How to Make a Nintendo 64 Game in 2026

In 2026, a new game called Xibalba 64 was created, a Wolfenstein 3D-like first-person shooter (FPS) for the Nintendo 64 (N64) console. This new release is significant as it marks only the second physical N64 game to be published since the console's original commercial life ended. The game, developed by the author using a modified JavaScript game engine, is set to be published as a launch title for a modern N64 clone, the M64, along with a cartridge, packaging, and manual.

The N64, a unique console with a 93 MHz MIPS CPU and two coprocessors for graphics and sound, presents challenges for developers. Access to the Reality Coprocessor (RCP) was initially limited to Nintendo's platform library, "libultra", but the homebrew scene has since developed a more accessible alternative, Libdragon. Libdragon, akin to SDL for the N64, offers tools for drawing sprites and triangles, sound output, controller input, and more.

The author built a new platform backend for high_impact, their JavaScript game engine, on top of Libdragon, making it possible to develop and test the game on a real N64.

The game development process involved porting the game to C and using high_impact, a 2D game engine, to accommodate the game's 3D nature. Despite the challenges posed by the N64's quirky hardware and the need to emulate its coprocessors accurately, the author successfully developed Xibalba 64, a game that required extensive expansion with more levels, enemies, and weapons compared to its original JavaScript incarnation.

The game's development process was made possible by the open-source SummerCart64, an N64 cartridge that allows game developers to upload ROM files directly to the console via USB. With this setup, the author could iterate on the game using a real N64 connected to their PC, streamlining the development process.