SMRTR TechFeb 2, 2026TechEBlog

How Super Mario 64 Conquered the PDF

SMRTR summary

A developer named Tobi created a playable version of Super Mario 64 that runs entirely within a PDF file by exploiting JavaScript capabilities in modern document viewers. Using a decompiled version of the Nintendo 64 game, Tobi converted the 3D graphics into ASCII text art since JavaScript cannot directly access graphics cards, creating a 23.5-megabyte PDF that displays Mario and enemies as text characters. The game runs at one to two frames per second without sound but remains fully controllable through keyboard inputs, demonstrating how PDFs have evolved beyond simple document storage.

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