Super Mario 64, the iconic N64 platformer which brought Nintendo's flagship character into three dimensions, might best be played with its DS remake running on a Wii U. In an odd combination of Nintendo platforms, Super Mario 64 has been given new life through a modded version of the DS remake. Additional functionality, better controls, and the added bonus content might actually make it one of the better versions of SM64.
In 1996, Nintendo made Mario 3D on its latest console, the Nintendo 64. Although Luigi was left unplayable in Super Mario 64 entered the annals of gaming history as one of the medium's most influential titles. Eight years later, when the company debuted its two-screen handheld, the Nintendo DS, it came with an SM64 remake as a launch title, appropriately called Super Mario 64 DS. It had a number of changes and additions to the original game, and was generally well-received, but the DS' D-pad had noticeable limitations in a platformer when compared to the N64's analog stick.
That particular issue has now been solved by a modded version of Super Mario 64 DS running on a Wii U gamepad. Jon Cartwright on Twitter gives a cursory overview of the capabilities of this version. The unintuitive touch screen camera controls from the DS have been mapped to the right stick, while the touch screen's birdseye map remains in the lower corner of the Wii U gamepad screen. Movement has been made omnidirectional with varying speeds thanks to the Wii U's left analog stick, instead of the limited eight directions possible on a D-pad, making for a more intuitive gameplay experience overall.
Wii U/DS Hybrid Super Mario 64 Has Lots Of Content
For retro video game purists, the Nintendo DS remake of Super Mario 64 might be something close to sacrilege. It goes beyond the normal fanmade PC Super Mario ports with raytracing and is more of a reimagining of the classic platformer. When Mario receives the letter from Princess Peach inviting him to her castle, Mario arrives with Luigi and (oddly) Wario, who enter the castle and disappear in SM64 DS' opening cinematic. Yoshi is the last to emerge from the Warp Pipe, and becomes the player character, now tasked with rescuing not only Peach, but Mario, Luigi, and Wario as well. Various levels have been altered by allowing the player to pick up Mario, Luigi, or Wario's hats in order to transform into them and use their abilities.
Super Mario 64 DS also has 36 minigames that players can unlock while playing the main game. Although not as varied as the minigames in Mario Party Superstars, they do have their own charm. They range from card games like a five-card draw with Luigi as the dealer, to a puzzle where the face of a certain character has to be found within a moving crowd of other faces. These all utilized the DS' touch screen, and should theoretically be playable on the Wii U gamepad. SM64 DS also had some multiplayer functionality, but Cartwright's video doesn't make any mention of it. The original version of Super Mario 64 is still perfectly playable, and even holds up quite well in the Switch's Mario anniversary collection, but this Wii U mod brings revamped controls to the content-loaded DS remake.
Source: Twitter/Jon Cartwright