The team behind unofficial retro game ports has released PaperBoat, an unofficial port of Paper Mario for Windows, Linux, and MacOS, according to Android Authority. Paper Mario is a turn-based action-role-playing game starring Mario that originally launched in 2000, known for its visual style featuring characters as 2D paper-style cutouts.
PaperBoat PC Port Released for Windows, Linux, and MacOS
Users must supply their own game ROM, as the developers do not include the actual game assets. The port specifically supports the US version of the game. Players can expect a range of extra features compared to the original release, including resolution scaling, adjustable frame rates via interpolation, various aspect ratios, integer scaling, gamepad and keyboard support, a mod menu, cheats, and shaders.
Expanding Catalog of Retro Game Ports
The group behind the release, known as Harbor Masters, has built a reputation for reverse-engineered retro game PC ports. Their previous work includes unofficial ports of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (popularly known as Ship of Harkinian), The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Super Mario 64, Starfox 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Mario Kart 64.
While the team rarely releases these projects on Android, Android Authority notes there is a possibility an Android version could emerge from the project. Additionally, the team is currently working on an Animal Crossing port as its next venture.
AI Tool Usage Controversy and Fan Backlash
While the new port arrives for PC users, the developer group has recently faced severe online backlash regarding its development practices. According to Kotaku, Harbour Masters has been accused by community members of utilizing artificial intelligence tools to create, code, and modify their ports of classic Nintendo titles.
Developer Response to AI Allegations
Harbour Masters members addressed the criticism by confirming that some team members do use AI tools, but pushed back against the characterization of their work as low-effort slop. Developer Malkierian clarified that a large number of functions were not purely AI-generated, but rather converted using a script developed with the assistance of AI and tested for parity afterward,
emphasizing that every piece of code is reviewed by experienced human developers.
Team members noted that Harbour Masters has maintained a publicly available AI policy for months, which is expected to expand over time. Despite these explanations, the admissions sparked heated online debate among retro gaming fans regarding transparency and the integration of AI tools in fan-driven software preservation projects.