Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is one of those rare SNES games that still feels fresh today. You start off carrying Baby Mario on Yoshi’s back—which sounds cute until you realize the little guy won’t stop crying whenever he gets knocked off. The art style’s this weird, crayon-drawn look that somehow works perfectly, and the levels are packed with little secrets and transformations (ever turned Yoshi into a helicopter? It’s ridiculous in the best way).

What I love is how it plays with platforming—you’re not just jumping on enemies, you’re swallowing them, turning them into eggs, and then chucking those eggs at stuff. The first time I accidentally hit a hidden cloud with a wild throw, I was hooked. And the music? That bouncy, toy-box soundtrack sticks in your head for days.

It’s got that classic Nintendo polish, but with enough weirdness (looking at you, giant piranha plants that burp bubbles) to keep it from feeling like just another Mario game. If you missed this back in the ‘90s, it’s still worth tracking down.