If you've ever played Super Mario World enough to know the secret exits by heart, this ROM hack is basically that—but cranked up. SMW The Second Reality Project Reloaded takes the familiar shell of the original and stuffs it with wild new levels that actually make you stop and think. Some of the platforming here is brutal in the best way, like those mid-air spin jumps you think you’ve mastered until this game laughs and throws a row of spikes at you.

The music’s still got that SNES charm, but the level designs? They’re sneaky. Hidden blocks aren’t just for 1-Ups anymore—sometimes they’re the only way forward. And don’t get me started on the custom bosses. One of them had me resetting so many times I almost threw my controller (in a nostalgic, "I missed this pain" kind of way).

It’s clearly made by fans who know what makes Mario tick, but also love messing with expectations. If you’ve ever wanted to replay SMW but wish it’d surprise you again, this’ll do it. Just maybe keep a walkthrough handy for the really mean parts.