Sometimes, the only thing wrong with a game is that there just isn’t enough of it. Popular titles that left gamers hungry for more levels and more complex challenges led to the proliferation of ROM hacks, where industrious individuals modify game elements like graphics, level design, and music to create something entirely new. These fan-made games are generally available for free online, giving those who’ve mastered the classics a chance to try a wealth of creative sequels.
SNES favorite Super Mario World has become one of the most popular titles for ROM hacking, which is no surprise since fanatical players have gotten so good at the original that they’ve managed to beat it blindfolded and without using their limbs. Though many of the most popular hacks are “Kaizo,” a Japanese word meaning “reorganize” that has come to signify extreme difficulty in the world of Mario, there are others that are more casual playthroughs. For anyone looking to improve their skills or simply relive the wonder of discovering new levels and secret worlds, these are some of the best SMW ROM hacks for newbies. As for the process of obtaining and installing these games, for that, you’re on your own.
10 Super Mario World: Return To Dinosaur Land
Employing the same basic structure as the original game, including the same bosses, Super Mario World: Return To Dinosaur Land proves that you don’t have to add new mechanics or drastically alter the graphics and music to make a great hack. With 59 levels, including a water world and an ice world, this title is perfect for those who simply wish Super Mario World were longer. And thanks to its hidden bonus areas, it’s got replay value as players attempt to get 100%.
9 New Super Mario World 1: The 12 Magic Orbs
Created by Brazilian Mario fan Rilla Roo, New Super Mario World 1: The 12 Magic Orbs features great level design and an exhausting 112 exits. Employing a barrage of creative power-ups and items, Mario throws ice balls to turn Koopa Troopas into ice blocks, rides in a minecart, and dons the fan-favorite Tanooki suit.
Though it starts out very similar to SMW, hold on, as the game gets more experimental as it goes along. It’s got quicksand, a boomerang suit, and all sorts of other additions you didn’t realize the original game was missing. Once you’ve played the Abstract World or blasted enemies from a spaceship, you’ll realize the possibilities for hacks are truly endless.
8 Super Mario Legacy
One of the longest hacks out there, Super Mario Legacy nonetheless shows a lot of restraint and is perfect for beginners due to its “normal” and “expert” difficulty settings. Creator Ragey has added enemies from Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario Bros. 3 into the mix, as well as some custom elements like Koopas that turn into bombs and a cape that functions a little more like the tail from SMB3. It’s tough, but the difficulty comes not from shell jumps or exploitation of the game’s mechanics, but rather from a consistently frustrating amount of well-placed enemies.
7 Yoshi’s Strange Quest
The original Super Mario World was finally followed up in 1995 with Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. While a fun game in its own right, many fans were disappointed in the sequel because of how different it was from SMW. The 71 levels of Yoshi’s Strange Quest bridge that gap a bit, taking mechanics like egg-throwing and ground pounds and putting them into a game similar to Super Mario World, with Yoshi at its center.
As it attempts to combine the best elements of both games (as well as borrowing from non-Mario titles like Donkey Kong Country), this is a fun and creative hack with bright, colorful graphics, perfect for those who enjoyed Yoshi’s Island but got tired of chasing after Baby Mario all the time.
6 Mario Is Missing! Done Right
One of the least celebrated Mario spinoffs was 1992’s Mario Is Missing!, an educational game that didn’t use Luigi to his full potential. Thankfully, creator Gamma V stepped in and made a full-length hack that lets Luigi shine. The graphics are closer to Super Mario All-Stars, and not every feature of SMW is there, but it includes innovative boss fights and takes things a step further than standard hacks that stick too closely to their source material. The result is a truly original game that stands on its own.
5 Ninji Story
If you’re bored by easier fan-made games but aren’t quite ready to move on to the world of kaizo, consider Ninji Story. Released in 2021, it lets players control one of the most unsung characters in Mario lore, a Ninji, and is designed for intermediate skill levels. This is a bite-sized game full of bite-sized levels, and though difficult, it helps players learn the mechanics necessary to perform the types of precision jumps utilized in more advanced hacks. Anyone who’s taken on Super Expert levels from Super Mario Maker 2 could start here to master the mechanics before moving onto the really challenging stuff.
4 Super Mario World: The Secret Of The 7 Golden Statues
With graphics that look just like the original and fun, complex levels, at first glance Super Mario World: The Secret Of The 7 Golden Statues could be mistaken for a legitimate sequel. Though the boss battles are tough, it isn’t too hard and includes custom mechanics like ground pounds and wall jumps.
Though not compatible with every emulator, this is one fans should seek out, as elements like flying wigglers and bullet cannons that come out of warp pipes are welcome additions, and the story is properly thought-out. Keep an eye out for the snow world reminiscent of Yoshi’s Island and the boss battle featuring the angry sun.
3 SMW 2+3: The Essence Star
A quick game with only 45 exits, SMW 2+3: The Essence Star features elements like creative On/Off switches that will prepare players for the types of custom things they’ll see in more advanced hacks. The game also contains shops where you can use your coins to buy items that will change previous levels, adding an RPG flair to the adventure.
There isn’t an overwhelming amount of enemies, making this title ideal for those whose favorite part of gaming is uncovering hidden exits and secrets. There’s even a spot where Mario picks up his trusty hammer from Donkey Kong and wields it just like in his old arcade days.
2 Learn 2 Kaizo
If you’ve spent hours watching popular streamers take on insane hacks like Grand Poo World 2 or Invictus and wondered how on Earth they got so good, a great place to start is Learn 2 Kaizo. Designed as a kaizo training system, it teaches one advanced trick per level to lay the groundwork necessary to take on really tough games. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to do a spring jump or double shell jump, or even what those things are, you’ll understand fully after struggling through this one.
1 2 Player Co-op Quest!
Though the original SMW definitely still holds up, one thing games like the Donkey Kong Country have always had over Mario games is that they allow two players to play at the same time, rather than alternating levels. 2 Player Co-op Quest! fixes this oversight by adding two-player functionality, but with a twist. The second player doesn’t play as Luigi but instead controls the enemies trying to kill Mario. Despite not having a ton of levels, it’s loads of fun because the difficulty depends on how vicious the player controlling the baddies wishes to be.
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