Do I need the original game files to run Paper Mario 64 Port?

Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy.

Paper Mario 64 Port

PortActive

An existing game or its source code brought to another platform.

About

PaperBoat is the Harbour Masters port of Paper Mario 64. It includes no copyrighted assets and requires a supported copy of the game.

How it differs from the original

It supports DirectX 11 (Windows), OpenGL and Metal (macOS) graphics backends, custom assets packed as .o2r or .otr files, and a Tab shortcut to toggle alternate assets.

Getting started

Verify your US ROM dump against the SHA1 hash given in the README or with its compatibility checker, then download PaperBoat from Releases. On Windows extract the zip and launch the exe; on Linux place your game copy beside the AppImage and run it; on macOS run the app and select your game copy when prompted.

What you need to run it

Original game files required. The project ships code only; you provide your own copy of the game (Windows, Linux, macOS version).

You must provide a supported copy of the game.

Features

Use custom assets by placing .o2r or .otr files in the mods folder.

How to install

Verify that your game copy is supported using the compatibility checker.
On macOS, run paperboat.app and select your supported game copy when prompted.

Controls

Keyboard: A is X, B is C, Z is Z, Start is Space, the analog stick is WASD, C buttons are the arrow keys, and the D-pad is TFGH.
Esc toggles the menubar.
Tab toggles alternate assets.
Default keyboard controls are X, C, Z and Space for A, B, Z and Start, WASD for the analog stick, arrow keys for the C buttons and TFGH for the D-Pad.

Summarised from the project's README.

Additional notes

Shortcuts: Esc toggles the menubar, F11 is fullscreen and Ctrl+R resets.

FAQ

What is Paper Mario 64 Port?: Paper Mario 64 Port is an open-source port. An existing game or its source code brought to another platform. The original game ran on Windows, Linux and macOS.
Do I need the original game files to run Paper Mario 64 Port?: Yes. The project does not include the original game's assets, so you need your own copy.