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Play Classic NES Mario, Zelda, and More With a 3D Diorama-Like Emulator

Now I want someone to make 3D dioramas of classic NES levels.

By Mat Paget on March 9, 2016 at 3:25PM PST

If you're tired of playing classic NES games in their normal 2D form, then maybe you'd be interested in an emulator that converts them into 3D. The emulator makes classic games like Super Mario Bros. 3, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, and Castlevania look like 3D dioramas that you can play through.

The 3DNes emulator, developed by Geod Studio, is currently in a beta stage and only works on Firefox at this time (via Ars Technica). It can make games like Mega Man and Contra look really cool in 3D, but it's still a little rough in spots, so there are plenty of visual glitches--it can be pretty difficult to make out the games at times. You can check out how they look in the video above.

One of the cool features allows players to move the diorama-like emulator's viewing angle around. It's not only for looks as you can leave it at a desired angle and play the game like that.

You can check out more videos of Geod Studio's progress on their YouTube channel.

You can check out GameSpot's Code of Conduct when it comes to discussing emulators and ROMs here.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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This needs to get improved to the point it is stand-alone.

It would make a phenomenal addition to my Hyperspin Gam3b0x

Upvote • 9 years ago

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Edited By NbAlIvEr10000

It's definitely a glitchy mess in it's current state; but if they take the time to tweak this out a little more I can definitely see the appeal for it. It seems like the problems with it are the emulator trying to render what it perceives as a floor or map-based image on screen. I feel the only way they are going to be able to render this properly is to go through each one of these games one-by-one (for example the entire NES library) and configure the mapping of each level in the games in order for it to look the way it is supposed to. I would suggest this and then have a game-specific library based solely on this emulator.

Upvote • 9 years ago

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lol FireFox...

Upvote • 9 years ago

deactivated-583276a1d2d91

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deactivated-583276a1d2d91

Just watch Nintendo close them down then steal their ideas and then fanboys will call this innovation.

2 • 9 years ago

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This just opens the possibility of making an NES game in form of interactive 3D diorama space. Imagine playing this using VR headset, looking at the top of table surface and playing SMB that runs on top of it. That looks freaking cool.

I know some people might find this uninteresting, which I truly understand most of its reasons, but if people can do something like this with new programming skill, ideas and tech, more people might have interested and want to have fun with it.

Upvote • 9 years ago

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I remember these games when I was a kid, I can just imagine if those games did that back then... We would be floored. Games are so much better now, but back then we used to think there is no way they can get better. Now -a-days we just think why are these new games not better looking. It is just not the same experience these days.

3 • 9 years ago

PrpleTrtleBuBum

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Edited By PrpleTrtleBuBum

@J2fold: Well back then I used to dream how everything could look. Nowadays with 99% of games I really can't imagine how they could look better in a meaningful way (Sure they can still do more realistic hair and fabric and faces and stuff but it never affects gameplay. I'm not including physics, with which they could still do a lot, because you can't see them in still pics)

2 • 9 years ago

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gamerboy100 Online

This could be pretty awesome if they get the bugs worked out.

Upvote • 9 years ago

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But why? It makes the games look all ugly and blocky, and it's not like it improves the gameplay or anything... I guess they were just bored.

3 • 9 years ago

PrpleTrtleBuBum

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PrpleTrtleBuBum

@Tiwill44: Its cool CV fill, they already have more media time than most of us

But I agree these look even uglier than the originals and in case I want nostalgia I'm not sure this new style would fill my appetite either

Upvote • 9 years ago

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Edited By Redsyrup

I feel like I'm looking into the future. Hire these guys quick Nintendo.

Upvote • 9 years ago

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Amazing.

2 • 9 years ago

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@deadpen: Have you no eyes?

Upvote • 9 years ago

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very neat!!!! kind or reminds me of the Super Gameboy adaptor you could plug on your SNES .
what was this thing called? it was awesome-o!

Upvote • 9 years ago

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@xolivierx: What was the Super Game Boy adapter called? It was called the Super Game Boy.

7 • 9 years ago

deactivated-57d188b503c0f

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deactivated-57d188b503c0f

What have I just watched haha I'm so confused, I'm viewing 2d in 3d... This is how I think I'd feel if I could suddenly see our world in 4d.

I don't even know if I like this, in some ways it works, in others it just looks bizarre, but it's nice to see innovative ideas in games still happening, even the oldest games can still be reimagined by the right people.

3 • 9 years ago

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Moonco Moderator

I thought we are not allowed to talk about emulators here? On the Retro forums, you can get banned for discussing them.

5 • 9 years ago

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@Moonco:

Here, this should clear things up:

Can I talk about emulators?

Here are some specific examples of what is, and what is not allowed in discussions regarding emulators:

Allowed: "Discussion of the -concept- of emulation and how it affects the industry, and computer OS (such as Virtual Machines or DOSBox)".

Allowed: "Forms of emulation that are officially endorsed by the copyright holders, such as console backwards compatibility, "classic game packs" sold by companies such as Sega that use emulation to make older console games playable on modern platforms."

Not Allowed: Any console, arcade, and gaming platform emulation discussion (again, except where it's officially endorsed by the copyright owners). This includes asking for help with emulation, endorsing emulation, links to emulation or ROM websites, naming specific emulators, or providing instructions on how to emulate.

Not Allowed: All other forms of emulation discussion not covered above as explicitly allowed.

Upvote • 9 years ago

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Edited By Moonco Moderator

@digitaldame: The 3DNes emulator is not approved by Nintendo so this should be filed under 'Not Allowed' right? You have to provide your own roms, which the big N deems illegal. You can read all about Nintendo's view here www.nintendo/corp/legal.jsp#emulator

11 • 9 years ago

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Edited By Byshop Moderator

@Moonco: You're not wrong. Had this been posted by a user in the forums the thread would be locked because it's directing people to a specific emulator. Gamespot also typically doesn't report on individual emulators, but in this particular instance they found it interesting enough that it warranted an article so discussion of -this- emulator here in the comments is acceptable. However, any discussion around ROMs or where to get them would not be. Regardless of one's feelings on emulation, the fact that someone created a 3D emulator of the original NES -is- news, just as it would also be news if Nintendo decided to try to shut this project down (and I think it's likely that they will).

The tricky thing about console emulators is that while they themselves aren't typically illegal, they make it -way- too easy to do illegal things like pirating games that would otherwise be fairly difficult to pirate which is why we have to block that kind of discussion (the same goes for mod chips).

8 • 9 years ago

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Edited By Jinzo_111887

@Byshop: So what about situations where the games are played by an emulator or retro console clone using the media the game originally came on? Example, an NES console clone playing NES cartridges.

Upvote • 9 years ago

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Byshop Moderator

@Jinzo_111887: Discussion of retro consoles and clones is fine, but we still have to block discussion of PC or console based emulators because while it's possible for people to use most of them legally, we can't verify a user's claim that this is how a they plan on using them. If we made an exception for users who claimed that they would only use them legally, everyone would just say that they are using them legally regardless of whether or not that's true.

2 • 9 years ago

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@Byshop: Thanks. I was wondering about the legality of it as I've heard someone claim it was space shifting/platform shifting on Sony's community forums. I can also understand why talk of emulation might need to be prohibited.

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Edited By Moonco Moderator

@Byshop: Thanks for the explanation

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@digitaldame: Digitaldame did you get my PM, I haven't heard back from you.

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Edited By digitaldame

@nyadc: Just did!

Upvote • 9 years ago

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@digitaldame: Thanks again!

Upvote • 9 years ago

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This is awesome, literally nothing else to say!

2 • 9 years ago

Use your keyboard!

ESC

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