Which hacks "feel" most like an actual Nintendo SMW?

One of the things which makes SMW so good is the level design. I'm learning Kaizo at the minute but am wondering which titles replicate the same official feeling? Can be a little more difficult as well but its got to have that special something Nintendo always have.

Do you know what I mean?

Its about the placement, the design. How the challenge increases perfectly with each level.

Return to Dinosaur Land is the best I've played so far. Its so legit I'd believe it was SMW 2: The Lost Levels if Nintendo said so.

https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=section&a=details&id=4990

Since you've already mentioned the obvious one (Return to Dinosaur Land) I'm gonna suggest the hacks made by Gamma V.

The New Mario World fits this criteria. It plays and feels like the original SMW, but its difficulty turns brutal as you go on.

Thanks, the Luigi Land one looks great. The addition of new physics, wall jumps without veering too far seem like nice modernizations. Plus the reviews are very good.



That turns me off really. I've downloaded and tried a few but lots are very poorly designed or obviously aimed at very well seasoned players. Just trying to learn the beginners Kaizo hacks was tough. Have you completed it yourself? How far into it did you play before it became difficult? The screenshots look pretty hectic and a few comments said its not recommended.

I don't mind, say, a 25-50% increase in difficulty over Star Road levels from the original but thats the limit. One thing I noticed from learning Kaizo is how agile your finders have to be as a lot of moves are frame perfect.

I had some experience when I first played it, so I breezed through about 80% of the game. I recognize some players may be turned off by the difficulty, but it's definitely not for beginners. Looking at it nowadays, although the hack is good, some segments don't look fun as I thought they were back in the day.

Thanks for checking.

This could not be the direction you're looking for, since this is not a hack that looks like SMW at all, but one of the most professionally-crafted (this is how I interpreted the "special something from Nintendo" you mentioned in your post) hacks out there is APFAS. Excellent and thoughtful level design, just an all-around very well crafted hack. Quite challenging too.

This one is very nice. It works (almost perfectly) on Snes Mini as well. There are issues with checkpoints and savestates but the actual save works.

Something about Nintendo level design is so perfect in terms of challenge. Would like to try this:

Super Mario World Central Production 2
https://www.smwcentral.net/?p=viewthread&t=121332

But it doesn't load on the Mini. I know some titles which use of Lunar Expand don't work and it doesn't like the death counter either. Any fixes available or workarounds?

Was looking thru some hacks and one said "This feels like an official sequel to SMW" but cant find it at the mo.

Anyone know or have an idea what hack that comment was on?

People say that about this one a lot

Thanks, its not that one as I'm familiar with it. Saw it on another comment as I checked out some hacks but didnt download the file. The word "official sequel" were definitely mentioned by a reviewer tho and thats wat made me take note. Without taking note that is.

Could the hack be this or this? They're the only ones I can think of that people feel that.

Thank you.

Ill take a look, thanks. Am starting to like Kaizo now I have some skills. Some of them are incredibly satisfying once you're in the zone.

Its testament to how well the base character was designed. Very responsive and so many variables. Level design is what can really make or break a rom hack tho. Not many people are able (want?) to get that Nintendo feel that creates a nice challenge.

Sadly, not even Nintendo themselves these days.