SNES memory lane #4-Super Mario World part 1

Super Mario World...THE best selling SNES game of all time. If you owned a Super Nintendo, you played this game because if you didn't, you were sitting under a rock (and you obviously bought one of the few bundles that didn't have this game included in it.)

The plot is simple. You are in Dinosaur Land trying to save Princess Peach, who has once again been kidnapped by Bowser. You must explore the 7 worlds and defeat Bowser to return the world to peace. Typical story but this time you have a friend to help you, a dinosaur buddy named Yoshi who can eat shells to give him powers (blue=flying, red=fire spitting, and yellow=ground pound.)

Yoshi's Island is the first world of SMW. It's a basic Mario world with the same powerups (for the most part) to use. You also encounter block switches for the first time. These turn square outlines into solid shapes. At the end of the world, you enter the first of 7 castles (all which house a boss named after an 80's pop culture icon or a popular musician. Sadly no "Piscopo Koopa" is evident in the game.)

The first is Iggy Koopa, who was named after Iggy Pop is very easy to defeat. Jump on him enough to force him off the platform into the lava. He won't have that lust for life anymore.

Donut Plains is the second level. Here, you will come across the feather which makes you fly around the stage a la the leaf in Super Mario Bros. 3. There are also secret levels to be found for the first time in this world:

Once you reach the end, you'll face Morton Koopa Jr. (named after talk show host Morton Downey Jr.) Hit him on the head three times before the walls cave in and you'll defeat him (much like Downey when Roddy Piper sprayed him with the fire extinguisher at WM 5.)

Vanilla Dome is the 3rd place to explore. This cave like dwelling has three paths, one to the 4th world , one to the star world, and one to the butter bridge (which is sort of a sub-world.)

The boss at the end of this is Lemmy Koopa (referring to the Motorhead singer.) Watch carefully with the pipes as there are decoys. As usual though, hit him three times for the win.

Part 2 coming later today or tomorrow. Worlds 4 to the end will be discussed.