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[MaloEspada]

I like these "descontructions" too, so i tried my hand at a Cave Story one. 

You can check it here. It's only for the very first stage, though.

[Uykered]

I think it'd be more interesting if people talked about levels near the end of the games, as thats usually where the best design is and where the most fun is had.

[JustRadek]

I've posted the third part of my SMB 3 articles if anyone's interested: http://www.significant-bits.com/super-mario-bros-3-level-design-lessons-part-3

This one veers away from typical level design to focus on how the overworld hubs are structured and linked to the core stages, but I think it's still relevant to the topic.

[SuperMistLand]

Hey, cool to see you're a member at TIG, Radek. Those articles are great.

[JustRadek]

Glad you enjoyed 'em.

[baconman]

That *is* a damn good article, and clearly defines why SMB3 is an experience beyond the rest of the Mario games... from SMW forward, the world maps serve as nothing but level hubs, but in SMB3 they're also a critical part of the gameplay. They're also where a lot of the memorably catchy jingles come from. Even though I started with SMB1, every time I see a Mario experience, that doggoned "Grass Land map screen" song pops into my head.

Also, another ingenius thing is how in spite of many worlds having 8-10 levels, EVERY ONE OF THEM had some kind of tangible value in the map-screen layout. And every world allowed you to skip at least one or two levels, especially valuable when it came to the more challenging ones. Like how 6-5 allowed you to access one of the only Hammer Bros-only Toad's Houses, or how the more obscurely located levels were often the ones that resulted in the White Houses, and even the way players in 2P games could detour one another or pick battles if they wanted a prize space ahead of them; but could still work together to chart courses through the worlds.

That forced 5-5 was one nasty SoB, though! XD Diagonal auto-scroll with moving plats, and rotary plats... I was so disoriented the first week I played that! It's still a shocker at times.