A Contest That Encourages Creativity
Each year, SMW Central’s 24-Hour Level Design Contest pushes ROM hackers to build something from scratch in just one day. The 2025 edition brought some wild entries, but one hack immediately stood out for its bizarre concept and unexpected charm.
You Don’t Play as Mario
In You Are Just a Blue Switch, you’re not running or jumping. You play as a literal blue switch block. By pressing the L and R buttons, you toggle your own state to activate or deactivate blue switch blocks. That single mechanic becomes the core of a short, smartly designed level that feels more like a puzzle toy than a traditional platformer.
Built in 24 Hours, but It Works
Despite being made under a strict time limit, the hack is polished and funny. It leans into its weird premise and delivers something that’s over quickly but makes a lasting impression. No enemies, no power-ups, just an idea that somehow works.
Worth Playing for the Concept Alone
You can find the hack on SMW Central under their 2025 contest submissions. All you need is a clean Super Mario World ROM and a patching tool like Floating IPS.
This time, you’re not pressing the switch.
You are the switch.
If you want to give this Romhack a try, visit SMW-Central for more info
