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Mario vs Luigi

This page documents how to play MvsL hacks and objects that work in MvsL.

Modding MvsL is significantly more difficult than modding Singleplayer levels. If you're just getting started with modding the game, you might want to start here

FaQ

How do I play Mario vs Luigi hacks?
  • The easiest way to play an MvsL hack on real hardware is by using “Multi-cart”
    • This requires that you own two flashcards (such as an R4 Card).
    • To set this method up, simply put the same ROM on both flashcards. Then, in the game, choose the option to “Compete with another New Super Mario Bros. Owner” and play MvsL as you normally would.
  • If you do not have access to two flashcards, then you have two, more difficult, options remaining
    • Your first option is to try and use a hacked NDS firmware that bypasses Download Play's signature check
      1. Download firmware.nds and put it on your flashcard.
      2. Open this ROM on the DS you will launch Download Play from.
      3. Now, eject the flashcard from the DS you just ran the ROM on. (This will not cause your DS to freeze)
      4. Finally, put the flashcard back in the other DS.
      5. Once you have done this, you can run the ROM of the MvsL hack and select “Play with someone who doesn't own New Super Mario Bros”
        • If the firmware ROM does not work on your flashcard, try this one instead.
    • Your final option is to use normal DS Download Play with “DLP Mode” in NSMBe 5
      1. Open a clean (unedited) ROM
      2. Open it in NSMBe
      3. After you open the ROM, go to Tools and check “Enable DLP-friendly mode”
      4. Now, you can make whatever changes you want to the ROM
      5. When you're done, you can play with another DS through DS Download Play like you normally would using the “Play with someone who doesn't own New Super Mario Bros” option
  • If the game hangs at the Nintendo logo, you might have missed a step. Double check you did everything and try again with another clean ROM
  • If the DS freezes with a black screen after you select a level it can mean one of two things:
    • Your flashcard is not compatible with this method
    • There's something wrong with the level that is making the game freeze
My level crashes, what do I do now?
  • If you are not using any Code Hacks, then here are some things to consider
    1. Have you changed any object banks? This causes MvsL to crash so you need to change the object banks back to whatever the level had originally.
    2. Double-check that you are not using an object that has been confirmed to crash MvsL. There is a table later on this page that shows what objects are compatible with MvsL.
    3. Have you changed the number of Battle Stars that are in the level? Changing the number of Battle Stars in a level can cause MvsL to crash, and you will need to restore the original amount of Battle Stars the level had.
My level crashes, but I'm using Code Hacks!
  • Even with Code Hacks, not all objects work in MvsL. Take a look at the table at the end of the page to see if all of the objects you're using are compatible with MvsL.
My level makes us de-sync, what's going on?
  • Because of the nature of how multiplayer works in this game, the Random Number Generator seed is only synchronized once when the connection is established and only the input is synchronized during gameplay so it is required that each console knows what the other console is doing. If something is coded in a way that won't account for the other console, the multiplayer state of the game will be compromised. For example, if it happens that an enemy does not properly handle multiple players it might just check the variables of the player of its own console, causing it to read a different value on each console. This causes the enemy to act differently on each DS, thus causing a de-sync.

    Implementation example:
    // Enemy reads only the position of its own console player
    playerPosition = Game::getPlayer(Game::localPlayerID)->position.x;
    // Now the position that was read is different between both consoles
    // for this enemy and he will behave differently for each console!
    // This is very bad!
    
    // A solution would be to get the position of the closest player
    playerPosition = enemy->getClosestPlayer(nullptr, nullptr);
    // This way, it gets the closest player instead of its console player

Object Compatibility (Vanilla)

  • These objects will work in MvsL regardless of if you are using code hacks
  • Most of the objects in this list are objects that are already used in MvsL

Object ID Actor Name
23 Pipe Piranha Plant (Facing up)
24 Pipe Piranha Plant (Facing down)
25 Pipe Piranha Plant (Facing right)
26 Pipe Piranha Plant (Facing left)
27 Bill Blaster (Bullet Bill launcher)
28 Bob-omb
71 Stonewall moving up & down
72 Stonewall moving left & right
95 Spin Block
148 Goomba
149 Koopa Troopa
210 MvsL Big Star

Object Compatibility with Code Hacks

  • This spreadsheet is based on the MvsL Hacking Starter Pack
  • There are 4 kinds of compatibility
    • Works: This object completely works in MvsL
    • Partial: Some parts of this object do not work in MvsL. The notes column will mention what doesn't work
    • N/A:  The object does not load but it also does not crash the game
    • Crash: The object crashes the game when loaded. See the notes for possible workarounds.

Object ID Object Name Compatibility Notes
0 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
1 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
2 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
3 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
4 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
5 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
6 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
7 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
8 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
9 Crash Object (Player Actor) Crash Needs the clone code hack
10 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
11 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
12 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
13 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
14 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
15 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
16 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
17 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
18 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
19 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
20 Defunct Actor 22 N/A If using the Actor Spawner code hack it works
21 Mega Goomba Works If using Boss Particle code hack
22 Hammer Brother from map N/A MvsL is missing a world map so...
23 Pipe Piranha Plant (facing up) Works  
24 Pipe Piranha Plant (facing down) Works  
25 Pipe Piranha Plant (facing right) Works  
26 Pipe Piranha Plant (facing left) Works  
27 Bill Blaster (Bullet Bill launcher) Works  
28 Bob-omb Works  
29 Princess Peach Works  
30 Monty Tank Works If using Boss Particle code hack
31 Cheep Cheep Works  
32 Goal Pole's Flag Works  
33 Trampoline (portable springboard) Crash  
34 Red Ring Crash  
35 Final Bowser Controller Crash  
36 Thwomp Works  
37 Spiny Works  
38 Boo Works  
39 Castle boss controller Partial Some of the options crash the game, you can use a switch instead.
40 Lakitu (unused object) Works  
41 Bowser bridge switch Works Loads, but graphics are not loaded correctly
42 Chain Chomp/Log Works  
43 Chain Chomp (unused object) Works  
44 Fire Snake (unused Actor 46) Works  
45 Respawnable Hidden Block Works  
46 Event controller - activates Spiked Ball when touched by Snake Block Works  
47 Lakithunder Works  
48 Aquatic bubble current (up) Works  
49 Aquatic bubble current (down) Works  
50 Aquatic bubble current (right) Works  
51 Aquatic bubble current (left) Works  
52 Buzzy Beetle Works  
53 Dry Bones Works  
54 Lava Bubble (Podoboo) Works  
55 Bullet Bill Spawner Works  
56 Fire Bar Works  
57 Coin Works  
58 Bowser Works  
59 Hammer Brother Works  
60 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
61 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
62 Big Bowser (unused object) Works  
63 Dry Bowser Works  
64 Whomp Works  
65 Cheepskipper Works  
66 P Switch Works Graphics are not loaded correctly
67 Sushi (shark) Works  
68 Lift moving up and down Works  
69 Lift moving left and right Works  
70 Rotating log lift (unused actor) Works  
71 Stonewall moving up and down Works  
72 Stonewall moving left and right Works  
73 Wobbly metal lift Works  
74 Wobble Rock Works  
75 Seesaw lift Works  
76 Scale lift Works  
77 Flimsy Lift (falls once touched) Works  
78 Lift moving one way once stood on Works  
79 Three-platform rickshaw lift (rotates in place by self) Works  
80 Lift spawner Works  
81 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
82 Rotating rectangle lift Works  
83 Self-activating block Works  
84 Zoom Works  
85 Flip fence (duplicate object) Works  
86 Rotating triangle lift Works  
87 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
88 Brick Block containing P Switch Works P-Switch graphics are not loaded correctly
89 Snailicorn Works  
90 Wiggler Works  
91 Track-controlled lift Works  
92 Unagi (eel) Works  
93 Arrow signboard Works  
94 Swooper Works  
95 Spin Block Works  
96 Seaweed Works  
97 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
98 Camera vertical scrolling N/A  
99 Four-platform rickshaw lift Works  
100 Vertical camera offset (unused actor) N/A  
101 Event controller - view enter Works  
102 Spiked Ball Works  
103 Dorrie Works  
104 Tweester (Tornado) Works  
105 Whirlpool Works  
106 Red Coin Crashes  
107 ? Switch Works Graphics are not loaded correctly
108 ! Switch Works Graphics are not loaded correctly
109 Amp Works  
110 Brick Block containing !-Switch Works !-Switch graphics are not loaded correctly
111 Floating log Works  
112 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
113 Cheep Chomp Works  
114 Burner (Small) Works  
115 Large Spiked Ball Works  
116 Skeeter (Water Bug) Works Causes a desync however
117 Map Flying ? Block N/A  
118 Burner Works  
119 Swinging lift (pendulum-like) Works  
120 Grounded Piranha Plant Works  
121 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
122 Big Grounded Piranha Plant Works  
123 Grounded Fire Piranha Plant Works  
124 Large grounded Fire Piranha Plant Works  
125 Defunct Actor 229 N/A  
126 Drawbridge lift Works  
127 Big four-platform rickshaw lift Works  
128 Warp Cannon Works  
129 Boss Key Location Works  
130 Jumping Cheep Cheep Works  
131 Checkpoint - vertical Works Does the animation but doesn't set anything
132 Checkpoint Works Does the animation but doesn't set anything
133 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
134 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
135 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
136 Pokey Works  
137 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
138 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
139 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
140 Boss Key Works  
141 Swelling ground Works  
142 Tightrope Works  
143 Spiked ? Block (unused actor 251) Crashes  
144 Spiked ? Block Crashes  
145 Spiked ? Block (unused actor 253) Crashes  
146 Ground-pound panel Works  
147 Bump from below platform Works  
148 Goomba Works  
149 Koopa Troopa Works  
150 Koopa Paratroopa Works  
151 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
152 Event trigger block Crash  
153 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
154 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
155 Special exit controller (warp entrance) Crash Sometimes just corrupts graphics and does nothing
156 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
157 Fire Brother Partial Causes a desync
158 Boomerang Brother Partial Causes a desync
159 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
160 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
161 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
162 Mushroom Platform lift Works  
163 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
164 Event controller - "AND" Works   
165 Event controller - "OR" (If X OR Y, do Z) Works  
166 Event controller - "RANDOM" Works  
167 Event controller - chainer (If X, do Y) Works  
168 Event controller - "IF" (uses zones) Works  
169 Spin Block (unused Actor 255) N/A Doesn't spawn
170 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
171 Spin Block (unused Actor 256) N/A Doesn't Spawn
172 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
173 Swinging/able rope Works  
174 Mushroom Platform lift Works  
175 Bouncy bricks (Unused) Works  
176 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
177 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
178 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
179 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
180 Climbing Koopa Works  
181 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
182 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
183 Lakitu spawner Works  
184 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
185 Cheep Cheep random spawner Works  
186 Paragoomba Works  
187 Balance lift Works  
188 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
189 Pipe Cannon Works Desynchronizes the game
190 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
191 Hanging Bouncing ? Block Works  
192 Coin Spawner (unused actor) Crash  
193 Big Dry Bones Works  
194 Big Thwomp Works  
195 0 Stick to bottom length activator left Works  
196 0 Stick to bottom length activator right Works  
197 Tile Creator/Destroyer (Tile God) Crash  
198 In air vertical scroll stop left N/A  
199 In air vertical scroll stop right N/A  
200 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
201 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
202 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
203 Unused Purple Mushroom Platform Lift Works  
204 Fire Snake Works  
205 Flame Chomp Spawner Works  
206 Ghost house goo Works  
207 Big Cheep Cheep Works  
208 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
209 Sledge Brother Works Causes a desync however
210 MvsL Battle Star Works Who would've thought
211 Blooper Works  
212 Blooper Nanny (unused actor 144) Works  
213 Blooper Nanny that w/ Baby Bloopers Works  
214 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
215 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
216 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
217 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
218 Auto-scrolling controller Works If the players spawn in the same position after respawning it stops working
219 Spike Top Works  
220 Bowser Jr. Works  
221 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
222 Mini Goomba Works  
223 Flip fence Works  
224 Big flip fence Works  
225 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
226 Scuttlebug N/A  
227 Moneybag Works  
228 Roulette Block Crash  
229 Petey Piranha Works  
230 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
231 Water Works  
232 Hanging ? Block Works  
233 Swinging/able pole Works  
234 Lava Partial Causes a desync, line the top with lava tiles
235 Star Coin Crash  
236 Rotating square lift Works  
237 Broozer Works  
238 Purple Mushroom Platform lift Works  
239 Yellow/Orange Mushroom Platform Works  
240 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
241 Bill Blaster Turret Works  
242 Blue Mushroom Platform Works  
243 Roof Spiny Works  
244 Bouncy Mushroom Platform Works  
245 Corked Pipe + foot pump Crashes  
246 Floating barrel Works  
247 Sushi spawner (shark spawner) Works  
248 Balloon Boo Works  
249 Track-controlled wall-jump lift Works  
250 Crowber Works  
251 Big Unagi Crash  
252 Banzai Bill Blaster Works  
253 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
254 Kab-omb Works  
255 Jungle FG Effect (Unused Actor) Works  
256 Rotating carry-through-wall turntable-like lift Works  
257 Coin trail Cheep Cheep Works  
258 Spike Bass (unused object) Works  
259 Poisoned Water Partial Causes desync
260 Fast Spike Pillar - Down Works  
261 Fast Spike Pillar - Up Works  
262 Fast Spike Pillar - Left Works  
263 Fast Spike Pillar - Right Works  
264 Mega Ground Pound's sky drops + Crash  
265 Phantom Hand (Pointing hand) Works  
266 Invisible Lava Bubble (unused actor) Works  
267 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
268 Underwater bounce bubble Works  
269 Giant Wiggler Works  
270 Smashed pipe object Works  
271 Crowber spawner Works  
272 Snowy branch Works  
273 Snow Spike Works  
274 Sinking-snow pile Works  
275 Blockhopper Partial Desyncs
276 Scroll and Mario stop sideways Works  
277 Arrow sign Works  
278 Groundpound-able ghost house goo Works  
279 Flipper (one-way gate) Works  
280 Horizontal camera offset N/A Not sure how this object works
281 Squiggler Works  
282 Swinging/able vine Works  
283 Spike Bass spawner Works  
284 Splunkin (pumpkin) Works  
285 Scuttlebug spawner N/A  
286 Event controller - multi-chainer Works  
287 Enemy-in-Pipe Generator Works  
288 Nothing N/A Technically works due to it being nothing
289 Platform Block (expandable block) Works Doesn't respawn if it turns into bricks and you collect a battle star.
290 Flying ? Block Crash Black screen
291 Brick Block containing ? Switch Works ? Switch graphics are not loaded correctly
292 Event Activated Door Works  
293 Touching ground vertical scroll stop left Works  
294 Touching ground vertical scroll stop right Works  
295 Mummipokey Works Use a P-Switch
296 Lift moving left and right Works  
297 Stonewall moving left and right Works  
298 Stonewall moving u, d, l, r Works  
299 Snake Block Works  
300 Haunted lift Works  
301 Toadsworth Works Only freezes Mario for a few seconds, and Luigi can roam freely. Background chooser will break because of BMG differences.
302 Toad House block Doesn't work Garble graphics.
303 Ball 'n' Chain Works  
304 Spike Pillar - down Works  
305 Final Castle Create Loop N/A I have no idea how this works.
306 Final Castle Wrong Path N/A I have no idea how this works.
307 Spike Pillar - up Works  
308 Spike Pillar - left Works  
309 Spike Pillar - right Works  
310 Fog FG effect Partial Graphics are not loaded correctly
311 Snow FG effect 1 Works  
312 Rise or lower while/once on Mushroom Platform lift - mechanical Works  
313 Snow FG effect 2 Works  
314 Snow FG effect 3 Works  
315 Cloud FG effect Partial Graphics are not loaded correctly
316 Water FG effect 1 Works  
317 Water FG effect 2 Works  
318 Fire FG effect 1 Works  
319 Fire FG effect 2 Works  
320 Fire FG effect 3 Works  
321 Light FG Effect 1 N/A  
322 Light FG Effect 2 Works  
323 Squishy cloud platform Works Both players can interact with it at the same time
324 Grassland Clouds FG effect Partial Graphics are not loaded correctly
325 Small Grassland Clouds FG effect Partial Graphics are not loaded correctly