Super Mario World

   

Super Mario World
box of Super Mario World
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Designer: Shigeru Miyamoto
Release date: 1991
Genre: Platform game
Game modes: Single player, multiplayer
ESRB rating: Everyone (E)
Platform: Super Famicom/Super NES
Media: 16-megabit cartridge
Super Mario World title screen
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Super Mario World title screen

Super Mario World was the first game made for the Super Famicom for its Japanese release, and the Super Nintendo for its release in North America and Europe. The game has also been released for Game Boy Advance as Super Mario Advance 2. It was first released in August 1991. Its sequel is Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

The game was produced by Shigeru Miyamoto and the music was composed by Koji Kondo. The graphics were designed by Shigefumi Hino.

Super Mario World featured the first appearance of Mario's dinosaur friend Yoshi. Here, Yoshis appear in four different colors (green, yellow, red, and blue), each with slightly different abilities. The plot of the game involves Mario and Luigi trying to save Princess Peach Toadstool and Yoshi's friends from King Bowser and his Koopalings, who have returned despite their defeat in Super Mario Bros. 3.

Mario mounted on Yoshi
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Mario mounted on Yoshi

The gameplay action is sidescrolling as in previous Mario games and it takes advantage of the Super Nintendo's 16-bit graphics and stereo audio. The game consists of a journey through levels in seven worlds: Yoshi's Island, Donut Plains, Vanilla Dome, Cookie Mountain, Forest of Illusion, Chocolate Island, and the Valley of Bowser. There are also two secret worlds, the Star Road and Special Zone (accessed via the Star Road) which can be found by completing secondary goals in specific levels.

The game has often been compared to Super Mario Bros., in the sense that both games "set the bar" for all subsequent sidescrollers released on their respective systems. Super Mario World introduced many now common concepts to action gaming, such as giving the player the ability to re-visit levels to find overlooked secrets. It was one of the first games to reward the player for "getting 100%" (finding all the secret areas in the levels), a concept which has become very popular. It is still considered by many to be one of the greatest games ever for its simple and creative gameplay.

Figure 1. Super Mario World uses different techniques to give a three dimensional look for the game.
Figure 1. Super Mario World uses different techniques to give a three dimensional look for the game.

In addition, with the capabilities of the SNES, Super Mario World displays early enhancements in graphics. All of the objects and characters in game moved from the flat sprites in the NES to a more three dimensional look. This was one of the first games to utilize different techniques of shading and lighting that accomplish this. For example, in Figure 1, Goomba is shown with specular highlighting, while Mario's front is brighter than his shaded back. This indicates the light source for the rendering is located in the top right corner of the game screen.

A copy of Super Mario World came with each Super Nintendo upon the system's release in Europe and America, although this package deal was later dropped. Due to this promotion, Super Mario World remains one of the world's best-selling video games.

Fire Flower in Super Mario World
Fire Flower in Super Mario World

Super Mario World was included in a special version of Super Mario All-Stars, called Super Mario All-Stars/Super Mario World, released in 1998.

See also

Our sister project, Wikibooks provides an in-progress electronic strategy guide for Super Mario World.

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