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Super Mario Bros: Custom Sprite ROM Hack

Description

  • This project is a custom ROM hack of the original Super Mario Bros for the NES. The main goal was to replace Mario’s character sprite with a fully custom, original sprite using pixel art tools and ROM editing techniques. The modified sprite was manually designed and inserted into the ROM using the Mesen emulator, Tile Layer Pro, and HxD hex editor.

  • The final result includes:

    • A personalized playable character replacing Mario
    • A patch file (.ips) for distribution and application on a clean game ROM
    • Experience with NES graphics formats, tile mapping, and basic 6502 architecture concepts

  • This project was a hands-on dive into classic ROM hacking practices, emphasizing creative exploration and technical experimentation within the constraints of NES hardware.

My Experience with the Project

  • Overall, this project taught me a lot about ROM hacking, virtual machines, and emulators.

  • I used Tile Layer Pro to edit the tiles for the Mario and Princess Peach sprites. I originally tried using Mesen but realized that a graphics editor would be much more efficient. The first editor I tried was YY-CHR but the tiles were all compressed and not boxed properly so I switched to Tile Layer Pro.

  • To change the text on the title page to my name, I used HxD hex editor. I used the memory viewer and tile viewer on Mesen as a reference to determine which hex values to change. I found that the starting offset for sprite tiles is 0x8010 on HxD by using the find tool to locate hex value patterns.

  • Lastly, I used Lunar IPS to create an ips patch file as reccommended by the professor.

  • Almost all of the applications I downloaded for this project are for WindowsOS. Since I am working from my MacBook, I used UTM to create a virtual machine for Windows. I downloaded Tile Layer Pro, HxD, and Lunar IPS there, and installed Mesen on my Mac. I used the network drive to share project files. I used this method because having Mesen on MacOS made testing the game a lot smoother and faster.

Hex Value Changes

Changes made to the MARIO sprites

=============================================================

** Super Mario Walk 1 **

  • Offset 0x8010: ("Mario's top left head"):

    • Original hex values: 03 0F 1F 1F 1C 24 26 66 00 00 00 00 1F 3F 3F 7F
    • NEW hex values: 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 0E 0C 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 3F 3F

  • Offset 0x8020: ("Mario's top right head"):

    • Original hex values: E0 C0 80 FC 80 C0 00 20 00 20 60 00 F0 FC FE FE
    • NEW hex values: 00 C0 F8 FC FE FF 7F 1F 00 C0 F8 FC FE FF FF FF

  • Offset 0x8030: ("Mario's bottom left head"):

    • Original hex values: 60 70 18 07 0F 1F 3F 7F 7F 7F 1F 07 00 1E 3F 7F
    • NEW hex values: 19 39 38 1C 06 0C 1E 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 03 01 00

  • Offset 0x8040: ("Mario's bottom right head"):

    • Original hex values: FC 7C 00 00 E0 F0 F8 F8 FC FC F8 C0 C2 67 2F 37
    • NEW hex values: 43 47 8E 8E 1C 30 70 F8 FF FF 7E 7E FC C2 83 07

  • Offset 0x8050: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 7F 7F FF FF 07 07 0F 0F 7F 7E FC F0 F8 F8 F0 70
    • NEW hex values: 7F 7F FF FF 07 07 0F 0F 61 70 F0 F0 F8 F8 F0 70

I kept the original bottom half of mario since it worked well with my sprite. The hex values for offsets 0x8060, 0x8070 and 0x8080 which correspond to Mario's right body, left foot, and right foot respectively, did not change.

_____________________________________________________________________

** Super Mario Walk 2**

  • Offset 0x8090: ("Mario's top left head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 00 01 07 0F 0F 0E 12 00 00 00 00 00 00 0F 1F
    • NEW hex values: 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 0E 0C 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 3F 3F

  • Offset 0x80A0: ("Mario's top right head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 00 F0 E0 C0 FE 40 60 00 00 00 10 30 00 F8 FE
    • NEW hex values: 00 C0 F8 FC FE FF 7F 1F 00 C0 F8 FC FE FF FF FF

  • Offset 0x80B0: ("Mario's bottom left head"*):

    • Original hex values: 13 33 30 18 04 0F 1F 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 08 17 17
    • NEW hex values: 19 39 38 1C 06 0C 1E 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 03 01 00

  • Offset 0x80C0: ("Mario's bottom right head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 10 7E 3E 00 00 C0 E0 FF FF FE FE FC E0 40 A0
    • NEW hex values: 43 47 8E 8E 1C 30 70 F8 FF FF 7E 7E FC C0 80 00

  • Offset 0x80D0: ("Mario's left body"*):

    • Original hex values: 3F 3F 3F 1F 1F 1F 1F 1F 37 27 23 03 01 00 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 3F 3F 3F 1F 1F 1F 1F 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

  • Offset 0x80E0: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: F0 F0 F0 F8 F8 F8 F8 F8 CC FF FF FF FF 70 00 08
    • NEW hex values: F0 F0 F0 F8 F8 F8 F8 F8 0C 0F 0F 07 07 00 00 00

I didn't change the hex values for Offsets 0x80F0 and 0x8100 which contain (Super Mario Walk 1 - "Mario's left and right foot")

_____________________________________________________________________

** Super Mario Walk 3 **

  • Offset 0x8110: ("Mario's top left head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 03 0F 1F 1F 1C 24 26 00 00 00 00 00 1F 3F 3F
    • NEW hex values: 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 0E 0C 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 3F 3F

  • Offset 0x8120: ("Mario's top right head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 E0 C0 80 FC 80 C0 00 00 00 20 60 00 F0 FC FE
    • NEW hex values: 00 C0 F8 FF FF FF 7F 1F 00 CF FF FC FE FF FF FF

  • Offset 0x8130: ("Mario's bottom left head"):

    • Original hex values: 66 60 30 18 0F 1F 3F 3F 7F 7F 3F 1F 00 16 2F 2F
    • NEW hex values: 19 39 38 1C 06 0C 1E 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 03 01 00

  • Offset 0x8140: ("Mario's bottom right head"):

    • Original hex values: 20 FC 7C 00 00 E0 E0 F0 FE FC FC F8 C0 60 20 30
    • NEW hex values: 43 47 8E 8E 1C 30 70 F8 FF FF 7E 7E FC C0 80 00

  • Offset 0x8150: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 3F 3F 3F 3F 3F 3F 3F 1F 2F 2F 2F 0F 07 03 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 3F 3F 3F 3F 3F 3F 3F 1F 2F 23 20 00 00 00 00 00

I didn't change the hex values for Offsets 0x8160, 0x8170, and 0x8180 which contain ("Mario's right body, left foot, and right foot")

_____________________________________________________________________

** Super Mario Twist **

  • Offset 0x8190: ("Mario's top left head"*):

    • Original hex values: 03 3F 7F 19 09 09 28 5C 00 30 70 7F FF FF F7 F3
    • NEW hex values: 19 39 38 1C 06 0C 1E 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 03 01 00

  • Offset 0x81A0: ("Mario's top right head"):

    • Original hex values: F8 E0 E0 FC 26 30 80 10 00 18 10 00 F8 F8 FE FF
    • NEW hex values: 43 47 8E 8E 1C 30 70 F8 FF FF 7E 7E FC C0 80 00

I didn't change the hex values for Offsets 0x81B0. 0x81C0, 0x81D0, 0x81E0, 0x81F0, and 0x8200 which contain (Mario's top left body, top right body, bottom left body, bottom right body, left foot, and right foot)

_____________________________________________________________________

** Super Mario Jump **

  • Offset 0x8210: ("Mario's top left head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 00 03 0F 1F 1F 1C 24 00 00 00 00 00 00 1F 3F
    • NEW hex values: 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 0E 0C 00 01 03 07 0F 0F 3F 3F

  • Offset 0x8220: ("Mario's top right head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 04 E6 E0 FF FF 8F 83 0E 1F 1F 1F 1F 03 FF FF
    • NEW hex values: 00 C0 F8 FC FE FF 7F 1F 00 C0 F8 FC FE FF FF FF

  • Offset 0x8230: ("Mario's bottom left head"):

    • Original hex values: 26 26 60 78 18 0F 7F FF 3F 3F 7F 7F 1F 00 7E FF
    • NEW hex values: 19 39 38 1C 06 0C 1E 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 03 01 00

  • Offset 0x8240: ("Mario's bottom right head"):

    • Original hex values: 01 21 FE 7A 06 FE FC FC FF FF FE FE FE DE 5C 6C
    • NEW hex values: 43 47 8E 8E 1C 30 70 F8 FF FF 7E 7E FC C0 80 00

I didn't change the hex values for Offsets 0x8250. 0x8260, 0x8270, and 0x8280 which contain (Mario's left body, right body, left foot, and right foot)

_____________________________________________________________________

** Super Mario Swim 1 **

  • Offset 0x8290: ("Mario's top left head"):

    • Original hex values: 13 33 30 18 04 0F 1F 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 09 13 17
    • NEW hex values: 19 39 38 1C 06 0C 1E 1F 1F 3F 3F 1F 07 03 01 00

  • Offset 0x82A0: ("Mario's top right head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 10 7E 30 E0 F0 F0 E0 FF FF FE FF FE FC F8 E0
    • NEW hex values: 43 47 8E 8E 1C 30 70 F8 FF FF 7E 7E FC C0 83 07

I kept the rest of the body the same for Super Mario Swim. The hex values did not change for offsets 0x82B0 to 0x8320

_____________________________________________________________________

** Mario Walk 1 **

  • Offset 0x8330: ("Mario's left head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 03 07 07 0A 0B 0C 00 00 00 00 07 0F 0F 0F 03
    • NEW hex values: 17 2F 18 38 12 10 31 38 07 07 0F 3F 3F 3F 3E 3F

  • Offset 0x8340: ("Mario's right head"):

    • Original hex values: 00 E0 FC 20 20 10 3C 00 00 00 00 F0 FC FE FC F8
    • NEW hex values: D0 E8 38 38 5C 08 88 38 C0 C0 E8 F8 FC F8 78 F8

  • Offset 0x8350: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 07 07 07 1F 1F 3E 21 01 07 0F 1B 18 10 30 21 01
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x8360: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: E0 E0 E0 F0 F0 E0 C0 E0 A8 FC F8 00 00 00 C0 E0
    • NEW hex values: 30 38 64 EC EC 0C 00 00 FE DE 84 0C 0C 0C 00 00

_____________________________________________________________________

** Mario Walk 2 **

  • Offset 0x8370: ("Mario's left head"):

    • Original hex values: 07 0F 0E 14 16 18 00 3F 00 00 0F 1F 1F 1F 07 3C
    • NEW hex values: 17 2F 18 38 12 10 31 38 07 07 0F 3F 3F 3F 3E 3F

  • Offset 0x8380: ("Mario's right head"):

    • Original hex values: C0 F8 40 40 20 78 00 C0 00 00 E0 F8 FC F8 F0 C0
    • NEW hex values: D0 E8 38 38 5C 08 88 38 C0 C0 E8 F8 FC F8 78 F8

  • Offset 0x8390: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 3F 0E 0F 1F 3F 7C 70 38 FC ED C0 00 00 60 70 38
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x83A0: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: F0 F8 E4 FC FC 7C 00 00 7E 1E 04 0C 0C 0C 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 30 38 64 EC EC 0C 00 00 FE DE 84 0C 0C 0C 00 00

_____________________________________________________________________

** Mario Walk 3 **

  • Offset 0x83B0: ("Mario's face from walk 2"):

    • Original hex values: 07 0F 0E 14 16 18 00 0F 00 00 0F 1F 1F 1F 07 0D
    • NEW hex values: 17 2F 18 38 12 10 31 38 07 07 0F 3F 3F 3F 3E 3F

  • Offset 0x83C0: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 1F 1F 1F 1C 0C 07 07 07 1E 1C 1E 0F 07 00 07 07
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x83D0: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: E0 60 F0 70 E0 E0 F0 80 60 90 00 80 00 E0 F0 80
    • NEW hex values: 30 38 64 EC EC 0C 00 00 FE DE 84 0C 0C 0C 00 00

_____________________________________________________________________

** Mario Twist **

  • Offset 0x83E0: ("Mario's left head"):

    • Original hex values: 07 1F 3F 12 13 08 1F 31 00 10 3F 7F 7F 3F 03 0F
    • NEW hex values: 17 2F 18 38 12 10 31 38 07 07 0F 3F 3F 3F 3E 3F

  • Offset 0x83F0: ("Mario's right head"):

    • Original hex values: C0 F0 40 00 30 18 C0 F8 00 00 E0 F8 FC F8 B0 38
    • NEW hex values: D0 E8 38 38 5C 08 88 38 C0 C0 E8 F8 FC F8 78 F8

I didn't change the hex values for Offsets 0x8400 and 0x8410 which contain (Mario's left and right foot)

_____________________________________________________________________

** Mario Jump, Mario Swim, Mario Grow, and Mario Stand **

  • Offset 0x8420: ("Mario's head from walk 1"):

    • Original hex values: 00 E0 FC 27 27 11 3E 04 07 07 03 F7 FF FF FE FC
    • NEW hex values: D0 E8 38 38 5F 0F 8C 38 C0 C3 EB FF FC F8 78 F8

  • Offset 0x8430: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 3F 7F 3F 0F 1F 3F 7F 4F 3E 7F FF E2 50 38 70 40
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x8440: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: F8 F9 F9 B7 FF FF E0 00 E8 71 01 4B 03 03 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 30 38 64 EC EC 0C 00 00 FE DE 84 0C 0C 0C 00 00

  • Offset 0x8450: ("Mario's left body "):

    • Original hex values: 07 07 0F 3F 3F 3F 26 04 05 03 01 30 30 30 26 04
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x8460: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: F0 F0 F0 E0 C0 00 00 00 FE FC E0 00 00 00 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 30 38 64 EC EC 0C 00 00 FE DE 84 0C 0C 0C 00 00

  • Offset 0x8470: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 07 07 0F 1F 3F 0F 1C 18 05 03 01 10 30 0C 1C 18
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x8480: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: E0 E0 E0 E0 C0 80 00 00 C0 E0 F0 78 18 08 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 30 38 64 EC EC 0C 00 00 FE DE 84 0C 0C 0C 00 00

  • Offset 0x8490: ("Mario's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 07 0F 1F 0F 3F 0F 1C 18 07 0F 3E 7C 30 0C 1C 18
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x84A0: ("Mario's right body"):

    • Original hex values: E0 E0 E0 40 C0 80 00 00 60 60 60 80 00 00 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 30 38 64 EC EC 0C 00 00 FE DE 84 0C 0C 0C 00 00

  • Offset 0x84B0: ("Mario's body"):

    • Original hex values: 7F FF FF FB 0F 0F 0F 1F 73 F3 F0 F4 F0 F0 70 60
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x84C0: ("Mario's standing body"):

    • Original hex values: 3F 7E 7C 7C 3C 3C FC FC 00 00 00 00 3C 3C FC FC
    • NEW hex values: 3F 7F 7F FF 3C 3C FC FC 00 00 00 00 3C 3C FC FC

  • Offset 0x84D0: ("Mario's left head"):

    • Original hex values: 60 70 18 08 0F 1F 3F 7F 7F 7F 1F 07 0B 1B 3B 7B
    • NEW hex values: 60 71 38 3C 0C 1E 3F 7F 7F 7E 3F 3F 03 01 00 00

  • Offset 0x84E0: ("Mario's right head"):

    • Original hex values: FC 7C 00 20 F0 F8 FC FE FC FC F8 E0 D0 D8 DC DE
    • NEW hex values: 0C 9C 1C 38 30 78 FC FE FC 7C FC F8 C0 80 00 00

  • Offset 0x84F0: ("Mario's body"):

    • Original hex values: 0B 0F 1F 1E 3C 3C 3C 7C C4 E0 E0 40 00 3C 3C 7C
    • NEW hex values: 3C 0C 0E 1F 0F 60 70 38 FB E3 C1 00 00 60 70 38

  • Offset 0x8500: ("Mario's standing body"):

    • Original hex values: 1F 3F 0D 07 0F 0E 1C 3C 1D 3C 3A 38 30 00 1C 3C
    • NEW hex values: 1C 3C 0E 0F 1F 3F 1C 3C 1B 3B 31 30 20 00 1C 3C

_____________________________________________________________________

** Mario Loss **

  • Offset 0x89F0: ("Mario head"):

    • Original hex values: 03 07 0A 1A 1C 1E 0B 08 00 10 7F 7F 7F 1F 0F 0F
    • NEW hex values: 17 2F 18 38 12 10 31 38 07 07 4F FF FF FF 3E 3F

  • Offset 0x8A00: ("Mario body"):

    • Original hex values: 1C 3F 3F 3D 3F 1F 00 00 03 33 39 3A 38 18 00 00
    • NEW hex values: 1C 3E 3F 7F 7F 7F 00 00 03 21 20 70 70 70 00 00

_____________________________________________________________________

Changes made to PRINCESS PEACH

=============================================================

** Princess Peach **

  • Offset 0x87B0: ("Princess Peach's left head"):

    • Original hex values: 16 1F 3F 7F 3D 1D 3F 1F 16 1F 00 00 05 0D 3F 1F
    • NEW hex values: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

  • Offset 0x87C0: ("Princess Peach's right head "):

    • Original hex values: 80 80 C0 E0 F0 F0 F0 F8 80 80 00 00 00 A0 A0 E0
    • NEW hex values: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00

  • Offset 0x8D90: ("Princess Peach's ballgown skirt"):

    • Original hex values: 0C 00 00 00 07 7F 7C 00 03 1F 3F 3F 78 00 03 FF
    • NEW hex values: 1F 3F 0D 07 0F 0E 1C 3C 1D 3C 3A 38 30 00 1C 3C

  • Offset 0x8DB0: ("Princess Peach's left body"):

    • Original hex values: 3F 3F 1F 1B 36 30 7F 3F 23 27 1F 07 0F 1F 7F 3F
    • NEW hex values: 03 1F 02 02 04 1E 00 03 00 00 07 1F 3F 1F 0F 03

  • Offset 0x8DC0: ("Princess Peach's right body"):

    • Original hex values: F8 F8 F8 B8 18 D8 D8 B8 E0 80 80 40 E0 E0 E0 C0
    • NEW hex values: E0 F0 70 28 68 18 00 FC 00 00 F0 F8 F8 F8 E0 3C

Changes made to TITLE SCREEN TEXT

=============================================================

** Title Screen Text **

  • Offset 0x9FC0: ("1 Player Game" --> "Hacker Helen"):
    • Original hex values: 17 0D 18 22 4B 0D 01 24 19 15 0A 22 0E 1B 24 10
    • NEW hex values: 17 0D 18 22 4B 0D 11 0A 0C 14 0E 1B 24 11 0E 15

About

This project is a custom ROM hack of the original Super Mario Bros for the NES.

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