Sonic vs. Mario. It's one of the greatest rivalries in all of video game history. One put the Sega Genesis on the map, while the other made the name “Nintendo” synonymous with gaming. Even today, these two are still battling it out at the box office. To this very day, gamers continue to argue about which is best – Super Mario World or Sonic the Hedgehog. It's a battle that has been raging for 33 years, and will probably go another 33. But what did the critics say in 1991? Was it this back-and-forth, or was there a clear winner in this 16-bit showdown? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer & Video Games, Mean Machines, GamePro and more classic magazines that reviewed both of these side-scrolling platformers. Today we're going to see where the critics landed and maybe even settle this debate once and for all. This is Magazine Match-Up!


If you're the type of person who simply looks at the numbers, then you might think that the fight between Sonic and Mario was a close one. After all, Electronic Gaming Monthly gave both of these games an average score of 9 out of 10, securing their spots as the top two games of 1991. But here at Defunct Games, we do more than just look at the numbers, because what is actually said in the review is a lot more important. And that's definitely the case when you read through the Super Mario World reviews published in issue 25. Take Ed's review as an example: “Easily the best Mario adventure yet, but I had hoped that Nintendo would do more with the game than just make another Mario adventure. This should show off the system's capabilities, but there just aren't enough special effects when compared to other Super NES games.” This was a situation where the EGM editors were slightly disappointed in Super Mario World, which helps to explain why, at the end of the year, they awarded Sonic the Hedgehog as the best game of 1991. “The popular comparison may be Mario 4 on the Super NES vs. Sonic the Hedgehog on the Genesis, but when it comes right down to it, Sonic is the clear winner.” So, while the scores may point to a tie, I think it's clear that we have to give the point to Sonic.

For our next match-up, we're going across the pond to check in with another long-running magazine – Computer & Video Games. Now this is a close one, with only two points separating the winner and loser. When CVG reviewed Sonic the Hedgehog in their 117th issue, they gave it an impressive 94%. Sonic knocked Tim Boone sideways and hasn't let go: “Sonic may be as cute as hell and play like a dream, but rest assured, this game's as tough as your grandad's old boots. Sega have put a huge amount of thought into this, and it shows. Sonic has thrown down the gauntlet to Mario in a big way and everyone's favorite Italian plumber must be feeling just a little washed out. I won't say he's necessarily better, but Sonic certainly gives the immortal Nintendo hero a run for his money.” This take echoes the score, as Super Mario World managed to narrowly edge out Sonic with a total of 96%. Rob Swan argued that it wasn't just better than Sonic, but also better than Super Mario Bros. 3: “Super Mario World is a brilliant example of what the Super Famicom is capable of. The gameplay is just so addictive, you'd better be prepared to stay stuck to your screens until you've completed it. Overall, a totally fantastic game – what more can I say?” Nothing more is needed, that's clearly a point on the board for Super Mario World.

Staying in the UK, let's take a look at ACE, or Advanced Computer Entertainment, which is probably best-known for having a ridiculous one-thousand-point scale. When it came to Super Mario World, they went high, giving it a 910. They praised the interesting characters, the parallax scrolling graphics and the superb upbeat soundtrack, calling it “a treat for the eyes and the ears. Add smashing gameplay of the most addictive variety and you've got one of the best games ever.” 910 is definitely a big number, but is it big enough to beat Sonic? No way, because the blue hedgehog managed to score and even more impressive 925. “Technically, one of the most impressive carts you'll ever slide into your slot. Invite some ST and Amiga owners round to see you play and watch their jaws drop slowly open as the game accelerates to speeds they've never dreamed of. Superb arcade-style music and professional presentation completes the fun equation nicely. Essential fun.” And with that, the Genesis scores another point. We have a real battle going on here.

While Mean Machines may have started inside the pages of Computer & Video Games, by 1991 it had been spun-off into its own magazine. As a result, we're given a rare chance to see what both CVG and Mean Machines said about these two blockbuster releases. Up first is Sonic, which got a score of 92% from the magazine. “After about fifteen zillion millenia of waiting, Sonic's finally here, and it's almost as fabby as Sega would have us believe. I cannot stress too much the graphical excellence of this game – it is definitely the best-looking Mega Drive game yet seen, even more attractive than the Super Famicom's Mario 4.” Does that mean that we can award another point to Sonic? Not so fast, because Super Mario World actually managed to go even higher, with Mean Machines giving it a shocking 98%. “Nintendo have created a giant roller coaster of a cartridge here, packed with masses of challenge, scores of secret rooms and what can only be described as almost perfect playability. There is so much to see and enjoy in this game, I guarantee that you'll be hooked for months. Here at Mean Machines, we've seen every Super NES game there is, and yet Mario IV remains the most superb game on the system, and gives Mario 3 a good run for its money in the ‘Best Video Game Ever' stakes.” That's the kind of high praise that will put another point on the board for Super Mario World, tying this thing up.

With both Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario World hanging onto two points each, I feel like we need to bring in GamePro to break this tie. When it came to reviewing these two games, GamePro didn't. I mean, they technically did, but also they didn't. Let me explain. When they reviewed Sonic the Hedgehog in their June 1991 issue, they gave it a perfect 5 out of 5 and called it “a class act all the way. It shows what determined programmers, artists and game designers can do when they really set out to produce a winner. Don't hedge your bets on Sonic the Hedgehog.” Now, when it came to reviewing Super Mario World, GamePro opted to give readers three pages of hints and tips instead of the traditional review. I mean, it's listed as a review, but those tiny faces aren't anywhere to be seen. But don't worry, because we can actually settle this by going to their March 1992 issue, when they published the 1991 Reader's Choice Awards. That's when they named Sonic the Hedgehog the 16-Bit Game of the Year, explaining that “by the start of 1991, it was obvious that the 16-bit Genesis was technically superior to the 8-bit Nintendo. But 30 million households were playing Nintendo, and a little Italian plumber came to signify the Nintendo monopoly the same way Mickey Mouse signifies the Disney empire. Sega needed a character! In 1991, they found one. The blue-hued, spine-covered insectivore, known as Sonic the Hedgehog, took the video game industry by storm and showed that Genesis really does what Nintendon't.” So ... that's a point for the Genesis, right?

Okay, maybe that feels like a cheap way to break a tie. I mean, it wasn't technically GamePro giving Sonic the win, but rather the readers. If you don't want to count that, then I get it. We all want one of these two titans to win fair and square. So, let's turn our attention to noted video game magazine ... Entertainment Weekly? Okay, sure, they are known more for their movie and music reviews, but they are one of the very few magazines to review both Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario World, so this is what we have to work with.

When it comes to Super Mario World, EW was a little disappointed by the sequel. “Mario bops his enemies, eats power mushrooms, crawls in and out of drainpipes ... all the things he's been doing for the past five years, and in settings not remarkably advanced, graphically, from those of previous 8-bit games. Super Mario World amounts to advertising, a vehicle intended to show off the capabilities of the Super NES as well as goad brand-conscious kids into buying the system in the first place.” They gave the game a B. Sonic the Hedgehog, on the other hand, received an A+. “Dazzlingly fast yet never chaotic, consistently challenging but never impossible, Sonic the Hedgehog is quite simply one of the best video games I've ever played. Superficially, it breaks no new ground. The spike-haired hero jumps, dodges and weaves his way through various worlds filled with bizarre creatures (yawn). The big difference is in Sonic's splendid graphics and play control.” That's right, Entertainment Weekly preferred Sonic to Mario, and it wasn't even close.

With either GamePro or Entertainment Weekly breaking the tie (depending on how you look at it), Sonic the Hedgehog ends up being the big winner by a score of 4 to 2. Honestly, this is not what I expected. I knew that Electronic Gaming Monthly sided with Sonic, but I thought the score might be a little closer. I was especially surprised by the readers choosing Sonic and the drubbing Mario took in Entertainment Weekly. Mario must have overcharged them for some plumbing work or pissed in their cereal, because that review still hurts. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to put some salve on that and figure out the next debate we can solve with a Magazine Match-Up.