Panic in the Mushroom Kingdom 2 is one of those weird, charming ROM hacks that takes the familiar Mario world and flips it on its head. You still recognize the sprites and sounds, but everything feels just a little off—enemies move in unpredictable ways, platforms disappear when you least expect it, and the level design has this chaotic energy that keeps you guessing.

At first, it plays like a standard Mario game, but then you hit a level where pipes lead to dead ends or coins just... vanish when you touch them. It’s frustrating in the best way, like the game’s messing with you on purpose. The difficulty spikes hard in some spots, but there’s something addictive about figuring out its weird little tricks.

If you’re into ROM hacks that don’t take themselves too seriously but still demand some skill, this one’s a fun time-waster. Just don’t expect a polished Nintendo experience—it’s more like stumbling into a bizarre alternate universe where the Mushroom Kingdom’s rules don’t apply.