Some guy made a modloader inside an unmodified SMW cartridge

[8bitMicroGuy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixu8tn__91E

This is so awesome. Remember last year when someone found out about the arbitrary code execution glitch in Super Mario World? Well this time, he corrupted the save data of the cartridge, causing it to glitch out the game. Inside of the cartridge's save data, there's a installer, a hex editor and a mod page. The installer loads up the hex editor into the game and the hex editor allows you to change any part of the game that's writeable. This includes the mod page 0xFFFF which allows you to write your own mods for the game. What's the best about this is that you don't need any special hardware other than two multitaps and three SNES controllers for the installation process and that it's completely legal because you're not stealing any code from Nintendo (Kinda like Game Genie being legal), but just making your own, and that you can copy the installer and the hex editor onto another cartridge. So far, there are two mods: Telekinesis mod and SNES Mouse mod.

So what do you guys think about this?

[ccovell]

I think it's pretty awesome. Though cumbersome to do manually, I consider it kind of cheating when someone uses an Arduino or something to do the button presses.

I'm amazed whenever anyone finds a code injection exploit in CPUs and systems.

[rainwarrior]

This is really neat.

[MottZilla]

He mentions a method to copy data from one cartridge to another by hot swapping cartridges. I thought I read somewhere that removing cartridges from a SNES while powered on is a good way to blow a fuse.

It's a cool creation though, a step up from flappy bird. The telekinesis mod looks to be entertaining.

[marvelus10]

Does this mean we will see SMW hacks on original cartridges soon?

I honestly don't know enough or understand code, so this is a legitimate question.

[lidnariq]

Only if they can fit the total complexity of the hack into the 2 KiB of save RAM on the cart.

[tepples]

Is 2K enough to mount an SD card connected to a controller port? SD supports SPI mode, and the NES and Super NES controller port is SPI-like enough that an SD card reader that plugs into a controller port would probably be trivial: just a circuit to demultiplex the select and MOSI signals from the console's strobe and clock outputs.

[Oziphantom]

I think a SWM Game Hack Game Competition needs to be run. And that it is insane.
Also how does one remove the cart when running, the slot in the front of the cart is for when you turn it "on" the cartridge gets "locked" in, so you can't remove it.

[Gilbert]

Also how does one remove the cart when running, the slot in the front of the cart is for when you turn it "on" the cartridge gets "locked" in, so you can't remove it.

I think it's discussed somewhere here but I couldn't find the thread. Anyway, while some carts do have the slot, most don't. That SMW being a launch title could mean there are more carts with the slots than later games though. Anyway, no matter whether a cart came with the slot or not, you can pull it out any time for later revisions of the console.

[Sumez]

Also, only US games have that lock. I had never heard about it until someone linked that article a while back.

[Oziphantom]

I've never seen one without a lock. I check both of mine, both have it.

[Sumez]

Major brainfart. The thing I hadn't noticed before was the US carts that have a different shape due to NOT enforcing the lock.

Anyway, the lock is just a plastic tab, it's not like it's hard to bypass.

[AWJ]

With the number of SNESes that seem to be suffering sudden CPU/PPU failure in recent years, encouraging a cartridge hot-swapping fad seems like the height of irresponsibility...

[Bregalad]

Anyway, the lock is just a plastic tab, it's not like it's hard to bypass.

Sure but it sorts of kill the "no hardware modification" challenge.

[Sumez]

Do you count using a cartridge adapter as a "hardware modification"? I have probably four or five different adapters as it is, including a couple of import adapters, an Action Replay and a backup/rom dumping thingy, which I guess is less common. Still I'd think people would be less likely to have a SNES multitap.

When and why does the guy hotswap his cartridge anyway, though? I think I missed that.