Retro gaming is all well and good, but sometimes people want a change, right? Even the best games can only be replayed a certain number of times before they start to get boring. That's why things like Cat Mario exist. That is far from the only hack like it, however. There's a large community of dedicated sadists, developers, and modders out there making awesome ROM hacks for classic games. Some of these make barely any change to the games, such as changing console versions' colors to be more like those of the arcade one, while others introduce completely new characters, quests, and gameplay mechanics. Ever wanted to breathe new life into the original Legend of Zelda? Or see Wilford Brimley take to the streets of River City? Then this is what you need.

Alongside the classic ROM hacks, there sits a related art: that of console modding. Hardware modding requires an entirely different skillets, but when carried out with a knowledgeable and loving hand, produces some quite remarkable results. Want to turn your old NES carts into mini consoles? Someone has done that, and put a guide up. Want to make a portable Nintendo 64? Someone's done that too, and we're going to show you what you need to do it yourself. If you're tired of playing the same old games on the same old systems, over and over again, then you need to read this list! If we've missed one of your favorite ROM hacks or console mods, then let us know.

25 Chrono Trigger: Prophet's Guile

I remember, back when I was a kid, Chrono Trigger was almost impossible to get a hold of in Europe. In the rest of the world, however, it wasn't as hard to find, leading to a massive cult following. In this cool ROM hack, we follow Magus' rise to power in the year of 12,000 BC, in a whole new story that's about the length of two of the game's regular chapters. If you're a fan of the original game, and desperate for more content, then this is exactly what you're looking for.

24 Contra: Hard Corps: IT.Gamer Ultra Hack

Do you find Contra: Hard Corps a little too... uh, hard? A little frustrating? Then this massive improvement collection might be the solution. You can choose to have up to 30 lives at the outset, there are now eight playable characters, you get life more often, the heroes have new weapons, and the bosses have had their HP levels changed. There are also a few other smaller changes, including recolorations of characters and double jumps. A really neat little pack of fun that's well worth the time of Contra fans.

23 This Portable SNES Mod

The SNES is widely regarded as one of the greatest gaming systems ever made, and these days, portability is important. What else is a gamer to do except make their SNES portable? A screen has been attached just above the SNES' cartridge slot, and games are inserted into the top of the unit, like a big Game Boy. In the center of the console, a perfect controller-sized hole has been cut, allowing the system's user to play SNES games exactly as they were meant to be played.

22 Donkey Kong Country: Boss Blitz

If you eat Contra: Hard Corps for breakfast, and want a real challenge, how about this little mod? This transforms Donkey Kong Country from the platforming legend that we all know and love, into a boss rush, where you must fight all seven bosses back to back. The mod gives you myriad ways to approach this challenge: if you want an extra tough run, try fighting them alone as Diddy Kong! You can also fight the bosses individually if you want to learn their patterns and better your rush.

21 The Golden Axe Color Hack

While this one may not be as grand as the others that we've featured on this list thus far, it's still really cool. Have you ever thought that the Genesis and arcade versions of Golden Axe look kinda different? You're not wrong: the colors have been shifted. While this isn't a big deal, it can lead to feeling as though you're not playing the true Golden Axe. This hack fixes this, changing the colors of backgrounds, characters, and enemies, giving you the truest possible experience.

20 The Pi Cart: The Ultimate In Portability

I can't stop wanting to write that as Picard. While it may not be an aficionado of Earl Grey, it does share one quality with the Starship captain: it is extremely cool. The Raspberry Pi is, as the modder behind this project noticed, small enough to fit in an NES cartridge. The result is beautiful: over 2400 NES games on one single cartridge that can be connected to a TV, with no soldering or advanced knowledge required. Want to know more? You can check it out here.

19 Goldeneye 007: Counter-Strike Map Pack

This hack attempts to find out what happens when you take two of the greatest multiplayer shooters and mash them together. The answer? It's downright awesome. While some modifications have been made for the sake of playability, these maps are mostly identical to those found in CS. Included are, of course, Dust, so you can get to experience rushing B as James Bond or Oddjob. This is a very cool little hack, and I'd love to see more things like it. Modern Warfare maps in Titanfall 2, anyone?

18 Megaman X: Megaman Z

Have you played Mega Man X into the ground? Do you know every little detail of it like the back of your hand? Then you need to give this overhaul a try. The change it makes is simple, but very cool: you can play through the entire game as Zero. That's right, the main protagonist from Mega Man Zero can now be used in Mega Man X, with all of his usual abilities. This is well worth another playthrough to experience, however much you've played the game before.

17 The Dreamcast Controller With A Built-In Screen

Ever wanted to play some of those forgotten classics of the Dreamcast? We're talking about Power Stone, Ooga Booga, and Project Justice. If the answer is yes, then how about taking it one step further and playing them Wii U-style? This modder decided to do exactly that, implanting a screen in the middle of their Dreamcast controller, making it easier, more portable, and more unique. Absolutely awesome stuff, and the kind of mods that we love the most here at The Gamer.

16 The All New? Punch-Out!!!

This hack makes Punch-Out even better. I bet you thought that was impossible, huh? It draws in characters from Super Punch-Out, including Arran Ryan and Heike Kagero. If that was all, it would be neat, but it introduces characters previously unseen inside the squared, Mario-officiated circle, too. These include King Hippo from the Captain N: Gamemaster cartoon, a Moblin from The Legend of Zelda, and Frank Jr. from the spin-off Arm Wrestling. An awesome mod that's so good, it's been mistaken by some as an official Nintendo product.

15 Pokémon Brown 2014

Although it may not be the greatest namesake ever, the uninspiring title should not put you off, as this is one of the best Pokémon ROM hacks ever made. A whole new region, Rijon, has been added, featuring ten cities, and you also get to go to Johto. There are 20 routes, a much bigger Pokédex, 40 new moves, new TMs, seven new types, never-before-seen characters, new Pokémon, and an extra quest after you complete Rijon. A truly awesome, massive work, this is well worth your time.

14 The Region-Free Sega Saturn BIOS Mod

The problem with the Sega Saturn, these days, aside from them being pretty expensive, is that finding games outside of Japan is a right pain. If you want to expand your collection with Japanese games, you're out of luck on a PAL or American Saturn. However, with this hack, it needn't be the case. This custom BIOS chip can be installed in any Saturn, and lets you boot any games, from anywhere in the world, whenever you want. Exactly what any dedicated Sega fan needs.

13 Pokémon Gold: Misty Chronicles

A very old ROM hack this one, but still a cool one. If you ever want to play as Misty, experiencing a new storyline, then this is the mod for you. While an awesome idea, getting it to work could be tricky nowadays, as it was found on a Geocities archive from many years ago. If you can get it to work, however, you're in for a brand new Pokémon experience that most people have never seen, but is well worth your time.

12 Rush'n Attack G

While the days of fighting Soviet soldiers in video games is over, it's a classic historical moment in video gaming history that is still worth experiencing. If you've never played Rush'n Attack before, then this is the best way to start. It's a very underhacked game, and this is the best of the bunch: as well as changing the font and the color palette, this hack also edits the levels, making them a bit more palatable for today's audiences. Download it today, and go save the world!

11 Sega Genesis Language Switches

Got an old Genesis/Mega Drive lying about? Want to take advantage of it? Then you should install one of these, and explore some antique Japanese games. See, while language switching may sound somewhat pointless, unless you speak said language, different translations of games often held secrets, such as different character names, a new title, or new music. Installing one is fairly easy, and can be linked to the exterior of the console, making switching a breeze. Well worth doing, particularly if you're something of a gaming historian.

10 Using SNES Controllers On An NES

While the NES controllers may not be terrible, it's not a secret that they aren't as good as the SNES controllers. If, however, you want to use SNES controllers on an NES, well, that's impossible, right? Wrong! All it requires is some simple wiring. Once you disassemble the controllers, you'll find rewiring them a piece of cake. You can find detailed information and diagrams here. Happy hacking, and enjoy your new, far better controller on every one of your favorite NES games!

9 River City Ransom: Wilford Brimley Battle

Even if you don't know the name right off the bat, chances are, you know who Wilford Brimley is. You remember the "diabeetus" guy? That's him. Ever wanted to play as him in River City Ransom? Probably not, but it's amazing. This hack pits him against the evil Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, who plans to take over the world using cereal. A very, very silly hack, but absolutely hilarious. All I'm waiting for now is someone to put Billy Mays into Streets of Rage.

8 A Portable Nintendo 64

The Switch is all well and good, but can you play every single N64 game on it? No, you can't. If you want to do that, and do that on the go, then you'll need some tools and some expertise. The result is this surprisingly beautiful and professional looking system, that contains everything the N64 needs to run. You need to disassemble an old Nintendo 64, being careful to maintain all the boards and wires, before throwing them into a new shell. It's a long process, and you can find all the instructions here, but it will win bragging rights forevermore.

7 The Sonic 1 Megamix

This hack is a complete overhaul of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, and what an overhaul it is. It adds new level layouts, unique moves for each character, level intros, music edits, cheat codes, elemental shields, and super forms. If you're not into editing the classics, this is still well worth a look. One of the features is an 'original mode' that lets you play all of the original levels from the game, but with the bug-fixes and moves from the Megamix. An absolutely incredible bit of work.

6 Super Mario Bros.: Deluxe

Sacrilege, I hear you cry! Nobody can improve on Super Mario Bros. Oh, trust me, they definitely can. This hack basically proves that. All 32 levels from the original have been remade. The graphics have been improved too, and they now look to be in the style of Super Mario Allstars. There are new overworlds, additional levels, and more music, too. The original's glitches and secrets have been left in, allowing for speed runs to take place just as they would in the original. Absolutely awesome stuff.