The 1st Chapter - Super Mario World
I’ve been wanting to do a simple series of posts where I play through what I consider to be the first chapter of a game.
What that means to me is that either the first world, opening scenes, or sometimes first stage of a game is all I play, and judge the game based on.
I like doing things nice and neat and in order so I started with the Super Nintendo, and one of it’s first ever released games:
Look at that big ol’ colorful bag of nostalgia just waiting for me. lets jump in shall we?
Right off the bat you’re told what’s happening and who is responsible. Not to spoil things right out of the gate for yah, but rumor has it that Bowser is likely behind things.
Also take note that she’s still going by “Princess Toadstool” here. Ahhh, the days before Peach.
The other thing the game establishes by one of the first few screens is a mysterious figure known as Yoshi. This poor spa who has an island and a race named after him has gone to look for his poor Dino pals. And once again, Biggity Bowser has somethin to do with it. That rascal.
After messing with the controls for about the tenth time I took a look at the map screen, and right away...
NNGH. DAT NOSTALGIA. Hit me right there man.
Now first impressions are very important to an experience, even if you are revisiting your childhood. Which is why the first thing i did was get killed by the very first enemy right off the bat.
But one quick trip to the controls for the hundredth time and suddenly everything was coming back like second nature.
The first stage does a great job in establishing basic mechanics of the game. Stomping enemies, ducking Bullet Bills, Grabbing shells and kicking them over your head to gain power ups, finding hidden caves in pipes... All great abilities you’ll be using more fully in the rest of the game.
As you complete stages you open up more paths on the map, leading you to new areas.
If you beat the stage to the left of the Yoshi Hut, you’ll open up one of the useful secrets right away.
What I love about this area is it gives you an early view of what’s coming up next in your adventure. You get to see this game is more than the first island, and get a hint at what’s in store. A ghost house? A Lake? Another castle? Sounds fun!
Completing the secret stage just makes things easier for you moving on, and seems to imply there are more places like this later. (Spoilers: there are.) Plus, you get to farm for coins! Now who doesn’t love that?
The second stage introduces you to Yoshi, the fellow in charge of the hut at the beginning. You become instant pals, and riding him offers you new exciting abilities like eating enemies, stomping enemies, eating fruit to create an extra life, and of course...
The third stage brings on a series of platforming obstacles on high mountains. This stage teaches you timing, patience, control...
And gives you a chance to try out that great maneuver if you’re a moron and screw up a jump.
The third stage introduces water hazards. Not just the water itself but jumping fish, sinking platforms...
...And the floating spike balls I totally didn’t lose two lives on because apparently I just suck at games.
And finally you arrive at the first castle... This puts everything you learned prior to the test. You have fences to climb, enemies to avoid, Boiling lava to not die in, and those large smashing pillars to scream in terror from.
And at the end of it all, the first boss fight. Nothing super challenging, but it will require you to play it safe regardless. Every tap on the head sends the Koopa Kid closer and closer to his fiery demise, but only if the platform is slanted in the direction you want him to slide.
While that’s nothing super clever now, at the time this was a pretty brilliant and new mechanic. I can’t imagine how many people died on their first few attempts.
When you win you’re awarded these fun little castle destroying scenes, and a little text blurb of what you’ve accomplished. Iggy is gone, but more kids, and Bowser himself, still remain.
Plus you saved a Yoshi egg! Well done!
And now here you are, the place you got a sneak peak of earlier. Your journey continues, with more to discover and be challenged by!
That’s the end of the first chapter, and what a chapter it was! plenty of energy, excitement, other filler words you use to describe things and pad out a review.
Throughout the adventure you get to hear a good selection of the soundtrack, learn most the games mechanics, Meet unique enemies and fight your first boss. Not bad for a start!
Plus Yoshi’s hut is a great place to play around and explore without any risk of death, meaning a good spot to test out your skills and learn the mechanics.
Nothing bad to say here! Super Mario World’s 1st Chapter is awarded a perfect: