Super Mario World (SNES)

Super Mario World
Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Platform: SNES This game has a notes page This game has a prerelease article

Super Mario World is the first Mario game on the Super Nintendo, rushed and hacked together in time for release.

Prototype stages

#2 Morton's Plains

Level ID:	016, 017
Layer 1:	?
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	?

These two levels are duplicates of Donut Plains 1, referencing the same level data, the latter of the two having a glitched background and the name "#2 Morton's Plains". It's currently unknown if this is simply a direct translation of a leftover Japanese name or some early changes the translators made, later deciding to go back to the food themed names of the Japanese version.

As a point of interest, the name is blank in the Japanese version.

TEST

Level ID:	Many
Layer 1:	30200
Layer 2:	None
Sprites:	None

A placeholder level filling tons of otherwise unused level IDs. The first one is at 012, but there are far too many to list.

Vertical Slope Test

Level ID:	108
Layer 1:	?
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	?

A mostly empty vertical level, probably used to test the vertical level compatible slopes.

Ride Among the Clouds

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	30263
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	3C500

The first level in the ROM, aside from the TEST level, suggesting that this was one of the earliest levels created. I still find this level similar to 1-4 in SMB3.

Mushroom Scales

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	302BD
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	3C50E

This level's sprites indicate that, earlier in development, the mushroom scale platforms weren't always placed in pairs. Furthermore, it actually uses the classic piranha plants!

Boss Test

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	30338
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	?

A room with doors to each boss for testing purposes.

Lava Cave

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	304EB
Layer 2:	30464
Sprites:	3C575

A complete (aside from lacking a goal sublevel) layer 2 level. The only problem seems to be its glitched lava graphics.

Twin Blocks

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	3059C
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	3C59B

Two stone blocks with two hotheads and two sparkies moving around them. Probably meant to test enemies that follow walls.

Beta Wendy's Castle

Beta Level: Toned down quite a bit.
Final Level: Comparison image.

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	305AB
Layer 2:	30701
Sprites:	3C5A9

Beta Level (top): The only early version of a level found in the final game, 01A Wendy's Castle. This level is almost identical to the finished one, but harder. Also, there's no door at the end for some reason.

Final Level (bottom): Comparison between versions. The colors indicate which version is showing: Blue: Final; Orange: Early; White: Both.

Pipe 'n' Ground

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	3073D
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	?

A pipe and ground, the latter spanning 8 screens.

Interestingly, it uses the ground normally reserved for Ghost House exits.

Ghost House Exit

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	30875
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	3C5FD?

An unused ghost house exit. Like the other ghost house exit levels, it's probably supposed to use an empty layer 2 level as its background. The specified sprite data simply contains a goal bar and may actually belong to the next ghost house exit or some other level.

Cloudy Ghost House Exit

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	38260
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	3C5FD?

Same as above, except this one has clouds on layer 1.

Empty level

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	?
Layer 2:	38218
Sprites:	?

Most likely a blank layer 2 level to use in order to have a blank background.

Lonely Goal

Level ID:	None
Layer 1:	?
Layer 2:	?
Sprites:	3C602

An orphaned piece of sprite data. Contains a single secret exit goal bar at coordinates (30,23). The only known layer 1 data that matches this position is that of level 132, a Special World level, and levels 1F0 and 1F1, both underground exit sublevels.

Unused level modes

Layer 1 horizontal into Layer 2 vertical

Sprite ID: EC

When this object is put into a level, the level will start out with a horizontal Layer 1 section, then transition into a vertical Layer 2 section. It only functions in levels with the layout mode set to 05 or 06.

Unused layer 3 graphics

Flying Cage

Sprite ID: 88

This graphically glitched flying cage Layer 3 graphic can be put into the game. Mario is automatically placed inside the cage when the level starts. This object can be used in conjunction with an autoscroll object to make the cage move across the level on a set path.

Interestingly, the tile numbers used to draw the wings match up with sprite graphics found in the SNES Test ROM, making this a very old leftover.

Unused objects

(Note: More unused objects from earlier builds of Super Mario World can be found in the SNES Test Program.)

Classic Piranha Plant

Sprite ID: 1A

A classic Piranha Plant. If you've ever played a Mario game you should know how this works. Its vine tile has been replaced in memory with one of the frames of Cheep Cheep flopping around on land.

Floating Platform

Sprite ID: 5E

This platform will move to the right constantly once Mario lands on it. If Sprite Buoyancy is enabled in the current level, this object will act like the smaller floating platforms found in levels such as Yoshi's Island 4.

Flying Coin

Flying red coin

Sprite ID: 7E

A red coin that continuously moves to the right like a P-Balloon. Collecting it will give the player 5 coins. This item would not make an official appearance until 1995, in Yoshi's Island.

Flying Mushroom

Flying mushroom of the gold persuasion

Sprite ID: 7F

Similar to the above object, this floating golden mushroom gives the player an extra life.

Unused Chargin' Chuck

Sprite ID: 96

This is a duplicate of the normal Chargin' Chuck object. It's used nowhere in the game.

Swooper Spawner

Sprite ID: E4

This object will create many blue Swoopers at whatever Y position it's placed, acting much like the Boo spawner found in Ghost Houses. These Swoopers cannot be defeated and will hurt Mario if he tries jumping on them. Note that one of their two flying frames has glitched graphics.

Alternate Skull Raft

Skulls mean bad medicine!

Not in Sprite table, but ASM pointer is 87D9

This is a different version of the skull raft used in some cave levels. When Mario jumps on one of the skulls, every skull to the right of the one Mario is on will move to the right. The skulls to the left and the skull that Mario is standing on will not move.

When this object is spawned, the object controller remains in the spawn spot. That object can be destroyed with a fireball. When the object controller is destroyed, the skulls will revert to the normal skull raft behavior.

Grass

In the tileset-specific object set, Bushes 4 and 5 are considered unused however Bush 5 is finished and works fine - the graphics for it are also finished, available in the forest tileset.

Unused Tiles

Blue Coin

A coin what is blue

This acts just like a normal coin, but it's all...blue.

Hitting a P-Switch will turn these blue coins into pink blocks. Oddly enough, they too can be collected as coins.

Bounce Block

These blocks aren't activated by Koopa shells or jumping, but by running into them from the side. They aren't quite finished, as the object part of this block uses the wrong graphics. Two versions of this block are coded - one with nothing in it, and one with a feather.

Similar blocks appeared in Super Mario Bros 3.

Question Mark Block - Shell

Question Mark Blocks that contain Koopa shells are fully coded in the game! Well, not just a Koopa shell. The actual Koopa is still inside, and it will get back up if you wait too long.

Small Door

These half-sized doors can only be entered by Small Mario. Both normal and P-Switch versions of this door are coded in the game.

Unused Level Intros

Three unused level intros exist. These can be triggered when the GFX header of a level is equal to 2, 6, or 8. These intros feature a No Yoshi sign that appears nowhere else in the game.

• 

  Rope 1 (GFX header #2) intro.

• 

  Rope 2 (GFX header #6) intro.

• 

  Rope 3 (GFX header #8) intro.

Unused overworld sprites

Lakitu

Map Lakitu

This Lakitu will follow Mario around on the main overworld map, but he won't appear on any submaps (Like Vanilla Dome). Lakitu can be activated by hex editing a save state and changing address 19FB from 00 to 01.

Blue jay

Map bird

This odd looking bird also follows Mario around on the overworld map, but it will also appear on submaps (Except for Vanilla Dome). Like the Lakitu, it can be activated by changing address 19FC in a save state to 02.

It has been suggested that this sprite originally appeared around levels that contained the flying cage. The mysterious winged objects holding up the cage do indeed use a blue palette.

Something like this?

Piranha Plant

Map Piranha Plant

The Classic Piranha Plant really got shafted in this game. There's a sprite meant to go on the overworld as decoration, but it's never used.

Koopa Kid

Map Koopa Kid

Three Koopa Kids are actually present on the overworld map, but are never visible; the path tiles that were originally supposed to make them appear were changed into corner tiles and used in the Star World. They were meant to drag you into levels, much like the hands in World 8 of Super Mario Bros. 3.

Unused overworld Switch Palace

Another instance of the Red Switch Palace map tile is coded into the Valley of Bowser. There's no way to reach or activate it without hacking the game. Trying to enter this level leads to Level 112, which points to the Test Level seen above. The actual level ID of the Red Switch Palace is 11B.

Interestingly, Valley of Bowser 3 has its Enable path on secret exit value set to Left, whereas all other single-exit levels have it set to Up, implying that there was a path there at some point. Nintendo probably figured the player would have little need for red Switch Blocks by this point and (wisely) decided to make the Palace accessible much, much earlier in the game.

Miscellaneous Unused Graphics

Fire-spitting Dino Rhino

That's a spicy meatball!

Urrrp.

Dino Rhino was supposed to have an actual attack! Both this animation of Dino Rhino and this vertical version of Yoshi's fireball appear in the Dino Rhino tileset. In the actual game, Dino Rhino just walks back and forth; only the smaller Mini-Rhino version actually attacks.

Super Mario Bros. 4

These graphics appeared in an early version of the U.S. title screen, and are still present in the ROM. Strangely enough, they are not present in the Japanese ROM, even though the official Japanese label art did have the subtitle of "SUPER MARIO BROS. 4".

• 

  Japanese title screen

• 

  Prototype U.S. title screen (earlier)

• SMWTitleEarly2.jpg

  Prototype U.S. title screen (later)

• 

  Final U.S. title screen

Yoshi dust

This dust is supposed to appear when Mario hops on Yoshi, but it's unused in the final game. The Game Genie code 8B68-AFDC will enable this feature.

Unused 5-Up

This graphic of a 5-Up is stored in the game, and never used...well, never used correctly.

More like 5 Down

It's possible to get a 5-Up using the Wiggler glitch, or with a Game Genie code. It's fully coded, but the actual way the graphics are displayed is incorrect. The 8x8 tiles used are incorrectly flipped horizontally and vertically.

The Game Genie code FDEF-AF6D will make 3-Up Moons give you a 5-Up instead.

Boss Door

The door on the left is how the boss door appears in the game. The door on the right represents how the different 8x8 tiles stored in memory comprise the boss door. Each color is a different 8x8 tile. Interestingly, the orange and purple tiles are stored identically, but in separate slots. This suggests that the purple tiles were originally used for something else, like a doorknob or latch.

Developer's Tools

Free Movement Mode

The Game Genie code DDA6-DF07 enables a free movement mode. To enable it, Hold L and press A twice. You will be able to move Mario around anywhere on the stage. Press L and A again to exit.

In addition, you will be able to run at top speed instantly to fly immediately when you start running.

Boss Defeated Scene Select

The Game Genie code 7DBD-04AF will give you special controls during boss defeated scenes. After the scene has ended, press L + R to repeat the scene, or press Up + L + R to view the boss defeated scene from the next world.

Additionally, if you go past the seventh and final defeated Koopa Kid scene, you can view the credits.

Power-Up Select

The Game Genie code EDA5-0F6F enables a power-up select not unlike Super Mario Bros. 3. Hold Up and press Select to switch between Small, Big, Cape, and Fire Mario, respectively.

Yoshi Select

The Game Genie code ED60-642D will let you choose what Yoshi you want on the map screen. Press Select to cycle through the different Yoshi colors. The order is No Yoshi, Yellow, Blue, Red, Green.

Instant Level Completion

The Game Genie code DDC1-64DD + DDC5-6DAD allows you to instantly complete any level, even ones you have not already beaten. Press Start, then Select to complete the level via the "normal" route. Press Start, hold "A", then press Select to complete the level via the secret goal, if the level has one.