Good graphics, fun and varied level, lots of freedom…this is probably the best game ever made with the word "Mario" in the title.
I borrowed this game from a friend back in '97, and was very disappointed when he came to reclaim it about a year and a half later. This game is an all-time classic. You, as Mario, run around a castle jumping into various fantasy worlds, collecting gold stars, and trying (of course) save the princess. The levels range from icy mountains to deserts to infernos, and each environment is gorgeous. Within each level, you must complete several missions. You can do them in any order, allowing for plenty of freedom in how you play the game. Missions themselves range from jumping puzzles to fights to an insanely hard race against a penguin. The gameplay translates surprisingly well to 3D, and the control scheme is perfect. Like the rest of the Mario series, the setting is a lot like an acid trip. Also like the rest of the Mario series, its curiously addicting.