Ever played a Mario hack that actually makes you sweat? Super Mario Dark World Part 1 for SNES takes the familiar Mushroom Kingdom and cranks up the difficulty—like, "throw your controller" hard in some spots. The levels twist classic Mario mechanics into something meaner, with tricky jumps, brutal enemy placements, and a moody palette swap that makes everything feel just a little off.

First ten minutes? You'll be stomping goombas like usual, then suddenly hit a spike trap you didn't see coming because the shadows hide them. The physics feel slightly heavier too—Mario doesn't float as much when you jump, so mistiming a landing means instant pit deaths. Some power-ups are swapped (fire flowers become ice flowers, which sounds cool until you realize frozen enemies turn into slippery hazards).

It's one of those ROM hacks that's punishing but weirdly satisfying when you finally nail a section. Just don't expect to breeze through it like the original games. This one wants you to earn every checkpoint.