Since Nintendo added Waluigi to the growing lineup of Mario characters with the release of Mario Tennis way back in 2000, the character has become a fan favorite. One fan recently decided to further cement Waluigi in Nintendo history by creating a playable Waluigi N64 game.
YouTube content creator Below Average Gaming is known for making retro Nintendo gaming content and part of that content is to create new playable cartridges for the console. Below Average Gaming's recent project sees the creation of a cartridge for Waluigi's Taco Stand, a fan-made ROM hack. The YouTuber is quick to point out that Nintendo's character Daisy receives more attention than Waluigi and his manufacturing of a physical version of Waluigi's Taco Stand is an attempt to rectify the lack of representation.
To make the playable N64 game, Below Average Gaming uploads the ROM to an N64 Blaster using a second series Retro Blaster. Rather than a traditionally gray N64 cartridge, Below Average Gaming has inserted the Waluigi's Taco Stand board into a clear purple case to emphasize the purple theme set by the Nintendo character. Because most of the items Below Average Gaming used to create the playable N64 game already existed, the YouTuber noted that the creation of this project was simpler than normal and fans may easily replicate the process as a result.
The Waluigi's Taco Stand box art used for Below Average Gaming's physical N64 cartridge was purchased on Etsy and the YouTuber was also able to find a label for the N64 game online. Although Below Average Gaming has created unique box art in the past, Waluigi's Taco Stand's art has already become popularized by the dedicated Waluigi fan base. Like most other N64 games, Waluigi's Taco Stand's box art has a red, blue, green, and yellow side to add to its legitimacy.
Below Average Gaming has made N64 cartridges for games that didn't exist on the platform in the past, including Pokemon Crystal, Blue, Green, Gold, Red, and Silver. The Waluigi's Taco Stand ROM hack included on Below Average Gaming's N64 cartridge was created by Kaze Emanuar in 2018. The game fittingly focuses on Waluigi as a playable character who collects ingredients for tacos in 3D environments for customers of his taco stand to pay his debt.
Many Nintendo fans have taken to Waluigi since he became a playable character and some lament his exclusion from the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster on top of the lack of Waluigi games. The gameplay of Waluigi's Taco Stand shares similarities with Super Mario 64, the game it's based on, while there are songs from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time featured as well. N64 fans that wish to play Waluigi's Taco Stand themselves will have to acquire an expansion pack for the Nintendo system before they download the ROM.