The internet has given rise to many wonderful amateur creations, some of which would not exist in a world strictly controlled by intellectual property holders. "No game is an island," I like to say, and never has that saying been more applicable than when discussing ROM hacks—that is, classic console video games that have been modified by fans.

We call them ROM hacks because they consist of modified "ROM files," which are captured images of the original ROM chips found in classic game cartridges. These hacks typically rearrange and remix graphics, levels, and even game features to provide completely new gaming experiences that retain a hint of the familiar nostalgia many of us grew up with. The height of the game hacking scene currently revolves around the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System by virtue of that console's popularity and nostalgic appeal, but fans hack games for just about every console.

You're about to see 10 stand-out hacks that span the NES, Super NES, Genesis, and Nintendo 64 platforms. I won't lie and say that obtaining playable versions of these hacks is easy. Because of copyright laws, we can't provide fully playable versions of these games. Instead, you'll have to find the original game ROM files (try Google), download patch files linked in this slideshow (which contain the hacked changes to the games), then apply the patches yourself. It's going to be frustrating, but it is worth the effort.

(This story was first published on Feb. 3, 2012.)


Zelda Challenge: Outlands There are more hacks for NES games than any other platform. People love to remix Nintendo's classic franchises in amazing new ways. Zelda Challenge: Outlands does exactly that: It takes the beloved Legend of Zelda for the NES and gives it a complete overhaul, adding many new monster and terrain graphics, a completely redesigned overworld map, new dungeons, and more. Fans of Zelda say this is one of the better hacks out there, and I agree.

Tecmo Super Bowl If you're not content to play modern photorealistic football simulations , step back into the past with this 8-bit gridiron classic. A dedicated group of Tecmo Super Bowl fans have hacked this 1991 NES game to include updated team lists and player rosters that match the current NFL season. They've been doing it every year since at least 2006, so expect a new version with each new season.

Mario Adventure Back in 2006, I hailed Mario Adventure as the greatest NES game hack of all time, and little has changed. It's still amazing. While most hacks simply change graphics, sounds, and levels, the author of Mario Adventure modified the Super Mario Bros. 3 game engine itself, which resulted in amazing effects like the ability to switch between two power-ups while playing, weather and day/night cycles on every board, and the ability to save coins to buy power-ups from Toad. Of course, Mario Adventure also provides dozens of completely new levels to play in eight new worlds, including a world that recreates Super Mario Bros. 1 levels with giant graphics. There are new power-ups, new enemies, new secrets—the list of changes goes on and on. Play it now.

The S Factor: Sonia and Silver Like Mario, Sonic games have received a large number of hacks over the years. One of my personal favorites is The S Factor: Sonia and Silver, which modifies the Genesis classic Sonic the Hedgehog to offer completely new levels and two new selectable characters to control (Sonia and Silver, if you haven't guessed already). Each character brings with them their own suite of special moves and abilities, which puts a completely new twist on the Sonic formula. There are plenty of other Sonic hacks out there. Consider trying Sonic the Hedgehog Megamix as well.

Dragoon X Omega II Final Fantasy, the original 1987 release for the NES, inaugurated a long-running franchise that has been anything but final. Most games in the series are set in different worlds, but they still share a thematic mix of fantasy and steampunk elements. Dragoon X Omega II throws all that baggage out the window and provides a completely new gaming experience in the Final Fantasy engine. Think of it as a completely new RPG game, set in a futuristic sci-fi setting that just happens to play like Final Fantasy. NES RPG fans can say, "Yes, please."

Mario Kart R

Despite its age, Super Mario Kart for the Super NES still retains a hardcore following. Some of those fans love it so much that they have created all new tracks for the cartoonish racing game. Mario Kart R provides new tracks that could easily pass for Nintendo originals and ups the ante with Kirby as a completely new playable driver, who replaces Toad in the hack.

Castlevania: Chorus of Mysteries Castlevania hacks can be hard to love if you're not a hardcore Castlevania fan, because they typically increase the game's difficulty to levels that make you want to pull your hair/whip out. Not so with

Castlevania hacks can be hard to love if you're not a hardcore Castlevania fan, because they typically increase the game's difficulty to levels that make you want to pull your hair/whip out. Not so with Castlevania: Chorus of Mysteries , a masterful hack of the original NES Castlevania title. It blends completely new graphics with amazingly designed levels that balance challenge and playability in a way that I personally think rivals the original Konami classic. If that isn't an endorsement to play it, then I am a flying elephant.

Super Mario Star Road While most hacks you'll find out there deal with the 8-bit or 16-bit generation of consoles, a handful venture into newer territory like the Nintendo 64. The 32- or 64-bit era games can provide a much greater challenge to modify because the graphics are far more complex, and many require 3D modeling skills for level redesign. Super Mario Star Road is a standout example of fan-made 3D modeling and level design for Super Mario 64. Its author created 30 new levels with 120 new stars to find—and you'll even hear new songs along the way. Be warned, though, because patching a Nintendo 64 game can be a lot more tricky than a simple NES title, so it is not for the faint of heart. Luckily, you'll find detailed instructions with the patch file.

Mega Man in the Mushroom Kingdom Many of the earliest amateur game hacks involved fantasy game franchise crossovers like Mario in Hyrule, Samus squishing goombas, and Simon Belmont in Metroid. It's all been done before, but one of the best has to be Mega Man in the Mushroom Kingdom. This title, a hack of Mega Man 1 for the NES, pulls off that crossover switch with a rare sense of quality and style. In it, you'll play as Mega Man fighting his way through a colorful world that would be much more familiar to Mario. Every enemy has been changed to an enemy from the Super Mario series, and the all-new levels match that theme as well. Download it here.

Super Metroid Redesign It wasn't long after Super Metroid's release on the Super NES in 1994 that it became celebrated as one of the greatest video games of all time. It has only one drawback: Once you explore everything that the game's amazing environments have to offer, it leaves you hungry for more. Enter Super Metroid Redesign, which provides the Metroid-craving gamer with a completely new, and much larger, version of Zebes to fight your way through. It has some tricky spots, and slightly modified physics, but it shares an amazing quality with every hack on this list: It lets you enjoy your favorite game all over again in a completely new way.

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