Brutal Mario

Three guesses as to the difference between this and the normal Super Mario World box. The first two don't count.


One of the most well-known Super Mario World hacks. Made by the Japanese hacker "Carol", this hack's success comes from the fact that it contains many modifications that the vast majority of SMW hackers can't do, including new bosses, transition effects, new powers, and more. It's inspired many hackers to make their own custom bosses and ASM modifications.

The official game is available on SMW Central here, as well as an unofficial English translation. Both are listed as demos; therefore, they're incomplete. Since Carol himself is something of a hermit and can't speak English, updates travel through the forums via indirect word of mouth, so it's largely unknown what kind of progress has been made on completing it.

The unofficial story is that, prior to the hack's start, Mario finally killed Bowser once and for all and was made Mushroom King. However, the success got to his head and he became a very corrupt ruler. He was eventually overthrown, so you're playing the game as a disgraced What the Hell, Hero?. (The official story is "Mario was hungry, so he went to Dinosaur Land to ate dinosaurs.")

This game is also unofficially known as "Super Kitiku World", however there are rumors going around that Carol might retcon this into being the official title for the game when the next version is released. If so, this page and its redirect will be changed accordingly.

Among the changes:

  • The title screen demo level changes halfway through: Mario encounters a crying Koopa called a "Love Animal" (one Let's Play said this was PETA's way of complaining to Mario), then he goes back and sees a bunch of collapsed Koopas and cracked shells before jumping in a hole marked "↓SUICIDE". When you play the actual level, jump down the suicide hole.
  • Bosses from numerous Kirby, Donkey Kong Country, Mega Man, and Final Fantasy games.
  • A boss battle against Kirby himself...that plays like the final battle against Bowser in Yoshi's Island. He even says the same intro message as Bowser.
  • A mysterious "Luigi" world
  • Wavy effects for underwater levels
  • A level with a setting sun transition
  • Gravity reversal blocks
  • Some changes expected in the next version: Custom music and a title screen where the demo level stays the same, but the text is changed to "Super Kitiku World", as mentioned above.
  • Pretty much every level has a little gimmick. Every single one.
Tropes used in Brutal Mario include:
  • Advancing Boss of Doom
  • Blackout Basement: Several levels are completely dark and give the player only a spotlight in order to see Mario.
  • Control Room Puzzle: The Red Switch Palace uses this type of puzzle where the player hits switches that make certain blocks appear or disappear.
  • Dark World: Ghost Forest has several switches that turn the world from day to night and back again, and transforms all the enemies.
  • Game Breaking Bug: SMW Central requires that, if you submit an incomplete hack, use a formal "End of Demo" level that's like the original game's Top Secret Area. Carol opts for a picture of Wendy O. Koopa and killing Mario. One of these instances is where Star Road 5 used to be, and using a code to force a "secret exit" animation gives you access to a secret world.
  • Gravity Screw: Gravity Fortress has switches that make gravity really strong or really light, and zones that switch the direction of gravity altogether.
  • Gimmick Level: A fuckton.
  • Interface Screw: Mirror Fortress reverses left and right on the D-Pad.
  • Kaizo Trap: In "Where is This?", it's possible to defeat Bowser and fall into the lava right afterward if your jump is off.
  • Lift of Doom: Two levels use an elevator in which the player must avoid enemies and obstacles.
  • Lock and Key Puzzle
  • Macro Zone: A level based on Giant Land.
  • The Maze: A lot of them.
  • Nostalgia Level: "Where is This?" is based on World 1 of Super Mario Bros.
  • No Ending: Since the hack is incomplete, there's no formal ending.
  • Pixel Hunt: Some levels require the player to find hidden passages by searching walls for fake scenery.
  • Shout-Out: Loads And Loads Of Them. Among the more notable ones:
    • A working Super Mario Bros 3 Spade Game.
    • A room similar to the Banana Bird caves of Donkey Kong Country 3 where you have to play the SMB theme.
    • In some levels, you can push R to activate a leaf shield. (The unofficial English translation has Wood Man telling Mario about it via message boxes.)
    • Both incarnations of Squawks. You have to fight the DKC version as a miniboss, and the level with the subsequent version also has working (albeit extremely small) Zingers.
    • A working skiing level similar to the ones in Yoshi's Island.
    • Notable bosses: Dr. Wily, Kaptain K. Rool, Dumb Drum, King Dedede, and a Yoshi's Island-ized Kirby.
  • Timed Mission: The "Titanic" level gives the player a short time limit, so in many cases the player will only finish mere seconds before the time is up.
  • Time Stands Still: One level has P-Switches that briefly stop time and freeze all enemies.
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