Maybe the best 2D Mario ever made? A great remake of the SNES classic, and it works great as a handheld game. Controls are super tight despite its age and it's worth coming back to if you enjoy platformers at all.
Christmas 2003, dad got me this game and I opened it pretty early during the gift opening. It did blow my mind, but I was distraught toward the end, as I didn't have a console to play the game, and doubted that dad got such an expensive game AND a game console to boot. "Oh look, what have we here, looks like there's one last present..." he said, and handed me my brand new GBA SP at the very end. Top ten memories contender. I played this game every available minute I had. It got confiscated a number of times because I kept playing it too heavily, and I always had to leave it with my mom before going to bed. One time I just turned the console on and off to see the intro and keep myself entertained without a game.
I had a hard time with it, of course, as one's first Mario game should be, and several sessions were spent exclusively trying to beat Bowser without really nailing the "kick shell upward" mechanic. That is, I didn't know how I did it, I just sort of flicked my fingers a certain way and sometimes that did the trick. Didn't know English enough to understand tutorials, and brute-forcing game mechanics don't always reveal everything.
My favorite thing about this game was... swimming... and sliding... for some reason those were so inherently satisfying. Also flying, when I eventually got that down. My least favorite thing were those continuously scrolling levels.
I had a hard time with it, of course, as one's first Mario game should be, and several sessions were spent exclusively trying to beat Bowser without really nailing the "kick shell upward" mechanic. That is, I didn't know how I did it, I just sort of flicked my fingers a certain way and sometimes that did the trick. Didn't know English enough to understand tutorials, and brute-forcing game mechanics don't always reveal everything.
My favorite thing about this game was... swimming... and sliding... for some reason those were so inherently satisfying. Also flying, when I eventually got that down. My least favorite thing were those continuously scrolling levels.
Nunca joguei o original, mas está versão por si só já me divertiu bastante, porém não achei tão fantástico sendo só um bom jogo de plataforma
Other than the screen crunch (which I don't think is much of a problem in this game) and maybe the character voices being a bit annoying sometimes, I actually find this version of Super Mario World to be slightly better than the original Super Nintendo version thanks to the few QoL additions (such as the level select menu after finishing the game or being able to keep track of the Dragon Coins) added in this version and some improvements to the way the colored Yoshis work.
The main additions to this compared to the SNES original are playable Luigi with similar physics to SMB2 with his trademark slippery run and higher jump.
As well as track-able collectables, now you can see what Yoshi Coins you have collected throughout each level, while Secret Exits had a tell in the original they’re also denoted on this screen.
There are cute little animated sequences when you hit each goal.
I think it’s a fine way to experience Super Mario World and many probably prefer it, sound and visuals have some compromise. Thinner sound and with some scrolling vertically due to the GBA aspect ratio.
There’s a fan hack of the original that adds in these systems to the SNES original.
The detail I never picked up on is the costumed bullet bills look like Kirby’s owl shaped friend or something. Very cute.
As well as track-able collectables, now you can see what Yoshi Coins you have collected throughout each level, while Secret Exits had a tell in the original they’re also denoted on this screen.
There are cute little animated sequences when you hit each goal.
I think it’s a fine way to experience Super Mario World and many probably prefer it, sound and visuals have some compromise. Thinner sound and with some scrolling vertically due to the GBA aspect ratio.
There’s a fan hack of the original that adds in these systems to the SNES original.
The detail I never picked up on is the costumed bullet bills look like Kirby’s owl shaped friend or something. Very cute.
Got a lot of nostalgic attachment to this one. I didn't own a Super Nintendo growing up; I only eventually got one after becoming a retro collector as an adult. So this was my introduction to the absolute legend that is SMW. And aside from the aspect ratio taking some adjusting to & the GBA sound chip not holding a candle to the SNES, it's an awesome port & a dang fine way to experience a classic.
An inferior version of Super Mario World that has the benefit of being portable when you're 12 years old. Lots of unneeded voice clips, same as the Link to the Past GBA port. Still played the hell out of this, though.
Pros: It's the Super Mario World we all know and love, with some real quality new additions and QOL improvements. For one, collecting Yoshi coins goes towards percentage, and it along with the rest of level stats are kept track of on a sub-screen menu, which is very helpful for chronicling your completion of the game. Another great new addition is Luigi! He plays entirely differently, like jumping higher, more slippery traction, and bursting every coin out of a coinbox all at once. Luigi even changes the way Yoshi plays when riding him, such as holding enemies in his mouth with the ability to spit them back out. I particularly love the intro story to the game, giving context to the adventure, and the intro even has an extended ending upon beating the game. Very charming, lovely music to it too. Other little changes to the game are also quite welcome, like Peach's new sprite, and in most cases, the lighter color palette is easy on the eyes.
Cons: In most cases, in some cases, the lighter color palette can make the game look a bit more washed out than the more vibrant appearance of the SNES original. And outside of the changes I mentioned above, there really isn't much else new to this version of the game, which, feels less substantial than the other "Super Mario Advance" games, which added quite a lot to the original games.
What it means to me: The SNES original is already my favorite 2D Mario, and a portable version was such an easy win for me, played the hell out of it, just as I did the SNES game. And playing as Luigi made it different enough to feel worth another go. I don't have any stories attached to this one, but I do remember having it in my GBA quite often.
Cons: In most cases, in some cases, the lighter color palette can make the game look a bit more washed out than the more vibrant appearance of the SNES original. And outside of the changes I mentioned above, there really isn't much else new to this version of the game, which, feels less substantial than the other "Super Mario Advance" games, which added quite a lot to the original games.
What it means to me: The SNES original is already my favorite 2D Mario, and a portable version was such an easy win for me, played the hell out of it, just as I did the SNES game. And playing as Luigi made it different enough to feel worth another go. I don't have any stories attached to this one, but I do remember having it in my GBA quite often.