SMW Editor review
An open-source Super Mario World editor project whose planned tools are not yet usable.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
SMW Editor is an open-source project intended as a multiplatform alternative to Lunar Magic for Super Mario World ROM hacking. It is aimed at users interested in following development of a game-specific editor, rather than people who need a working ROM-editing tool now. The maintainers describe the project as being in very early development and far from usable, so its proposed toolkit should be treated as a roadmap, not a set of available editing capabilities.
The planned scope is broad for a Super Mario World-specific project: level, overworld, block, sprite, graphics, background, assembly-code, and music editors are all listed, along with custom plugins and extensions. None of these listed editors is described as completed. Current work instead focuses on reverse-engineering the original Super Mario World ROM. That makes the project relevant to readers following a potential all-in-one editor, but not a practical choice for making edits today.
The project is open source and free, and its repository provides instructions for building and running it with Rust. That offers a starting point for technically inclined users who want to track or examine development, but it does not change the usability caveat. Choose SMW Editor if you are following an early-stage, game-specific project and can wait for planned features to mature. If you need to edit a ROM now, look for an alternative with completed editing functions.
SMW Editor pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Open-source project focused specifically on Super Mario World ROM hacking
- Plans editors for levels, overworlds, blocks, sprites, graphics, and music
- Repository includes instructions to build and run it with Rust
- Where it doesn't
- Maintainers describe it as far from usable
- Planned editors and extensions are not completed features
- Current work focuses on reverse-engineering the original ROM
SMW Editor fact sheet, pricing and score →
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