Super Mario World - Legend of the Yoshistal 2 is one of those SNES romhacks that actually feels like a proper sequel. It takes the original game’s mechanics and cranks them up—new levels, tougher enemies, and some wild power-ups you won’t see coming. The first time I played, I got wrecked by a Hammer Bro in the very first level, which should tell you this isn’t just a lazy reskin.

What’s cool is how it plays with Mario’s moveset—Yoshi gets some new tricks, and the level designs force you to actually think instead of just running right. Some of the secrets are brutal to find, but pulling off a perfect cape flight through a maze of spikes feels ridiculously satisfying. Just don’t expect nostalgia to carry you—this one’s for players who’ve already 100%’d the original and need a fresh challenge.