itch.io

I'm not sure if this is helpful in identifying the version I'm looking for, but in the opening loading screen, it showed all the playable nintendo characters and some non playable characters too, all in a long row? I noticed this opening image differs version to version so I figured it might be an identifying marker. And it isnt that I dont like the new version exactly, it's more that I fell in love with the game as it was and I didnt even know it had been changed so between when my pc crashed a year and a half ago and now, when I was finally able to replace it, I'd been looking forward to picking up where I left off with the game and coming back to what feels like a largely different game was unexpected and a bit disappointing since I'd been looking forward to the experience that particular iteration of the game created. I hope that makes sense? 

Off hand I'm not crazy about the whole, only being able to play as characters if they've joined your "party" thing. I liked being able to switch between various characters right off the bat to deal with different situations with different moves/abilities/powerups, I also really preferred being able to play in other worlds non-linearly. It's a bummer to only be able to explore one world at a time when you're used to being able to bounce around. Not a fan of the added boss fights so early on in the game either. I get stuck on those fights sometimes and it really sucks to be getting into the groove of the game and then after only like 4 levels, ya hit a boss that's really hard to kill and then you're stuck. I basically gave up after the tenth time of trying to get through the new mushroom world boss, the one inspired by the egg spitting dragon things from mario advance. I just cant seem to get through it and I'm surprised because I literally JUST beat the game that character came from, so idk why I'm having such a hard time with it, but running into something that frustrating so early on is a big turnoff for me as a player. If I really get stuck I wind up either having to give up on the game or ask a friend to beat that spot for me, but if I'm on my own, chances are it'll halt my gameplay at least for a while. I eventually get determined to beat the damn thing come hell or highwater lol but it stalls out my drive to play the game because playing the same boss fight over and over and over that I keep losing eventually just gets too frustrating to continue and then I just move on to other games that I can actually steadily keep playing. 

I feel like the old version was still adequately challenging, but it allowed for more free playability, like you could bounce around to different places and be different characters and switch around different aspects of your gameplay at will, and even though there were points you had to reach to get to other places and some were tricky, it continuously felt fun and interesting without getting overly frustrating or repetitive. I wish I could say more about more of the new version but since I'm currently stuck practically right after starting, it's hard to get a real feel for the new version beyond how frustrating it is that theres such an obstacle like right away. i love the game, always have, but I guess after looking forward to playing again for so long, coming back to find so many changes, especially one that is essentially preventing me from continuing to explore the game, is kind of a major vibe killer. I must say though the technical/functional upgrades are a welcome change! Cant take that away from yall, you guys really made the functionality of the game better, it runs more smoothly and I have less issues getting my controller to connect etc. So there are plusses too! 

New or old version though, yall really made something cool and I know a lot of people have been and are continuing to enjoy it :)

Hey so I checked out all the versions from that link, and none of them are the one I'm looking for unfortunately. I think it must be one of the versions between 7 and 8, because the map of the mushroom kingdom from the one I originally played on my old PC was more or less identical to the current map of the mushroom kingdom in the up to date game, whereas the map of the mushroom kingdom in the older versions I was able to access through the link you gave me, up to v5.3 I think?  Looks more like the maps of the mushroom kingdom from Super Mario Advance 4, Super Mario Bros 3. I'm sorry I keep bugging you guys about this but I feel like I'm so close to narrowing it down, so it'd be a shame to give up now! I am 1000% determined to revive this older iteration of the game that I love so much haha. So that being said, are there any additional archives somewhere that would include the rest of the past iterations of the game from 5.3 onwards? If so I would love a link!