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Golden Balloon — web demo

▶ Play: https://akratch.github.io/golden-balloon/

Two repositories, one project — the hyphen matters:

Code changes belong in the non-hyphenated source repository, not here.

A native source port of the 1997 Nintendo 64 kart racer, compiled to WebGPU and running entirely in your browser.

Bring your own ROM

This repository contains no ROM and no game assets — no textures, audio, music, models or level data, and none in its history. You supply a copy of the original game that you legally own and dumped yourself.

Your ROM is read locally in your browser. It is never uploaded — the site is static and there is no server to receive it.

What this repository is

A publication target, nothing more. It holds only built artifacts:

mdkr64_web.wasm / .js the compiled engine
mdkr64_web.js.symbols the symbol map from that exact link, so a crash trace can be read
mdkr-save-tools.wasm / .js the ROM- and renderer-free save codec/editor module
index.html, style.css, mdkr64-shell.js, mdkr-save-ui.js the launcher shell and local save-management UI
rom-id.js identifies and normalises your ROM in the page, before the shell loads
sw.js, manifest.webmanifest build-scoped service worker and install metadata, so the page works offline from the home screen
assets/ project brand art
build-info.json which source commit produced this build

There is no source code here — no decompiled game code, no engine source.

Do not send pull requests here

This repo is generated. Its contents are overwritten wholesale on every publish, so any change made here is silently lost. Issues about gameplay are welcome; code changes have to happen in the goldenballoon source repository.

Requirements

A WebGPU browser — Chrome or Edge 113+. There is no WebGL fallback; the page tells you up front rather than rendering black. Save backup, import, editing, and recovery remain available when WebGPU is missing; they do not load the game engine or require a ROM.

Legal

An unofficial fan project for research, preservation and education, not affiliated with or endorsed by any rights holder. The original game and all its assets are the property of their respective owners, which may include Nintendo and Rare / Microsoft. All trademarks belong to their owners. See DISCLAIMER.md.

The first-party engine and shell are MIT licensed — see LICENSE. That license covers our code only and grants no rights in the game.

If you are a rights holder with a concern, please open an issue; it will be addressed promptly.

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Golden Balloon — a native source port of the 1997 N64 kart racer, compiled to WebGPU and playable in your browser. Bring your own ROM.

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