Super Mario World - Tales of Nean is one of those weird, unofficial ROM hacks that somehow makes the original game feel fresh again. You still get the classic SMW physics—Mario’s floaty jumps, Yoshi being a total beast—but the levels are completely redone, with some brutal platforming sections that’ll test your patience. The first time I played, I got stuck on this one ghost house puzzle for way too long before realizing the exit was hidden behind a fake wall. Classic Mario troll move.

It’s not just level changes, either. The graphics get tweaked here and there, and some of the enemy placements feel downright sadistic. But if you’ve played the original to death and want something new without straying too far from the formula, this is a solid pick. Just don’t expect it to go easy on you.