A decompilation project for Super Smash Bros. Melee, a beloved fighting game from 2001, has reached a major milestone. The game, originally developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube, has now been fully decompiled. This means that the original code has been translated into a readable format—C code—allowing developers to study and understand the game’s inner workings. The project's goal was to recreate the original binary file, called main.dol, exactly as it was on the GameCube, down to the last byte. This achievement took the team over six years and was supported by AI tools like GPT-6 Astra from OpenAI. Super Smash Bros. Melee is the second game in the Super Smash Bros. series and is known for its fast-paced combat and roster of iconic characters from Nintendo franchises like Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Pokémon, and Donkey Kong. Its gameplay and level design are deeply tied to these universes. The decompilation of Melee follows other successful efforts, such as the full decompilation of Mario Party 4 in 2025 and Mario Kart 64, which marked important steps in preserving classic games for modern systems. The growing interest in decompilation projects stems from the increasing rarity and cost of older gaming hardware. Many enthusiasts want to preserve these games not only for nostalgia but also to ensure they remain playable on modern systems. The decompilation of Melee allows developers to study its C code in detail, which could lead to new modding tools and even ports to modern platforms. While the project has achieved its primary goal, the next steps—such as creating playable versions or ports—will require additional work and community effort. The decompiled code for Super Smash Bros. Melee is available on GitHub, where users can find instructions to compile the C code on different platforms, including Windows. However, it's important to note that this process only recreates the main.dol file, which is the game’s executable code. To run the game, the original assets—such as textures and audio files—must still be sourced from the original GameCube disc. This highlights the complexity of preserving a game in its entirety, beyond just the code. This success builds on earlier decompilation efforts, such as the 2021 reverse engineering of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time by the Zelda Reverse Engineering Team (ZRET). That project, which took two years, allowed fans to study and potentially mod the classic Nintendo 64 title. Like Melee’s decompilation, it was done without using leaked content, making it legally permissible. These efforts not only preserve the legacy of classic games but also open the door to new possibilities in modding and development.