Best SMILE Alternatives in 2026
The top SMILE alternatives are YY-CHR, NUPS and HxD: 15 ROM hacking tools our editors would look at instead of SMILE, in our ranking order.
SMILE: A focused Windows editor for Super Metroid rooms, game elements, and IPS patches. Where it falls short: supports super metroid rather than a range of games.
Switching from SMILE? For most rom hacking tools buyers the best SMILE alternative is YY-CHR, built for editing ROM graphics across multiple systems.
Why People Look for an SMILE Alternative
- Supports Super Metroid rather than a range of games
- Available for Windows only
- Original SMILE development is discontinued
- No hex editor — 4 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallYY-CHR8.4
Editing ROM graphics across multiple systems
Visit YY-CHR - Best free optionYY-CHR8.4
Has a free plan
Visit YY-CHR - Best for hex editorHexManiacAdvance7.1
Hex editor (SMILE: no)
Visit HexManiacAdvance
All 15 SMILE Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.
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Best forEditing ROM graphics across multiple systems
- Better than SMILE:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 6.6
A focused Windows dot editor for viewing and editing graphics in retro-game ROMs.
- Tile/sprite editing
- ROM editing
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit YY-CHR -
Best forApplying or creating UPS patches
- Better than SMILE:
- Editor score 7.3 vs 6.6
A free Windows desktop utility focused on creating and applying UPS patches.
- ROM editing
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Nintenlord -
Best forGeneral-purpose Windows hex editing
- Better than SMILE:
- Editor score 7.2 vs 6.6
A broad Windows hex editor for binary work, rather than a ROM-specific hacking suite.
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit HxD -
Best forBroad Pokémon ROM editing and patching
- Better than SMILE:
- Hex editor
- Editor score 7.1 vs 6.6
A free, open-source toolkit for editing Pokémon GBA data, maps, graphics, scripts, and patches.
- Hex editor
- Tile/sprite editing
- ROM editing
7.1/10★★★★☆Try HexManiacAdvance -
Best forEditing Super Mario RPG ROM content
- Better than SMILE:
- Hex editor
- Editor score 7.0 vs 6.6
A free, game-specific toolkit for editing Super Mario RPG maps, graphics, scripts, audio, and data.
- Hex editor
- Tile/sprite editing
- ROM editing
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit Lazy Shell -
Best forEditing Pokémon Nintendo DS ROMs
- Better than SMILE:
- Editor score 6.9 vs 6.6
A free, open-source toolkit for editing maps, scripts, events, and game data.
- ROM editing
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit DSPRE -
Best forEditing supported NDS and GBA Castlevania ROMs
- Better than SMILE:
- Editor score 6.8 vs 6.6
A free Windows editor for changing game data and testing modified Castlevania ROMs.
- Tile/sprite editing
- ROM editing
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit DSVEdit -
Best forEditing maps, graphics, and scripts for Faxanadu
- Better than SMILE:
- Editor score 6.7 vs 6.6
A focused desktop editor for changing Faxanadu maps, graphics, game data, and scripts.
- Tile/sprite editing
- ROM editing
6.7/10★★★☆☆Try Echoes of Eolis -
Best forEditing levels and assets for one game
A free desktop toolkit for editing Yoshi’s Island levels and assets across three operating systems.
- Tile/sprite editing
- ROM editing
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Shiny Egg -
Best forEditing configured games across several platforms
- Better than SMILE:
- Hex editor
A desktop toolkit for editing configured games, with coverage that varies by game.
- Hex editor
- Tile/sprite editing
- ROM editing
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit CadEditor -
Best forHex editing ROMs and managing script pointers
- Better than SMILE:
- Hex editor
A focused desktop hex editor for ROM text, pointers, scripts, and IPS patches.
- Hex editor
- ROM editing
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit RTHextion -
Best forCreating and applying IPS or BPS patches
A free desktop and command-line utility focused on creating and applying IPS and BPS patches.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Flips -
Best forBrowser-based patch creation and application
A broad-format patcher for browser workflows, with checksum display and Node.js access.
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Rom Patcher JS -
Best forCross-platform patching with checksum checks
A free, cross-platform browser utility for patching ROMs and creating patch files.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit EZ ROM Patcher -
Best forPatching ROMs on Android
A free Android utility for applying and creating patches, with checksum and header tools.
- ROM editing
5.9/10★★★☆☆Visit UniPatcher
SMILE Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to SMILE?
YY-CHR: #1 in our ROM Hacking Tools ranking, with an editor score of 8.4 out of 10. A focused Windows dot editor for viewing and editing graphics in retro-game ROMs.
Is there a free alternative to SMILE?
Yes. YY-CHR, NUPS, HxD, HexManiacAdvance and Lazy Shell have a free plan or a free tier (15 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Why do people look for SMILE alternatives?
Supports Super Metroid rather than a range of games; Available for Windows only; Original SMILE development is discontinued.
How do I switch from SMILE?
Export your data from SMILE (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel SMILE.
How to Switch from SMILE
- Export your data from SMILE (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel SMILE.
SMILE vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | ROM editing | Patch formats | Tile/sprite editing | Hex editor | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | SMILE | Yes | None | Yes | IPS | Yes | No | 6.6 |
| 1 | YY-CHR | Yes | None | Yes | — | Yes | — | 8.4 |
| 2 | NUPS | Yes | None | Yes | UPS | No | No | 7.3 |
| 3 | HxD | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | 7.2 |
| 4 | HexManiacAdvance | Yes | None | Yes | IPS, UPS | Yes | Yes | 7.1 |
| 5 | Lazy Shell | Yes | None | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | 7.0 |
| 6 | DSPRE | Yes | None | Yes | — | — | — | 6.9 |
| 7 | DSVEdit | Yes | None | Yes | — | Yes | — | 6.8 |
| 8 | Echoes of Eolis | Yes | None | Yes | IPS | Yes | — | 6.7 |
| 10 | Shiny Egg | Yes | None | Yes | ASM and binary patches; imports existing patches (formats not specified) | Yes | — | 6.5 |
| 11 | CadEditor | Yes | None | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | 6.4 |
| 12 | RTHextion | Yes | None | Yes | IPS | No | Yes | 6.3 |
| 13 | Floating IPS (Flips) | Yes | None | — | IPS, BPS | — | — | 6.2 |
| 14 | Rom Patcher JS | Yes | None | — | IPS, UPS, APS, BPS, RUP, PPF, EBP, BSDiff, Paper Mario Star Rod, VCDiff | — | — | 6.1 |
| 15 | EZ ROM Patcher | Yes | None | — | IPS, BPS, UPS, APS, RUP, PPF, xdelta/VCDIFF, BSDiff, EBP, Star Rod .mod | — | — | 6.0 |
| 16 | UniPatcher | Yes | None | Yes | IPS, IPS32, UPS, BPS, APS (GBA), APS (N64), PPF, DPS, EBP, XDelta3 | No | No | 5.9 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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