Release v0.6.5

What's new

• MODERN controls can be remapped: jump, run, shoot and the morph ball go on any of A, B, X, Y, and the missile, X-ray and grapple on the button you choose with R held. Change them in OPTIONS -> CONTROLS -> "?" (tap a row, press the button) or in the game's CONTROLLER SETTING.
• The original controls can be remapped from the same window, and RESET puts each scheme back.
• Item messages and the help windows show the buttons you set.
• With the 3D on, things the game draws in front of Samus (some enemies) no longer hide behind her, and the message boxes in WIDE are no longer cut at the sides.
• Saving is smoother and safer: it is written in the background, whole file first, with a notice if it fails.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.6.5.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• docs: release notes v0.6.5, wording of the 3D priority line (f4e64be)
• docs: release notes v0.6.5 (83682fe)
• feat: remappable MODERN buttons, CLASSIC's from the bottom screen (P4.18) (f5ca17c)
• docs: PLAN status, branches merged into release/v0.6.5 (5dbf9d9)
• fix: with the 3D on, sprites of a higher priority cover lower ones, so enemies draw over Samus (6f82c2a)
• fix: remote install closes the game normally and lets libctru relaunch it (de4edcf)
• fix: message box in WIDE no longer cut by the margin masks (de731ac)
• docs: release notes v0.6.4 (a9e5c5f)
• feat: install-only FTP server in production builds (dev-ftp.txt), FTP login in all builds (527360b)

Full Changelog: v0.6.3...v0.6.5

Beta v0.6.4

Beta build. This comes off a release/* branch that has not
been merged into main yet, so it is not a stable version.

What's new

• Internal changes for testing; nothing changes in play.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.6.4.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• docs: release notes v0.6.4 (a9e5c5f)
• feat: install-only FTP server in production builds (dev-ftp.txt), FTP login in all builds (527360b)
• docs: release notes v0.6.3 and PLAN status (e298806)
• docs: PLAN decisions log, the SRAM write thread (newest first) (e083dc0)
• fix: write the game's SRAM off the main thread, whole file first (saving no longer drops the fps) (b47a7f5)
• feat: FTP server, install over FTP and remote control in the debug build (P1.11) (99591b3)
• docs: PLAN status for v0.6.2 (451c5ca)
• docs: release notes for v0.6.2, P4.17 ticked (b10d535)
• feat: automatic bomb jump while the bomb button is held in the morph ball (56e91fe)
• feat: modern controls run with B held instead of always running (632da5b)
• docs: add save state load/detail window screenshot with wide preview thumbnail (932f3fc)
• docs: update collected items screenshot with SPOILERS mode enabled (309188e)
• docs: update README with 3D stereoscopic support, widescreen gameplay, and v0.6.1 UI screenshots (b1dcc1d)

Full Changelog: v0.6.1...v0.6.4

Release v0.6.3

What's new

• Saving at a save station no longer stalls the game for a moment: the save file is written in the background.
• The save file is safer: it is written whole before it replaces the old one, and if it was cut short the game uses the save before it.
• If the save file cannot be written, a message on the bottom screen says so instead of staying silent.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.6.3.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• docs: release notes v0.6.3 and PLAN status (e298806)
• docs: PLAN decisions log, the SRAM write thread (newest first) (e083dc0)
• fix: write the game's SRAM off the main thread, whole file first (saving no longer drops the fps) (b47a7f5)
• feat: FTP server, install over FTP and remote control in the debug build (P1.11) (99591b3)

Full Changelog: v0.6.2...v0.6.3

Release v0.6.2

What's new

• Modern controls: hold B to run, as in the original; Samus walks otherwise.
• Auto bomb jump: hold the bomb button in the morph ball and Samus climbs by herself.
• The switch is in the controls window (the "?" beside CONTROLS), on by default.
• Tapping the button still lays single bombs, and the bomb spread still works.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.6.2.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• docs: PLAN status for v0.6.2 (451c5ca)
• docs: release notes for v0.6.2, P4.17 ticked (b10d535)
• feat: automatic bomb jump while the bomb button is held in the morph ball (56e91fe)
• feat: modern controls run with B held instead of always running (632da5b)
• docs: add save state load/detail window screenshot with wide preview thumbnail (932f3fc)
• docs: update collected items screenshot with SPOILERS mode enabled (309188e)
• docs: update README with 3D stereoscopic support, widescreen gameplay, and v0.6.1 UI screenshots (b1dcc1d)

Full Changelog: v0.6.1...v0.6.2

Release v0.6.1

What's new

• STATUS screen: long press an item or beam to equip or unequip it without pausing.
• Added a "?" help button beside ITEMS explaining touch controls and schemes.
• Brand new HOME Menu banner, icon and audio matching the Zero Mission 3DS port.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.6.1.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• fix(3ds): ReportGameplay defined without DEBUG_TOOLS for release builds (0d9b986)
• docs: release notes for v0.6.1 and update PLAN (10672a0)
• chore(3ds): HOME Menu banner, icon and sound variants (2da17f9)
• docs: PLAN, the new HOME Menu assets (1c03367)
• docs(build): the HOME Menu's banner sound length and asset cache, by the Makefile (3649e2b)
• chore(3ds): new HOME Menu banner, icon and banner sound (4155821)
• feat(3ds): STATUS long press equips / unequips, and a help window (P4.16) (c0dbb84)
• docs: PLAN after v0.6.0 (92cb48f)

Full Changelog: v0.6.0...v0.6.1

Release v0.6.0

What's new

• New MODERN controls (OPTIONS -> CONTROLS, or the game's controller setting): Samus always runs, L aims, R + X / Y / B fire missiles, the grapple and the X-ray, Y rolls into the morph ball.
• The "?" next to CONTROLS shows what every button does in both schemes.
• Item tracker: the map shows where items are, and a window counts what each area still holds (SPOILERS shows everything).
• STATUS tab redesigned: tap a weapon to select it, reserve tanks and an AUTO / MANUAL button.
• The language can now be chosen in the game's own options too, and new languages can be added as text files on the SD card.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.6.0.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• docs: release notes for v0.6.0 (7817452)
• feat(3ds): modern control scheme (P4.15, #32) (cd196b3)
• feat(3ds): translations read from language files (P4.14) (9010613)
• feat(3ds): LANGUAGE entry and language list in the game's OPTION MODE (P4.9) (09ccdd8)
• docs: PLAN, the STATUS branches merged (8b5010a)
• feat(3ds): STATUS energy panel in three rows, reserve tanks and AUTO/MANUAL button, HUD icons on the ammo panels (5ab58df)
• feat(3ds): select HUD items by tapping STATUS; debug item toggles behind FN (50927f8)
• feat(3ds): item tracking on the map tab, an items window and a SPOILERS option (39c0617)
• ci: a stable release is made latest; docs: PLAN after v0.5.0 (f2836ff)

Full Changelog: v0.5.0...v0.6.0

Release v0.5.0

What's new

• Old 3DS and 2DS: the rooms measured now run at about 59-60 frames, also with the 3D slider up.
• The game copies its graphics far faster, and the 3D no longer draws rain, fog and wavy water twice.
• The Ceres elevator no longer drops to 30 frames while it turns.
• The STATUS and MAP tabs no longer make the game stutter.
• Low energy: the bottom screen's tabs blink yellow below 60 energy and red below 30.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.5.0.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• ci: install the portlibs only if missing (pkg.devkitpro.org answered 403 to the reinstall) (5e701f6)
• docs: PLAN release line, v0.5.0 beta (9031c71)
• docs: release notes for v0.5.0 (e55ede4)
• perf: the mode 7 plane uploads only the cells it decoded (Ceres elevator) (66526f7)
• feat: the tab buttons blink yellow or red with low energy, as in mzm (P1.10) (e3b4fa8)
• perf: the STATUS and MAP tabs redraw only when what they show changes (P2.7) (3e24380)
• perf: no clear of a scene subscreen or of a top screen the picture fills; the submit split in the perf CSV (17c6e03)
• perf: with two eyes, per-line strips are drawn once a frame and shown as one quad an eye (3d5b955)
• docs: PLAN P2.5 second round, P2.7 (the live tabs), decisions (004b770)
• perf: palette cycles spread, cheaper colour math on the GPU; debug GPU TEST and 3D in the perf CSV (c8ecd22)
• perf: run a DMA's transfer in one go instead of cycle by cycle (89aa663)
• docs: PLAN after the v0.4.0 stable (nothing waits for the owner, #47 and #49 closed) (26b4bf6)

Full Changelog: v0.4.0...v0.5.0

Release v0.4.0

What's new

• Smoother on the 2DS and Old 3DS: most rooms measured go from about 45 to 55-58 frames shown (the Norfair heat room, 49).
• The 3D slider on an Old 3DS runs much closer to full speed (the second eye was making the frame too long).
• The bottom screen no longer redraws for nothing, and animated tiles (lava glow, lights) no longer make a frame long.
• Fixed a crash when the debug map was used in Norfair and the Wrecked Ship (debug builds only).

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.4.0.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• docs: v0.4.0 notes, PLAN P2.5 results and branch table, perf-csv analysis tool; the handoff stays on perf/2ds-periodic-spikes (04dc7e7)
• perf: smoother frames on the 2DS / Old 3DS (Landing Site 46 -> ~57 fps, 3D with the slider up much closer) (471c29d)
• fix: the map decompresses a room's level data into a 64 KB buffer (ADAD and C98E overflowed the old one) (#49) (15e2b0d)
• CIA info: add tinaut1986 to the authors (snesrev, C. Averill, tinaut1986) (35a8f1d)
• docs: handoff: the PERF run was on OPTIONS, and room 0 is just a freshly restored save state (3516436)
• docs: PERF RECORDER result of the 2DS Landing Site (two periodic events cause every skipped frame) (061fb34)
• docs: handoff for the 2DS performance work (analysis of the 2026-10-07 logs, where to cut) (e1d5a6a)
• updater: keep the last release notes in update/notes.txt so WHAT'S NEW works with no network (cf0cc31)
• docs: P4.3 self-updater checked on the console (5bca657)
• docs: release notes for v0.3.2, PLAN status (P4.13 done) (3ec8621)
• OPTIONS: updater block in one row (UPDATE | CHANNEL, UPDATES | WHAT'S NEW), HUD beside IMAGE | VIEW, RESET GAME alone at the bottom (cc9cca8)

Full Changelog: v0.3.1...v0.4.0

Release v0.3.2

What's new

• OPTIONS regrouped: the update settings, UPDATES and WHAT'S NEW now share one row, and HUD sits beside DISPLAY and VIEW.
• RESET GAME is now alone at the bottom of OPTIONS, away from the other buttons.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.3.2.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• docs: release notes for v0.3.2, PLAN status (P4.13 done) (3ec8621)
• OPTIONS: updater block in one row (UPDATE | CHANNEL, UPDATES | WHAT'S NEW), HUD beside IMAGE | VIEW, RESET GAME alone at the bottom (cc9cca8)

Full Changelog: v0.3.1...v0.3.2

Release v0.3.1

What's new

• The updater now shows what's new before you install, and a beta says BETA next to its version.
• OPTIONS regrouped: half buttons, FRAMES with a 30 fps lock, FPS counter in any corner, a loudspeaker shortcut and the update channel.
• New OPTIONS -> HUD: hides the half of the HUD that the open bottom tab already shows.
• WIDE: enemies leaving the screen and pieces above the top edge no longer vanish or glitch.
• 3D: Spore Spawn's stalk sits on the same depth plane as its head and Samus.

Downloads

• sm-3ds-v0.3.1.cia

The ROM is not included. Supply your own Super Metroid (Japan, USA)
ROM, see the README.

Changelog

• updater: release notes in the update prompt and OPTIONS, BETA marker baked into the build (P4.13) (f1a80f3)
• test: Spore Spawn's stalk stays on the OBJ plane (#23) (ffb7e0d)
• GPU: sprites in the extra rows above the picture no longer read the line tables at a negative row (#25) (bf2c76f)
• WIDE: pieces that start above the top edge keep their visible rows (#25) (d800902)
• 3D: Spore Spawn's stalk on the same plane as Samus and the head (#23) (bb5278a)
• WIDE: enemies that leave through IsEnemyLeavingScreen keep going through the margins (#46) (5c9d895)
• OPTIONS -> HUD: hide the HUD half the open bottom tab shows, and mark the selected weapon on STATUS (06431cd)
• OPTIONS regrouped: half buttons, FRAMES with a 30 lock, FPS in any corner, a loudspeaker shortcut, update channel (6ad4322)
• A tap on an overlay lights only the overlay's buttons, not the tab's under it (6c784ad)
• PLAN: the v0.3.0 stable line (764256d)
• PLAN: the three branches are merged, P4.11 and P4.12 ticked (ccd41b8)
• Save states: any number, a scrollable list, colour marks and a detail window with a screenshot (#44, #45) (6952cfe)
• Self-updater: check for a newer release, ask, download and install it (#42) (5c0cc25)
• OPTIONS: remove the PAUSE and TURBO cells (#43) (4b710fe)
• PLAN: measure the bottom UI's 24-bit conversion (P2.5) (2a614b1)
• HOME: the game's screens show in HOME and closing it no longer freezes the console (#20) (9aaf03c)
• PLAN: what the v0.2.3 line has so far (2641196)
• WIDE: pieces of projectiles and extended enemies in the rows above the picture are shown (#41) (efeb9d0)
• Bottom screen: a lightning bolt on the battery while it charges (021d1a7)
• PLAN: release line moves to v0.2.3, map branch merged (#31) (6f7492b)
• Map tab: drawn from the game's pause-map tiles, with zoom, sprites and exact room outlines (#31) (0f56cb0)
• WIDE: the FX layer under the HUD's rows only where the layer is really there (#40) (05e286e)
• WIDE: the room's FX layer (lava, ...) shows under the HUD's rows when it reads the HUD's own tilemap rows (#40) (944930e)
• WIDE: enemies that reset when off the 256 px view keep going through the margins (#39) (b3ed7fa)
• PLAN: P4.4 ticked, P2.5 measured on the 2DS (shadow copy costs nothing) (860aaa8)
• PLAN: tick what the owner has checked, split P1.10 and P4.10, refresh status and priority (2ded25c)
• PLAN: close P2.6 (audio) with the ideas left and their risks; P1.3 checked on both consoles (84f5d82)
• Audio: count real underruns (no wave buffer queued at a refill); P2.6 measurements (98653d8)
• Audio at the S-DSP's own 32 kHz, NDSP resamples (P2.6 step 1) (26c2a5f)
• tools/test: a failed host build stops the run instead of reusing an old binary (c298f1a)
• WIDE: projectiles and enemy parts are drawn and kept down to the margin's edge (#22) (561f021)
• Replace SDL with libctru: hid input, NDSP audio, drop the SDL submodule (P1.3) (256bdab)
• WIDE: enemy projectiles are not deleted at the edge of the normal view (#22) (8c5227d)
• PLAN: priority after P3.2 and P3.4 (e25100b)
• PLAN: tick P3.4, screens not looked at stay flat (bb931fd)
• 3D: the message boxes in gameplay go on the HUD plane (60e51ab)
• 3D: text and interface in front on the title, file select, intro, pause and game over screens (6c2cfed)
• PLAN: tick P3.2, Old 3DS vertex re-push left as to-measure (88cf5e7)
• PLAN: stereo edge columns checked on the console (5180d93)
• 3D: edge columns for the shifted layers without WIDE (11520e2)
• PLAN: tick P4.5 and P3.1, priority now Phase 3 -> P1.3 -> P2.5 (998fc65)
• WIDE: the X-ray scope goes on in the margins (#38) (88f52a3)
• WIDE: the X-ray scope's last cone stands while it switches off (no BG2 garbage in the margin) (0488be1)
• Tests for the intro's typing cursor (#36) and Samus at the view's edges (#26) (a70b85f)
• WIDE: Samus's pieces carry their real screen position, so none shows at the other edge (#26) (790fb8e)
• Intro text: any sprite over the text rows is the typing cursor (#36) (f0826e3)
• Intro text: the typing cursor and the fade-in follow the translated letters (#36) (74e07ad)
• PLAN: release line is v0.2.2 after the v0.2.1 beta (6fb17ef)

Full Changelog: v0.2.1...v0.3.1