Hyper Mari World 2 on SNES is one of those games that just feels right the second you start playing. The controls are snappy—Mari slides around a little at first if you’re used to modern platformers, but after a few jumps, it clicks. The first level throws you right into it: bouncing on goombas, grabbing coins, and that classic underground theme kicks in like an old friend.

What I love is how the levels slowly introduce twists—like those floating platforms that disappear if you hesitate too long. And the power-ups? The feather cape turns Mari into a wrecking ball if you nail the timing. Mess it up, though, and you’re just a raccoon with regrets.

It’s got that perfect balance of “I’ll just play one more level” and “how is it 2 AM already?” If you missed this one back in the day, it holds up way better than most ’90s platformers. Just watch out for the underwater levels—they’re still as tense as ever.