Interview with LetsTalkGames / xMANGRAVYx

The Super Mario World hacking scene is filled with passion projects, but few creators have managed to balance accessibility, creativity, and ambition quite like xMANGRAVYx, the driving force behind LetsTalkGames. I first came across his work through Castlemania II, a gothic and atmospheric sequel that brought Castlevania inspired storytelling into the Mario universe. That game opened my eyes to how far a ROM hack could push the SMW engine. The final boss recreation developed by teammate “anonimzwx” proves that.

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From there, I went back to explore Smoked Fish and Cabbage, his quirky yet thoughtful seven level hack designed as a beginner friendly introduction to Kaizo. It turns out there are three entries in the Smoked Fish and Cabbage series, each growing harder, but I have only played the first so far.

I have not yet tried the original Castlemania, but it is on my list. What I have seen so far shows the incredible range of his work, from playful humor to brooding atmosphere. With that in mind, I sat down with Gravy for an exclusive conversation about his journey into ROM hacking, his design philosophy, his influences, and what the future of LetsTalkGames might look like.

The Interview

Q: (Retro Replay) What first got you into ROM hacking, and when did you realize you wanted to make full projects instead of small experiments?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I used to play a bigger role in the Mario Maker 2 community. In 2022 a prominent little boy in our community grew ill and tragically passed away in early 2023. His health decline and unfortunate passing hit our community really hard, and we all tried our best to find ways to immortalize his legacy. He sketched a picture of Luigi for a friend with altered outfit colors: a yellow shirt, red overalls, blue shoes and black hat. One day I thought how cool it would be to use this little boy’s sketch concept and put it into a video game, so I opened the SMW ROM hacking program Lunar Magic and got to work. The app is a behemoth, so it took a little while, but once I came up with a player palette I was happy with I started building levels. A few weeks later Smoked Fish and Cabbage was born. Every project I release is in some way dedicated to him and his legacy, RIP Noah. I actually did not realize I wanted to make larger projects at the time. Smoked Fish and Cabbage was only 7 levels long, and the project itself I kept small on purpose. It was not until the sequel where I realized I wanted to make larger, more fleshed out projects.

Q: (Retro Replay) Do you come from a programming background, or was hacking something you learned entirely through the community?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I attempted computer programming in high school, but I was not any good at it. I have learned a lot since 2023 but all my knowledge of ROM hacking stems from my work in Lunar Magic.

Q: (Retro Replay) Who were some of your biggest creative influences, either inside or outside the Mario hacking scene?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) That is a pretty good question. When I first started building levels I purposely did not play others in an attempt to keep my design choices unique to me. I always strived to stand out among my peers, but there are some ROM hack designers I always wanted to share the stage with: Drkrdnk, Jezjitzu, IAmTheRatio, and more recently Saphros.

Q: (Retro Replay) How did the name LetsTalkGames come about, and does it represent a team effort or mostly solo work?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) My early days of content creation I had envisioned group chats with some friends about video games. My first partner with the “brand” was a guy we called LewChief, and I gave myself the stage name Gravy or xMANGRAVYx as I have come to be known in the ROM hacking world. Without Lew I do not think I ever would have got this off the ground. Our very first YouTube upload was a video of us gawking over a Limited Edition PS4 he picked up. Slowly I brought in a few other guys, some close friends, others were passionate people I found along the way, but ultimately I decided to go solo.

Q: (Retro Replay) What do you hope people feel when they pick up one of your hacks for the very first time?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I strive for players to chase the feeling of achievement. My proudest moments as a creator are when I can watch new players develop their skills with my work.

Smoked Fish and Cabbage

Q: (Retro Replay) Smoked Fish and Cabbage has such a unique title. What’s the story behind that name?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) You gotta be unique to stand out. This was always my mindset with anything I release. There are so many projects out there that blend in with the rest, and I felt with a name like Smoked Fish and Cabbage, combined with the unique Mario palette inspired by Noah’s sketch, I was on the right track. My childhood best friend Mike and I were constantly thinking of ridiculous things to say and do, and one day we started talking about what it would be like if we were a band. We joked if we ever released an album it would have to be named something stupid like Smoked Fish and Cabbage or The Stinky Black Banana Peel.

Q: (Retro Replay) The hack was designed to balance accessibility for beginners with enough challenge for veterans. How did you find that sweet spot in difficulty?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) Gauging difficulty is tough because every player is different. Some players complained it was too easy or short, while others found the challenge perfect for beginner players. I kept the levels short and sweet on purpose to limit the grind. At the time I was still very new to playing SMW hacks, so I too was learning different techniques. Of the 7 levels in SFAC, at least 3 were levels I made in Mario Maker 2 and reworked for the project.

Q: (Retro Replay) Each of the seven levels has its own theme. Which one is your personal favorite and why?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) Each level has its own story of course. I think I would have to go with Belly of the Beast. I grew up in the late 80s and early 90s, and like many boys my age I loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This level is directly inspired by that Dam level in the NES game. Kaizo players generally do not like underwater levels, but I always thought their inclusion was a good way of breaking up monotonous level design and forcing the player into something different. Nine out of ten players immediately identify the inspiration of this level, and that is a proud accomplishment of mine.

Q: (Retro Replay) What was the most technically challenging or time consuming element in building this project?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) The final level is a vertical level, and this created issues with sprites spawning early or despawning based on Mario’s placement on screen. It took a lot of trial and error to get it right while maintaining the design and challenge intact.

Q: (Retro Replay) How important is replayability to you in a smaller, more compact hack like this one?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) While some designers may put emphasis on replayability, I focus more on designing a project that has a lasting impact on a player. If someone plays SFAC and loves it, but never picks it up again I see that as a win.

Q: (Retro Replay) Have you received feedback from beginners who found this to be a good “first hack,” and does that kind of response influence how you approach future projects?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I have had the privilege of introducing many players to Kaizo through the SFAC series. Most players feel the sequel SFAC2 is a better launching point for someone’s Kaizo journey. As far as influencing future projects is concerned, I had originally considered the SFAC games as a trilogy meant to grow the players skillset more with each entry, but SFAC3 proved a little more difficult for people coming out of the second game.

Castlemania II

Q: (Retro Replay) Castlemania II builds directly on the foundation of Castlemania I. What lessons from the first game shaped how you approached the sequel?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) Castlemania’s immediate reception shocked me. Many praised my approach to the crossover, but there were a few criticisms I could not ignore. I had initially meant to include sub weapons in the first game, but attempted to implement them in the late stages of development and it was quickly something I had to abandon. This inspired me to implement them almost immediately in the sequel and was a driving factor in its overall release. Many also felt the final boss was underwhelming, and so I focused a lot of energy and resources in rectifying that with the sequel.

Q: (Retro Replay) The Castlevania influence is clear. Which Castlevania entry inspired you most when creating the Castlemania series?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I think with the first game you can see and feel a lot of influence from Castlevania I and III, whereas Castlemania II draws more from Bloodlines and Dracula X. I attempted to include references from the entire series, but those are the heartbeat of each entry.

Q: (Retro Replay) Boss fights play a central role in Castlemania II. What was your philosophy in designing them to be fair but still tense?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) Castlevania games were notoriously brutal, while Mario games were more of the opposite. I started by making a boss function as it would in Castlevania, and dialed back the difficulty bit by bit to feel more in line with classic Mario. Feedback from the first game was also in the forefront of my mind so I paid very close attention to impressions from my play testers.

Q: (Retro Replay) The hack includes custom powerups and cutscenes. Which of these new features are you most proud of?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) The powerups for sure. They were an absolute nightmare to include, it seemed every new feature I implemented broke the powerups or required a rework in some way. I am happy with how they turned out in the end, but that struggle may be the determining factor in why Castlemania does not get a third entry.

Q: (Retro Replay) If you revisit Castlemania again in the future, what ideas are still on your wishlist that did not make it into the first two games?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) Castlemania was initially meant to be just two games with the second game being more of a Metroidvania style game. I ultimately settled on the second entry being more in line with the first, but it was always meant to be an open castle and exploration style approach. So if a third game ever comes to fruition I would strive to make it play more like modern Castlevania games such as Symphony of the Night or Dawn of Sorrow.

Philosophy and Workflow

Q: (Retro Replay) How do you balance creative ambition with the technical limits of Super Mario World’s engine?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) If you believe it you can achieve it. These were the words I held especially close during Castlemania II’s development cycle. If I had an idea I would explore every avenue possible to achieve it before giving up and trying something else. A perfect example of this was the rising and falling tides in the second level Bridge of Sorrows. That level was an absolute headache to get right, but I did not want to give up on the concept until I knew it was impossible. I also grew more comfortable asking questions and reaching out to my peers in the hacking space which is something I wish I did with earlier projects.

Q: (Retro Replay) What tools or resources do you lean on most heavily when building a hack from start to finish?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) The primary tool of course is Lunar Magic, which is where you develop levels. ASAR is another tool imperative to adding patches and improvements to the game. PIXI and GPS allow implementation of custom sprites and blocks respectively, and YYCHR I used quite often to modify and inject custom graphics.

Q: (Retro Replay) Do you enjoy level design more, or the coding and ASM side of building mechanics?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I always maintained I was a better player than creator, so I think I would have to lean more on coding here. There is nothing more satisfying in ROM hacking than envisioning something working a certain way and making it work as intended.

Q: (Retro Replay) What’s your process for playtesting and polishing a hack before release?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) Lots and lots of playtesting. Depending on the complexity of a project, I will design each level in sections and test each section extensively before moving to the next. This ensures each section works as intended individually and collectively. If section A flows smoothly, section B is smooth, but the transition from A to B is clumsy, then I start to troubleshoot the gap between the two. If a level is ten sections long, I most likely tested each section extensively while also making sure they connect seamlessly. By the time I ask my team of testers to test a project I have likely played through the game start to finish countless times.

Future of LetsTalkGames

Q: (Retro Replay) Do you see LetsTalkGames continuing primarily with Mario hacks, or would you like to expand into other series or original indie projects?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) That is a tough question actually. Creating Mario hacks is a lot of mind work, and can be very overwhelming. I have learned a lot along the way, but I think once I finish with the few projects I have behind the scenes I would like to transition to other things. In my personal life I am a pretty busy man, so I am not really sure I will make the jump to indie game design in the near future, but I have also learned to never say never. I would like to dabble in and release a Legend of Zelda hack someday though.

Q: (Retro Replay) Are you currently working on any new hacks or experiments you can share a sneak peek of?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I have four SMW hack projects currently in the works behind the scenes. I keep my projects pretty close to the chest on purpose to preserve surprises while also protecting my ideas from potential plagiarism. I am looking to unveil my latest full release in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

Q: (Retro Replay) Would you ever consider collaborating with other ROM hackers, artists, or musicians for a larger scale project?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) Yes actually. Earlier this year I joined two separate SMW hack collaborations: Journey to Kaizo led by CroNo486 and SHELLAB by GGCracka. Both are shaping up to be outstanding projects from a wealth of talent. Players are going to love these.

Q: (Retro Replay) What kind of legacy would you like LetsTalkGames to have in the hacking community five or ten years from now?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I would like to be remembered as someone who tried new and different things while providing fun experiences. I strive to release work that is immediately identifiable as a Gravy hack, so as long as I accomplished that I would say I accomplished my goal.

Wildcard Fun Questions

Q: (Retro Replay) What is your go to fuel during late night hacking sessions, snacks, drinks, or music playlists?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I am a huge coffee drinker, so if I think I will be up late with a concept or idea I will make a cup. I am also a huge fan of Mountain Dew Code Red, so a can of that with some Doritos could be enough to keep me going.

Q: (Retro Replay) If Nintendo suddenly hired you to design an official Mario spinoff, what wild idea would you pitch first?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) The Mario series has felt stale to me for a number of entries now. I think it would take a wild shakeup to reinvent the series. Why not make an action RPG like The Legend of Zelda? It could have an open world, dungeon exploration, boss fights, weapons, the ideas are endless.

Q: (Retro Replay) If you could hide yourself in one of your hacks as a secret NPC, what would you say to the player when they found you?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) The greatest gift you can give the world is yourself.

Q: (Retro Replay) Which video game boss, from any franchise, would you absolutely not want to encounter in person?
A: (xMANGRAVYx) I find Lisa Trevor from the original Resident Evil to be absolutely petrifying.

Outro!

What shines through most in this interview with xMANGRAVYx is his openness about both the challenges and the joys of ROM hacking. He spoke about the emotional inspiration that gave birth to Smoked Fish and Cabbage, the lessons learned from developing Castlemania II, and the way he constantly pushes himself to test the boundaries of what Super Mario World’s engine can handle. He emphasized the importance of community feedback, the grind of playtesting every section until it flows just right, and the satisfaction of seeing new players develop their skills through his work.

Looking ahead, Gravy made it clear that while Mario hacks remain his main creative outlet for now, he has several projects quietly in development and is even exploring collaborative ventures with other respected members of the hacking scene. He does not rule out the possibility of branching into different series or even indie style projects someday, though for now his focus remains on giving the community hacks that are memorable, accessible, and distinctly his own.

For those who want to follow along with his current and future projects, you can find LetsTalkGames on YouTube, catch his streams on Twitch, or connect with him through his SMW Central profile. Based on this conversation, it is safe to say that the best from xMANGRAVYx is still to come.