List of Essential Tools & Resources for Classic Mario Hacking - Classic Mario Hacking

1. Super Mario Bros. Tools

SMB Utility	M.K.S.	Level Editor - robust and highly functional, but complicated.
GreatEd	ALXR	Level Editor - easier to pick up and create with but lacks full functionality of SMB Utility
SMB Tile Editor	βetaWorld	Title Screen Editor
SMB Remodeler	Kernel Software	Tweaker and Hex editor. Extremely useful/borderline essential. Also creates and patches IPS files.

2A. Super Mario Bros. 2 (JPN) Tools

jGreatEd	ALXR	Level Editor - version of GreatEd adapted for SMB2J
SMB2 Utility	Miguel angel santana	Basic tweaks

2B. Super Mario Bros. 2 (USA) Tools

SMB2Edit (direct download)	dtothefourth	All-in-One Level Editor and Custom Sprite inserter.

3. Super Mario Bros. 3 Tools

SMB3 Foundry	TheJoeSmo	Level Editor
SMB3 Map Editor	Beneficii	Overworld Editor
SMB3TE	never-obsolete	Title Screen Editor
SMB3TSA	DahrkDaiz	Tileset Editor

4. General NES Tools

Advanced NES ROM Utility	Dom (aka Doke)	Patches NES ROMs and can check/fix headers
ASM6	loopy	Assembly Compiler for NES
YY-CHR	YY Creator	Dot and Palette Editor for NES Roms
Mesen	Sour	NES Emulator/Debugging
FCEUX	TASVideos	NES Emulator/Debugging, built with TAS in mind

5. Tools & Resources F.A.Q.
1. Why doesn't my Super Mario Bros. 2 (JPN) ROM work?
You are probably missing the required BIOS file, better known as "disksys.rom". Because this is copyrighted material, we cannot link the file here, so you must acquire it yourself.

2. Why isn't [emulator] listed?
We have determined that the two emulators linked (Mesen and FCEUX) are best suited for NES ROM hacking due to their respective debugging and hex editing features.

3. Can you add [tool] to the list? / The link to [tool] isn't working.
Please contact one of the moderators of this forum, and they will update this page accordingly. (Please only suggest tools which are essential to hacking a game.)

(Thanks to BD_PhDX for providing the list of relevant tools.)

6. Super Mario All-Stars Hacking

The below information was previously posted by Ersanio in the Misc. Hacking Forum. It is unaltered from its last edited date (2020-09-02). This post will be updated when more current tools/resources are made for SMAS hacking.

The Discord Channel

SNESLab -> #mushroms

The disassembly

https://github.com/Maseya/SMAS-Disassembly

The goal of the disassembly is to eventually make it a split-disassembly; put it in an assembler and it'll assemble. Almost every data will have its own binary file. Very simple examples: level and sprite data of each level in their own files, the graphics in their own files, palette data in their own files.

Feel very free to contribute

The level editor (WIP)

https://github.com/bonimy/MushROMs/

From its readme: "MushROMs started as a basic level editor for Super Mario All-Stars for the SNES. In time, it grew to being a generic editor for any tile-based layout game (NES, SNES, Genesis, etc.). However, most of the work currently emphasizes SNES games. What it can ultimately do will come down to what the contributors want it to do."

spel werdz rite is looking for (C#) coders who can contribute to his generic SNES level editor project. People who are interested should contact him or me (as I have immediate contact with him).

The ROM, RAM and SRAM maps

ROM map
RAM map
SRAM map
It's rare that something gets moderated here, but please don't let that discourage you from submitting something. Even if an address is waiting to be moderated, it's still useful information.

Miscellaneous documentation

SMB3 level and map data
SMB1 level data
A comprehensive SMB1 level format documentation by spel werdz rite