This is a list of stuff that seems over/underused in SMW hacks. I'll update this if someone suggests something good. Note that I only accept stuff that's doable with LM only, NOT e.g. making the music continue while the game is paused. Stuff from SDW is OK, but not stuff from SDW3 or SDWTLC.
Overused stuff:
Sprites:
The creating/eating block (if the level doesn't fit the path properly. So NO making an empty area to ride it through, that doesn't count as "fitting the path".)
Pirhana Plants with fish stems
Enemy generators only to increase difficulty. Impossible hacks isn't fun.
High bouncing green koopas
Keys and keyholes besides each other (but don't skip them totally)
Rip van Fish
Very Fast autoscroll
Blocks:
Note block corridors (note blocks above and below Mario with only a little air between)
Invisible blocks
Black pirhana plants, ESPECIALLY when they are simply flipped and there's silver Ps nearby! That's ugly!
"Mazes" where you need to hit P-switches fast
One-block-high corridors that's too big to slide through
Multiple 3up moons at the same place
Misc.:
ALL kinds of glitches! From the ghost house holes going over the pillars to flipping lava!
Exploiting glitches!Fix them instead! Wait, fixing them isn't not doable with LM. Silly me...
"Perfect" jumps where you must do exactly right or die.
Wrong-spelled stuff, if there's no good reason, like a teethless person saying it. "Finn ma feef leas!" is OK.
Many powerups at the same place, except in Top Secret Areas and bonus rooms.
Having Bowser as the main villian
Having rescuing Peach as the main goal
Locking ROMs, some people might need to know how the levels look!
Traps with goals that can kill you.
Underused stuff:
Sprites:
Most kinds of Chargin' Chucks
High bouncing green koopasWhy did I put this here? It's overused and hard!
The creating/eating block (if the level fits the path)
The eating block alone
Pokey
Diagonal "carrot top ledges"
The Chuck clone that can't be normally accessed via the LM windows (96)
Dark rooms
Diggin' Chuck
Growing/Shrinking Pipe End
Ninji
Moving Ledge Hole for Ghost Houses
Brown platform on a chain
Super Koopa
Balloon
Scale Platforms
Fuzzy/Sparky/Hothead
Timed Lift
Grey Moving Castle Block
Layer 2 smash commands
Classic Pirhana Plant with nice stem
Sliding Koopas
Para-Goomba generator
Para-Bomb generator
The generator creating both of these together
Monty Mole
Yellow Koopa Troopa with wings
Rex
Portable springboards
Flying red coins
Floating spiky balls
Non-green Yoshi
Autoscroll
Blocks:
Berries
Yoshi wings. I put these in the Blocks section beause they come from blocks.
Directional coins. They're hard to control, but can be fun.
Wall-running triangles
The SMB3 bricks you can find in SDW
Blocks making 1ups appear (I think)
Invisible blocks containing treasures (I think)
3up moons (I think)
Misc.:
Levels scrolling left.
Custom graphics, especially for Mario and the FOI.
Changing Mario to someone else.
SMB3 style levels, sky levels, mountain climbing levels, water levels.
Shell puzzles, where you need to use shells wisely.
Having to jump Bullet Bills to find secrets.
Spots where you have to leave Yoshi behind to continue.
Multiple paths in levels.
Falling layer 2.
<blm> zsnes users are the flatearthers of emulation
Overused stuff:
Sprites:
The creating/eating block (if the level doesn't fit the path properly. So NO making an empty area to ride it through, that doesn't count as "fitting the path".)
Pirhana Plants with fish stems
Enemy generators only to increase difficulty. Impossible hacks isn't fun.
High bouncing green koopas
Keys and keyholes besides each other (but don't skip them totally)
Rip van Fish
Very Fast autoscroll
Blocks:
Note block corridors (note blocks above and below Mario with only a little air between)
Invisible blocks
Black pirhana plants, ESPECIALLY when they are simply flipped and there's silver Ps nearby! That's ugly!
"Mazes" where you need to hit P-switches fast
One-block-high corridors that's too big to slide through
Multiple 3up moons at the same place
Misc.:
ALL kinds of glitches! From the ghost house holes going over the pillars to flipping lava!
Exploiting glitches!
"Perfect" jumps where you must do exactly right or die.
Wrong-spelled stuff, if there's no good reason, like a teethless person saying it. "Finn ma feef leas!" is OK.
Many powerups at the same place, except in Top Secret Areas and bonus rooms.
Having Bowser as the main villian
Having rescuing Peach as the main goal
Locking ROMs, some people might need to know how the levels look!
Traps with goals that can kill you.
Underused stuff:
Sprites:
The creating/eating block (if the level fits the path)
The eating block alone
Pokey
Diagonal "carrot top ledges"
The Chuck clone that can't be normally accessed via the LM windows (96)
Dark rooms
Diggin' Chuck
Growing/Shrinking Pipe End
Ninji
Moving Ledge Hole for Ghost Houses
Brown platform on a chain
Super Koopa
Balloon
Scale Platforms
Fuzzy/Sparky/Hothead
Timed Lift
Grey Moving Castle Block
Layer 2 smash commands
Classic Pirhana Plant with nice stem
Sliding Koopas
Para-Goomba generator
Para-Bomb generator
The generator creating both of these together
Monty Mole
Yellow Koopa Troopa with wings
Rex
Portable springboards
Flying red coins
Floating spiky balls
Non-green Yoshi
Autoscroll
Blocks:
Berries
Yoshi wings. I put these in the Blocks section beause they come from blocks.
Directional coins. They're hard to control, but can be fun.
Wall-running triangles
The SMB3 bricks you can find in SDW
Blocks making 1ups appear (I think)
Invisible blocks containing treasures (I think)
3up moons (I think)
Misc.:
Levels scrolling left.
Custom graphics, especially for Mario and the FOI.
Changing Mario to someone else.
SMB3 style levels, sky levels, mountain climbing levels, water levels.
Shell puzzles, where you need to use shells wisely.
Having to jump Bullet Bills to find secrets.
Spots where you have to leave Yoshi behind to continue.
Multiple paths in levels.
Falling layer 2.
<blm> zsnes users are the flatearthers of emulation