Kaizo

This article is about the video game genre. For the Japanese magazine published through 1955, see Kaizō. For other uses, see Kaizo (disambiguation).

Kaizo (Japanese: 改造, Hepburn: kaizō, meaning "modification", "rebuild", "remodel" or "reconfiguration") is a philosophy of game design, specifically platforming games, distinguished by a high degree of strictness placed upon the player's intended actions and movements through a level.[1] This emphasis on precision, which manifests in the form of extremely-precise character movement (often enforced through subterfuge and purposefully hidden traps), asks the player to use high levels of skill and knowledge of the game's physics and engine in order to accomplish tasks. The philosophy is most closely associated with ROM hacks of Super Mario World and with custom levels created in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker 2, but has been cited as an influence in other fan-made and original game designs.[2][3]

The term originally came from the Japanese ROM-hacking scene, where kaizo was used as a general term for all modified games.

  1. ^ "Glossary - Frequently Asked Questions - SMW Central". www.smwcentral.net. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Super Metroid: Kaizo Edition". Metroid Construction. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  3. ^ Bycer, Josh (March 15, 2019). "An Examination into Kaizo Design". Game Developer. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.