'the by Medic, Torchkas, underway
Paint is not limited to anything other than the ways the artist can dream of using it. I'm not willing to say that SMW is quite that flexible an artistic medium, but it, too, is largely limited only by the dreams of the people creating it. With 'the (also known as Coronation Day), we have a piece created by artists who saw fit to push the medium to limits to achieve a dream. That dream, however? Well, let's just say underway, Medic, and Torchkas weren't interested in saving the princess.
Call it what it is: 'the is an excellent, excellent horror game. I'm not a horror person; it's a genre that I tend to avoid because I don't particularly enjoy the feeling of fear. My favorite horror experiences, however, are ones where, instead of feeling terrified, I feel unnerved, and 'the is the kind of horror that makes me take note. Different from I HATE YOU, which gave form to a scary story others had been telling, 'the uses every tool in the toolbox to lead players on a unique, gripping, and honestly unsettling path. When it does something new, it doesn't just do something for the sake of a shiny new tool, but it maximizes the impact on the player.
This is P.T. for a console older by multiple generations. Yes, there are some haunted house horror tropes, but this is no amateur production. This is the work of auteurs, who had a vision, and made that vision come to life through the artistic medium of SMW. After playing this, you'll never quite look at SMW hacks the same way again, knowing they can tell stories like this.
BD_PhDX
Call it what it is: 'the is an excellent, excellent horror game. I'm not a horror person; it's a genre that I tend to avoid because I don't particularly enjoy the feeling of fear. My favorite horror experiences, however, are ones where, instead of feeling terrified, I feel unnerved, and 'the is the kind of horror that makes me take note. Different from I HATE YOU, which gave form to a scary story others had been telling, 'the uses every tool in the toolbox to lead players on a unique, gripping, and honestly unsettling path. When it does something new, it doesn't just do something for the sake of a shiny new tool, but it maximizes the impact on the player.
This is P.T. for a console older by multiple generations. Yes, there are some haunted house horror tropes, but this is no amateur production. This is the work of auteurs, who had a vision, and made that vision come to life through the artistic medium of SMW. After playing this, you'll never quite look at SMW hacks the same way again, knowing they can tell stories like this.
BD_PhDX
I HATE YOU by Ersanio
Super Mario World can be a lot of things. It's a classic game that shaped platformers for years to come. It's the basis for a creative collective of hobbyist developers to tap into the unexplored depths of one of the best games of all time. But if the SMW community has proven anything over the years, it's that Super Mario World is culture. The story of I HATE YOU illustrates this point perfectly. A playable recreation of an infamous SMW-themed creepypasta from the foregone days of the internet when text and image creepypastas thrived, I HATE YOU brings to life what was put to words and still images the tale of a copy of Super Mario World with an extra secret exit filled with blood, drowned Mario corpses, and angry scrawls wishing death on you. It's far from the Mario people know.
Aside from a surprisingly in-depth boss battle against an evil Luigi, I HATE YOU is fairly gameplay free. It's more about the vibes and providing a simulacra for the original creepypasta, which is what makes the hack special and important. Much is made in modern SMW ROM hacking about the shitpost-able nature of hacks, and I HATE YOU helped pave the way towards showing that an SMW shell can hold more than a traditional platform game. It can tell a story. It can provide the backdrop for a poem. And yes, it can give life to a literal shitpost like the original I HATE YOU text creepypasta story. It's a literal piece of internet culture, gamified and frozen in time for future generations to unearth, and serves as a proof of concept for how culture at large can be captured in a mere smiling plumber's game.
SilentSnake20
Aside from a surprisingly in-depth boss battle against an evil Luigi, I HATE YOU is fairly gameplay free. It's more about the vibes and providing a simulacra for the original creepypasta, which is what makes the hack special and important. Much is made in modern SMW ROM hacking about the shitpost-able nature of hacks, and I HATE YOU helped pave the way towards showing that an SMW shell can hold more than a traditional platform game. It can tell a story. It can provide the backdrop for a poem. And yes, it can give life to a literal shitpost like the original I HATE YOU text creepypasta story. It's a literal piece of internet culture, gamified and frozen in time for future generations to unearth, and serves as a proof of concept for how culture at large can be captured in a mere smiling plumber's game.
SilentSnake20
Mario is Stupid by Sokobansolver
What makes Mario is Stupid so fascinating? Though the level design is impressive for its time, I don't think that's its main draw. Rather, what sets it apart is the way it aged and (quite unintentionally) became a symbol of our community's growth.
Made in 2014 and released in 2016, it was created at a time when tool-less playthroughs of Kaizo hacks (and, let's be honest, most standard hacks) were largely unheard of. T. Takemoto's efforts notwithstanding, most folks understood the term "Kaizo" to mean "not humanly beatable". Accordingly, Kaizo hacks of this era were made with save states and slowdown in mind. Later on, as the definition of the genre changed, almost all of those hacks got moved to a separate Tool-Assisted category, sequestered off from all the state-of-the-art Kaizo hacks meant to be played in one sitting without any outside assistance.
Mario is Stupid was one of very, very few hacks to resist this transfer. Although Sokobansolver did not intend for the hack to be playable without tools, he designed it with just enough restraint that it ended up being possible anyway — as Linkdeadx2 would famously go on to prove during the 2018 remoderation. Linkdead's livestreams of this hack were uniquely gripping because no one knew whether it was actually beatable in real time. The fact that he succeeded goes to show just how much the skill ceiling had risen since 2016.
"Death of the author" is a central motif here — not only did the hack take on a life of its own, it also got broken to hell and back. Large chunks of the hack are skippable. For every potentially run-ending obstacle Linkdead encountered, there was an equal chance that it could be skipped somehow. This, too, adds to the anachronistic appeal of the hack — it allows for a sense of spontaneity that could never be achieved on purpose. Unfortunately, these skips have since become such a staple of the hack that they've completely eclipsed the intended solutions, so to prevent Sokobansolver's original ideas from becoming lost media, I've uploaded a skipless playthrough video here. Consider it a nod to the humble intentions behind this hack — a relic of a simpler time.
Lazy
Made in 2014 and released in 2016, it was created at a time when tool-less playthroughs of Kaizo hacks (and, let's be honest, most standard hacks) were largely unheard of. T. Takemoto's efforts notwithstanding, most folks understood the term "Kaizo" to mean "not humanly beatable". Accordingly, Kaizo hacks of this era were made with save states and slowdown in mind. Later on, as the definition of the genre changed, almost all of those hacks got moved to a separate Tool-Assisted category, sequestered off from all the state-of-the-art Kaizo hacks meant to be played in one sitting without any outside assistance.
Mario is Stupid was one of very, very few hacks to resist this transfer. Although Sokobansolver did not intend for the hack to be playable without tools, he designed it with just enough restraint that it ended up being possible anyway — as Linkdeadx2 would famously go on to prove during the 2018 remoderation. Linkdead's livestreams of this hack were uniquely gripping because no one knew whether it was actually beatable in real time. The fact that he succeeded goes to show just how much the skill ceiling had risen since 2016.
"Death of the author" is a central motif here — not only did the hack take on a life of its own, it also got broken to hell and back. Large chunks of the hack are skippable. For every potentially run-ending obstacle Linkdead encountered, there was an equal chance that it could be skipped somehow. This, too, adds to the anachronistic appeal of the hack — it allows for a sense of spontaneity that could never be achieved on purpose. Unfortunately, these skips have since become such a staple of the hack that they've completely eclipsed the intended solutions, so to prevent Sokobansolver's original ideas from becoming lost media, I've uploaded a skipless playthrough video here. Consider it a nod to the humble intentions behind this hack — a relic of a simpler time.
Lazy
Mario Must Die 2 by Sokobansolver
"Tool-Assisted: Kaizo" is a suggestion, albeit a very informed one. Unlike Pit hacks, which are not physically possible, "Tool-Assisted: Kaizo" hacks are designed with the understanding that the player is using speedrunning and emulator tools, such as save-stating and frame advance. While the tools are suggested, they are not necessarily required, and Mario Must Die 2 is a hack that is inspired and engaging to play regardless of your use of tools.
sokobansolver's level design has an impressive flow. Players have to pay attention at all times to each obstacle, because unique configurations and rarely-seen movement requirements exist on each screen. It is difficult — earning its place above "Kaizo: Expert" — and even experienced players will face seemingly insurmountable situations. Contrary to what some may think, playing with tools as the designer intended does not lessen nor weaken the experience of playing the game.
Designing kaizo levels requires incorporating human physical limits of reaction time, and Mario Must Die 2 rests right on the other side of that limit. Attainable, but seemingly impossible. If you want to take your kaizo hacks gameplay to the next level, and are respectful of their difficulty and context, sokobansolver's hacks are a great way to play beyond what we thought we were capable of doing. It's worth playing this without tools to feel that limit — and begin to push past it.
Alex
sokobansolver's level design has an impressive flow. Players have to pay attention at all times to each obstacle, because unique configurations and rarely-seen movement requirements exist on each screen. It is difficult — earning its place above "Kaizo: Expert" — and even experienced players will face seemingly insurmountable situations. Contrary to what some may think, playing with tools as the designer intended does not lessen nor weaken the experience of playing the game.
Designing kaizo levels requires incorporating human physical limits of reaction time, and Mario Must Die 2 rests right on the other side of that limit. Attainable, but seemingly impossible. If you want to take your kaizo hacks gameplay to the next level, and are respectful of their difficulty and context, sokobansolver's hacks are a great way to play beyond what we thought we were capable of doing. It's worth playing this without tools to feel that limit — and begin to push past it.
Alex
Super Responsible World by ft029
The origins of Kaizo have always been personal, if in a twisted way. T. Takemoto famously made the original Kaizo trilogy to mess with his friend R. Kiba. PangaeaPanga similarly dedicated Super Dram World to his friend dram55, and Linkdeadx2 made Super Panga World as a revenge hack specifically for Panga. A young ft029 played these two hacks, had a hard time, and made his own revenge hack for both. This would become Super Responsible World, arguably the biggest overreaction in SMW hacking history.
The author's palpable anger is matched by his creativity, as he pushes classic Kaizo tropes to comical extremes and invents novel ways to torture the player. ft029 said he didn't know how to use custom assets of any kind at the time, and so relied on a combination of vanilla SMW knowledge and spite to create a 100% vanilla experience years ahead of its time. For example, the room in the final level with a checkpoint, a one-tile-high door, a side exit, and no timer. If the player touches the checkpoint, they cannot enter the door to continue the level, and their only option is to leave through the side exit, erasing the checkpoint. The point of all this is to give the player a brief glimmer of hope as they see the checkpoint, then slowly crush it as they realize the checkpoint cannot be used.
Ironically, by the time Linkdeadx2 and Panga played Super Responsible World some years later, ft029's anger had faded and he derived no pleasure from their suffering, instead sending them personalized nerfed versions which were more reasonable than the one on this website. That doesn't make this version any less worthy of playing, both as an exemplary hack and as an example of the creative power of rage.
BeeKaay
The author's palpable anger is matched by his creativity, as he pushes classic Kaizo tropes to comical extremes and invents novel ways to torture the player. ft029 said he didn't know how to use custom assets of any kind at the time, and so relied on a combination of vanilla SMW knowledge and spite to create a 100% vanilla experience years ahead of its time. For example, the room in the final level with a checkpoint, a one-tile-high door, a side exit, and no timer. If the player touches the checkpoint, they cannot enter the door to continue the level, and their only option is to leave through the side exit, erasing the checkpoint. The point of all this is to give the player a brief glimmer of hope as they see the checkpoint, then slowly crush it as they realize the checkpoint cannot be used.
Ironically, by the time Linkdeadx2 and Panga played Super Responsible World some years later, ft029's anger had faded and he derived no pleasure from their suffering, instead sending them personalized nerfed versions which were more reasonable than the one on this website. That doesn't make this version any less worthy of playing, both as an exemplary hack and as an example of the creative power of rage.
BeeKaay
Tatsujin Mario part 1 by abc_ore
I jumped at the chance to write this induction piece for Tatsujin Mario part 1, mostly because I nominated Super Kuso World for the 2018 class and am excited that a "kuso" hack is finally going in. クソゲー (kusogē, literally translated as "shit games") has been used since the late 1980s to describe games that were poorly coded or unfun. In the Super Mario World lens, this "kuso" pertains to vanilla game engine mechanics and entered our vernacular mostly through vanilla speedrunning efforts. These "kuso" tricks, like block duping, one-frame jumps, speed-oscillating jumps, Yoshi glitches, etc., became a genre of level design—popularized mainly by abc_ore's Takumi and Tatsujin series.
Tatsujin Mario part 1 had a troubled moderation history. It was outright rejected at first due to the feeling that it was impossible, accepted under the old Kaizo: Hard category, and finally re-moderated by ThirdWall to be included in Kaizo: Light since it was now technically "viable." The levels in Tatsujin are much different than those in the Takumi series: the levels are longer and more demanding, while Takumi is mostly focused on singular tricks. Those seeking a "true kuso experience" (in my insanely pretentious opinion) should look no further than the Tatsujin series—or rather, abc_ore's entire lineup of kuso hacks. This genre is extremely rewarding to play, and Tatsujin Mario part 1 is one of the best kuso experiences. I will say: don't be afraid to ask questions, consult videos, and stare blankly at the screen for an hour. That's part of the fun.
Ultimately, Tatsujin (and all of abc_ore's hacks, really) left a legacy of inspiration—especially in the past few years, as kuso has become more popular. So here's to abc_ore, key jumps forever.
cardboardcell
Tatsujin Mario part 1 had a troubled moderation history. It was outright rejected at first due to the feeling that it was impossible, accepted under the old Kaizo: Hard category, and finally re-moderated by ThirdWall to be included in Kaizo: Light since it was now technically "viable." The levels in Tatsujin are much different than those in the Takumi series: the levels are longer and more demanding, while Takumi is mostly focused on singular tricks. Those seeking a "true kuso experience" (in my insanely pretentious opinion) should look no further than the Tatsujin series—or rather, abc_ore's entire lineup of kuso hacks. This genre is extremely rewarding to play, and Tatsujin Mario part 1 is one of the best kuso experiences. I will say: don't be afraid to ask questions, consult videos, and stare blankly at the screen for an hour. That's part of the fun.
Ultimately, Tatsujin (and all of abc_ore's hacks, really) left a legacy of inspiration—especially in the past few years, as kuso has become more popular. So here's to abc_ore, key jumps forever.
cardboardcell
The Hooray! - Fishing Season by MellyMellouange
Whimsical, cute, nostalgic, and quaint — these are all ways to describe MellyMellouange's extremely charming 2016 hack. However, in many ways, this hack was also quite ahead of its time — even by 2016, few hacks featured brand new gimmicks and hack-wide mechanics like The Hooray! - Fishing Season has. Even still, encountering such effort spent on custom resources in a quaint and old-school setting, one full of vanilla palettes and silly message boxes, was even more rare. Most hacks from this era took themselves very seriously, and the few that did have a more eccentric and silly take on game design were typically relegated to the "Very Hard" realm (as seen with JUMP a year earlier), came from the niche Japanese community (as seen in the VIP and Wall Mix series), or were straight up Kaizo. The fact that The Hooray! - Fishing Season is incredibly accessible, perhaps one of the easiest Hall of Fame-nominated hacks, makes it an even more unique creation.
The Hooray! - Fishing Season is a very chill experience that can easily be knocked out in one sitting. As mentioned, the stages are also pretty easy — enough that you can mostly romp and stomp your way through each without too much struggle. There's a lot of unique things to be found throughout this romp, however, such as the ability to play as either Mario or Luigi, a coin-based reserve item upgrade system that works differently for each brother, and a special unique playable character with her own abilities that you'll play as in a few levels, not to mention many other neat stage gimmicks custom-made for the hack (one of which is notably featured again in JUMP ½, a hack that MellyMellouange would go on to heavily participate in).
Fancy custom mechanics are one thing, but without engaging stage design, these technical achievements can sometimes feel more like tech demos than complete experiences. Thankfully, the design in this hack is great — everything feels very freeform and traditional, yet there's enough focus that it stays engaging. The quaint vanilla aesthetics, whimsical level design, and spattering of unique stage gimmicks amongst more classic vanilla levels creates a very distinct vibe that, at times, can make it feel like a Japanese hack. Yet, there are early fragments of "modern Western" design to be seen — notably, a stage focused entirely on sprite-only blocks; a sight insanely common today, but was actually pretty rare in 2016.
I strongly recommend this hack for anyone looking for a cute, chill little SMW experience that isn't much of a time sink. Few hacks are filled with as much whimsy as The Hooray! - Fishing Season. Indeed, as most hackers in 2016 sought ever to polish and perfect their projects, The Hooray! - Fishing Season cemented its legacy as a far more forward-thinking creation, completely abandoning polish and professionalism for the sake of good ole fun above all else.
GbreezeSunset
The Hooray! - Fishing Season is a very chill experience that can easily be knocked out in one sitting. As mentioned, the stages are also pretty easy — enough that you can mostly romp and stomp your way through each without too much struggle. There's a lot of unique things to be found throughout this romp, however, such as the ability to play as either Mario or Luigi, a coin-based reserve item upgrade system that works differently for each brother, and a special unique playable character with her own abilities that you'll play as in a few levels, not to mention many other neat stage gimmicks custom-made for the hack (one of which is notably featured again in JUMP ½, a hack that MellyMellouange would go on to heavily participate in).
Fancy custom mechanics are one thing, but without engaging stage design, these technical achievements can sometimes feel more like tech demos than complete experiences. Thankfully, the design in this hack is great — everything feels very freeform and traditional, yet there's enough focus that it stays engaging. The quaint vanilla aesthetics, whimsical level design, and spattering of unique stage gimmicks amongst more classic vanilla levels creates a very distinct vibe that, at times, can make it feel like a Japanese hack. Yet, there are early fragments of "modern Western" design to be seen — notably, a stage focused entirely on sprite-only blocks; a sight insanely common today, but was actually pretty rare in 2016.
I strongly recommend this hack for anyone looking for a cute, chill little SMW experience that isn't much of a time sink. Few hacks are filled with as much whimsy as The Hooray! - Fishing Season. Indeed, as most hackers in 2016 sought ever to polish and perfect their projects, The Hooray! - Fishing Season cemented its legacy as a far more forward-thinking creation, completely abandoning polish and professionalism for the sake of good ole fun above all else.
GbreezeSunset
Tower of Keys by lolyoshi
A short and special hack that celebrates one of my favorite things in Super Mario World: the key. This hack is quite short; the speedrun is just over three minutes long. If you have been playing SMW for some time and want to start learning some key tech, lolyoshi's Tower of Keys is a great place to start. You'll need to learn key jumps to beat it, but there are tons of cool tricks and obstacles to enjoy in this hack.
What makes Tower of Keys special is that it was one of the first hacks to ever cross that kuso/Kaizo boundary and create a unique experience. Not many hacks before Tower of Keys created solidly fun Kaizo out of pure "kuso" tricks. Many hacks since have been influenced by this one, both directly and indirectly — it made some of those "impossible" tricks possible.
I play this hack quite often, whenever I want to mess around for ten minutes or need some quick key tech practice. For the second time in this Hall of Fame class, key jumps forever, excelsior.
cardboardcell
What makes Tower of Keys special is that it was one of the first hacks to ever cross that kuso/Kaizo boundary and create a unique experience. Not many hacks before Tower of Keys created solidly fun Kaizo out of pure "kuso" tricks. Many hacks since have been influenced by this one, both directly and indirectly — it made some of those "impossible" tricks possible.
I play this hack quite often, whenever I want to mess around for ten minutes or need some quick key tech practice. For the second time in this Hall of Fame class, key jumps forever, excelsior.
cardboardcell