Computational analysis ‘solves’ what Mario 64’s infamous plaque says, and it’s not ‘L is Real 2401’

Key Points:

• A Super Mario 64 fan, programmer Mochi64, used open-source computational analysis to decode the long-debated plaque text in Peach’s Castle, concluding it reads “Eternal Star” on the top line and “We Hope So” on the bottom, rather than the popular theory “L is Real 2401.”
• Mochi64’s method involved millions of calculations comparing pixel patterns from the original 32×32 plaque texture to various word and font combinations, with “Eternal Star / We Hope So” scoring the closest match and a lower mismatch score than “L is Real 2401.”
• The “L is Real 2401” phrase sparked decades of speculation about Luigi’s presence in the game, as Luigi was originally planned as a second playable character but removed late in development due to memory and controller limitations.
• Nintendo director Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed Luigi’s removal in interviews, explaining that a two-player mode was considered but cut to avoid gameplay issues and hardware constraints, leaving Luigi’s inclusion as an unfulfilled challenge for future games.
• Mochi64 has released their analysis tool publicly, inviting others to test alternative plaque interpretations, though they remain confident their findings provide the definitive reading of the mysterious plaque text.