Content from Last 48hrs

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island Behold! Another SNES platformer that I, previously, had never finished (despite being very familiar with the first few worlds) At times, this is the best Mario game. At other times, it's kind of frustrating. Allow me to explain with some random thoughts: First, the bad. I think most of these levels are way longer than they have any right to be. You could trim some of them down by 50% and they'd be much better. Not every level, but more than a few. I don't know how you go from SMB3 with short, perfect levels and then two games later end up with levels that never end. And then when they do end, some of the time, they just kind of peter out. In Super Mario World I feel like I could always tell when the level was about to end by the way everything intensifies. Now that does happen here but not all the time, often I was surprised by the ending circle. Also, I think the music is a big step down from the rest of the franchise at this point. Lastly, what's up with the racism? Holy shit I know it's 1995 but still, for the only depiction of indigenous people in Mario/Nintendo don't do them like that. All that said, this game has some really cool ideas and fun levels. The skiing, the boss fight that is obviously an inspiration for Galaxy, the psychedelic effects, and plenty more. When it's good, it's some of the best Mario platforming there's been. When it's getting long in the tooth? Well that's when it stops feeling like Super Mario World 2 and starts feeling like the first of series of platformers that Nintendo never bothers to develop themselves again. This game is beautiful too, sprite gaming perfected. It's really too bad the push for 3D games stopped Nintendo from making games in this style. It's ridiculous how much better this game looks than virtually every N64 and PS1 game that came after. I still can't believe Mario Maker 2 didn't have this style in it, talk about a wasted opportunity. And can we talk about this BULLSHIT ending? I know a lot of this sounded negative but I really did like it a lot. Also: Poochy, one of the great Mario characters. Give him his own game, Nintendo!