Super Mario World launched with the Super Famicom in Japan on 21 November 1990, alongside F-Zero, and carried the subtitle Super Mario Bros. 4 there. It was directed by Takashi Tezuka and produced by Shigeru Miyamoto at Nintendo EAD, with music by Koji Kondo.
Yoshi made his debut here as a rideable companion; the idea dated back to the NES era, but hardware limits had held it back. New moves and items included the Cape Feather and the Spin Jump, and the game has 96 level exits in total. Bundled with the console, it helped make the SNES popular: North America got it as a pack-in in August 1991, and Europe in April 1992.
The game later reappeared in the Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World compilation (1994), as Super Mario Advance 2 on the Game Boy Advance (2001), on several Virtual Console services and on the Super NES Classic Edition.1
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Super Mario WorldEnglish Wikipedia gives 23 August, TCRF 13 August 1991; pack-in with the console | SNES | August 1991 | Nintendo | 1 |
| NA | Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario WorldCompilation used as a pack-in | SNES | December 1994 | Nintendo | 1 |
| JP | スーパーマリオワールドSūpā Mario WārudoSuper Famicom launch title alongside F-Zero | SNES | Nov 21, 1990 | Nintendo | 1 |
| EU | Super Mario WorldDate also on TCRF | SNES | Apr 11, 1992 | Nintendo | 1 |
| AU | Super Mario World | SNES | Jul 1, 1992 | Nintendo | 1 |
| KR | Super Mario World | SNES | 1992 | Hyundai | 2 |
| BR | Super Mario World | SNES | Aug 30, 1993 | — | 1 |
| JP | Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2; NA 11 Feb 2002, AU 2 Apr 2002, EU 12 Apr 2002 | Game Boy Advance | Dec 14, 2001 | Nintendo | 1 |
| JP | スーパーマリオワールドVirtual Console; US 5 Feb 2007, EU 9 Feb 2007 | Wii | Dec 2, 2006 | Nintendo | 1 |
| WW | Super Mario WorldVirtual Console (NA and JP; EU 27 Apr 2013) | Wii U | Apr 26, 2013 | Nintendo | 1 |
| WW | Super Mario WorldNew Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console | Nintendo 3DS | Mar 3, 2016 | Nintendo | 1 |
| WW | Super NES Classic EditionBuilt-in game on the Super NES Classic Edition | SNES | September 2017 | Nintendo | 1 |
| WW | Super Mario WorldNintendo Switch Online SNES launch title; the GBA Super Mario Advance 2 was added 25 May 2023 | Switch | Sep 5, 2019 | Nintendo | 1 |
Also known as: Super Mario World: Super Mario Bros. 4 JP1Super Mario Advance 2 WW1Sūpā Mario Wārudo JP1
Box art by region
NA Super Mario World 
EU Super Mario World 
JP スーパーマリオワールド
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Version differences
-
GameplayGBA (Super Mario Advance 2)
In Super Mario Advance 2 Luigi can be played in single-player, with the higher, floatier jump and the look he had in Super Mario Bros. 2.1
-
DifficultyGBA (Super Mario Advance 2)
The GBA version lets you save anywhere rather than only after Ghost Houses and Castles, and taking a hit no longer removes all power-ups, so it is easier.1
-
ContentGBA (Super Mario Advance 2)
On the GBA, the alternate overworld colours and enemy sprites unlock once every exit is found rather than after beating the Special World, and Mario Bros. Classic supports four players by link cable.1
Translations
-
English Official
Nintendo1991SNES · Japanese versionReleased · complete
The English release came out in North America in 1991 and in Europe in 1992.1
Where to play legally today
-
Nintendo Switch Online Subscription
Super Mario World
SNES version (a 'Super Mario World SP' variant was added 30 March 2022)
Checked: 2026-10-133en.wikipedia.org
-
Nintendo Switch Online Subscription
Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
Game Boy Advance version
Checked: 2026-10-133en.wikipedia.org
Reception
About 20.61 million copies were sold worldwide, making it the best-selling SNES game. The GBA version, Super Mario Advance 2, sold 2.5 million in the US by August 2006.1
In lists
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
Spotted a mistake? Write to atlas@old-games.net.