Iván Delgado

Iván Delgado

@toruzz.com

Code writer and web designer. I hack old games and rarely play them. I like dem colors.

662 followers143 following92 posts

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I've tweaked the intro screen, especially the ornaments. Hope you like it! And more importantly… I added hicolor mode! I'm using a lot of tricks in cutscenes with portraits to display as many colors as possible (video in the next post, don't watch it if you want to go completely spoiler-free!)

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I ended up implementing a VWF for the jumbo text as well. I also tweaked the font to match the regular text, so everything feels much more consistent. Here's a before and after:

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

Here's an update on how the retranslation is looking! If you've played the game before, believe me when I say this is doing more to make it feel fresh than the colorization itself. It still needs a final editing pass, but I'm really happy with how it's coming together.

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

And here's a before-and-after with the gameplay I showed previously. It's pretty wild seeing how much it's been polished since then.

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

With the VWF allowing longer text without needing as many text boxes and many constraints removed, I think I should retranslate the game. The TL did great given its limitations, but character tone can change dramatically now. Here's an example for Japanese speakers. What do you think?

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I finally have a build with everything: 12px height font, VWF, colored bubbles and labels🥲 Almost everything regarding text is finished!

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

There's a lot of confusion around the terms decomp, recomp, disassembly, and port, and people have been asking me which category Super Mario Land Advance falls into. A small explanation here, in case you're interested: toruzz.com/unlisted/202...

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I'm considering adding a "modern" behavior option to Super Mario Land Advance, including scrolling back. What do you think? Should I make it the default?

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

Mario now always centers himself when entering or exiting a pipe, so there are no more weird clippings. Also... transitions!

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I'm seeing this article a lot in my feed, and honestly, I think the arguments made here are very simplistic. So I've written a bit about it and also put some of my thoughts on AI in retro games into writing. toruzz.com/unlisted/202...

SEGA SATURN, SHIRO!@segasaturnshiro.bsky.social

Is there any harm in using AI to work on — or entirely create — projects for the Sega Saturn and elsewhere in the retro gaming scene? Yes, PandaMonium says in this opinion column, equating such work to digital asbestos: www.segasaturnshiro.com/2026/09/24/c... #sega #saturn #segasaturn #retrogaming

segasaturnshiro.comColumn: All A.I. Projects Are Digital AsbestosThe views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of all SHIRO! Media Group contributors. The cost of modern day video game consoles and personal computers have skyrocketed…
Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

Super Mario Land Advance is coming along pretty nicely, and I'm having a lot of fun designing and tweaking all the little details. I hope I can share more soon! In the meantime, here's the tentative intro screen

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Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I can't even put into words how much this simplifies a port like this, but to me working on the GB Bridge version seems almost stupid now. So, considering I have very limited time, and reducing months of engineering effort to a matter of weeks is the difference between... (4/5)

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

...these projects actually happening or remaining ideas, I'd rather disappoint some people. Most importantly, I can now focus on the parts I enjoy most: manually crafting the pixelart, adding enhancements, and ultimately realizing my vision. (5/5)

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Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

And of course I thought working on a SML port would be perfect to showcase GB Bridge. Truth is, with the advancement of AI coding agents, and considering how simple GB games are, that's no longer the best (and certainly not the only) way to make a project like this happen. (2/5)

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

A few weeks ago, as an experiment, I used AI to automate the disassembly+rewrite of the game, ensuring frame-perfect accuracy and completeness is tested. To my surprise, it turns out you really can end up with a clean, native codebase in a relatively short amount of time. (3/5)

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I want to talk about a big change in this project that may disappoint some people. As some of my friends know, I started planning GB Bridge many years ago because, at the time, it seemed like the only feasible way to "port" GB games to the GBA. (1/5)

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I'm seeing a lot of confusion, so I'll try my best to clarify what this is about: - I'm building a way to "port" GB/GBC games to the GBA. The end result is a native GBA game - This uses a custom GB to GBA emulator (think 'Classic NES Series' but for GB) + native GBA code

Iván Delgado@toruzz.com

I've hinted at it so much there's no point in keeping it under wraps any longer. For the longest time, I've been working on a way to port GB games to the GBA. What I ended up building is a modified GB to GBA emulator that targets a fantasy console instead - I call it the GB Bridge.

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Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

- The game can then use special registers to trigger native GBA events - Those events are implemented per game (graphics, palettes, extra effects, etc.) - This is not even close to automated. It's a framework for romhackers/artists (me) to give GB games the "Advance" treatment

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

- What I've shared so far are mockups, since they're the best way to communicate the end goal. The current POCs are still rough and a bit disjointed, so here's one to illustrate my point

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I'm seeing a lot of confusion, so I'll try my best to clarify what this is about: - I'm building a way to "port" GB/GBC games to the GBA. The end result is a native GBA game - This uses a custom GB to GBA emulator (think 'Classic NES Series' but for GB) + native GBA code

Iván Delgado@toruzz.com

I've hinted at it so much there's no point in keeping it under wraps any longer. For the longest time, I've been working on a way to port GB games to the GBA. What I ended up building is a modified GB to GBA emulator that targets a fantasy console instead - I call it the GB Bridge.

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

- The emulator doesn't target the GB or GBC, but a modified/fantasy GB-like system. That system + its spec is what I call GB Bridge - Porting a game requires a romhack that adapts it to GB Bridge (screen, inputs, layers, etc.), similarly to how DX hacks adapt GB games to the GBC

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

I've hinted at it so much there's no point in keeping it under wraps any longer. For the longest time, I've been working on a way to port GB games to the GBA. What I ended up building is a modified GB to GBA emulator that targets a fantasy console instead - I call it the GB Bridge.

Iván Delgado@toruzz.com

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

GB Bridge is basically a GBC with a different memory map, a bigger screen, and extra inputs. The real trick is that I use special registers to trigger native GBA routines from the emulator - meaning that, while very hard to pull off, I can push things as much as I want.

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

What I've posted are mockups of the end goal, but I've tested key parts and they are feasible. I'm currently working on SML. Like most of my stuff this is long-term, so please don't expect releases anytime soon. That said, I hope I gave you something cool to look forward to.

Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

A new high-quality colorization is out! The author mentioned that my blog series helped him get started, which makes me super happy seeing the end result 🥲

Brand Newman@brandnewman.bsky.social

My colorization patch for #tinytoon adventures DX on #gameboycolor is finally out! (download link in the trailer description) Very much thanks to all for your patience, and a big kudos to @mcconnell.bsky.social , for narrating the thing with all his heart! 🙏 www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yx-...

youtube.comTiny Toon Adventures DX for Game Boy Color (fully playable colorization patch)YouTube video by Brand Newman
Iván Delgado
@toruzz.com

Remember that cool SGB border I made for SML2DX (and never released)? Marc updated his awesome border injector with a beautiful gallery and now you can insert it into your original or DX roms!

Marc Max@marcrobledo.com

And at last... Super Game Border Injector has been updated to v2.0 with a code and UX overhaul and... a border gallery built up with borders made by SGB lovers! www.marcrobledo.com/super-game-b...