TheXTech is a free and open-source game engine for Mario-like platforming games. There is a complete and extended
source code port of the Super Mario Bros. X 1.3 game engine (later just "SMBX"), and its direct unofficial
continuation after development halted in the 2011th year. This engine preserves full compatibility with levels
and episodes made for the original SMBX game, including its repacks. And it's allowed to create brand-new Levels,
Episodes, and content packs. Unlike the original SMBX game that depends on Windows and x86, TheXTech can work on
many operating systems (including Linux distros, macOS, xBSD, Android, Haiku, etc.) and processor architectures
(including x86_64, ARM, PowerPC, MIPS, etc.).
This is a sister project to the Moondust Project, developed and maintained in parallel with it.
Read the list of changes that was done for the current, and for all previous releases.
Please select the edition:
Plain engine downloads
These packages contain the runtime engine binary only, no resources included. You can use this to run any of
separated assets packages, or to update your existing game without re-downloading game assets. Especially useful if you did
your own remix of the assets, and you don't want to re-remix them again.
Note:
There are static portable builds that should work almost everywhere. If you run a different Linux distro than
Ubuntu, the Ubuntu 16.04 version should work for you. It's confirmed to work on Debian 10, on OpenSUSE,
on Fedora, on CentOS. Also, the game could work on ArchLinux and Monjaro. If all builds won't work on
your distro, feel free to report to me and try to compile the game from the sources to get it to work
on your side. Right now there are x86_64 and 32-bit x86 builds that were made, ARM wasn't built by the
CI yet (in the future I may try to set up the CI to produce such builds).
Note: This is the "Game template", the app bundle that contains no assets. You need to put the
game assets into the "TheXTech.app/Content/Resources/assets" directory inside of the bundle, and then, edit
"Content/Info.plist", and specify the value for the "CFBundeName" (the application's name) field to make it not be "Not named application"
in the task manager).
The list of available TheXTech games that you can play
How to install:
Caution:
If you place your game assets package on a SD card, it will become
read-only, and therefore, gamesaves, settings, etc. will be saved at the application's directory (which can't be browsed
on Android 11+ without of the wired USB connection)
Download both APK and Assets packages to your device.
Ensure that the installation of applications from custom sources is allowed (check your security settings).
Install the APK (navigate the Download directory in your file manager, and open the downloaded APK by the application installer).
At your phone storage or SD card, at any convenient place, create the "TheXTech Games" directory.
Move the downloaded Assets archive into the "TheXTech Games" directory.
Unpack the Assets archive into the subdirectory with any name.
Launch the TheXTech game from your launcher.
Press the icon at the Right-Top of the screen and choose the "Select directory..." menu item.
You will be asked for the storage permission. Grand it. If you run the Android 11 or higher, you should allow the file system access.
Once the directory browser will open, please navigate your "TheXTech Games" directory, and open the subdirectory inside, and then, press OK.
If you selected the valid Assets directory, the overlook will change into the style of the selected game.
Press "Start game" to start the game, or press the "Settings" button to change certain settings before to start the game.
How to add another game into existing installation of TheXTech:
Download the desired Assets package to your device.
Move the downloaded Assets archive into the "TheXTech Games" directory you created earlier.
Unpack the Assets archive into the subdirectory with any different name.
Launch the TheXTech game from your launcher.
Press the icon at the Right-Top of the screen and choose the "Select directory..." menu item.
Navigate your "TheXTech Games" directory, and open the subdirectory with a newly unpacked game, and then, press OK.
Press "Start game" to start the game, or press the "Settings" button to change certain settings before to start the game.
Use the Right-Top icon to switch between installed games. Every game will has its own game saves storage, in-game settings, accessible episodes, etc.
Download for Nintendo Switch
Note:
This is an in-development version of TheXTech prepared for the next release. You may encounter some issues using this version, so, please report them to us.
The list of available TheXTech games that you can play
How to install on hardware:
Note: While possible to move all assets over FTP, it’s much faster and more reliable to mount your Vita over USB or move your Vita2SD to your computer and copy that way. You’ve been warned.
Download both VPK and Assets packages.
Created a folder on your Vita named TheXTech (case matters) in ux0:data:
ux0:data/TheXTech
Unpack the Assets archive into the TheXTech directory.
Install the thextech.vpk and enjoy.
Super Mario Bros. X
Super Mario Bros. X is a Mario fan game originally made by Andrew Spinks in the year 2009 and supported
by him up to 2011. This game combines various aspects of Super Mario Bros.,
Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and other Mario games. Additionally, this game has elements from games of other
series like Metroid and Legend of Zelda. With the emergence of TheXTech, this game got its unofficial continuation.
Important: This game and its developers have absolutely no affiliation with Nintendo, nor do they claim to.
The asset pack of this game preserves the SMBX experience, which is a vital part of fangaming history. It is distributed by private persons for non commercial purposes.
Note:
There are static portable builds that should work almost everywhere. If you run a different Linux distro than
Ubuntu, the Ubuntu 16.04 version should work for you. It's confirmed to work on Debian 10, on OpenSUSE,
on Fedora, on CentOS. Also, the game could work on ArchLinux and Monjaro. If all builds won't work on
your distro, feel free to report to me and try to compile the game from the sources to get it to work
on your side. Right now there are x86_64 and 32-bit x86 builds that were made, ARM wasn't built by the
CI yet (in the future I may try to set up the CI to produce such builds).
If prebuilt packages doesn't work, or you want to run the game on non-x86 architectures, please build it from the source code.
Debian and Ubuntu-compatible packages
The game will be installed at system, default assets will appear at the /usr/share/games/thextech/smbx directory,
and user directory for game saves, custom worlds, logs, screenshots will appear at the ~/.thextech-smbx directory on the first launch.
There is an AUR package, maintained by YidaozhanYa. The game will be installed at system, default
assets will appear at /usr/share/games/thextech-smbx, and user directory for game saves, custom
worlds, logs, screenshots will appear at ~/.thextech-smbx directory.
yay -Sua --batchinstall thextech-supermariobrosx
Download for macOS
The version 10.11 (El Capitan) is minimal to get the game work.
Note:
Because of macOS specifics, using the game here has a different way
than other systems: after installation, first, run a game, and then, to add your custom episodes, look into your home
directory and find the "TheXTech Games/Super Mario Bros. X" folder, the "worlds" and "battle" inside is for
your stuff! The game saves screenshots and GIF records in the system's default screenshots directory.
To customise default media, look inside the bundle and find the "Contents/Resources/assets" folder!
Caution 1:
Bundle is unsigned, make sure you know how to deal with a Gatekeeper
to make able to use this! On Catalina it may not start the first time after Gatekeeper's question, try to run the game again!
Caution 2:
On Apple Silicon (M1+) devices, you will need to run the next command from your terminal at the applications directory to get the game work:
xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine "Super Mario Bros. X.app"
The resource pack for TheXTech with the Super Mario Bros. X Game
How to install:
Caution:
If you place your game assets package on a SD card, it will become
read-only, and therefore, gamesaves, settings, etc. will be saved at the application's directory (which can't be browsed
on Android 11+ without of the wired USB connection)
Download both APK and Assets packages to your device.
Ensure that the installation of applications from custom sources is allowed (check your security settings).
Install the APK (navigate the Download directory in your file manager, and open the downloaded APK by the application installer).
At your phone storage or SD card, at any convenient place, create the "TheXTech Games" directory.
Move the downloaded Assets archive into the "TheXTech Games" directory.
Unpack the Assets archive into the subdirectory with any name.
Launch the TheXTech game from your launcher.
Press the icon at the Right-Top of the screen and choose the "Select directory..." menu item.
You will be asked for the storage permission. Grand it. If you run the Android 11 or higher, you should allow the file system access.
Once the directory browser will open, please navigate your "TheXTech Games" directory, and open the subdirectory inside, and then, press OK.
If you selected the valid Assets directory, the overlook will change into the style of the selected game.
Press "Start game" to start the game, or press the "Settings" button to change certain settings before to start the game.
How to add another game into existing installation of TheXTech:
Download the desired Assets package to your device.
Move the downloaded Assets archive into the "TheXTech Games" directory you created earlier.
Unpack the Assets archive into the subdirectory with any different name.
Launch the TheXTech game from your launcher.
Press the icon at the Right-Top of the screen and choose the "Select directory..." menu item.
Navigate your "TheXTech Games" directory, and open the subdirectory with a newly unpacked game, and then, press OK.
Press "Start game" to start the game, or press the "Settings" button to change certain settings before to start the game.
Use the Right-Top icon to switch between installed games. Every game will has its own game saves storage, in-game settings, accessible episodes, etc.
Download for Nintendo Switch
Note:
This is an in-development version of TheXTech prepared for the next release. You may encounter some issues using this version, so, please report them to us.
The resource pack for TheXTech with the Super Mario Bros. X Game
How to install on hardware:
In order to run this game, you are required to have a hacked Switch.
Download both NRO and Assets packages.
At root of your SD card, create the TheXTech directory.
Unpack the Assets archive into the TheXTech directory.
Place the NRO file into the switch directory at your SD card root.
Try to run the game.
How to run on emulators (such as Yuzu):
Download both NRO and Assets packages.
At the directory linked as an SD card, create the TheXTech directory.
Unpack the Assets archive into the TheXTech directory.
Place the NRO file into any convenient directory.
Try to open the NRO file via the emulator.
Download for 3DS
Note: This is an incomplete PREVIEW version for 3DS platform, and it's
an outdated compared to the current stable release. The new version is in active development.
The resource pack for TheXTech with the Super Mario Bros. X Game
How to install on hardware:
Note: While possible to move all assets over FTP, it’s much faster and more reliable to mount your Vita over USB or move your Vita2SD to your computer and copy that way. You’ve been warned.
Download both VPK and Assets packages.
Created a folder on your Vita named TheXTech (case matters) in ux0:data:
ux0:data/TheXTech
Unpack the Assets archive into the TheXTech directory.
If you want to run your own game on the web, you are required to build the game from the source code by yourself.
Adventures of Demo
This is a small game based on the TheXTech engine with the A2XT
content pack made by the Talkhaus community (visit their forum here https://talkhaus.raocow.com).
It's a remix of old SMBX episodes such as "The Invasion 1", brought to the A2XT universe!
About characters if you're not familiar with them
Demo, an armless cycloptic demon, alien minion, and command center operator.
Demo's sister Iris, with her pet llamas. She likes to call them Catnips.
Kood, a high-ranking intergalactic freedom fighter.
Demo's Earth friend Samuel, or Raocow, as we like to call him.
Sheath - an energetic teenager with a small brain and even smaller attention span.
Note:
There are static portable builds that should work almost everywhere. If you run a different Linux distro than
Ubuntu, the Ubuntu 16.04 version should work for you. It's confirmed to work on Debian 10, on OpenSUSE,
on Fedora, on CentOS. Also, the game could work on ArchLinux and Monjaro. If all builds won't work on
your distro, feel free to report to me and try to compile the game from the sources to get it to work
on your side. Right now there are x86_64 and 32-bit x86 builds that were made, ARM wasn't built by the
CI yet (in the future I may try to set up the CI to produce such builds).
If prebuilt packages doesn't work, or you want to run the game on non-x86 architectures, please build it from the source code.
Debian and Ubuntu-compatible packages
The game will be installed at system, default assets will appear at the /usr/share/games/thextech/aod directory,
and user directory for game saves, custom worlds, logs, screenshots will appear at the ~/.thextech-aod directory on the first launch.
There is an AUR package, maintained by YidaozhanYa. The game will be installed at system, default
assets will appear at /usr/share/games/thextech-aod, and user directory for game saves, custom
worlds, logs, screenshots will appear at ~/.thextech-aod directory.
yay -Sua --batchinstall thextech-adventuresofdemo
Download for macOS
The version 10.11 (El Capitan) is minimal to get the game work.
Note:
Because of macOS specifics, using the game here has a different way
than other systems: after installation, first, run a game, and then, to add your custom episodes, look into your home
directory and find the "TheXTech Games/Adventures of Demo" folder, the "worlds" and "battle" inside is for
your stuff! The game saves screenshots and GIF records in the system's default screenshots directory.
To customise default media, look inside the bundle and find the "Contents/Resources/assets" folder!
Caution 1:
Bundle is unsigned, make sure you know how to deal with a Gatekeeper
to make able to use this! On Catalina it may not start the first time after Gatekeeper's question, try to run the game again!
Caution 2:
On Apple Silicon (M1+) devices, you will need to run the next command from your terminal at the applications directory to get the game work:
xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine "Super Mario Bros. X.app"
The resource pack for TheXTech with the Adventures of Demo Game
How to install:
Caution:
If you place your game assets package on a SD card, it will become
read-only, and therefore, gamesaves, settings, etc. will be saved at the application's directory (which can't be browsed
on Android 11+ without of the wired USB connection)
Download both APK and Assets packages to your device.
Ensure that the installation of applications from custom sources is allowed (check your security settings).
Install the APK (navigate the Download directory in your file manager, and open the downloaded APK by the application installer).
At your phone storage or SD card, at any convenient place, create the "TheXTech Games" directory.
Move the downloaded Assets archive into the "TheXTech Games" directory.
Unpack the Assets archive into the subdirectory with any name.
Launch the TheXTech game from your launcher.
Press the icon at the Right-Top of the screen and choose the "Select directory..." menu item.
You will be asked for the storage permission. Grand it. If you run the Android 11 or higher, you should allow the file system access.
Once the directory browser will open, please navigate your "TheXTech Games" directory, and open the subdirectory inside, and then, press OK.
If you selected the valid Assets directory, the overlook will change into the style of the selected game.
Press "Start game" to start the game, or press the "Settings" button to change certain settings before to start the game.
How to add another game into existing installation of TheXTech:
Download the desired Assets package to your device.
Move the downloaded Assets archive into the "TheXTech Games" directory you created earlier.
Unpack the Assets archive into the subdirectory with any different name.
Launch the TheXTech game from your launcher.
Press the icon at the Right-Top of the screen and choose the "Select directory..." menu item.
Navigate your "TheXTech Games" directory, and open the subdirectory with a newly unpacked game, and then, press OK.
Press "Start game" to start the game, or press the "Settings" button to change certain settings before to start the game.
Use the Right-Top icon to switch between installed games. Every game will has its own game saves storage, in-game settings, accessible episodes, etc.
Download for Nintendo Switch
Note:
This is an in-development version of TheXTech prepared for the next release. You may encounter some issues using this version, so, please report them to us.
The resource pack for TheXTech with the Adventures of Demo Game
How to install on hardware:
Note: While possible to move all assets over FTP, it’s much faster and more reliable to mount your Vita over USB or move your Vita2SD to your computer and copy that way. You’ve been warned.
Download both VPK and Assets packages.
Created a folder on your Vita named TheXTech (case matters) in ux0:data:
ux0:data/TheXTech
Unpack the Assets archive into the TheXTech directory.
