Super Mario World is one of the greatest games to ever come to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It features excellent platforming, a catchy soundtrack, and tons of new power-ups and mechanics that would become mainstays of the Mario franchise for many years to come.
But as great as the game is, it is not the only masterpiece to come out on the system. On the contrary, there are a small handful of titles that have actually surpassed Super Mario World in small ways.
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is the Perfect Sequel
A Yoshi’s Island screenshot featuring Yoshi facing a Pirhana Plant.Image via Nintendo
Following up on a game like Super Mario World is a tall order. Since that game introduced Yoshi to the world, Nintendo made the smart decision to make the sequel about the green dinosaur and his relationship to the red plumber. The result was Yoshi’s Island, a game that brought new ways to play to the series.
With Mario being just a little baby, Yoshi must carry him on his back and save his brother Luigi after he is kidnapped by Bowser. With this shift in perspective came a new art style, hand-drawn visuals that felt like a storybook come to life. New platforming mechanics also debuted, showing off Yoshi’s ability to ground pound and throw eggs at enemies, adding new varieties to what Mario was capable of.
CBR Exclusive · Quiz WHICH MARIO CHARACTER ARE YOU? Let’s-a Find Out! The Mushroom Kingdom is packed with heroes, goofballs, royalty, and lovable chaos gremlins. Are you a plucky adventurer, a gracious ruler, a snack-fueled sweetheart — or the one everyone else is running away from? Twenty quick questions stand between you and your true Mushroom Kingdom self. No coins, no lives lost. Promise!
Mario
Peach
Yoshi
Bowser
Donkey Kong
01
It’s Saturday morning — no obligations, no alarms. What are you actually doing? Your ideal free morning says a lot about you!
02
Uh oh — a friend’s in trouble! What do you do? True colors shine when someone needs you most.
03
How would you describe your personal style? What you wear (or don’t care about wearing) is basically your vibe.
04
There’s a big obstacle between you and your goal. You… How you handle a wall reveals your inner character.
05
Okay important question: what’s your ideal meal? You are what you eat. Probably. Maybe. We’ll find out!
06
Someone just challenged you to a competition. Your reaction? How you compete says more than whether you actually win.
07
Dream home? Describe it! Home is where the heart — or the throne room — is.
08
Okay, honest time — what’s your biggest flaw? Even the greatest characters have weak points. It’s fine!
09
Your group can’t agree on a plan. Classic. What do you do? Leadership style really shows up in the messy moments.
10
Halfway there! What actually gets you out of bed in the morning? Your reason for going is your reason for being.
11
You wipe out in front of everyone. A full-on stumble. You: How you handle a stumble is basically your whole character arc.
12
You spot a mystery power-up box! What do you hope pops out? The power you wish for is basically the power you already have.
13
Hanging with your pals — what’s the move? How you party reveals a LOT about a person, honestly.
14
Be honest — how do people actually describe you? Reputation is just the shadow your personality casts.
15
What’s your preferred way to get from A to B? The journey really is part of the whole personality thing.
16
What do you think actually makes someone a hero? Big questions exist even in the Mushroom Kingdom!
17
How do you want to be remembered when the credits roll? The Mushroom Kingdom never forgets its legends.
18
Someone has been making your life difficult for weeks. You: How you handle rivals says everything about you.
19
Which Mario sport were you born to dominate? Athletic choices reveal the competitive soul within.
20
The final boss is RIGHT in front of you. What’s your move?! This is THE moment. Everything leads to this. No pressure!
The Mushroom Kingdom Has Spoken! YOUR MARIO CHARACTER
Your scores are shown below! The character with the highest number is your match. Read their description to see why the Mushroom Kingdom picked you.
Mario
Peach
Yoshi
Bowser
D. Kong
You are the ultimate go-getter! Optimistic, energetic, and endlessly determined — you never let failure keep you down for long. You don’t always have a perfect plan, but you absolutely make up for it with pure heart and relentless effort. People love having you around because you make even the toughest challenges feel like a fun adventure. Let’s-a go!
Gracious, composed, and way more capable than people give you credit for. You’re the kind of person who holds everything together with a warm smile — organizing, caring, and keeping the peace. But underneath all that elegance is real, genuine toughness. You know exactly what you want, you’re very good at getting it, and you do it all without making a single fuss.
Cheerful, loyal, and genuinely beloved by absolutely everyone who meets you. You live fully in the moment, find joy in the simplest things, and make the world a little brighter just by being in it. You’re more capable than your carefree attitude suggests — and when someone truly needs you, you always, always show up. Also, you are definitely thinking about food right now.
Big personality, enormous ambitions, and absolutely zero chill. You want what you want and you are not shy about it at all. People might underestimate the depth behind all the bravado — but you’re fiercely loyal to your inner circle, genuinely hilarious, and when you commit to something, you go all in. You’re a lot. In the very best possible way.
Powerful, free-spirited, and living entirely on your own terms. You don’t follow the rules — you ARE the rules of your own world. You’re fiercely protective of your people and your territory, you love music and a good time, and your strength is matched only by your loyalty. Wild at heart, but there’s so much warmth underneath all that chest-thumping.
Super Mario World is a fantastic game, but Yoshi’s Island pushed the series in a new direction and showed that Mario isn’t the only character that makes the games worth playing.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Made New Leaps and Bounds for the Series
Boss battle against Ganon in A Link to the PastImage via Nintendo
Mario games are always great to have on a Nintendo console, but The Legend of Zelda is in a league of its own. Each game becomes a standout on its respective consoles, and A Link to the Past was no different. Everything that the series was known for from the previous two games was expanded upon in this game while still retaining that classic Zelda feel.
The visuals were a massive upgrade at the time, with Hyrule and the alternate Dark World looking great. The series of dungeons was among the best, as were the boss battles. The soundtrack also featured some heavy hitters, including the enduring Zelda’s Lullaby, which has become a staple of the franchise.
Not since Breath of the Wild 20 years later had a Zelda game been as impactful as A Link to the Past was for the series. It’s one of those SNES games that has truly aged well compared to other classic games.
Donkey Kong Country Gave Mario’s Rival New Life
Mario has always been the platforming king, but that doesn’t mean he can’t share the spotlight. In fact, Donkey Kong Country for the SNES did surpass The Red Plumber’s signature game in certain respects, while also reviving a long dormant franchise and turning it into a Nintendo mainstay for years to come.
Developed by Rare, Donkey Kong Country featured pre-rendered 3D graphics that made the visuals stand out greatly compared to other 16-bit games. It also featured more challenging levels, including vine-swinging and minecart sections that could prove difficult even for experienced gamers. Like Mario, this game can also be played in multiplayer, but it also adds a more competitive mode that pits players against each other to see who can finish the level fastest.
These are the qualities that make Donkey Kong Country stand out more than Super Mario World. The banana-loving ape may not have as many games, but the ones he does have are a cut above the rest.
Star Fox Was a Revolutionary Title
Star Fox Gameplay with Fox flying to an archImage Via Nintendo
Donkey Kong Country pushed boundaries in its visuals, but the SNES game that truly broke new ground in presentation was the original Star Fox. Many people recognize the franchise from Star Fox 64 and its many remakes, including the new Nintendo Switch 2 version.
However, the N64 title was actually a reboot of this game, expanding on the foundations laid by the SNES title. Gameplay revolved around piloting an aircraft and shooting down enemies in on-rails sections, typical for sci-fi games like this. But what made the game stand out was the polygonal 3D graphics, a rarity at the time.
While it looks incredibly dated today, Star Fox’s visual presentation, combined withsolid gameplay and a likable group of characters, pioneered a new way to play on home consoles. Super Mario World is a great-looking game, but its visuals are far from revolutionary.
Super Mario RPG Didn’t Play by the Franchise’s Rules
A Super Mario RPG screenshot featuring Mario and ToadImage via Nintendo
Super Mario World was one of the first Mario games to come to the SNES, and Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was the very last. Thankfully, The Red Plumber’s legacy on the 16-bit console ended on a high note with the first-ever Mario RPG.
Developed by Square Enix, Super Mario RPG transforms the world of Mario into an isometric 3D landscape where Mario and friends engage in turn-based battles against the villainous Smithy Gang. In addition to the solid RPG mechanics that Square is known for, the game also introduced new characters like Mallow and Geno to the series. The latter has gained a large cult following since the game’s release, gaining even more popularity in the 2023 remake.
As great as Super Mario World is, it is still just another platformer. Super Mario RPG truly tried something new. And because of that, games like Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi are allowed to exist.
