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"First Released: 1990 (SNES) Now Available On: Virtual Console  Nintendo has an impressive track record when it comes to redefining genres. Since the early days of the NES, the Big N has played an instrumental part in shaping gaming as we know it. In 1990 the company first entered the 16-bit arena with the launch of the SNES, and the console&amp;#039;s launch title Super Mario World soon became the yardstick by which all side-scrolling platformers would be measured for a generation. We&amp;#039;d all seen Mario before. The dungaree-wearing plumber had already achieved global dominance with the Super Mario Bros series on NES and his myriad cameos in other Nintendo franchises. However, Mario World rewrote the book on 2D platforming and took the award-winning formula above and beyond. The game highlighted what a giant leap the transition from 8-bit to 16-bit really was. There was no comparison between Miyamoto and his team&amp;#039;s latest work and its predecessor Super Mario Bros 3, from a technological standpoint at least.  The gaming giant took everything about the Mario blueprint that worked, and expanded on it tenfold. Compared to the NES&amp;#039;s limited colour palette, the vibrant visuals looked resplendent. It was still your traditional platforming experience, but dozens of new mechanics were added, all of which enriched the overall experience. For instance, Mario could now perform a spinning jump to break blocks from above, throw objects vertically and pull off a range of new aerodynamic manoeuvres when equipped with the cape. The game also saw the debut of gaming&amp;#039;s favourite dinosaur Yoshi, who opened up yet more gameplay avenues. Allowing Mario or Luigi to hitch a ride on his back and devouring foes, Yoshi proved an invaluable assert players and went on to be a prominent fixture in Nintendo&amp;#039;s universe. Like previous Mario titles, this wasn&amp;#039;t exactly a plot-driven affair. After defeating Bowser and the Koopa Kids at the end of Mario 3, Mario, Luigi and Princess Toadstool decide to take a vacation in a place called Dinosaur Land. Why anyone would want to take a holiday in a place inhabited by prehistoric beasts is something of a mystery, but at least the place had a beach for them to kick back on. Unfortunately, while they were unwinding there, Bowser showed up and nabbed Toadstool yet again. And rest of the story is pretty much interchangeable with the previous Mario games, give or take.  There were seven worlds to beat in total, but the number of levels in each varied. Moreover, players could carve out their own route across the overworld map by discovering secret exits in certain stages. There were a total of 96 exits to find in total - a staggering amount of content for an early nineties title - and those who found them all earned the ultimate bragging rights. The concept of secret levels would go on to become a recurring feature in the Mario series, as would many of the other concepts the game introduced, such as the mind boggling ghost houses and the option to revisit areas to gather power-ups. The secret behind Mario World&amp;#039;s success lay largely in gameplay. Put simply, Nintendo perfected the platforming formula here. Few other games in history came close to matching it where fun is concerned, and few have since. Of course, it was a technological marvel in its day, providing an effective showcase for the new SNES&amp;#039;s graphical and sonic capabilities. It still holds up well today in this respect. Some of the sprites might look rough around the edges, but it maintains all of its charm. Just hearing that Yoshi&amp;#039;s Island theme tune is enough to make us ache with nostalgia.  Naturally, Miyamoto and co. had another smash hit on its hands. The game eventually sold a staggering 20 million copies worldwide and gained an enviable legacy. Mario World spawned an animated series by DiC Entertainment, stacks of merchandise and even inspired a Hollywood film starring Bob Hoskins, John Leguizamo and Dennis Hopper (though it had virtually nothing to do with the game). An unofficial sequel titled Super Mario&amp;#039;s Wacky Worlds entered development for the Philips CD-i, though the project was soon shelved due to the platform&amp;#039;s commercial failure. Nintendo has officially re-released the game three times. The first time was in 1994 as part of the second Super Mario All-Stars collection. A Game Boy Advance port followed in 2001, before the title found its way to the Wii&amp;#039;s Virtual Console download service in 2006. In summary, Super Mario World was the jewel in Nintendo&amp;#039;s crown in 1990, and remains one of its its greatest accomplishments to date. It remained the pinnacle of 2D platforming for so many years, and has never lost its appeal. This remains one of the iconic plumber&amp;#039;s definitive outings, and a contender for the title of most influential platformer of all time. Do you have any fond memories of Super Mario World? Write a comment in the space below!  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/retro-corner/news/a315958/retro-corner-super-mario-world/>