Welcome to ROM hacks & fan games.
This board is for the creative side of the retro scene: ROM hacks that remix classic games, fan translations that bring Japan-only games to English speakers, difficulty and quality-of-life patches, and free fan games made from scratch. Super Mario World level hacks, Pokémon hacks with new regions, Zelda randomisers and fan translations of RPGs that never left Japan are all great topics.
The golden rule: patches only
We only ever share patches, never patched games. A patch file (usually IPS, BPS or xdelta) contains just the changes, not the game itself. You apply it to your own legally obtained copy using a patching tool such as Floating IPS or an online patcher.
• Never post patched ROMs, ISOs, pre-patched downloads or links to them.
• Never ask for or offer the base game.
• Most patches need a specific version of the game (for example a particular region or revision). The patch's readme usually says which one and lists a checksum you can compare against.
What belongs here
• ROM hack recommendations, reviews and showcases.
• Fan translations and their progress.
• Help applying patches and troubleshooting patched games.
• Your own hacks, with credit to the tools and resources you used.
• Fan games that are free and use original or properly licensed assets.
What goes elsewhere
• Completely original homebrew games: Indie & homebrew games.
• General nostalgia and favourite games: Retro gaming talk.
• Randomiser races and challenge runs: Speedrunning & challenges.
Rules for this board
• Credit authors. Name the hack's creator and translators, and do not repost their work as your own or re-upload it without permission.
• Fan games must be free. No paid fan games, Patreon-locked builds of someone else's characters or anything sold.
• No fan games or hacks built from leaked or stolen source code or assets.
• No hacks containing adult content or anything unsuitable for younger members.
• Point people to the creator's official page by name rather than re-uploads.
Useful starter tips
Keep an untouched copy of your original file and patch a copy, never the original. If a patch fails, check the readme for the exact version it needs; headered and unheadered SNES files are a common cause of trouble. Save often, as hacks can have bugs real games do not.
The house rules
The general rules apply: be kind, English only (other languages are translated automatically), no spam, no keyboard mashing and no self-promotion spam. Use Report on anything that breaks the rules, especially shared ROMs. This thread is locked, so start your own thread with your find or your project.
Dexter
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