Celebrating 30 Years of Super Mario World
Posted on:
by:
It's a big year for Mario anniversaries - given that Nintendo is currently celebrating the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. which came out in 1985.
But today on November 21, marks another major anniversary - the 30th anniversary of the original release of Super Mario World and the Super Famicom in Japan. Known as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES or SNES), it was released in North America in 1991, and in Europe in 1992.
THANK YOU for 30 years of Super Mario World!
As someone that was born in 1985, Super Mario World was the game that introduced me to the Mario and Nintendo universe, it did and continues to hold a special place in my heart.
Super Mario World remains one of the best 2D Mario games created, and even today this is a game that still lives on through ROM hacks and as a game style in Super Mario Maker and Super Mario Maker 2.
Why is Super Mario World so beloved? There are many reasons, perhaps the presentation of the game - Mario looks so happy, and much of the game is played to the tune of the upbeat "athletic" music theme. Oh of course, we are introduced to Yoshi who is a great companion in this adventure. Happy 30th birthday to Yoshi as well!
We're introduced to Yoshi for the first time in Super Mario World
Not only that, the gameplay is creative and innovative, many instances of the special Nintendo touch can be found throughout. The examples are numerous:
- Koopa shells providing Yoshi with special abilities depending on colour - blue for flying, yellow for deadly sand clouds, and red for fireballs
- Swimming faster in water while holding a Koopa shell or item
- Spin jumping to bounce off enemies like Piranha Plants that normally can't be touched
- Feeding Baby Yoshi to make him grow into a regular Yoshi
- Yoshi sacrificial jump - dismounting off Yoshi in the air to reach higher spots
- Switch Palaces to fill the dotted blocks with "!" blocks
- Bonus/Secret Areas such as Star World and Special World
- Koopa Clown Car - a new transport device for Bowser and the Koopalings
Many of the mechanics from Super Mario World continue to live on in future Mario games, making this one of the most creative and influential titles released. Super Mario World has an amazing balance, it's both simple to play and also includes plenty of elements that show the depth of the game design.
Today, Super Mario World can be played on Nintendo Switch Online and you can easily create your own SMW-style stages in Super Mario Maker 2. Long live Super Mario World, it's crossed generations!
Enjoy reading this article? Here's more Nintendo and Super Mario content!
Follow @sm128c on social media | Chat with us on Discord!
