Fix the Level Select menu in Sonic 1
From Sonic Retro
(Guide originally written by STHX)
The first part is based on the SCHG:Sonic the Hedgehog/Text Editing, the second part has some original research. Also, this guide is useless if you use ESE, since it can easily change the Level Select Menu and the Pointers by itself, but it helps if you use a disassembly.
NOTE: Hivebrain's Sonic 1 Disassembly 2005 used. Sorry if it has differences from other disassemblies.
Anyway, Let's Start:
Introduction
If you have been a part of the Sonic Retro community for a long time, chances are you have played Sonic The Hedgehog, and if you played it, you know it has a Level Select code (UP DOWN LEFT RIGHT to activate it, A+START to enter the level select menu). However, the Zone order in the menu (in the game's first version) is not the actual in-game order, but the original planned order.
This guide will show you how to change it and still maintain its functions. You will need an Hex Editor for this.
Step 1: The Text
From the Hivebrain 2005 Disassembly open with an hex editor the file menutext.bin in the misc folder. You should have something like this:
17 22 15 15 1E FF 18 19 1C 1C FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 1C 11 12 0F 22 19 1E 24 18 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 1D 11 22 12 1C 15 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 23 24 11 22 FF 1C 19 17 18 24 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 23 20 22 19 1E 17 FF 0F 11 22 14 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 23 13 22 11 20 FF 12 22 11 19 1E FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 16 19 1E 11 1C FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 20 15 13 19 11 1C FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 1F 25 1E 14 FF 23 15 1C 15 13 24 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF
Now, if you have read the article SCHG:Sonic the Hedgehog/Text Editing, you know that all of this bytes can be translated to a character. In particular:
00 = 0 01 = 1 02 = 2 03 = 3 04 = 4 05 = 5 06 = 6 07 = 7 08 = 8 09 = 9 0A = $ 0B = - 0C = = 0D = ◄ 0E = ◄ 0F = Y 10 = Z 11 = A 12 = B 13 = C 14 = D 15 = E 16 = F 17 = G 18 = H 19 = I 1A = J 1B = K 1C = L 1D = M 1E = N 1F = O 20 = P 21 = Q 22 = R 23 = S 24 = T 25 = U 26 = V 27 = W 28 = X FF = (space)
These are the corrisponding values, that, when rearranged will look like this:
17 22 15 15 1E FF 18 19 1C 1C FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (GREEN HILL ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 1C 11 12 0F 22 19 1E 24 18 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (LABYRINTH ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 1D 11 22 12 1C 15 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (MARBLE ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 23 24 11 22 FF 1C 19 17 18 24 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (STAR LIGHT ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 23 20 22 19 1E 17 FF 0F 11 22 14 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (SPRING YARD ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 23 13 22 11 20 FF 12 22 11 19 1E FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (SCRAP BRAIN ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 16 19 1E 11 1C FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF (FINAL ZONE) 23 20 15 13 19 11 1C FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF (SPECIAL STAGE) 23 1F 25 1E 14 FF 23 15 1C 15 13 24 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF (SOUND SELECT)
Now you can change the code to make it reflect the true in-game Zone order (Green Hill Zone, Marble Zone, Spring Yard Zone, Labyrinth Zone, Star Light Zone, Scrap Brain Zone, Final Zone). In the end, you should have something like this:
17 22 15 15 1E FF 18 19 1C 1C FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (GREEN HILL ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 1D 11 22 12 1C 15 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (MARBLE ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 23 20 22 19 1E 17 FF 0F 11 22 14 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (SPRING YARD ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 1C 11 12 0F 22 19 1E 24 18 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (LABYRINTH ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 23 24 11 22 FF 1C 19 17 18 24 FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (STAR LIGHT ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 23 13 22 11 20 FF 12 22 11 19 1E FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 01 (SCRAP BRAIN ZONE STAGE 1) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 02 (STAGE 2) FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF 03 (STAGE 3) 16 19 1E 11 1C FF 10 1F 1E 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF (FINAL ZONE) 23 20 15 13 19 11 1C FF 23 24 11 17 15 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF (SPECIAL STAGE) 23 1F 25 1E 14 FF 23 15 1C 15 13 24 FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF (SOUND SELECT)
Save, test, build, and you should have done it. However, now that the text is changed, there seems to a bigger problem...
Because if you select Marble Zone Stage 1...
You will go to Labyrinth Zone instead! So, does this mean we screwed up? Yes, but only because the level pointers were not altered, and now we will change them.
Step 2: The Level Pointers
From the Hivebrain 2005 Disassembly open with an hex editor the file ls-point.bin in the misc folder. You should have something like this:
00 00 00 01 00 02 01 00 01 01 01 02 02 00 02 01 02 02 03 00 03 01 03 02 04 00 04 01 04 02 05 00 05 01 01 03 05 02 07 00 80 00
This file tells the game in what Zone the various selections of the Level Select Menu will take Sonic (The Level Pointers) but... What does it mean? Before going on, let me explain something on the Zones. The game gives a hex value to all Zones and to all Acts, and the order follows (Again) the original planned order of the levels. Each level is identified with a pair of bytes, the first indicates the zone number (remember, they are in Hex, and they start at 00):
00 = Green Hill Zone 01 = Labyrinth Zone 02 = Marble Zone 03 = Star Light Zone 04 = Spring Yard Zone 05 = Scrap Brain Zone 07 = Special Stage
While the second indicate the zone act:
00 = Act 1 01 = Act 2 02 = Act 3 03 = Act 4 (No, it's not a mistake. Sonic The Hedgehog has a fourth Act, I'll explain this after)
Still unclear? Then let's arrange the code:
(GREEN HILL ZONE STAGE 1) 00 00 (STAGE 2) 00 01 (STAGE 3) 00 02 (LABYRINTH ZONE STAGE 1 01 00 (STAGE 2) 01 01 (STAGE 3) 01 02 (MARBLE ZONE STAGE 1) 02 00 (STAGE 2) 02 01 (STAGE 3) 02 02 (STAR LIGHT ZONE STAGE 1) 03 00 (STAGE 2) 03 01 (STAGE 3) 03 02 (SPRING YARD ZONE STAGE 1) 04 00 (STAGE 2) 04 01 (STAGE 3) 04 02 (SCRAP BRAIN ZONE STAGE 1) 05 00 (STAGE 2) 05 01 (STAGE 3) 01 03 [Remember the fourth act thing? Then do not forget that SBZ Act 3 is in truth LZ act 4. This is important! FZ is the true SBZ Act 3] (FINAL ZONE) 05 02 (SPECIAL STAGE) 07 00 (SOUND SELECT) 80 00 [This does not point to any level]
Now it's a lot easier to understand that bunch of Hex values. Now change them so they reflect the new Text in the menu. In the end you should have something like this:
00 00 00 01 00 02 02 00 02 01 02 02 04 00 04 01 04 02 01 00 01 01 01 02 03 00 03 01 03 02 05 00 05 01 01 03 05 02 07 00 80 00
Which, if rearranged:
(GREEN HILL ZONE STAGE 1) 00 00 (STAGE 2) 00 01 (STAGE 3) 00 02 (MARBLE ZONE STAGE 1) 02 00 (STAGE 2) 02 01 (STAGE 3) 02 02 (SPRING YARD ZONE STAGE 1) 04 00 (STAGE 2) 04 01 (STAGE 3) 04 02 (LABYRINTH ZONE STAGE 1 01 00 (STAGE 2) 01 01 (STAGE 3) 01 02 (STAR LIGHT ZONE STAGE 1) 03 00 (STAGE 2) 03 01 (STAGE 3) 03 02 (SCRAP BRAIN ZONE STAGE 1) 05 00 (STAGE 2) 05 01 (STAGE 3) 01 03 (FINAL ZONE) 05 02 (SPECIAL STAGE) 07 00 (SOUND SELECT) 80 00
Save, build, and try again to select Marble Zone Stage 1.
Success!!! The level select menu will not only have the the Zones arranged in the right order, but you will actually go there when you select them.
Final note
This can help you if you plan to change the Zone names (Or the order) in your hack, and still have a perfect Level Select Menu. Have fun!