Super Mario Flashback Alpha

Nintendo has a very strange relationship with fan content. It seems like Nintendo is more interested in aggressively shutting down whatever fans make in fear of them conflicting with their own interests instead of simply going the SEGA route and appreciating the passion of the fans. However, their fans are so passionate that they keep doing it regardless. Super Mario Flashback is one of those fan projects.

To play Super Mario Flashback, simply boot up whatever SWF player you have and execute the SWF file in it.

This game plays like an incredibly polished version of a Mario game. It has absolutely beautiful pixel art and animation, with Mario reacting to pretty much everything that happens with surprising realism. For example, when he hits a block with his head, his whole body compresses like a spring and it's hilarious. The amount of passion put into every single one of his animations is amazing.

Unfortunately, this demo is very light on content. There are only three normal levels, each with two gold stars and one green star. If you find all the green stars, then you'll unlock a secret level that...well, let's just say that the visual style and gameplay are changed significantly. It's an incredibly challenging experience.

What's more is that this game more than likely will take quite some time to actually finish development, and it's not unlikely that Nintendo will nip it in the bud before it ever reaches completion. Still, Super Mario Flashback is one of the best fan games ever made.