This is an old revision of the document!
Metroid 2 has a very simple text system. Each character is one byte, and you are limited to 16 characters per item and 6 for the save message (you can go above 6, but it will overlap the “Press Start” text). The format is listed here:
C0-D9 = letters, in order DA = . DB = , DC = ' DD = - DE = 3 dots, 1/2 (for the save text) DF = 3 dots, 2/2 FF = Space
00-BF and F0-FE are assorted graphics and empty space. You'll find the text between 0x05911 and 0x05A10 in Bank 1:
0x05911-0x05920 - " SAVE... " or D2 C0 D5 C4 DE DF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF FF S A V E ... 0x05921-0x05930 - " PLASMA BEAM" or FF FF FF FF CF CB C0 D2 CC C0 FF C1 C4 C0 CC FF P L A S M A B E A M 0x05931-0x05940 - " ICE BEAM " or FF FF FF FF FF C8 C2 C4 FF C1 C4 C0 CC FF FF FF I C E B E A M 0x05941-0x05950 - " WAVE BEAM " or FF FF FF FF D6 C0 D5 C4 FF C1 C4 C0 CC FF FF FF W A V E B E A M 0x05951-0x05960 - " SPAZER " or FF FF FF FF FF D2 CF C0 D9 C4 D1 FF FF FF FF FF S P A Z E R 0x05961-0x05970 - " BOMB " or FF FF FF FF FF FF FF C1 CE CC C1 FF FF FF FF FF B O M B 0x05971-0x05980 - " SCREW ATTACK" or FF FF FF D2 C2 D1 C4 D6 FF C0 D3 D3 C0 C2 CA FF S C R E W A T T A C K 0x05981-0x05990 - " VARIA " or FF FF FF FF FF D5 C0 D1 C8 C0 FF FF FF FF FF FF V A R I A 0x05991-0x059A0 - " HIGH JUMP BOOTS" or C7 C8 C6 C7 FF C9 D4 CC CF FF C1 CE CE D3 D2 FF H I G H J U M P B O O T S 0x059A1-0x059B0 - " SPACE JUMP " or FF FF FF FF D2 CF C0 C2 C4 FF C9 D4 CC CF FF FF S P A C E J U M P 0x059B1-0x059C0 - " SPIDER BALL " or FF FF FF D2 CF C8 C3 C4 D1 FF C1 C0 CB CB FF FF S P I D E R B A L L 0x059C1-0x059D0 - " SPRING BALL " or FF FF D2 CF D1 C8 CD C6 FF C1 C0 CB CB FF FF FF S P R I N G B A L L 0x059D1-0x059E0 - " ENERGY TANK " or FF FF FF C4 CD C4 D1 C6 D8 FF D3 C0 CD CA FF FF E N E R G Y T A N K 0x059E1-0x059F0 - " MISSILE TANK" or FF FF FF CC C8 D2 D2 C8 CB C4 FF D3 C0 CD CA FF M I S S I L E T A N K 0x059F1-0x05A00 - " ENERGY " or FF FF FF FF FF FF C4 CD C4 D1 C6 D8 FF FF FF FF E N E R G Y 0x05A01-0x05A10 - " MISSILES " or FF FF FF FF FF CC C8 D2 D2 C8 CB C4 D2 FF FF FA M I S S I L E S