new super mario bros 2 world 4 secret exit

any% in this hack is legitimately very fun and it keeps a really nice traditional theme while also giving its own twist with unique level themes. There were a few moments of me having a hard time seeing some obstacles (like the blue flames in the W9 castle), but overall they looked nice and the overworld looks beautiful They look really nice, the colors look clean and well made.

the aesthetics in this hack are excellent. Overall I had a really good time doing any% in this hack, but 100% left me with a sour taste. This comment is going to be pretty in-depth, so beware.

I'd still recommend the hack for those looking for a challenge who don't mind using emulator tools, but I'd be cautious for everyone else otherwise. There's definitely something fun here, but I feel savestates are needed near the endgame which is unfortunate. Moreover, the prequel kept the Item Reserve block. I also can't really figure out why exactly the Item Reserve feature was removed from this hack entirely, as it's a feature I quite like and feel would've made this precision more excusable. These are introduced in an enviornment that also has some slightly tricky precision, and coupled with the cool (but confusing) gravity gimmick, it becomes overwhelming.

World 12, while easily having one of my favorite themes the hack has, introduces some blocks that demateralize when Mario jumps off of them. Coupled with the ice physics, I found myself getting frustrated. There's a particularly nasty ice cave level that felt really strict with where you had to land. However, by World 10-ish, I feel a LOT of the levels seem to rely on too much precision in the platforming for my tastes and I found myself Game Overing frequently early into World 12. There's a nice tutorial explaining how to use the Walljump if the player is unfamiliar with it, which was lovely considering it was entirely new to me! There's also some really great level theming too that makes these earlier levels a fun time (the little hotel was way too cute). Initially the hack's level design starts out wonderful and there's very few complaints. Gave this hack a go based on an article that recommended it (as well as it's prequel), mostly had a good time with it, but sadly ended up abandoning the hack around World 12.

New super mario bros 2 world 4 secret exit