You can now play NES Mario games in 3D AR

There are some great retro games consoles around these days, but how about combining retro games with some of the most modern tech? Nintendo fans are discovering that they can bring iconic NES games like Super Mario Bros into their living rooms in 3D AR, and they're delighted.

We've recently seen Super Mario Bros remade in 3D using Unreal Engine 5. But this emulator lets you play the original game in all its nostalgic 8-bit glory in augmented reality as a 3D diorama that you can move around. All you need is the emulator and a VR device.

Game developer and retro gaming fan Garay made the post on X above, enthusiastically sharing what it looks like to play Super Mario Bros in this new way. He captured the video while combining Geod Studio's 3DSenVR (you also need a VR or AR device if you want to play in VR or AR)

The emulator also works for games like Mega Man, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Duck Hunt, Castlevania and more, and you can choose between full VR immersion or classic desktop mode.

I suspect this might actually be less immersive than playing the traditional way due to the real-world distractions.

“It's always been my dream to enjoy escapism while watching Mario jump over my piles of dirty laundry, dirty dishes, shit that needs dusting, and garbage that needs taking out,” one person writes. Perhaps not, but it looks like a load of fun all the same.

3DSenVR is available from Steam.

For more gaming news, see the world's first 100% AI game and the new Tomb Raider character design.