17: Super Mario World (1991, Nintendo)
Most longtime Nintendo fans will tell you that the best 2D Super Mario Bros game is either Mario 3 or Mario World. (Protip: it’s 3) But if I’m being honest, it’s truly such a close decision that the only reason I prefer 3 is that it’s more challenging. Super Mario World may be a touch easier, it’s certainly not lacking in the variety and personality of it’s older sibling on the NES.
Nintendo developed Mario World with the intent of showing off every trick the new Super Nintendo could pull off. More color and detail, transparency effects, stereo sound, and many more enemies on screen at once than the NES would have ever been able to handle. When it came out, we got a jaw-dropping tech demo along with a stunningly fun and responsive platformer.
Super Mario World is easily obtainable today on the Virtual Console and Super Nintendo Classic systems. If you’re a fan of Mario, you have to play this classic. It’s really that simple. Even if it’s just for the unreal sight of seeing King Koopa flying around in a bizarre clown-faced helicopter chariot.
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