This was my first video game; the reason that I'm the devoted gamer I am today.
Everything is polished to such a stunning degree. Every minute of this game is pure joy. The SNES original was already an amazing classic, but the tiny updates made in the GBA version make it all the more better.
For one, the game now has a fancy animated opening. Now you actually get to see a several minute long setup and a "tour" of Dinosaur Land and its inhabitants. It even changes when you beat the game. The music and gentle squawking of seagulls in the background give the game a fresh, tropical feel.
A new menu screen shows which levels you have and haven't cleared, and which Dragon Coins you have left to collect. A handful of voice samples (Mama Mia!) are slightly annoying, but they grow on you. One of the best new features is the ability to save anytime at will. All of these updates are great. They enhance the gaming experience without getting in the way of it or detracting from it.
The graphics are surprisingly detailed and bright. Cartoony landscapes and parallax scrolling along with crisp animations make Dinosaur Land seem ALIVE. The GBA colors are slightly faded (Mario's outfit is a little pink), but they are still eye candy. The boss battles are especially cool.
Controls are comfortable, natural, and sharp. Except for Luigi, whose jumping pattern is so erratic it makes a deflating balloon's movement more predictable. Yoshi is a joy to ride. The Cape Feather is expecially fun to control.
Music is awesome and catchy. Enough said.
This game contains some of the most brilliant level designs in the entire series. An abundance of power-ups and secret exits, not to mention hundreds of hidden 1-Up Mushrooms and 3-Up Moons. This is not just a game; it's a journey through Mario's crazy and wonderful world. Some levels are deviously hard and insanely fun to beat. There's just a certain satisfaction with overcoming some of the game's many obstacles. The enemies and bosses are just bursting with personality. Even the overworlds are a treat to explore, and good luck finding all of the Switch Palaces and beating the challenging Star Road and Secret World!
I'm telling you, this game is perfect in every way. It got me hooked on video games. I'll never forget the birthday I opened up my brand new GameBoy Advance, popped in Super Mario World, and heard "Let's a-go!" for the first time. This game helped define my childhood. So much nostalgia, so much fun. If by some atrocity you have never played this game, buy it now, for GBA or Virtual Console. You'll be doing yourself a huge favor.
I said it once and I'll say it again: this game is magic.