Have you ever wondered how the game determines what item you will receive when you go through a blue or red box? well wonder no more, as this has been completely discovered!
While there have been theories about how the game handles item rng, using emulator tools we have recently discovered how the game handles items and how this can be used to help speedrun the game.
Understanding the 'Next Item' RAM Address
The most important discovery for understanding how items work was identifying the 'Next Item' address. This address is how the game determines what items to give to the player. Essentially, the game stores a 8x256 array table, with each position corresponding to a different item. This sequence/array is always the same, so if you can identify your position within the sequence, you will always continue through the item list (if you get to the end it will simply repeat from the start).
The RAM address is 122298
How it Works
When you go through a box in-game and receive an item, the game checks two conditions. Firstly, it checks what color box you went through (blue or red) and secondly, it checks what position you are in the race. This is what makes the 8 different rows of the 8x256 sequence. Once the conditions have been checked, it gives you your item and advances the sequence +1.
So in practice, when you go through a box your next item is already pre-determined. This means that regardless of what level or what box you go through, you will always receive your 'next item' from your next box and will continue to progress through the sequence. The item sequence can be found in the spreadsheet link below.
How to Predict and the Item Predictor Tool
Because the items are stored in a sequence, after receiving multiple items you can define your position within the sequence and you can now predict all future items (but only for that race, as at the end of a race your position within the sequence is changed).
To help with this, the Any% goat Stax has built a tool which lets you enter what items you have received and will eventually determine your position in the sequence, and will then tell you how many boxes away is the next invisibility board and fan. An image is below.
If you want to use this tool you can head to the SBK Discord and go to the #resources channel where Stax has linked a download to the tool.
Because the 'next item' address manages both blue and red item boxes, this means you can get a good blue box item in your inventory, then go through red boxes to progress the sequence so that your next blue item will be another good item. I use this technique significantly in my recent Copper Pass record which can be seen below.
If you have any questions or ideas please feel free to reach out to me at anytime - always happy to chat Snowboard Kids strats.
Very interesting. This is something you could sort of feel when playing but not put on paper.. Until now :)
