Here we have one of the greatest video games of all time. A 2D platformer that’s a masterpiece of the genre—and it kickstarted the SNES’ life.

Super Mario World

Heck, some people even go out of their way to say this is the best Mario game ever!

You can make a strong argument for this, although we think the sublime Mario Galaxy and the phenomenal Super Mario 3D World wrap things up there.

This isn’t to denigrate Super Mario World. Oh, no! We’re far too young and clever for that.

It’s a dismally wet and windy day here in Manchester, signalling the end of summer 2016 once and for all.

What better way to make things salubrious than by turning to this awesome, uplifting, wonderful, and fun game?

Although it was first released in 1990 in Nippon as a launch title with the SNES, with its crisp, clear, and colourful graphics, it looks like a modern indie game.

When complemented by its chirpy music, the aesthetic look is done to perfection, although some critics at the time (idiotically) complained that the graphical step up wasn’t as impressive as with the latest Sonic game.

Anyway, to this day it enjoys much attention—even in the speedrunning community.

The passage of time has done its magic and such complaints are long forgotten – the reviews say it all. This is simply a monument to perfection.

It also followed the masterpiece that is Super Mario Bros. 3, which is kind of a clear indication of the power of retro gaming. These titles have aged so wondrously, which is… wondrous. They put many modern titles to shame.

Super Mario World also introduced Yoshi for the first time, who has since become a favourite amongst fans.

He was brilliant on Mario Kart 64 (our character of choice) and is great fun on here before he (it?) went on to head up the prequel in 1995.

However, the first one shifted some 20 million copies and is now an iconic title in the industry.

We write about it today simply because it will make your life so much more enjoyable. Which is good, non?

Superb Mario

Over the years, we’ve slowly worked our way through the Mario franchise on this blog.

What is the lasting appeal of these games? Why do grown men such as Mr. Wapojif crumble in glee before what could be construed as a “kid’s game”?

Why does Yoshi’s Island still make us nauseous with cutesy glee?

Well for a start, the majority of Nintendo’s games are clearly made for all ages. We mean, no kid is ever going to complete Super Mario World—it’s too difficult.

The level of imagination and the challenges presented by the games ensure they’re adult friendly, and why shouldn’t adults engage in this wonderful form of escapism?

The Mario games are also notorious (in the good form of notoriety, as in: “You see Cutthroat Bill over there? He’s notorious for being a total darling!”) for being exceptionally good.

This is why we nudge you in the direction of a 3DS or Wii U—download Super Mario World off there and revel in the brilliance. This is why gaming can be so marvellous.

Additionally, the latest entry to the franchise, Paper Mario: Colour Splash, will be hitting the shelves pretty gosh darned soon. Reasons to be cheerful? Yes.