My Played Video Games Review: Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo

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Super Mario World is a platform game developed by Nintendo of Japan for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) / Super Famicom in 1990.

I consider this, in my humble opinion, to be the 3rd best Super Mario game of all time after Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) and Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64). Any video gamer worth his salt knows how, at least, to play a Mario game for better or for worst.

Super Famicom box cover art for Japan. (Image source)

The Story

Mario and his pals go to a prehistoric island known as Dinosaur Land. Bowser Koopa, the Mushroom Kingdom dictator and single father of 7 bratty kids, has captured Princess Toadstool (Peach) again and hid her in his seemingly formidable fortress, presumably to make her his wife. In order to thwart any attempt by the islanders to stage an upheaval, he's encased the baby dinosaurs, known as Yoshis, inside spotted eggs to keep them from rising up and defeating him.

Mario crashes bravely onto the island and brings along his brother Luigi, to save the princess from Bowser, and his seven ugly Koopa kids. Are they up to the challenge? Of course, they are!

Box and cartridge of the game. (Image source)

The Graphics and Sound

For its time, the graphics were quite good. Mario looks better in 16-bit form. Each stage is colorful and whimsically represented, and the enemies, most of which are taken from previous games, are well-animated and drawn too. This game looks just like a fantasy child's dreamland, and it plays to the game's child-oriented themes. The clouds are nice and puffy, and the backgrounds look lush and detailed when necessary. The music in this game is great. They are much more like an orchestral and the water levels with their accompanying splashes are a delight. The sound effects have been updated from the NES Mario games too.

Gameplay video sample of Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.

The Gameplay

The gameplay is the usual Mario style. Jump, smash, fly, and collect the coins in most levels.

This game plays out much like Super Mario Bros. 3 in which you start the game on a level-choosing map. You choose your level by moving to one of the flashing lights and pushing the button. Then you go to a sidescrolling level where your only objective is to make it to the end alive by all means.

This is the first Mario game in which you get to ride Yoshi, your dinosaur pet companion, as well. Yoshi adds gameplay depth as well. A different color of Yoshis has different ability while holding a Koopa in its mouth. Yellow has a big stomp, red has fire, and blue has wings. The blue Yoshi can skip over most of the levels in just one big jump and fly over it all. And it is a good idea not to do that.

Now aside from your only objective is to get to the end of the level you can also attempt to try out the secret levels. You get them by completing the levels, with a special key. These damn keys then open up a path that either leads to a block switch or a star transporter. Taking the star transporter gets you to the star levels. Completing them then takes you to the challenge levels. Those are the hardest levels in the game.

Replay value is outstanding because of the many secrets to uncover.

My Verdict

To be honest there are better platform games on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and Super Nintendo. I think Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES as a classic which really revolutionized the series, while this Super Mario World was more of a fast way to make the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom sell. But I know that there are many who think that Super Mario World is one of the very best games which have ever been released. Personally, I just think it is a really good game.

Play it on the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a damn fine emulator.

Let's keep on gaming in the free world!