Super Mario World was supposed to be Super Mario Bros. 4 – Why was the name changed?

When Super Mario World hit the Japanese market on November 21, 1990, many eagle-eyed fans noticed something curious about the packaging: the discreet subtitle “Super Mario Bros. 4.” This designation, however, was completely omitted in the Western version of the game, which was forever known simply as Super Mario World . But why did Nintendo choose to change the name of one of the most anticipated games in its history? The answer goes far beyond a simple marketing decision. It reveals creative tensions, strategic rebranding, and a historic transition that would redefine Mario’s very identity forever.

The Numerical Legacy and the End of an Era

To understand the shift, we need to go back to 1988. At the time, the team led by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka was finishing the monumental Super Mario Bros. 3 , which expanded exponentially on everything that had been done in the previous games. It was a game so complete that Miyamoto declared that the team had put “everything they could” into the project.

When Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi announced that the company was developing a new 16-bit console—the Super Famicom, which would become the Super Nintendo—there was no doubt that Mario would lead the generational leap. Internally, the upcoming game was called Super Mario Bros. 4 , and for months, that was how it was known at Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters.

The idea of ​​directly continuing the numbered series made sense at first. After all, Super Mario Bros. was one of the most recognized franchises on the planet, and the number 4 would bring with it an immediate association with the quality and continuity of a successful saga. However, what began as a direct sequel quickly turned into something much bigger.

From Number to World: A New Philosophy

During development, the team realized that they were pushing the boundaries of what any other Mario game had done. The game’s structure, now supported by an interconnected world—Dinosaur Land—introduced unprecedented freedom of exploration. The addition of a new companion, Yoshi, radically changed the way players navigated through levels. The graphics, sounds, and mechanics also took a significant leap forward thanks to the power of the new hardware.

All of this led the developers to one conclusion: this wasn’t just a sequel. It was a rebirth. A new chapter for the franchise. As Miyamoto put it, “We couldn’t just make the same game over and over again. We had to create something new.” Thus, the name Super Mario World was born .

The title wasn’t just a stylistic choice. It reflected the ambition behind the project: to offer the player an entire world to explore, not just more levels to beat. The name change signaled, subtly but powerfully, that this was the beginning of a new era.

Global Strategy: Why Did “Super Mario Bros. 4” Disappear in the West?

In Japan, where the Super Mario Bros. series has always maintained its numerical format, the inclusion of the subtitle “Super Mario Bros. 4” served as a bridge between generations. It was a transitional, almost nostalgic gesture that reassured the public and made it clear that this game was the natural evolution of the franchise.

In the West, however, Nintendo chose to remove the numerical reference entirely. And the reason was strategic.

In the United States and Europe, the NES – and with it Super Mario Bros. 3 – was still going strong in 1991. For the American public, the new generation of consoles was not a necessity, but a novelty. By naming the game Super Mario World , Nintendo created a clear visual and conceptual differentiation between the generations. It needed to convince consumers that this was not just “another Mario”, but rather a title that justified the purchase of a new and expensive console.

Additionally, there was concern about confusing the public. At a time when gaming media was still in its infancy and most children did not read gaming magazines, the name Super Mario Bros. 4 could have mistakenly suggested that the game was for the NES rather than the new Super Nintendo. The risk of hurting hardware sales with an ambiguous title was too great.

Super Mario World: The Name That Became a Brand

Over time, the name Super Mario World has become a symbol of its own. It not only defined the beginning of the Super Nintendo era, but has become synonymous with technical excellence and impeccable design. The inclusion of the subtitle “Super Mario Bros. 4” in the Japanese versions was dropped even in later re-releases, such as the Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World compilation .

The title’s legacy can also be felt in how it shaped future sub-franchises such as Yoshi’s Island , Super Mario 3D World , and even the nostalgic references in Super Mario Maker . Today, Super Mario World is remembered not as the “fourth Mario”, but as the game that established new paradigms for the franchise.

One Name, One New Universe

The decision to drop the number 4 and embrace “World” was more than a marketing ploy—it was a declaration of independence. Super Mario World wasn’t just a sequel. It was a new chapter, with its own identity, design freedom, and a vision for the future.

Rather than looking back and repeating the past with one more number, Nintendo chose to look forward and build a universe that could be rediscovered, revisited and loved for generations to come. Mario’s world expanded – and with it, so did our imaginations.