avatar! Oct 2, 2015
Interesting...
256- Secret Levels in the original SMB
- Pages: 1
Qui-Gon Joe Oct 3, 2015
It's my understanding from reading other places' take on that phenomenon that what's really happening is that SMB is vomiting out random tiles because of residual data from Tennis in the NES's memory. It's not like Nintendo programmed a bunch of levels and left them hidden on the cartridge.
avatar! Oct 3, 2015
Qui-Gon Joe wrote:
It's my understanding from reading other places' take on that phenomenon that what's really happening is that SMB is vomiting out random tiles because of residual data from Tennis in the NES's memory. It's not like Nintendo programmed a bunch of levels and left them hidden on the cartridge.
That makes more sense, although according to the article it was that Nintendo tested a bunch of levels and just left them on the cartridge. Although, why would they do that?
jb Oct 3, 2015
avatar! wrote:
Qui-Gon Joe wrote:It's my understanding from reading other places' take on that phenomenon that what's really happening is that SMB is vomiting out random tiles because of residual data from Tennis in the NES's memory. It's not like Nintendo programmed a bunch of levels and left them hidden on the cartridge.
That makes more sense, although according to the article it was that Nintendo tested a bunch of levels and just left them on the cartridge. Although, why would they do that?
That seems highly unlikely given the major space constraints on cartridges back then.
avatar! Oct 3, 2015
jb wrote:
avatar! wrote:Qui-Gon Joe wrote:It's my understanding from reading other places' take on that phenomenon that what's really happening is that SMB is vomiting out random tiles because of residual data from Tennis in the NES's memory. It's not like Nintendo programmed a bunch of levels and left them hidden on the cartridge.
That makes more sense, although according to the article it was that Nintendo tested a bunch of levels and just left them on the cartridge. Although, why would they do that?
That seems highly unlikely given the major space constraints on cartridges back then.
I tend to agree. However, the article I have linked above (which in all likelihood is wrong) notes:
"The original "Super Mario Bros." actually has hundreds more levels. Hundreds...They're the bastard children of Nintendo's most revered game, hidden away in the annals of each cartridge's aging chips. These are levels Nintendo never intended anyone to see, and the company's never really spoken about them as a result."
I'm not saying this is impossible, but seems unlikely. I think it's more likely that it is just residual data. That said, I've never quite understood if the minus world is just some weird glitch or what exactly?