SUPER MARIO WORLD Review
Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, released August 13th 1991 is easily one of the greatest platform games of all time and arguably the best game in the Mario series to date. Its popularity to this day should be no surprise considering the various re-releases of the game, and the fact that it had become a collectors item to many (an unopened, factory sealed Super Mario World (SNES) goes for like $700 on amazon.) Anyway enough of the nonsense on with the review:
Graphics: 9/10 (Based on the SNES console’s capabilities)
Although by today’s standards these graphics would be considered rather basic, for 1991 these were top of the line. All the colors are presented to create a fun and exciting 2-D world and are varied greatly throughout the game. The player sprites are impressively detailed for a SNES game and even the minor characters are well done. Although the graphics are impressive to a point, they are no match for games like Donkey Kong Country and Starfox, which take the SNES to its graphical limit.
Controls: 10/10
As with most Super Mario entries the controls are simple, but very tight and responsive. In this game in the series additional actions are incorporated to better utilize the SNES controller which offers more buttons than its NES counterpart. These new moves such as the spin jump offer a fresh twist on the Super Mario by allowing the player to perform more actions and interact more completely with the environment. It helps alot that the SNES controller is one of the most comfortable of all time and Super Mario World surely takes advantage of this.
Fun: 10/10
This is by far the best Mario adventure to date and it has been over 20 years since its release in North America. The simple platforming action is timeless and easily much more complex than its predecessors. There are hours and hours of secrets to be unlocked and plenty of room for some two player action. Super Mario World is the same game in one or two player mode, but the cooperative efforts of two make the game much more enjoyable. The addition of Yoshi adds a whole new layer of gameplay allowing the player to take advantage of the green dinosaur’s impressive power. Better yet there are various hidden Yoshi variants that have unique powers of their own. Easily one of the most enjoyable experiences on the SNES.
Replayability : 10/10
This is where the game shines, it offers so many hidden levels and multiple ways to beat levels that it will keep you entertained for hours and hours (maybe even years.) I have been playing this game since I learned how to pick up a controller and to this day, 20 years later i continue to play this game regularly
The Controls
The Controls of Super Mario World are simple, but there are a couple of button tricks that aren’t so obvious to the new player. So make sure you learn them to become a better player
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The Basics
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Y Button
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The Y button is your action button. Use this button for the following:
– Hold down to run in combination with the D-Pad
– Press while wearing the cape to spin attack
– Press while having fire power to hurl a fire ball at the enemies
– Hold down while in the air and wearing a cape to slower your descent.
– Eat an enemy while riding Yoshi (and spit out that enemy once eaten.)
– Enter a level, when on the world map
B Button
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– the B button has one main function JUMP.
– Can Jump further when in combination with the Y-Button when running.
– Enter A level when on the world map
A Button
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– Spin Jump, this can be used to smash blocks (specifically the ones with “faces”)
– Spin jump with fire power to unleash a fire attack in both directions.
– Hop off Yoshi.
– Enter a level when on the world map
X Button
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– Not really intended for use, but has functions
– Run in same manner as Y- Button
– Attack with cape and fireball in same manner as Y-Button
– Enter a level while on the world map.
L & R Buttons
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– Exchange lives with another player in 2-Player mode by pressing one of these on the world map
– Press both simultaneously to enter a castle you have already defeated (Boss won’t be there though)
– In a level press one of these to shift the camera in left or right. Allows you to see dangers ahead.
D-Pad
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– Move (press left or right)
– Crouch (press down)
– Look up (press up)
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Advanced Skills
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High Jump
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While Riding Yoshi jump normally, than while in mid air quickly dismount, by pressing the A-Button, to leap further into the air. This makes getting to hard to reach places much easier. This also can be used to escape a pitfall death.
Controlled Jump
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This is a vital skill for the speed player. When jumping simply press back on the D-Pad to come back a bit while in mid air. This is useful for more accurately landing on platforms at high speeds.
Cape Dive Bomb
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When flying with the cape press down on the D-Pad to launch to the ground at high speed, the shockwave will knock over shelled enemies.
Cape Flutter
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While flying with the cape alternately press left and right on the D-Pad in a controlled manner to flutter up and down. This can increase the distance of your flight exponentially.
CHARACTERS: Mario and Luigi
Mario and Luigi are back again to bring peace to the world. Obviously these are the player controlled characters and are most present in the game. In the SNES version they are no different and are basically just red and green copies of each other. Keeping up with the earlier games in the series Mario and Luigi are silent heroes and don’t say much throughout the game. Their goal is to save Dinosaur Land from Bowser and the evil Koopalings and of course save the Princess.
CHARACTERS: BOWSER
The evil menace who has plagued Mario and Luigi since their first adventure is back to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting heroes on vacation in Dinosaur Land. He now has a new means of transport, a crazy helicopter type apparatus which he uses in the final battle. No longer is he killed by simply knocking him off a bridge by cutting it, there is instead a more interesting battle in your future.
CHARACTERS:
The Koopalings
These little henchmen make their return in Super Mario World after making many an airship a pain in Super Mario Bros. 3. Each one has their own individual castle which is the final level of each area. Defeating them is generally simple, but some of the later Koopalings have some tricks up their sleeves that may test the skills of even the most seasoned veteran.
CHARACTERS: Yoshi
The newest addition to Mario’s squad. Yoshi and his many multicolored brethren ease Mario and Luigi’s trek across the perilous Dinosaur Land of which he is a native. He can accompany Mario and Luigi in any level except castles and ghost houses (Yoshi awaits the heroes return outside and they reunite, so you don’t lose him for entering such levels.) Green Yoshi can hatch from an egg as a full adult, while other colored variants require a feast of enemies to grow into mature form, but their abilities are more consistent and useful. Super Mario World is Yoshi’s first appearance and he has since become a staple in the Mario Universe.
CHARACTERS: Princess Peach
Once again captured Princess Peach Toadstool is in need of rescuing. She is being held captive in the Valley of Bowser in the very last room of Bowser’s Castle. Who will rescue her, who else? Mario and Luigi.
The Power Ups
In Super Mario World there is an array of power-ups and a new way to make use of them. Two power ups can be held at a time one on your character and one at the top of the screen that drops down either when pressing the select button or when you lose your current power. The amount of power ups has decreased from SMB3, but the addition of Yoshi keeps Super Mario World up to par.
The Mushroom: Powers Mario up, allows you to break blocks with your exponentially bigger head. No special power is granted, but you can take an additional hit from small Mario form.
The Cape: Flying reinvented. Pick up a feather and your ready for flight.The Cape is the replacement for the raccoon tail in SMB3 and works in a similar manner. Pick up speed, jump and fly away. Enemies can be hit when spinning as well. The new addition is the ability to dive bomb while flying, and to use the cape as a sort of parachute slowing your descent and sustain long distance flight (by alternately pressing left and right). One hit and your small.
Fire Flower: Not much has changed, use the fire power to fry enemies with a single button press. The additional power is using the A button spin jump which shoots fire in all directions. One hit and your small.
Yoshi: The dinosaur allows you to take an additional hit without losing any powers. When hit Yoshi runs away but can be re-obtained by simply jumping on his back again (watch out for pitfalls because Yoshi will plummet to his death.) There are many different Yoshis hidden throughout the world see the hidden level section for links to guides leading you to these colorful dinos.
The Star: Invincibility is granted for a limited time, kill whatever you can as fast as you can, kill many enemies in a row and gain extra lives.
Green Mushroom: 1up
Moon: 3up, the other celestial body in SMW is a real treat. These are truly a rarity and are very well hidden in the levels.
P Balloon: Mario inflates for a limited time and floats around. You have complete control in any direction, but are very slow moving.
Wings: Can only be used when riding Yoshi. Hop into the wings with Yoshi and gain the ability to fly throughout the entire level. These are truly a rare item and are vital in reaching some of the games secrets.
NOTE: In the GBA version the cape and fire flower allow you to take 2 hits. One reverts you back to Mushroom Power state, and the next makes you small Mario.
BOSS GUIDE
Reccuring Boss: Reznor
Reznor: Reznor are recurring dinosaur like bosses that are fought on a revolving platform. Each Battle starts with a floor over lava which slowly disappears as the battle rages on. The strategy is to quickly kill the first by hitting the bottom of the platform it is standing on, then jump onto its platform as soon as possible. Once on the rotating platform wait for the next Reznor to be directly overhead and jump to kill it and land on your platform again. Now you can jump between the two free platforms to eliminate the others by hitting them from below in the same manner.
Iggy Koopa
There are 2 ways to defeat Iggy Koopa, the point of both is to knock him off the platform he and Mario/Luigi is on. The first method is to jump on his head when the side Iggy is on is at its lowest point to knock him off, the second is to use fire power to do the same thing from a distance. This is a really simple boss fight, but may require you to jump on his head or shoot fire at him more than one time as he can only be killed by falling to his death in the lava below.
Morton Koopa
Morton Koopa is the easiest Boss in the entire game, thought there are not many really hard bosses in general. You are in a room with enclosed with 2 walls on each side and a floor and ceiling. You can kill Morton before he ever reaches the left wall by jumping on his head 3 times (giving time between each hit for him to revert back to his original shape)
Lemmy Koopa
The Battle against Lemmy Koopa is the first battle that takes at least some thought. The room is enclosed by walls with a series of pipes in the middle forming a platform that you stand on, and that Lemmy hides in. There is one real Lemmy and 2 fakes which are incredibly easy to tell apart. The Key is to jump on the real Lemmy 3 times and avoid the lone fire ball that circulates the room. If you accidentally hit the fake Lemmy, you will not die, but it will reset the position of all them if you do not quickly strike Lemmy.
Ludwig von Koopa
Ludwig is another easy boss, His main attack is shooting fireballs out of his mouth. When you hit the Komposing Koopa on his head he retracts into his shell and comes flying at you, dodge this attack, he will then shoot fireballs again. Rinse and Repeat… 3 hits kill him.
Roy Koopa
Roy Koopa is an interesting battle, it is very similar to the battle with Morton except this time the walls close in on you and Roy is more dangerous. You must defeat him before the walls close in completely and kill you. Jump on his head 3 times to defeat him. After each hit he will walk around the walls and walk on the ceiling and jump down at you, which is where your next opportunity to hit him.
Wendy O. Koopa
The Battle with Wendy is exactly the same as the battle with Lemmy, but their are now 2 fire balls which make the battle slightly more difficult. To make things easier try to be sure to have at least mushroom power so that you can take an extra hit before dying. Otherwise just follow the same strategy as Lemmy, but be much more selective in when to attack Wendy.
Larry Koopa
Larry Koopa is actually pretty hard even for Mario Veterans. The battle set up is identical to the battle with Iggy (the tilting platform), but with some painful new editions: There are 3 fireballs on the left, middle and right of the platform as well as Larry own fire ball attack that slides across the ground at you. You have to jump on Larry When he is standing between the fire balls to knock him off the side as you did with Iggy. I would suggest having at least a mushroom power to take a hit, but a fire flower would be infinitely more helpful as fireballs can also knock him of the side. If you are not precise and careful it may take more than one attempt… I tend to have much more trouble with Larry if I don’t have a power of some sort than I do with Bowser with no power.
Bowser
Bwahaha you made it to Bowser… but the battle with him is much more complex than every other boss in this game. Try to make it to the battle with some sort of power, because you will likely take some hits. If you have nothing don’t be way too worried as the Princess helps you out at the shift between each stage of the battle by giving you a mushroom (Just don’t let it go off the screen). This fight can be separated into 3 parts
PART I: Normal Bowser
In the Initial part of the battle Bowser simply swoops left and right in a “U” shape, coming to his lowest point in the middle… so avoid the middle of the screen. Eventually he will start throwing out Mecha Koopas, the weird little wind-up-toys, 2 at a time. The idea is to hit a Mecha Koopa on the head, pick it up, and toss it upward (pick it up by holding Y, then hold up and release Y…. if you are playing on GBA same idea, but use the B button. To get some extra height on the toss you can release the shell in the same manner, but while jumping). It takes 2 hits on the top of Bowser’s head to initiate the next phase of the battle, but before it starts there is a strange interlude where Bowser leaves the screen and fire rains down in 2 waves, which CAN KILL YOU. Avoid the first wave and then the second (the first wave will start disappearing as the 2nd starts coming down so use that to your advantage.)
PART II: Bowling Ball
In this phase Bowser drops a bowling ball on you that rolls across the ground until it leaves the screen, avoid it by jumping over it or spin jumping off of it. Be particularly careful jumping over the ball when you are close to Bowser’s Propeller. He will continually do this, just hang in there until he throws out more Mecha Koopas… keep dodging and throw the Mecha Koopas up at him the same way you did in Part I. 2 hits will do him in… another firestorm occurs DODGE IT.
PART III: Bouncing
In this phase Bowser hops up and down in attempt to crush you, Run and slide to make it under him and run away to avoid dying. He will pause his bouncing barrage and throw out some Mecha Koopas (which he can kill if you have them in flattened form…the form they take when you jump on the once), you already know what to do. 2 more hits and he’s dead. Good Job.
Re-Releases
Super Mario World was included in a special compilation on the SNES after its initial release: “Super Mario AllStars + World” which included enhanced SNES remakes of the NES Mario Classics (including the previously unreleased Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2, entitled the lost levels in All Stars.) Super Mario World has also become readily available to today’s players. It has been re-released in an updated version on the Gameboy Advance handheld system. This new version features a few gameplay changes including Mario and Luigi character differences, A player with the cape or flower being able to take more hits, and power up placement changes. The GBA version is all the fun of the original with the added bonus of gba linkability and Super Mario Bros. Arcade. The video below, provided by youtube, is an unbelievably thorough examination of the SNES to GBA differences. (See the Amazon Spotlight widget to the right if you are interested in purchasing this version.)
Also for the more modern wii system the game has been re-released in its original SNES form available to download on the expansive virtual console network. The Wii emulation of this game is near flawless and cheap. The Wii version however does require the use of the Wii Classic Controller (or Gamecube Controller) and an internet connection (for the download) to play.
I am very pleased with the increase in availability of this game over the years. When i was forced to sell this game when my SNES broke i was pretty pissed, but luckily I was able to re-attain it on various other consoles to compensate for the tragic loss. These re-releases allow for an entirely new generation (and an older generation with broken consoles) to enjoy one of the best games on the SNES, and maybe one of the best games ever made.
SNES to GBA Differences PART 1
SNES to GBA Differences PART 2
SNES to GBA Differences PART 3
The Secret Areas
Super Mario World has one of the most extensive world maps of any Mario game and many levels and many secret goals in each level to unlock alternate routes and even secret worlds.
[I take no credit for this incredible guide it is solely the property of the author, StarFighters76. ].
The most interesting of the secret worlds are the Star Road and Special World areas. In Star Road each level can be beaten two different ways, one of which requires a keyhole hidden rather discretely in each. To add to the fun each level has its own unique yoshi egg, that hatches when approached by the player. At this point you have to hold the baby yoshi (in the same manner you would hold a shell) and feed it until its maturity by eating enemies. When grown each one of these Yoshis have their own ability when holding ANY color shell in its mouth. For example Blue Yoshi sprouts wings when eating any Koopa Shell (regardless of its color), while Green Yoshi needs to specifically eat a Blue shell to Fly. This flying ability is invaluable and makes finding the secrets in levels throughout the normal game infinitely easier. What are the rest of the Yoshi Powers? I don’t want to ruin it, but if you are interested you can check the Star World Guide provided.
[All these guides are property of Strategy Wiki and its authors. Very Concise Guides to each Level]
The Special world is a collection of the most challenging levels, seen no where else in the game all with hilarious titles like gnarly and tunular to name a few. Each level has some sort of gimmick that makes it difficult. For example one level you may have to use P-Balloons to maneuver through a level, but the power runs out quickly limiting the time you can waste dodging enemies before picking up the next balloon.
Special World Guide Starts Here
[once again not my property]
With such a large amount of secrets it is easy to see why Super Mario World has one of the highest replayability value of all games especially if you don’t use walkthroughs (why spoil the fun). A hint: every level on the world map designated by a red dot can be beaten two ways. (Keep an eye out for Ghost Houses because they usually have multiple goals, but don’t have any tell I am aware of)
Star Road Video Guide