ROM hacks are a big part of the Game Boy scene these days, and even though you may not know the name Marc Max, if you’ve played any of the top hacks out there, you’ve likely enjoyed his work without knowing it. Titles like Dr. Mario DX and the English translation for Mobile Golf (the sequel to Mario Golf on the GBC, which was never released outside of Japan) are thanks to Marc Max. Well, a new hack just dropped. Mole Mania has received the DX treatment and is now available in full color for anyone willing to mod the ROM. I can vouch that it’s absolutely fantastic.
Mole Mania is now remastered in color, thanks to a fan hack
Mole Mania DX gameplay recorded on Modretro Chromatic through OBS
It’s been known since at least February that Marc Max was working on a color hack for Mole Mania, thanks to the fact that he posts regular updates on his Patreon (seriously, if you enjoy his hacks, think about contributing). The hack went gold over the weekend and is now available on Marc’s website. Of course, this wasn’t a one-man job; it would appear the spritework was done by Kensu William, and they absolutely nailed the graphics.
If you’re unfamiliar with Mole Mania, it’s a classic puzzle game that launched for the Game Boy platform in 1997, developed by none other than Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario. The game basically plays like a Sokoban, but with the twist that you can dig underground to help solve the game’s puzzles.
The color spritework is superb
The art is cutesy and super inviting, where you play the role of Muddy Mole, who has set out to save his wife and kids from their kidnapper, Jinbe. The gameplay features 200 puzzles to solve (it’s a lengthy Game Boy game), split between seven different worlds, and there are boss battles in the mix that keep things fresh. It’s a classic for a reason, and now that it’s remastered in color, everyone has a whole new reason to check it out.
Here’s how you can hack your copy of Mole Mania
What’s particularly nice about the Mole Mania DX hack release is that it’s very easy to apply to a ROM of the game. First, you need to secure your ROM, which can be easily pulled from a physical cart using hardware like the GBxCart RW and the GB Operator, which I’ve covered in the past how they work if you’re curious. Once you have your ROM, simply navigate to the Mole Mania DX webpage. Keep in mind that you’ll need a copy of the USA or European ROM.
Just upload the ROM and click Apply Patch
All you have to do is upload the ROM to the online patcher, and you don’t even have to unzip it. Of course, if you prefer to use an offline local patcher, that will work too; however, it’s much easier to simply upload the ROM to Marc’s site, as you have to go there anyway to obtain the patch. Once the ROM is uploaded, click the Apply Patch button, and the hacked ROM Mole Mania DX will automatically download to your machine. From here, slap that freshly colorized ROM onto a flash cart or into an emulator, and it’s off to the races.
Mole Mania DX
