History was not kind to this game. I think if we didn't have nintendo ripping themselves off three times over with all the other new super mario bros. games, this could have been remembered as a classic that stands shoulder to shoulder with the old classic 2D mario games. It really has everything you could want, contstant new ideas in every level and very good execution. The art style is maybe a little nondescript but even here it fares a lot better than the sequels because most of it is still pixel art.