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[TAS] Super Mario World "Arbitrary Code Execution" in 02:25.19 by Masterjun

Masterjun30 HN recommenders · 2015–2021
943K views · demo · evergreen · Uploaded 2014-01-06

A tool-assisted speedrun of Super Mario World that achieves arbitrary code execution through frame-precise controller inputs, finishing in 2:25. It was also performed live on real hardware at AGDQ 2014.

Cited as the classic example of arbitrary code execution inside a game, with later runs injecting Pong, Snake and Flappy Bird.

Speedrunning, glitches & game hacking

Watch on YouTube

6 comments from Hacker News

@Scuds2015 · in “Pokemon Yellow Total Control Hack”

Similar deal with super mario world, using programmed controllers to poke arbitrary code into memory and execute it. [VIDEO]

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@Buge2016 · in “Flappy Bird Clone Code Injected into Super Mario World for SNES by Hand”

He's pointing out that although this type of thing has already been done before by automated inputs (such as this video [VIDEO] ), this is the first time a human has done it.

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@73737373732017 · in “Block-breaking game in vim 8.0”

One of the most brilliant applications of this concept is the Pokémon Yellow Total Control Hack: [LINK] Similarly, arbitrary code execution in Super Mario World: [VIDEO] It's like transforming a chess game into Mikado just by playing it.

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@crankylinuxuser2018 · in “Apple's Failure to Check Kill Syscall Privilege “Not a Security Issue””

[VIDEO] Video is about exploiting Super Mario world, on SNES. The result is that the exploiter then proceeds to make 2 new games inside SMW: Pong and Snake. Those games don't exist inside SMW. They were uploaded using controller inputs. All it takes is 1 hack.

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@politician2019 · in “Indie Game Removed from Switch After Dev Reveals It Has a Hidden Code Editor”

That's wild because Super Mario Bros contains a built-in code editor (via arbitrary code execution easter eggs), and Nintendo is OK with that. [VIDEO]

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@duskwuff2021 · in “FizzBuzz Mario World: Learning Assembly Language and Having Some Fun”

Somewhat disappointed. I was expecting them to use the well-known arbitrary code execution exploit in this game to load their own implementation of FizzBuzz, cf. [VIDEO] The method used by Masterjun3 is TAS-only (it involves executing the contents of the controller registers as code, which requires frame-precise inputs), but there are some other methods which are more viable for a real-time attack.

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