Retro-Comparo: Super Mario Bros. 3 vs. Super Mario World

Comparing two classic games out of a mega-popular franchise is extremely difficult because... well, both games are unilaterally considered classics. But, it becomes even more arduous of a task when both games were for consoles of different generations. In this case, I'm going to look at Super Mario Bros. 3 (SMB3), which was originally released for the NES, and Super Mario World (SMW) for the SNES. Now, to level the playing field, I will actually compare the SNES version of SMB3 that was included in Super Mario All-Stars, a compilation of the first three Super Mario Bros. games that were first released for the NES in the United States (not counting Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Worlds). SMB3 was remastered with enhanced graphics, colors, and sound and programmed with the ability to save progress. So here goes - my comparison of SMB3 and SMW:

Graphics:

Comparing SMB3 for the SNES to SMW, graphics are of similar quality, driven by the SNES' 16-bit graphics processor. That said, the sprites and backgrounds in SMW are prettier and smoother than SMB3 with more detail and rounded edges. Colors are also more vivid in SMW, despite the revamping of SMB3 in All-Stars, which was released three years after SMW. Win - SMW

Sound:

Differentiating sound effect quality between these two games on the SNES is like picking nits, so I won't do that. If anything, both games feature the technology of the SNES well, especially when comparing it to the Genesis' 8-bit sound. Win - push

Music:

SMW has the advantage of musical composition for a 16-bit system, which means (I think) more tracks and more layered sound. But, SMB3 has the benefit of nostalgia and outstanding melodies, even compared to games today. To be honest, the music in SMW is a cut better, despite the fond memories of SMB3. Win - SMW

Stage Design:

Though SMB3 would have the advantage of nostalgia, SMW put forth some serious complications in its stage design, such as different stage endings depending on how quickly you finish the initial parts of a stage. That said, SMB3 is just plain classic with killer suns and those levels where everything is giant. Win - SMB3

Bonus Stages:

The Ghost Houses and hidden fortresses of SMW versus the mushroom houses and flying ships of SMB3... Give me the latter. Win - SMB3

Hit Detection:

Direct landings from above squash bad guys in either game, though SMW benefits from a spin jump that eliminates baddies in one landing. However, both games suffer when interpreting landings from a down angle; hit detection is iffy, in my opinion. Win - push

Miscellaneous:

This one is hard. Both games have the grow-to-giant-size mushroom and the fire flower, but SMB3 has multiple power-ups, such as the raccoon suit, the frog suit, the hammer suit (which lets you throw hammers), and a tanuki suit that gives you the ability to turn into a stone statue (!). Conversely, SMW has a super cape and probably the most important "power-up" in the Super Mario Bros. franchise: Yoshi, a dinosaur that Mario can ride and use to devour bad guys. Also, both games have world maps that allow you to navigate to different levels in an order you choose, and memorable foes in each level. So hard to pick... Win - push

Overall winner - SMW!

I prefer Super Mario World because it was originally designed for a 16-bit system, so it benefits from the capabilities of the SNES. SMB3 was originally designed for the 8-bit NES; though it was enhanced for the SNES, levels are not as complex and rich as those in SMW. SMW also has Yoshi and a cuteness factor that is more apparent than with SMB3. It's really hard to pick, but if pressured I'd pick Super Mario World.

Vibram FiveFingers Bikila Review: Not So Retro

As probably 10 or so people in the world know, I write reviews and articles for Epinions and blog posts for RetroBeliever. I sometimes link my blog posts to those articles because they either expand on a topic I discuss on this blog or review a product related to anything anachronistic and retro. Anyway, I wrote recently about a pair of Vibram FiveFingers Bikilas I purchased two weeks ago, which are pictured to the left of this post. Because Epinions reviews do not often appear in Google searches, I am linking to it for your (and my) benefit:

Being Less Barefoot When Near-Barefoot Running

You might be thinking, "What's so retro about these shoes? They look rather modern!" Well, what's more retro than running without traditional shoes? To summarize the review, the Bikila model is an excellent entry in the Vibram FiveFingers line that is geared toward the middle- to long-distance runner. It doesn't preserve the road feel of previous Vibram offerings, but the Bikila model does provide some of the major benefits of near-barefoot running, like addressing heel striking. More importantly, these "shoes" take us back to a running form that has largely been forgotten - barefoot running.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as Knuckles: 3HN Tips and Tricks

Among all the Sonic the Hedgehog games for the Sega Genesis, some gamers put Sonic 2 on top, even over subsequent releases like Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles (S&K). This may be for several reasons: Sonic 2 added Spin Dash, more speed loops and runs, and Tails to the Sonic 1 formula; the zones are much shorter than Sonic 3's or S&K's zones; the end bosses are challenging but beatable compared to the nastiness of S&K; and, in my opinion, the music for Sonic 2 is much more memorable than past and future offerings (save the Green Hill Zone music of Sonic 1, which is iconic). But, there is something even better than Sonic 2 on the Genesis: lock Sonic 2 onto the Sonic & Knuckles cartridge and you get to play Sonic 2 as Knuckles the Echidna, who can glide and climb walls, but runs more slowly and jumps lower than Sonic.

Knuckles brings a fresh approach to Sonic 2 that opens up new tactics and options for navigating zones. Here are some of the tricks I have learned while playing Sonic 2 as Knuckles:

1) In both of the Emerald Hill Zone acts (i.e. levels), you can glide over most of both acts by accelerating at the beginning and then gliding. Just to get through the Emerald Hill Zone quickly, this tactic may be worth the attempt.

2) Unlike playing Sonic 2 as Sonic, when you play as Knuckles, you do not lose your ring totals after going into Special Zones to try to claim Chaos Emeralds. With this in mind, you can conceivably get four emeralds in those two acts. I recommend doing this instead of trying to retain rings in more difficult zones that follow.

3) In the Chemical Plant Zone, be sure to climb all the high places you can find. These places are added to Sonic 2 by the extended programming in the S&K cartridge to not only provide Knuckles with areas to climb and obstructions to prevent his gliding through the zone, but also with areas to house 1-ups and power-ups. In the second act of the Chemical Plant Zone, you can find at least two 1-ups inside tower-like structures that Knuckles must scale to get.

4) In the Aquatic Ruin Zone, stay well above the action below by gliding and running on the higher platforms. The two acts of this zone are notorious for its extensive stretches of submerged landscape, which require Sonic (or Knuckles) to find sources of oxygen before he drowns. With Knuckles, though, you can remain high above the water for some of those stretches if you glide.

Well, these are the tactics I have used so far and they've been quite effective. Playing Sonic 2 as Knuckles takes a superlative game and enhances it. In time, you may find that you prefer playing Sonic 2 as Knuckles... or you may get "nostalgic" for those days when Sonic and Tails conquered the Emerald Hill Zone and teamed up to defeat Dr. Robotnik's Love Buggy at the end of the zone. Good times.