Super Mario World (US): A Classic Platform Game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
If you are a fan of platform games, video games, or Nintendo, chances are you have heard of or played Super Mario World at some point in your life. This game is widely considered as one of the best and most influential games ever made, not only for its genre but for the entire medium. In this article, we will explore what makes Super Mario World so special, how it works, what it offers, and why it still matters today.
Introduction
Super Mario World is a platform game developed by Nintendo EAD and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1990 in Japan, 1991 in North America, and 1992 in Europe. It is the fourth main installment in the Super Mario series, following Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
The game follows the adventures of Mario and his brother Luigi, two plumbers who travel to a new land called Dinosaur Land, where they meet friendly dinosaurs called Yoshis. Their goal is to rescue Princess Peach, who has been kidnapped by their arch-nemesis Bowser, the king of the Koopas. Along the way, they have to face Bowser’s minions, such as Koopas, Goombas, Piranha Plants, Boos, and more.
The game features a side-scrolling perspective, where the player controls either Mario or Luigi through various levels filled with enemies, obstacles, coins, power-ups, secrets, and bosses. The game also introduces a world map system, where the player can choose which level to play next from a set of interconnected paths. The game also allows for two-player cooperative or competitive mode, where one player controls Mario and the other controls Luigi.
The game was a huge success both critically and commercially, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and becoming the best-selling game for the SNES. It also received universal acclaim from critics and players alike, who praised its graphics, music, gameplay, level design, replay value, and innovation. It won several awards and honors, such as being ranked as the best game of all time by various publications and websites. It also influenced many other platform games and video games in general, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Donkey Kong Country, Rayman, Banjo-Kazooie, Super Meat Boy, and more.
If you want to experience or relive the magic of Super Mario World, you have several options. You can play the original game on a SNES console or an emulator, if you have access to them. You can also play the game on other Nintendo devices, such as the Game Boy Advance, the Wii, the Wii U, the 3DS, and the Switch, through various ports, remakes, or virtual console services. You can also play the game online on various websites that offer flash or HTML5 versions of the game. No matter how you play it, you are guaranteed to have a blast with Super Mario World.
The Story and Characters of Super Mario World (US)
Super Mario World continues the story of Mario and Luigi from previous games in the series. After defeating Bowser and his army in Super Mario Bros. 3, Mario and Luigi decide to take a vacation to Dinosaur Land, a mysterious island inhabited by dinosaurs and other creatures. However, as soon as they arrive, they discover that Bowser has invaded the island and kidnapped Princess Peach again. He has also taken over the seven regions of Dinosaur Land, each ruled by one of his children, the Koopalings. Mario and Luigi must travel through each region, rescue Peach, and stop Bowser’s evil plans.
Along the way, they meet new friends and foes. The most notable ones are the Yoshis, a race of colorful dinosaurs that can help Mario and Luigi by carrying them on their backs and eating enemies with their tongues. There are four types of Yoshis in the game: green, red, blue, and yellow. Each one has a different ability depending on what kind of shell they eat. For example, green Yoshis can spit out shells, red Yoshis can breathe fire, blue Yoshis can fly, and yellow Yoshis can stomp the ground. Mario and Luigi can also find eggs that hatch into baby Yoshis, which they can feed until they grow into adult Yoshis.
The game also introduces new enemies and bosses for Mario and Luigi to face. Some of them are variations of existing enemies from previous games, such as Koopas, Goombas, Piranha Plants, Boos, etc. Some of them are new enemies that are unique to Dinosaur Land, such as Rexes, Chargin’ Chucks, Blarggs, Monty Moles, etc. The game also features new bosses at the end of each region’s castle or fortress. These include the Koopalings (Iggy, Morton Jr., Lemmy, Ludwig, Roy, Wendy, and Larry), Reznor (a group of four fire-breathing triceratops), Big Boo (a giant ghost), and Bowser himself. Each boss has a different attack pattern and weakness that the player has to figure out and exploit.
The game also features a variety of worlds and levels for Mario and Luigi to explore. There are seven main regions in Dinosaur Land: Yoshi’s Island, Donut Plains, Vanilla Dome, Twin Bridges, Forest of Illusion, Chocolate Island, and Valley of Bowser. Each region has a different theme, such as grassland, desert, cave, sky, forest, mountain, and lava. Each region also has a number of levels that the player can access from the world map. Some levels are mandatory to progress the story, while others are optional or hidden. Some levels also have multiple exits that lead to different paths on the world map. The game also has a secret world called Star World, which can be accessed by finding hidden star-shaped portals in certain levels. Star World has five levels that connect to different regions of Dinosaur Land, as well as a secret boss called Star Road. The game also has a special world called Special Zone, which can be accessed by completing Star World. Special Zone has eight levels that are more challenging and have different names and graphics than the rest of the game.
The Power-ups and Items of Super Mario World (US)
Super Mario World also introduces new power-ups and items for Mario and Luigi to use in their quest. Power-ups are objects that grant Mario and Luigi special abilities or transformations when they touch them. Items are objects that can be collected and stored for later use. Some power-ups and items are common and can be found in most levels, while others are rare and can only be found in specific levels or situations.
Some of the power-ups and items in Super Mario World are: