Play Super Mario World - A Link to the Past (demo 1) Online

I remember getting my hands on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990, and one of the first things I tried was this demo for what felt like a bizarre crossover. Nintendo published it, and it was a strange, wonderful glimpse into what the new hardware could do, blending two of their biggest worlds into one cartridge. It wasn't a full game, more of a proof of concept that showed the SNES wasn't just about better graphics, but new kinds of play.

You control Mario, but he's dropped into a top-down perspective straight out of A Link to the Past. You still run and jump, but now you also swing a sword to cut grass and defeat enemies, uncovering rupees and heart pieces. The main goal is to navigate through a small, condensed version of Hyrule, entering caves that function like mini-dungeons to find keys and progress. The pacing is brisk, a condensed version of exploration and combat that feels immediately familiar yet fresh. It's a short experience, but the sheer novelty of guiding Mario through a Zelda-style adventure makes every screen a small discovery.