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ROM hacking is the process of modifying a video game ROM image to
alter the game's graphics, dialogue, levels, gameplay, or other
gameplay elements. This is usually done by technically-inclined
video game fans to breathe new life into a cherished old game, as a
creative outlet, or to make essentially new unofficial games using
an old game as a foundation.
ROM hacking is generally accomplished through use of a hex editor (a
program for editing non-textual data) and various specialized tools
such as tile editors, and game-specific tools which are generally
used for editing levels, items, and the like, although more advanced
tools such as assemblers and debuggers are occasionally used. Once
ready, they are usually distributed on the Internet for others to
play on an emulator.
Fan translation (known as "translation hacking" within the ROM
hacking community[1]) is a type of ROM hacking; there are also
anti-censorship hacks that exist to restore a game to its original
state, which is often seen with older games that were imported, as
publishers' content policies for video games (most notably,
Nintendo's) were much stricter in the United States than Japan or
Europe. Although much of the methodology applies to both types of
hacking, this article focuses on "creative hacking" such as editing
game levels. |
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