Yaz0

File Format
Name	Yaz0
Ontology	Electronic File Formats Compression Yaz0
Extension(s)	.szs

Yaz0 is a lossless binary compression format designed by Nintendo for use in game development. It is found in many Nintendo titles from the 2000s (Mario Kart Wii, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Super Mario Sunshine, etc...) and is often used to compress an archive (like RARC) containing model and texture files. It uses a form of run-length encoding. Compressed files can be easily identified in a hex editor, as the first 4 bytes of the header read "Yaz0", in ASCII. Usually, compressed files take on the extension ".szs" regardless of their original format.

Tools that handle Yaz0 compressed files

• Szs tools by thakis (Encoder by shevious/daegunlee)
• Wiimms SZS Tools, by Wiimm
• Wexos's Toolbox
• A python library for Yaz0 Dec/Enc by AboodXD
• The "Yet Another Gamecube Guide" decompression routine

Further Reading

• Yaz0 format documentation written by thakis
• A more in-depth data layout on the custom Mario Kart Wiki