C64 version of Super Mario Bros. hit with takedown notice

The community that has built up around the Commodore 64 has persisted long after the home computer's heyday in the 1980s, or even its discontinuation in 1994. Enthusiasts have long been tinkering with the archaic computer, squeezing as much out of its circuitry as possible, and none more so than ZeroPaige, who recently put the finishing touches on a seven-year project to port Super Mario Bros. from the NES to the C64.

Shortly after the port's release, which went down very well among the community it should be said, it was removed from servers and people were unable to download it. It looked like takedown notices had been deployed but there were no official announcements. Then, yesterday, the Commodore Computer Club revealed that they too had been issued with a notice, confirming that it was indeed Nintendo that had done the deed.

Of course, it's no surprise that Nintendo has made this move. The company is still monetising this particular game and it's available to purchase on multiple platforms. Of course, C64 enthusiasts aren't much of a threat to Mario's market share, but copyright law is very black and white in this regard, and any flex shown by Nintendo would likely cause them complications down the line. Still, it's not much fun for ZeroPaige and anyone wanting to get their hands on Super Mario Bros. 64...