Mario XP

Mario XP: Old School Vibes Crash Into Something Weirdly Awesome

Alright, so imagine this: you fire up Mario XP and it's like your childhood Mario sessions just got hijacked by Castlevania after dark. Seriously, this thing is free, and it goes way beyond your average fan game. One minute you're stomping Goombas, next thing you know, you're dodging bats in a moody castle. Eight levels, all sorts of wild boss fights, and a vibe that flips from sunny to straight up gothic on a dime. It's familiar, but also not. Kinda like if Mario suddenly started listening to My Chemical Romance.

Here's the deal if you grew up obsessing over Mario or Castlevania (or hey, maybe both, no judgment), this mash up is like a fever dream you never knew you needed. You're still chasing after Peach because of course you are, some things never change but the whole "just jump and run" routine gets tossed out the window. There's no hand holding. No tutorial nonsense. You jump in and figure it out. Feels old school, in a good way. Sure, the settings are pretty much take it or leave it, and sometimes the thing stutters like it's had too much caffeine, but honestly? It's a small price for the fun.

• Classic Mario, But Not Really: You get the usual platforming, but suddenly there's this moody, strategic, Castlevania flavor. Mario with an edge? Yeah, I'm into it.
• Levels & Bosses That Don't Mess Around: Eight stages, each with bosses that don't just roll over. You've gotta pay attention, or get wrecked. No mercy.
• Gameplay Vibes: Okay, it's not perfect sometimes it lags, and you can't tweak much. But the story just keeps rolling, and honestly, you stop caring about the little hiccups.

Bottom line? Mario XP absolutely nails that sweet spot between "I remember this!" and "Whoa, what just happened?" It's not flawless, but who cares? If you're all about classic platformers, or just want to see Mario get a little weird, you should totally check this out. Nostalgic, a bit twisted, and seriously fun what more do you want?