A patch is basically a file that basically contains only what you have changed to the ROM, and not the original ROM files.

Why is it legal to post a patch and not a ROM? Because a ROM, even if it's edited, contains nearly the majority of the data of the original game. Since it's copyrighted by Nintendo, that data can't be distributed. It'd be piracy. A patch only contains the edited levels and tilesets, which are made by you, so you're free to post a patch.

So, how does this work? To share your hack, you create a patch file and upload it. If other people want to try out your hack, they have to get an original NSMB ROM and your patch file. They then apply the patch to their clean ROM, and they get as a result a ROM with your hack in it, which they can now play.

You're free to upload and share the created patch file here!



The ROM you use should be the same region as the one the patch creator used. The author of the hack should have said it in his thread somewhere. USA (U) ROM region is the most commonly hacked.

XDelta patches
The NMP patch format is still not complete (hehe) and it doesn't export edits made in overlay files and in arm9.bin/arm7.bin and other "special" files.

If you haven't edited these you shouldn't worry. If you do, you'll have to use XDelta patches.
Go here for the Xdelta tutorial

Thank you for this! I didn't know how to make patches, or why uploading the ROM was illegal.

Is IPS too limited for NSMB? I'm wondering why a more standardized format for hack patching isn't being used.
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IPS is too limited, I think.

xDelta is used when non-filesystem hacks are needed.

You could also use PPF, but I think XDelta is smaller.

What about BPS? Floating IPS supports BPS and SM64 hackers switched over to it so maybe that could work.
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Why do you try to find patch formats other than xDelta and NMP? There is not anything wrong with them.

Pretty sure BPS is smaller, but okay.
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Hello fellow members. I have been following the forum for a couple of months. I am amazed at all the work you guys have put in into making these great hacks, I finally registered since I had seen videos of the hacks but did not had the courage at trying them on the actual DS. So far I have tried 2 hacks made by SKJmin and they were easy to patch and work very well. Now, I have been trying other hacks by MarioFanatic64 and cannot get them to work., seems like the xdelta files just do not unzip as they should, or unless they are not compatible with 7zip or WinRAR which are the 2 applications I use to unzip the files. Any help in getting these roms to work is greatly appreciated.

I need help on how to open an editor and put a hack. I finished the game, I just want to hack it to let it give me powerups and invincibility and things like that. Can someone help me?

This is not a place to do that, this place is to create HACKS of the game.
You want CHEATS, you're in the wrong place. Sorry...
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New Super Mario Land's development is paused at the moment...

I'm not exactly sure what I've done wrong here, but the 'importing patch...' window won't finish, it just stays as 'Replacing d_2d_I_M_tikei_nohara_ncl.bin... Replacing d_2d_I_M_tikei_nohara_ncg.bin... forever, if you can I would appreciate some help. Thanks.