Super Mario World - Legend of the Rift is one of those fan-made hacks that actually feels like a proper sequel. It takes the classic SMW engine and cranks up the creativity—new levels, tougher enemies, and some wild power-ups you won’t see in the original. The first few stages trick you into thinking it’s familiar, then suddenly you’re dodging fireballs in a remixed Ghost House or bouncing off mushrooms that send you flying halfway across the screen.

What I love is how it keeps that tight Mario platforming feel while throwing curveballs. One minute you’re stomping Goombas, the next you’re figuring out how to use Yoshi’s new abilities to clear a puzzle section. The difficulty ramps up fast, though—some of those later levels had me sweating. If you’ve rinsed the original SMW and want something fresh but still feels like Mario, this is the romhack to try.

Just don’t blame me when you get stuck on that one spike trap section for an hour.