Modding > Spelunky 2 > Overview

This page provides an overview of different modding tools that are available for Spelunky 2.
Disclaimer: Do not report bugs or crashes related to modding to the Spelunky 2 developers. Make sure to back up your save file as modding and crashes could cause corruption to your save.

Tools

Modlunky 2
Modlunky 2 is the hub for Spelunky 2 modding, just install this to get started. It provides the ability to extract assets from the Spelunky 2 executable for the purpose of asset based modding, a level editor to be used with the extracted level files, a downloader and interface for Playunky as well as a downloader for Overlunky.
Overlunky

Overlunky provides an overlay for your running game to provide a playground for experiments and practice. It provides capabilities such as warping to any areas, entity spawning and manipulation, Lua scripting and more.

Overlunky can be downloaded from Modlunky2's Overlunky tab.

Playlunky

Playlunky is focused on the user side of asset modding, providing a launcher that can load mods directly into the game. It also provides extended functionality for merging strings, shaders, sprite sheets, etc. and features the same Lua scripting features as Overlunky.

Playlunky is usable via Modlunky2's Playlunky tab.

Spelunky-2-Font-Editor

A desktop app used to create Spelunky 2 sprite fonts.

The tool operates on the FNB font files from Spelunky 2 and their respective texture atlasses.

Spelunky2X64DbgPlugin (Devs Only)

This tool is for tool developers only.

It is a plugin to the x64dbg debugger that lets you directly poke memory in a structured fashion. It can access state memory, level memory, entities, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I backup my save file?
While we haven't seen any corruption recently there have been incidents where modding tools have caused crashes that could potentially corrupt save files. Additionally bugs in the tooling could cause issues related to saving. Save corruption is rare but it is possible so if you care about your save file you should back it up.
Will achievements still work while my game is modded?
Yes. No modding tools will prevent you from unlocking achievements. If you would like to experiement with modding without accidentally unlocking achivements you intend to get legitimately you should look at Goldberg Emulator which will allow you to run your game without using steam directly.
Can I use mods online?
Texture/String/etc mods will work online with no problems. Changes to level files however will only work if all players have the same level modifications.
Is there a level editor?
You can do some level editing with just a text editor (such as Notepad) as the files extracted with Modlunky 2 are plain text. Modlunky 2 also provides a visual editor that is currently in development.
Why is modding discouraged by the Spelunky 2 developers?
Below is the reasoning provided directly by the developers:

We want to look into official modding and integrating with workshop or mod.io

We don't know yet as S2 wasn't developed w/modding in mind

Modding is still discouraged because:

  • Formats are volatile enough & breakage is expected
  • Can't guarantee that third-party mods don't contain any malware
  • Wastes dev time: Bad pr / reports originate due to edited saves/cheats/modding
Why did the game crash when I did X?
There are a variety of reasons that your game could be crashing.
  • You have anti-virus software that has quarantined the game or mod tools. Consult your anti-virus software for how to view and whitelist items from the quarantine.
  • Spelunky 2 has been updated and is no longer compatible with the tools.
  • There is some incompatibility between two different mod tools causing instability
You should consult the documentation of the tools you're using to see if they have listed any known crashes or incompatibilities at the links above.
Where can I get help with modding?
Developers of the modding tools provide support in the #s2-modding-help channel in the Community Discord Server. You can also file issues against the GitHub repositories for each project to report bugs.
How can I ask a good question?
When asking for help it is important to be respectful and ask good questions.
  • Don't ask to ask a question. Just ask.
  • Read the documentation of the project first to avoid asking something that is already documented.
  • Provide details about what you were doing and what other modifications you may be using.