5/5 ★ – RawMetal's review of Super Mario World.

System: Super Nintendo Started: January 2, 2025 Ended: January 28, 2025 Redemption Playthrough First Attempt: 1997/1998 My very first video game, and it's a shame that I haven't beaten it until now. This game, along with the Super Nintendo console, actually belonged to my older sister, and I would watch her play. I tried to play this game myself but got my ass handed to me in one of the first stages. However, this game left an impact that sparked my interest in video games, and I'm still playing to this day as any normal hobbyist. 2025 is the year I plan to tackle my backlog of Super Nintendo games from my sister's collection. I already completed Donkey Kong Country back in 2016, so that's a start. I need to finish what I began from the very beginning, starting with this masterpiece that changed my life. Super Mario World is the fourth installment in the 2D Mario platformer series and one of the first launch titles for the Super Nintendo (or Super Famicom). What an awesome way to kick off the Super Nintendo with this game. Super Mario World is regarded as one of the best video games of all time and a timeless classic that every gamer should play immediately. This marked Mario's first entry into 16-bit gaming, and Nintendo did not hesitate to introduce new features and graphics and utilize new tech to showcase the new Nintendo system, such as Mode 7 and the debut of Mario’s new companion, Yoshi. What really delivers for this game is the gameplay itself. Tight and precise controls and level designs are engaging and innovative, offering a fair challenge for players of all ages and adding crafty moments such as locations for secret levels. And of course, you can bring a player 2 for this game as it has co-op. The music tracks of Koji Kondo are iconic and well known from the start to the finish of this entire game. If I were to offer any negative feedback about this game, it would be that Super Mario World is surprisingly short, though in a good way. I took my time playing this game for almost a month, and you can complete a world in half an hour. I mostly took my time finding more secrets and shortcuts and played around a bit using that cape power-up. It is possible to finish the game in a single day or even in fewer than 11-15 levels. This game allows you the freedom to do whatever you like, whether it's speedrunning or just flying past all the challenging levels using the cape power-up. Another critique I have is that the mid-bosses lacked variety; when you play the fortress levels, you always have to fight Reznor. I thought the fight with that Giant Boo was a breath of fresh air, having a new mid-boss, and expected to see more variety, but after that, it's just Reznor with their Ferris wheel-looking platform. Lastly, I finished with the special (and difficult) levels, but once you beat the level 'Funky,' the world begins to change into a different color palette and seeing weird-looking enemies. I thought that’s a cool 100% reward, but the problem is, you can’t revert it back to its normal overworld. And you can’t copy a save file in the menu. So, a heads-up on not saving the game after completing ‘Funky’ unless you want a one-way trip. Despite the minor issues I mentioned, I still love this game and felt great after finishing it after all these years. Without this game, my interest in video games would be a fad and short-lived. And without this game, I probably would not set out for my career in developing video games. Super Mario World is still ranked as my favorite Mario game, and it's highly regarded as one of the best video games of all time. Possibly the Best. This game can be played on modern consoles like the Switch or even emulation. In fact, you can easily buy an actual Super Nintendo copy of this in every local retro gaming store if you have the retro Super Nintendo console. Every Nintendo kid back in the early 90s had this game, so it's very common to see this at every retro store and even online. It took the world by storm, and it's definitely a timeless classic. Play this game if you haven’t already.