Super Mario Bros 3X is one of those weird, unofficial Mario hacks that somehow feels both familiar and totally fresh. It's basically Super Mario Bros 3 on the SNES, but with new levels, tweaked mechanics, and some wild power-ups you won't find in the original. At first glance it looks like classic Mario—run, jump, stomp goombas—but then you stumble into levels that twist the rules just enough to keep you on your toes.

The controls are tight (thankfully), though some of the new enemy patterns will mess with your muscle memory. I died way more than I'd like to admit to those first few hammer bros placements. The graphics are a mix of SMB3 sprites and some custom stuff that ranges from "weird but charming" to "why is that koopa wearing sunglasses?"

If you've played the original to death and want something that feels new without being completely unrecognizable, this romhack's worth a look. Just don't expect Nintendo polish—this is clearly a passion project with some rough edges.