Super Mario World is the fourth game in the Mario series and is often considered one of the greatest. It was first released in Japan in November of 1990. It was a phased rollout, which finished with the European release in April of 1992.
The side-scrolling platformer is one of the most complex games of its time and still holds a special place in many players hearts today. It was one of the defining games of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and was a huge leap for the franchise. It was a truly epic adventure and it really feels like an entire world is contained on that tiny plastic cartridge.
The story charts Mario’s quest to save Princess Toadstool and Dinosaur Land from Bowser and his Koopalings. It uses many of the same features as the earlier Mario games and is a direct sequel to Super Mario Bros. 3. It’s also the first Mario game to feature Yoshi, Mario’s faithful animal companion.
Much of the nostalgic charm is because of the games many levels and incredible attention to detail. It drove the franchise to new heights and pushed the limits of the technology of the time. Over the years players have discovered many secrets about the game. Hidden worlds, secret exits, and tiny details define this title and some are still being found even now.
Here are 20 of those hidden details that you may have missed the first time around.
20 You Can Hack The Timer
The time limit is a staple of Mario games but in Super Mario World you can exploit a glitch to hijack the time to reset it.
Once it hits below 100 and the music speeds up if you have Yoshi you can east a green berry to bring the timer back up above 100. When the timer drops back down again the music will speed up faster and faster. This continues until the music is playing very very fast.
There is also a glitch which occasionally freezes your timer. If it goes wrong however it can also crash your game or delete your save file so it’s not recommended.
19 Star World Has A Secret
Star World is the eight level in the game and is a real challenge. You have to reach it via the star roads which are found by beating 5 different levels with extra exits in. These are Donut Plains, the Vanilla Dome, the Twin Bridges, the Forest of Illusion and The Valley of Bowser
Star World itself is a series of short stages in which you can collect a range of Yoshi.
Each of these come with subtly different properties which is not always immediately obvious. You must find and enter all the secret second exits in order to fully complete the Star World and gain access to the secret world, another hidden level.
18 Yoshi Was Supposed To Be A Koopa
Although Shigeru Miyamoto had waited years for technology to catch up enough to have Mario ride an animal Yoshi was originally planned as a Koopa.
He took traits from Tamagon in Devil World, such as eating objects and hatching eggs, and was originally planned to just fight alongside Mario. The ideas merged together and Yoshi’s shell became a saddle and he was evolved into the lovable animal we know today.
Another quirky Yoshi fact is that in the Japanese version of the game he can eat the dolphins. It’s thought that this was changed over here due to cultural differences.
17 You Can “Beat” The Game In 5 Minutes
As you will probably have guessed this is a hack but it is one of the more complex and interesting ones I’ve seen. It involves going into the games first world and performing a series of pixel-perfect moves to trigger a specific series of events.
It was first discovered in late 2014 by Jeffw356 and later performed on the console by SethBling. It works due to the fact Mario’s actions change code in the game. If you perform a very specific chain of commands you can write a code which will trigger a credits warp that will send you to the end of the game.
16 The Secret World
After you’ve beaten Star World you can gain access to the Secret World. This zone is the end of a long line of secrets, subtly blended together.
Here there are no easy to find rewards, instead you will encounter a series of grueling platform challenges.
There is a snow capped stage known as Awesome, which involves navigating mountains while bullet bills are aimed at your head. Alongside this is a 300 second time limited gauntlet known as Outrageous. All 8 levels are fiendishly difficult and are often compared to The Lost Levels.
15 You Can Remove Big Boo Really Easily
Big Boo is one of the most notorious bosses in game. Players were usually stuck jumping on trampolines and trying to spin jump over him. Both choices were difficult and often caused issues.
However, it turns out that when you are in the haunted mansion levels, you can dispatch Big Boo by sliding down the stairs and wiping him out in seconds.
When this was reported last year many players freaked out to discover they’d been making the game much harder for themselves without even realizing.
14 The Secret World Is A Game Changer
If you complete Star World and unlock and defeat the Secret World it will bring some significant changes to the rest of your game.
Enter the normal game after completing the Secret World’s 8 challenging levels and you will find enemies altering their appearances and the seasons changing from spring to fall on the overworld maps.
Although these are only cosmetic changes its a nice hidden reward showcasing the layers of creativity and thought that went into this game.
13 Racoon Mario Was In The Game
Although many aspects of the game were unique, others were taken directly from earlier games in the series. The most prominent of these are the power ups. Super Mario, Fire Mario and Star Power all make an appearance. Racoon Mario however is notable in his absence.
Some early footage of the game actually shows Racoon Mario present and correct. The shipped game however contains no trace of him. It is thought that this is due to the addition of Yoshi, who provides the same flying power up as the Racoon mechanic did.
12 Super Mario World Spawned A TV Series
Super Mario World is actually the third animated Super Mario series and is based on the game of the same name. It ran for just 1 season back in 1991.
The season comprises just 13 episodes in total.
It ran alongside 7 episodes of Captain N: The Game Master, a show incorporating many different video game characters. Super Mario World was criticized for its animation and writing quality as well as its pitch towards preschoolers. However it later gained a small cult following when it was released online with some quotes and scenes ending up as memes and in mashup or remix videos.
11 An Easter Egg Wrapped In A Secret
The Special World was a nice addition in itself but within it there are other hidden details you’ve likely missed.
Firstly the top of the zone contains the logo for the Super Famicom, an international version of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Although most SNES players will likely miss this, it’s a nice nod to the wider audience.
There is also an easter egg within the games music. If you stay on the map for a few minutes the music will change and you’ll be treated to a remix of the overworld theme from the original Super Mario Bros.
10 The Sunken Ghost Ship Has Been Seen Before
Super Mario World is actually a direct sequel to Super Mario Bros. 3 and the Sunken Ghost Ship level in World 7 pays homage to this.
If you pay attention to the detail on the ship you will notice that it is one of the Koopalings airships from Super Mario Bros. 3.
It’s the only level where a magic ball appears as well as being the only one to features Boos (outside of the ghost houses) Both of these features are also present on the original ship, making a nice link between the 2 games.
9 You Can Find Bowser After 11 Stages
A speed run without exploits can actually be done in around 20 minutes and will take you to Bowser on the 12th stage. It is commonly known as the “11 Exit” speed run.
It takes advantage of all the shortcuts and secret exits, going from the Donut Plains to Star Road, then using 4 levels of Star World to get to the Valley of Bowser.
A casual player will likely find they can face Bowser in around 45 minutes to an hour after starting. Once he is defeated you will see those infamous end credits, with no knowledge of glitches required.
8 It’s Miyamoto’s Favorite Game
The series creator Shingeru Miyamoto has often spoken about how Super Mario World is his favorite game in the Mario franchise. Although this is often accompanied by some frustration about the technology limits of the time he still remains proud of the title.
It’s understandable since it is so well thought out and executed. It was also his chance to introduce Yoshi, thought to have been a concept which dated back to the first Super Mario Bros. game. Some of his other ideas that were feasible in this game came to fruition in later Mario titles.
7 It’s A Game Of Firsts
Super Mario World was the first game to really explore the idea of exploration for the fun of it. The game is chock full of secret exits, hidden worlds and quirky features. Often exiting a level by an alternative exit would make a subtle change in another level, usually uncovering another exit.
The other first was the ability to save the game.
Prior to this the technology either didn’t exist or hadn’t yet been implemented. The original Legend of Zelda was the first Nintendo game to utilize saves. Although Super Mario Bros. 3 was released a year later, it was Super Mario World which was the first in the Mario series to use save technology.
6 Technology Limited The Game
Although Super Mario World is more complex that any Mario game which came before it there were still limits imposed on its creation by the technology of the time. The game cartridge space and the restrictions in detail meant some ideas never happened.
The idea of having several difficulty levels to the game was one destined for the scrapheap.
Another doomed idea was adding an overworld Koopaling to drag players into levels. This was a concept that had also been mooted in Super Mario Bros. 3, albeit in a slightly different way, and subsequently scrapped for the same reason.
5 A Dinosaur Takes Its Name From A Rock Band
The Reznor are fire-breathing Triceratops, cursed by Bowser. They are mid-level bosses found in fortresses in Dinosaur Land. Super Mario World marked their debut and they have since been found in several other Mario games.
They are named after Trent Reznor from the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails.
You can also find Rip Van fish in the game. A sleeping variation of cheep cheeps who are named after the literary character Rip Van Winkle who fell asleep for 20 years. Don’t get too close though because these fish will wake up!
4 The Forest Feels Familiar
There are many crossover references between the Legend of Zelda and Mario series. Given both were created by Shigeru Miyamoto it’s not surprising. They are a nice touch and there are several to spot across both series.
In Super Mario World the reference comes in the form of the Forest of Illusion world. This world can be confusing for players as it often takes you in circles. If you complete the levels using only the standard exits then you get caught in a loop. This is a very clear nod to playing Link in the Lost Woods, a recurring location in the Zelda franchise.
3 The Secret Level Is In Plain Sight
Although the secret level of the game is considered one of the best hidden areas in the series you will recognize it when you get there. This is because its design is actually used in the title screen.
The secret level is literally the first thing you see.
It just so happens that you don’t know it yet. If you watch the title sequence it is 30 seconds of the fifth level in the Special World, called Groovy. Although it has a couple of subtle differences it is very much recognizable.
2 The Game Boosted The SNES
Super Mario World is the best selling SNES game by far. It sold over 20.61 million copies, almost twice the 10.55 million of Super Mario All Stars, which sits at second place.
It was met with universal acclaim and its huge sales helped boost the SNES at a time when Nintendo were facing stiff competition from Sega and Sonic The Hedgehog.
The intricacies and details of the game helped Mario hold his own against the flash blue hedgehog who would later cross over to play him at sports.
1 A Speed Runners Dream Glitch Was Discovered In 2014
It sounds bizarre that 23 years after a games release people are still making discoveries about it but that’s exactly what happened with Super Mario World.
In 2014 a YouTuber known as A+Start discussed an obscure glitch that his friend Masterjun3 had discovered.
By executing a series of specific tasks in the second level of Yoshi’s Island you can gain a Lakitu cloud. This then allows you to fly through the levels easily. It’s not easy to pull off however as the move can end Mario or crash your game.