

Though the developers were highly enthusiastic about making a traditional Mario game (partly to establish their reputation surrounding Nintendo-licensed characters), NovaLogic hoped to use as little money as possible on the project.

Other developers such as lead artist Nina Stanley stayed with the project. This ended the CD-i career of Warner, who had expected Nintendo's reaction. Multiple designers also left to work for Electronic Arts.
Nintendo was impressed, but because of poor CD-i sales was forced to cancel the game. Developers Silas Warner and John Brooks worked reportedly 24 hours a day for two weeks on the game, finishing only a part of one level to present to Nintendo. A Nintendo sales executive suggested to NovaLogic that a simplified style of Super NES games could be adapted to the CD-i, so they decided to demonstrate a follow-up to Super Mario World. Philips was developing Nintendo's Super NES CD-ROM peripheral, and as part of that deal had the right to use Nintendo's characters in its own games for its existing CD-i console. NovaLogic, the developer of Super Mario's Wacky Worlds, was hoping to be hired by Nintendo.
