ROM Hacking

Super Mario World (SMW) is one of my favourite games, so much so that I have decidated a lot of time learning the craft of ROM hacking, which is the practice of making modifications to your own copy of the game to make a game of your own.

Crime!

Not at all, ROM* hacking in this context refers to the process of modifying the contents of your copy of Super Mario World (that you legally obtained) as to change aspects of the game as you wish; downloading or distributing copies of the resulting ROM or the original Super Mario world ROM is when it gets legally questionable as that would contain Nintendo's intellectual property.

Those who are making and playing ROM Hacks are simply distributing patch files which are all new material that you apply to your copy of the original game to modify it prior to playing, so at no point is the distribution of copyrighted material taking place.

*"ROM" refers to the data dump of the media the game came on.

How to Start Hacking SMW

With your copy of Super Mario World, you can get started with hacking using a variety of freely available tools, the most notable and essential of which is the level editor: Lunar Magic, by FuSoYa.

Image courtesy of FuSoYa

Lunar Magic is full of features that allow you to greatly modify any or all the levels of Super Mario World or make new ones, as well as modify the underlying function properties of the game by modifying the assembly language that the game is written in.

A more advanced technique of ROM hacking involves writing and inserting new code that significantly modifies the game, such as adding new enemies, changing the physics, adding quality of life, custom graphics etc. all of which are done with tools used in addition to Lunar Magic.

Getting Help

Super Mario World ROM hacking has been around virtually since the game came out and people have been making hacks, tools, modifications, new code, new graphics, and patches for the original game for years. The largest hub for this is the site SMW Central that provides all sorts of help, tools, forums, and resources one needs to get started ROM hacking.

My Hacks

I have made a number of hacks over the years as well as contributed to collaboration projects or made levels for events. You can find a not-up-to-date breakdown of those on the following page.