For a long time I've been wanting to give the original SMW Beta ROM hack I released in 2009 a major upgrade. Several new beta elements have been unearthed, a lot of beta content didn't make it in the original release, my level design skills have improved, and SMW Hacking has improved a lot since then. This thread will show the progress that has been made on it over the last year. My current goal is to release it before the end of 2020. We'll see how that goes.
If you are unfamiliar with the beta of Super Mario World, or need a refresher, you can get a good idea for it at these links:
Unseen64 - Super Mario World
The Cutting Room Floor - Super Mario World
Nintendo.com - Beta Yoshi Graphics
Here are some screenshots of the hack:
Many of the graphics I made originally have been recreated to be more accurate to the pre-release screenshots of the beta. Some more clear versions of known screenshots have been discovered since 2009. One was clear enough to help me recreate the beta Koopa Troopas. I've also been more experimental with palettes on the Title Screen and Overworld to try and more closely match the pre-release screenshots.
Mario's graphics have been improved as well. The Mario Raccoon Graphics are now fully based on graphics found in the SNES Test Program. Small Beta Mario has improved graphics and some new graphics I didn't include before such as looking up and falling. Big Mario also now utilizes the Beta Sprites found in the SNES Test Program. This is something I didn't even realize was different from the final for the original SMW Beta release. The Luigi graphics also include these changes.
All levels have been either heavily modified or completely replaced from the original release of SMW Beta. Levels are now more varied and interesting. The Bonus Game now utilizes the mysterious beta "Cage" Sprite (with graphics made by BMF98567 on Acmlm's Board in 2005). There are now new beta enemies added that were seen in the Beta Yoshi graphics image Nintendo released. Beta Yoshi himself is now also included.
Alongside of the final release, I intend to include a SMW Beta Manual that includes some detailed information on SMW's beta. When I released the original hack in 2009, many players knew things in the hack were different, but not always exactly what changed compared to the final SMW. This will help all players get a small sense of SMW's development history before they go in. Hopefully this will help many players enjoy the hack to the fullest. Here is an example of what the Manual will look like:
"How can I help?"
If you want to help out on this project, there are some things I'd like to solve that I don't have the skills to do. Here's a list of just a few things I'd like to include in this release:
- The "Beta Cage" Bonus Game utilizes Auto Scroll. When the Cage Scrolls, Mario does not scroll along with it when he's standing inside. A fix for this would make the mini game play much more smoothly.
- The end of level Score Card was different in the beta compared to the final. In the beta, it looked like this. Turns out, it's currently very difficult to remap the layer 3 end of level score card in SMW. A solution for this would be awesome.
- In this unused level, it looks like Nintendo was using a version of the Mushroom Scales sprite that defaulted at uneven heights. A sprite that recreates this effect would allow us to play the level as originally intended.
- Dino Rhino has some unused frames where he is assumed to spit a fireball seen in the same tileset. I currently use this sprite to show the frames. This sprite shoots the Dino-Torch fire instead of the fireball though. A version of the sprite that shoots a fireball instead would be perfect.
Projects:
- Game Night - Mario Party 3 Game Board
- 3+World (Cancelled - Download Available)
- Super Mario World Beta (2009)