📰 New article from Retro Handhelds
This SM64 Hack Lets N64 and PS2 Play Online Co‑Op
https://retrohandhelds.gg/this-sm64-hack-lets-n64-and-ps2-play-online-co-op/
When Retro Meets Ridiculous: Mario Crosses Console Wars—With a Raspberry Pi as the Matchmaker
Imagine two friends—one clutching an N64, the other a PS2—jumping into Super Mario 64… together. Sounds impossible? According to YouTube wizard Carl Does Tech Things, it’s not just possible—it’s happening, thanks to a wild hack that bridges two warring consoles with a Raspberry Pi Pico in the middle like some kind of tiny networking ninja.
How? By leveraging the PS2’s open-source decompilation of SM64, Carl had to solve deep technical headaches: syncing two independent Marios (with full movesets!), fixing animation glitches, and building a custom server that both consoles can talk to—despite their wildly different architectures. And yes, he repurposed a PlayStation 1’s CPU to handle the networking over USB. It’s like giving Mario a jetpack made of nostalgia and solder.
Sure, it’s not exactly plug-and-play living-room ready—but as a proof-of-concept?Absolutely legendary. In an era where corporations monetize nostalgia like it’s going out of style, this kind of DIY brilliance reminds us: the retro scene isn’t just preserving history—it’s actively rewriting it, one cursed crossover at a time. 🍄✨