Kaizo Hack Guidelines
Categorization Guidelineslink
Please read the following descriptions of each of the 3 non-tool-assisted Kaizo categories and try to submit to the most appropriate category. Keep in mind that the category a hack gets put in is determined by the peak difficulty of the game; the hardest challenges found in the submitted hack will be what determines the category it ends up in. What is also factored in is what knowledge and experience would be required beforehand to play a submitted hack. If you are unsure, just take your best shot and a moderator can change it later if they see fit.
It's worth noting that these categories are defined by a player's level of experience with kaizo—Beginner, Intermediate, or Expert—and not by the difficulty of levels. In other words, a player at an intermediate skill level should reasonably expect to beat a hack in the Intermediate category. That said, the categorization is not perfect and all categories have extreme cases that may seem out of place. If you suspect something is miscategorized, or could be recategorized for whatever reason reach out to the moderation team.
Additional Guidelineslink
When it comes to Kaizo submissions also be respectful of the moderators' time and effort. Moderating hacks, especially "Kaizo: Expert" submissions, takes a great deal of energy and effort so be sure your hack is in the best state possible before uploading.
Remember to review the Guidelines for all hacks in addition to these before submitting your hack.
Categorization Guidelineslink
Please read the following descriptions of each of the 3 non-tool-assisted Kaizo categories and try to submit to the most appropriate category. Keep in mind that the category a hack gets put in is determined by the peak difficulty of the game; the hardest challenges found in the submitted hack will be what determines the category it ends up in. What is also factored in is what knowledge and experience would be required beforehand to play a submitted hack. If you are unsure, just take your best shot and a moderator can change it later if they see fit.
| Kaizo Categories | |
|---|---|
| Kaizo: Beginner | This category requires above-average knowledge of the physics and properties of the original Super Mario World. 'Kaizo' presumes a high level of proficiency with the original game in the first place. The design philosophy and level of execution required for even a basic Kaizo hack is such that players should not assume these hacks are approachable just for being "Beginner". Playing 'Standard' hacks and gaining familiarity with the base game is a good way to be ready to play something in this category! Additionally, play close attention to Mario's basic physical movement and make sure you're adept with moving with the controller (or other input method) before trying something here. |
| Kaizo: Intermediate | This category can be broad because, as Kaizo gets more difficult, the skills required become more specialized. In "intermediate" you will find more precise versions of things you'd find in "beginner" as well as the introduction of more complicated tricks and mechanics. You will also be expected to perform these tricks more consistently, and over the course of longer sections of level, than in Kaizo: Beginner hacks. This might include tight platforming, multiple item abuse combos, or counter-intuitive setups/properties that can be difficult to figure out. Often, "intermediate" hacks will stack multiple difficult tricks on top of each other and force the player to move more quickly. |
| Kaizo: Expert | This category contains hacks that deliberately attempt to push the boundaries of what is humanly possible, as well as hacks that are extreme challenges without that intention. It is the most difficult category for humanly-playable (without tools) Kaizo Mario we can assign. All of these hacks will presume that the player already possesses highly-specialized skills in many different areas, and will attempt to challenge those players in particular. It is not uncommon to spend 10+ hours of playtime attempting to clear a hack or sometimes a single level in this category. These hacks have been determined by the moderators to be clearable by human players but, beyond that, your experience cannot be guaranteed. |
It's worth noting that these categories are defined by a player's level of experience with kaizo—Beginner, Intermediate, or Expert—and not by the difficulty of levels. In other words, a player at an intermediate skill level should reasonably expect to beat a hack in the Intermediate category. That said, the categorization is not perfect and all categories have extreme cases that may seem out of place. If you suspect something is miscategorized, or could be recategorized for whatever reason reach out to the moderation team.
Additional Guidelineslink
- Levels in kaizo hacks should not contain excessive breaks §
Unforeseen solutions that render a significant portion of a level meaningless in an unintended way may result in rejection. This is applied only in cases where a significant portion of a level can be broken or skipped, and rejection is determined through communication between the moderators and the hack creator. Often these problems are easy to fix. Some older, legacy hacks may have such problems in them, as they are no longer updated by their makers. - Kaizo hacks should know and avoid common level-breaking techniques §
To prevent unintended solutions to your obstacles, be aware of design-breaking glitches such as block duplication, key jumps, powerups from the goal tape, etc. The degree to which these unintended solutions are possible may affect how your hack is classified or if it is rejected. There are obvious exceptions to this rule for hacks that exploit these glitches or unintended behaviours as part of the level design. - Kaizo hacks should respect the player's time and consider their experience §
While there is no limit on how difficult you can make your levels, if you are creating something for other people to play please be considerate of the time they are about to invest and the experience they will have investing themselves playing your hack. A good rule of thumb is to "make hard tricks," not simply "make tricks hard" which means letting the creativity of your setups carry the design. If you don't feel like an obstacle is hard enough, do not simply add a lower ceiling, more death blocks, or make the landing platform for a jump farther away. Instead, focus on refining your core ideas and adding a twist to build upon the design to engage the player futher or give them something new to do in the moment, both these things also build difficulty. - Kaizo hacks are expected to be beatable without tools §
Levels in Kaizo hacks should have obstacles that are viable for players to beat without tool-assistance (this does not factor in using tools to learn an obstacle). As such, this comes with a soft expectation that you, the creator(s), have beaten the levels in your hack without tools yourself simply as a show of mutual respect to the moderation team, and players who will download your hack from the Kaizo section. The Kaizo hack moderators have the discretion to reject or re-categorize a hack for having levels that are overwhelmingly considered unviable for tool-less play, or if the design is clearly indicative of being "tooled through" such that it makes the hack impossible or a chore to learn and beat.
When it comes to Kaizo submissions also be respectful of the moderators' time and effort. Moderating hacks, especially "Kaizo: Expert" submissions, takes a great deal of energy and effort so be sure your hack is in the best state possible before uploading.
Remember to review the Guidelines for all hacks in addition to these before submitting your hack.