial port of Mario Kart 64 on Dreamcast offers players the option to use the Dreamcast controller instead of the usual Nintendo 64 controller, adding another layer of customization to the gaming experience.
- Aside from Mario Kart 64, other notable Nintendo 64 games like Star Fox 64 are also being considered for Dreamcast ports, promising a wealth of action-packed FPS and racing games for fans.
- Gaming enthusiasts can now get their hands on some exciting deals, with the Dreamcast version of Mario Kart 64 offering a unique twist to the classic game with the inclusion of helicopters that can potentially change the course of a race.
- The revival of Dreamcast expects to garner attention from tech news and gaming gadgets segments, with Nintendo games like Mario Kart 64 and Grand Theft Auto 3 setting new benchmarks for console gaming on the platform.
