Super Mario World
1991
- platform
- arcade
- action
- single player
The story
Super Mario World (also known as Super Mario World Game Watch and Super Mario Bros. 4) is a licensed wristwatch videogame made by Nelsonic Industries, based on the Super NES game Super Mario World.
What it’s like
Bright, flat, primary-colour sprites on a tiny monochrome-ish LCD, with the pale green-grey backdrop of a wristwatch screen doing most of the atmosphere. Movement is chunky and stepped, a hopping pixel Mario crossing a few fixed screens of pipes, bricks and coins, and the whole thing has the slightly lo-fi glow of a toy from the early nineties. Sound is the thin chirp and blip of a watch alarm, more tick than tune, so the mood is nostalgic, light and faintly fidgety rather than immersive. It suits a quick sit on the bus, a few idle minutes waiting for the kettle, or a fond look back at childhood gadgets. Pacing is brisk and repetitive, with short bursts of jumping and a steady trickle of small wins. Intensity is very low: cartoonish enemies bounce away, there is no blood, gore or menace, and nothing frightening. It is gentle, undemanding, and easy to put down. It is for players who enjoy miniature versions of familiar worlds, retro gadget collectors, and anyone wanting a harmless, low-stakes diversion.
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