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Super Mario World for the SNES sits at or near the top of most "best
videogame" lists for a reason. At the time of its release it was a dramatic evolution of the side-scrolling Mario series of
action-adventure games, incorporating every gameplay element that worked in the older titles while adding a seemingly endless
supply of new tricks. This new feature-complete version for the Game Boy Advance proves just how timeless designer Shigeru
Miyamoto's 1990 classic really is.
In true Miyamoto fashion, the game starts with simple running and jumping
and gradually gets more complex. Soon you're swimming, flying, tossing fireballs, and riding one of several Yoshis--cute little
dinosaurs--that appear throughout the game. The overall level design has yet to be exceeded in a 2-D platformer, with each
colourful level packed with enough secrets to keep players busy for weeks. A lot of precision jumping is required, but the
controls are so tight that directing Mario (or even Luigi, who wasn't playable in the original) becomes as natural as breathing
within a few minutes of playing.
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