Super Mario World

When the Super Nintendo console launched in Japan in 1990, it was accompanied by a title destined to become one of the most important platformers in history. Super Mario World by Nintendo EAD, led by Shigeru Miyamoto, was not merely the launch game of a new generation, but for many remains to this day the pinnacle of the entire genre of two-dimensional platformers.

The game introduced Yoshi, the friendly dinosaur who became an icon just like Mario himself. The ability to ride him, swallow enemies, and use his abilities added an entirely new dimension to the proven recipe. To that was added the famously fine-tuned handling and pacing, on which Miyamoto's team took exceptional care.

The real gem, however, is the structure of the world. Super Mario World offers a huge, interconnected map with 96 exits, secret paths, and hidden areas like Star Road or the legendary Special World. Discovering shortcuts and uncovering hidden passages turns playing into a little adventure, where the reward for curiosity is hidden literally around every corner.

Commercially it was an enormous success: the game sold more than twenty million copies and became one of the best-selling titles on the SNES ever. In doing so it helped define the success of the entire console and cemented Nintendo at the top of the gaming industry in the early 1990s.

Culturally, Super Mario World is a work that regularly appears in rankings of the best games of all time and became a benchmark against which other 2D platformers are measured. Its design, music, and atmosphere remain fresh and accessible to new generations of players to this day.

Why play: Perhaps the best 2D platformer ever, with Yoshi's debut and a huge world full of secrets, which still entertains decades later.