.SZS File Extension
Wii Game Data File
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
3.9 | 47 Votes |
What is an SZS file?
Data file used by games for the Nintendo Wii; most commonly known for storing 3D model and texture data for the Wii game Mario Kart, but also used by other games for the same kinds of data as well as other types of data; sometimes modified by the homebrew and modding communities to create custom Mario Kart graphics.
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SZS files for Mario Kart are stored in a format called the U8 archive format and they are compressed with a method called Yaz0 compression.
Programs that open SZS files
Nintendo Switch Game Data Archive
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Popularity |
3.0 | 6 Votes |
An SZS file may also be a game data archive used by a Nintendo Switch video game, such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Splatoon 2. It typically contains 3D models and textures used to show characters and objects in-game. However, some SZS files contain other types of game assets.
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Files that use the .szs extension may actually be saved in one of several proprietary Nintendo archive formats. For example, SZS files that contain 3D models are actually renamed .BFRES files, while SZS files that contain other game assets are typically renamed .SARC archives.
In all cases, however, SZS files are compressed using Yaz0 compression. Nintendo Switch modders have developed utilities that allow them to decompress SZS files and extract the assets they contain, regardless of the files' format.
NOTE: While Nintendo Wii and GameCube games also contain SZS files, those files are often saved in different formats than Switch SZS files. Thus, tools that can open Switch SZS files may not be able to open Wii and GameCube SZS files, and vice-versa.
How to open an SZS file
You can use Switch-Toolbox (Windows) to extract, edit, and repackage the assets that SZS files contain. You can also use SARC Tool to extract assets from SZS files that contain Yaz0-compressed SARC files.
Programs that open SZS files
GameCube Data File
| Developer | N/A |
| Popularity |
1.9 | 8 Votes |
Game archive used by some games for the GameCube console system, such as Super Mario Sunshine; can include various model and bitmap graphics data for the game; sometimes modified by homebrew users.
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NOTE: GameCube SZS files may not be compatible with programs that open the Wii SZS format.