One Of The Best Ever?

There are not many games that I have played where I can say that they are worthy of a 'perfect' score. But Super Mario World is as close as they come! Released at the same time, and bundled alongside, the SNES console, I remember pushing the cartridge in and firing it up for the first time around my grandma's house. She only had an old and small tv, but that's all I needed. The now-iconic catchy Super Mario World theme tune began to ring out, and I became transfixed. The beauty was the subtle differences between 8bit and 16bit Mario that you don't initially notice. From the subtle shading on the character sprite to the lift of the hat when Mario jumps in the air, everything had been refined, perfected and it made all the difference. Levels were far more vibrant and varied, with the first level showcasing what was going to become the norm, with a great level design that straight away got you in on the action and familiar with the controls. Mario had a few new moves up his sleeves, but the first real surprise was when you once again slammed your fist into a block and something new emerged. Right from the get-go, we were introduced to the now-iconic green dinosaur, Yoshi. This cute little creature becomes not only Mario's soul mate throughout his journey to once again save Princess Peach but also his saviour in many a situation. He can run across the spikey little enemies or the Munchers without so much as taking a scratch of damage as well as lick up and use Koopa shells. Yoshi became such a popular character after the release of Super Mario World that he has since spawned many games dedicated to him and his kin. <more to follow> As 2D platformers go, this may be the ultimate showcase. The level design was something to behold, with obstacles perfectly placed to allow for the newbie to get to grips relatively quickly, while still offering a challenge to the seasoned professional who is trying to perfect their speed run . The sound design was incredible, with music that still sounds great today and little flourishes of sound effects whenever something happened onscreen. Graphics were ahead of their time and still great today in a world where pixel sprites are making a comeback and the gameplay... Was simply sublime. Pros • Incredible level design • Great graphics • Brilliant (and often Iconic) Sound Design • Introduction of worthy heroes • A vast and varied world Cons • Just want it to keep going ——— Original ratings: • Visual Design: 10/10 • Sound Design: 10/10 • Gameplay: 10/10 • Longevity: 10/10 • Fun: 10/10