How do you pick just one side-scrolling platformer to rule them all? With the help of a small reptilian-companion, that's how! Of course there's going to be those of you who would point to the original Super Mario Bros. all the way back in 1985 as one of the greatest of all time - and you'd be right - but when it comes to looking at what each of the subsequent titles did in the wake of the original's success, it's important to note that some things were eventually done better. Adding in a bunch of alternative worlds and power-ups to provide hours of instant-gratification the likes of which you only get with these sorts of platformers means that even this far down the line, the colourful graphics and eye-popping character/enemy designs are just too damn endearing to ever be beaten. SMW nailed an entire genre almost 25 years ago, and as amazingly enjoyable as the likes of last year's Rayman: Legends' music levels are, there's nothing quite like the innocent pleasure of collecting gold coins and sending off Fire Flowers in Super Mario for pure side-scrolling perfection.
