Super Mario World 3 - The New Islands is one of those fan-made SNES hacks that actually feels like a legit sequel. It’s got that classic Mario World vibe—same controls, same satisfying jump physics—but with all-new levels that somehow manage to surprise you even if you’ve played the original a hundred times.

You start off in a familiar-looking overworld, but then the levels throw in some clever twists—hidden exits that lead to secret paths, weird enemy placements that keep you on your toes, and even a few new power-ups I won’t spoil. The first time I played, I got stuck on this one ghost house puzzle for way too long before realizing the solution was right in front of me.

If you’re into Mario romhacks, this one’s polished enough to feel like Nintendo could’ve made it themselves. Just don’t blame me when you lose an afternoon to it.