Unlike you, I DID rent this one when it came out. I recall playing it a lot that weekend, beating it, and thinking, "Really solid game, but not as good as Super Mario World," and then not thinking much about it for a good 15-20 years, until I realized that it was remembered as a cult classic.
I wish I could divorce myself from the nostalgia for Super Mario World, but I don't think I can. The launch of the SNES was the most excited I've ever been for anything in the world of video games, before or since. So while I can recognize, intellectually, the shortcomings of some examples of SMW's level design and its possibly too-easy difficulty, I'm still not able to experience Yoshi's Island as the better game. But how differently would I feel if their release dates were reversed?
I think your criticism of Yoshi's Island's 100% mechanic is valid. I've still never done this, I've found it annoying when I tried, and I didn't even attempt it when I rented it. Contrast this with "mastery" in Super Mario World, which equates to unlocking all 96 gates. Maybe too easy, but a much more reasonable and interesting objective, and the reward is much more tangible, in terms of opening up the world map.
Maybe these days we see world maps as kind of a gimmick. What's the difference if I just pick the level from a menu? Is time spent moving around the map just boring padding? Etc.
But I think (admittedly with rose-tinted glasses) SMW probably did world maps better than any other 2D Mario game, including Mario Wonder. I recall really missing it in Yoshi's Island. It made the game feel smaller to me. SMW's map really conveys a sense of exploration, and I'm someone that has always enjoyed that in games.
Interesting point about your nostalgia for SMW vs. SMW 2.
A few years ago, when I revisited SMW directly after playing SMB3, SMW felt like a step backwards to me. Save, perhaps, for the huge world map, which like you, I really enjoyed. But the gameplay just felt very basic compared to SMB3. The stage design not nearly as creative.
Of course, SMW was my favorite Mario game for years, particularly when I was young, as was SM64. But I think out of all the "classic" Mario games, these two don't hold up as well.
Not sure why SMW 2 holds up for me like it does, but I always find myself getting sucked back into it every time I pick it up. Perhaps that's how you feel about the original SMW?
Rented this from Blockbuster back in the day. This had to be around the time I got my PlayStation so this game had to have been the last new game I played for the SNES. It’s lots of fun, the game stands on its own apart from Super Mario World and was really a showcase for the power of Nintendo’s 16-bit console. It really looked like a game that should be running on more powerful hardware.
Oddly enough when I finally bought a copy of this a few years back it still had the Blockbuster sticker on it. This made me wonder if this was the very same copy I rented back in the day, however unlikely that would be.
In retrospect I should’ve stuck with the SNES a little longer. There were some great late releases I missed out on like Donkey Kong Country 3, Kirby and that crazy port of Street Fighter Alpha 2.
Good review.
Unlike you, I DID rent this one when it came out. I recall playing it a lot that weekend, beating it, and thinking, "Really solid game, but not as good as Super Mario World," and then not thinking much about it for a good 15-20 years, until I realized that it was remembered as a cult classic.
I wish I could divorce myself from the nostalgia for Super Mario World, but I don't think I can. The launch of the SNES was the most excited I've ever been for anything in the world of video games, before or since. So while I can recognize, intellectually, the shortcomings of some examples of SMW's level design and its possibly too-easy difficulty, I'm still not able to experience Yoshi's Island as the better game. But how differently would I feel if their release dates were reversed?
I think your criticism of Yoshi's Island's 100% mechanic is valid. I've still never done this, I've found it annoying when I tried, and I didn't even attempt it when I rented it. Contrast this with "mastery" in Super Mario World, which equates to unlocking all 96 gates. Maybe too easy, but a much more reasonable and interesting objective, and the reward is much more tangible, in terms of opening up the world map.
Maybe these days we see world maps as kind of a gimmick. What's the difference if I just pick the level from a menu? Is time spent moving around the map just boring padding? Etc.
But I think (admittedly with rose-tinted glasses) SMW probably did world maps better than any other 2D Mario game, including Mario Wonder. I recall really missing it in Yoshi's Island. It made the game feel smaller to me. SMW's map really conveys a sense of exploration, and I'm someone that has always enjoyed that in games.
Interesting point about your nostalgia for SMW vs. SMW 2.
A few years ago, when I revisited SMW directly after playing SMB3, SMW felt like a step backwards to me. Save, perhaps, for the huge world map, which like you, I really enjoyed. But the gameplay just felt very basic compared to SMB3. The stage design not nearly as creative.
Of course, SMW was my favorite Mario game for years, particularly when I was young, as was SM64. But I think out of all the "classic" Mario games, these two don't hold up as well.
Not sure why SMW 2 holds up for me like it does, but I always find myself getting sucked back into it every time I pick it up. Perhaps that's how you feel about the original SMW?
Rented this from Blockbuster back in the day. This had to be around the time I got my PlayStation so this game had to have been the last new game I played for the SNES. It’s lots of fun, the game stands on its own apart from Super Mario World and was really a showcase for the power of Nintendo’s 16-bit console. It really looked like a game that should be running on more powerful hardware.
Oddly enough when I finally bought a copy of this a few years back it still had the Blockbuster sticker on it. This made me wonder if this was the very same copy I rented back in the day, however unlikely that would be.
Yoshi's Island really does feel like the SNES swansong, even though the system would creep a long for another year or so.
How crazy and beautiful would that be if it was the same copy!
In retrospect I should’ve stuck with the SNES a little longer. There were some great late releases I missed out on like Donkey Kong Country 3, Kirby and that crazy port of Street Fighter Alpha 2.
DKC3 and Kirby's Dreamland 3 are pretty good, but that Street Fighter Alpha 2 port is insane. I still have no idea how Capcom pulled that off.
I love this game. Thanks for bringing back such awesome memories of it!
Cheers Harrison, thanks for reading!
Love it! I remember playing it at some store. Oh, the mid-90’s.
Pour one out for the 90s
Indeed. Cheers!
I loved what you wrote until the end when you said that Luigi wasn’t the chosen one…!
I love Luigi, but I also love throwing shade at Luigi.
I should have given some props for the soundtrack, I'll give you that. Not one of my favorites, maybe, but a lot of catchy tracks on there for sure.