10 Best Launch Video Games Ever
3. Super Mario World (SNES)
Super Mario World slips in ahead of Super Mario Bros to take third place, winning its own mini battle as the best Mario launch title. For what it’s worth, Super Mario 64, a Nintendo 64 for launch title and the first 3D outing for the Italian plumber, just missed out on the top ten by a moustache hair.
Super Mario World is essentially the fourth Super Mario Bros, and was even sold as such in Japan. However, with the move from the NES to the SNES came a host of upgrades, including the introduction of Yoshi.
The rideable dinosaur was actually designed for the first Super Mario Bros, but hardware limitations kept him on the bench. The SNES made it possible to bring him on board, as well as making the graphics even more cartoony and adding power ups to allow Mario to fly.
Possibly the biggest praise for the game is that Shigeru Miyamoto, designer not just of Mario but of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Kirby and Star Fox as well, considers this his favourite game of all time. And he knows a thing or two about video games.