Games Like Super Mario World
Quick Answer
The closest games to Super Mario World are Yoshi's Island, Super Mario Bros Wonder, Donkey Kong Country 2, Super Mario Maker 2 and Rayman Legends. Below are 9 picks with the reason for each — what carries over from Super Mario World, and what does not.
What Made Super Mario World Work
Super Mario World's secret is the map. Secret exits, alternate routes and the Star Road mean the world itself is the puzzle, on top of the best 2D moveset Nintendo made — spin jump, cape, and Yoshi. Level-by-level platformers do not quite replace it; the branching does a lot of work.
Super Mario World is Nintendo EAD's 1990 Super Famicom launch game, released with the SNES in North America in 1991. Mario and Yoshi explore Dinosaur Land on a world map full of branching paths, with ninety-six exits to find, the secret Star Road and the Special Zone. It added the cape, the spin jump and Yoshi. Fans usually want 2D platforming with secrets and alternative routes.
9 Games Like Super Mario World
1.Yoshi's Island
The direct follow-up, and the most inventive platformer on the SNES.
Why it fits: Nintendo EAD's 1995 SNES game, subtitled Super Mario World 2, has you play as Yoshi carrying baby Mario.
What is different: You play Yoshi carrying Baby Mario in a crayon-drawn world, and the levels are slower and scored rather than raced.
Where to play it: SNES, and Game Boy Advance as Super Mario Advance 3.
Games like this →2.Super Mario Bros Wonder
The modern 2D Mario, and the closest in spirit to World's playfulness.
Why it fits: Nintendo EPD's 2023 Switch game uses Wonder Flowers to transform each level unexpectedly.
What is different: Wonder Flowers transform a level partway through, badges change your moves, and four players can play together online.
Where to play it: Switch.
More about this game →3.Donkey Kong Country 2
The other SNES platformer with hidden exits and a secret world.
Why it fits: Rare's 1995 SNES game hides bonus rooms and a secret Lost World behind hidden exits.
What is different: Harder, with Diddy and Dixie in place of Mario, animal buddies instead of Yoshi, and a pirate setting.
Where to play it: SNES and Game Boy Advance.
More about this game →4.Super Mario Maker 2
If the level design was the appeal, this is infinite.
Why it fits: Nintendo's 2019 Switch game lets you build and play levels in several Mario styles, including Super Mario World.
What is different: You build your own courses and play other people's, so the level design comes from players, not Nintendo.
Where to play it: Switch.
More about this game →5.Rayman Legends
The most polished 2D platformer since.
Why it fits: Ubisoft Montpellier's 2013 platformer is known for its polish, music levels and hidden secrets.
What is different: Built around running, with music levels and four-player co-op; speed matters more than finding secret exits.
Where to play it: Wii U, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC and Switch.
More about this game →6.Celeste
The best-feeling modern platformer, with a hidden B-side for every level.
Why it fits: Maddy Makes Games' 2018 platformer hides a B-Side version of each chapter behind a cassette tape.
What is different: One climber, no power-ups and a demanding dash, with a story about anxiety told between the screens.
Where to play it: PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
More about this game →7.Super Mario Bros 3
The NES peak, and much of World grew out of it.
Why it fits: Nintendo's 1988 game introduced the world map and many of the ideas World expanded on.
What is different: Levels are shorter and mostly linear, the power-ups are suits, and there is no Yoshi and no spin jump.
Where to play it: NES and Game Boy Advance.
More about this game →8.Shovel Knight
Deliberately retro, but with a modern sense of fairness.
Why it fits: Yacht Club Games' 2014 platformer combines retro design with modern checkpoints and secrets.
What is different: NES in look and in design, you pogo off a shovel instead of stomping, and you can break checkpoints for treasure.
Where to play it: PC, Wii U, 3DS, PS4, Xbox One and Switch.
More about this game →9.Donkey Kong Country
The other pillar of SNES platforming.
Why it fits: Rare's 1994 SNES game used pre-rendered 3D graphics and has secret rooms throughout.
What is different: Rolls and animal buddies replace the cape and Yoshi, and the map has no hidden exits to hunt for.
Where to play it: SNES and Game Boy Advance.
Games like this →
Where to Start
Yoshi's Island is the best next game from the same era. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the pick for a modern 2D Mario. If you want the secret-hunting, Donkey Kong Country 2 is the best choice.
How We Picked These Games
Every pick is a 2D platformer with strong level design, and we favoured games with secrets, hidden exits or alternative paths. We included the SNES classics that competed with it and modern platformers that meet the same standard.
This list is in the free app
Games like Super Mario World, with every reason, works offline in JustLikeGames — plus a pick for tonight and a backlog tracker.
Free · iPhone & Android · no account
How These Picks Match Super Mario World
Super Mario World is catalogued here as a 2D platformer on the Super Nintendo. All nine picks share at least one of its genre tags — nine platformers and four arcade games among them.
Going by the "where to play it" notes, three can be played on PC, three can be played on a PlayStation, nine can be played on a Nintendo system and three can be played on an Xbox. Celeste and Shovel Knight are from small or self-published studios. Yoshi's Island, Super Mario Bros Wonder, Donkey Kong Country 2, Super Mario Maker 2, Rayman Legends, Super Mario Bros 3 and Donkey Kong Country are, like Super Mario World, games a child and an adult can play together.
| Game | Genre | Shares with Super Mario World | Where to play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yoshi's Island | Platformer, Family, Puzzle | Platformer | SNES, and Game Boy Advance as Super Mario Advance 3. |
| Super Mario Bros Wonder | Platformer, Family | Platformer | Switch. |
| Donkey Kong Country 2 | Platformer, Family, Arcade | Platformer, Arcade | SNES and Game Boy Advance. |
| Super Mario Maker 2 | Platformer, Family, Casual | Platformer | Switch. |
| Rayman Legends | Platformer, Family, Arcade | Platformer, Arcade | Wii U, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC and Switch. |
| Celeste | Platformer, Indie | Platformer | PC, PS4, Xbox One and Switch. |
| Super Mario Bros 3 | Platformer, Family, Arcade | Platformer, Arcade | NES and Game Boy Advance. |
| Shovel Knight | Platformer, Action, Indie | Platformer | PC, Wii U, 3DS, PS4, Xbox One and Switch. |
| Donkey Kong Country | Platformer, Family, Arcade | Platformer, Arcade | SNES and Game Boy Advance. |
Buy This Game
* Affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Support Justlikegames
Made by one person, for free
I run Justlikegames pretty much for free — covering hosting, APIs, and the hours spent writing recommendation lists by hand. There are no paywalls, no intrusive popups, and no "premium" tier. If the site has helped you find your next favorite game, a coffee goes a long way toward keeping it that way.
Buy me a coffeeEven $3 covers a day of API costs. Thank you 💛
If You Love Super Mario World, Try These
Frequently Asked Questions
More SNES Games Like Pages
Explore Other Consoles
Get Game Recs Weekly
Top picks, hidden gems, and deals — straight to your inbox. No spam, ever.
