Despite not wanting to ever play a GB 2D Mario, I enjoyed Super Mario Land enough to warrant playing Super Mario Land 2, and to be honest, I see the hype. I wouldn't say I like this game as much as most other people still, but I definitely see the hype.
Super Mario Land felt like it was at conflict with itself, wanting to be its own unique Mario game but also having to contend with translating 2D Mario to the GameBoy's capabilities. This game is noticeably better in pretty much every regard. It looks better, it feels better, its more fleshed out. It even takes a wholly different approach to the Mario story formula. There is no princess to rescue, instead you have to take back Mario's castle from the evil Wario (when the hell did Mario get his own castle anyhow?).
What I really enjoy about this game is its approach to theming. Super Mario Land 1 had this globetrotting aesthetic where you were like, going around to different places, and that's kinda cool, but I prefer the theming in this game a lot more. Especially for 1992, some of these themes were actually really dope. In fact even the least creative zone, being Macro Zone (mostly because tiny/huge levels have been a staple of the series since the first game), is still pretty creative in its own right. Hell, if you really think about it Turtle Zone and Pumpkin Zone are also your water and ghost levels, but their theming is very different from what I expect out of either of those in a Mario game. I do have small nitpicks about some of the zones, like why the hell is it called Turtle Zone? Yeah a turtle eats you to get you to it, but like, after that there are no turtles besides the Koopas! It should be called Whale Zone! And Mario Zone is odd, but I kinda dig how odd it is.
Now, despite how much it seems I like this game, and I do like it, I still don't know if it reaches the levels of Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario Bros. Wonder for me, and unfortunately, its entirely because its still a GB game. I'll say this: if they ever remake this game, it will probably be able to join the ranks. I mean, despite not being up there with those two, I'd still actually say this is my third favorite 2D Mario.
Also I can't believe this is where Wario comes from, and I can't believe they immediately made him the protagonist of the followup game. Like I love Wario, but what the hell?
Super Mario Land felt like it was at conflict with itself, wanting to be its own unique Mario game but also having to contend with translating 2D Mario to the GameBoy's capabilities. This game is noticeably better in pretty much every regard. It looks better, it feels better, its more fleshed out. It even takes a wholly different approach to the Mario story formula. There is no princess to rescue, instead you have to take back Mario's castle from the evil Wario (when the hell did Mario get his own castle anyhow?).
What I really enjoy about this game is its approach to theming. Super Mario Land 1 had this globetrotting aesthetic where you were like, going around to different places, and that's kinda cool, but I prefer the theming in this game a lot more. Especially for 1992, some of these themes were actually really dope. In fact even the least creative zone, being Macro Zone (mostly because tiny/huge levels have been a staple of the series since the first game), is still pretty creative in its own right. Hell, if you really think about it Turtle Zone and Pumpkin Zone are also your water and ghost levels, but their theming is very different from what I expect out of either of those in a Mario game. I do have small nitpicks about some of the zones, like why the hell is it called Turtle Zone? Yeah a turtle eats you to get you to it, but like, after that there are no turtles besides the Koopas! It should be called Whale Zone! And Mario Zone is odd, but I kinda dig how odd it is.
Now, despite how much it seems I like this game, and I do like it, I still don't know if it reaches the levels of Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario Bros. Wonder for me, and unfortunately, its entirely because its still a GB game. I'll say this: if they ever remake this game, it will probably be able to join the ranks. I mean, despite not being up there with those two, I'd still actually say this is my third favorite 2D Mario.
Also I can't believe this is where Wario comes from, and I can't believe they immediately made him the protagonist of the followup game. Like I love Wario, but what the hell?
A pretty drastic improvement over SML1. The music bops more, the control feels smoother, the spritework is more appealing & the world feels a little larger & more imaginative. In no other Mario game do you explore the inside of a whale or ride in a hippo's snot bubble up to the moon. In a way, this speaks to SML’s uniqueness as a series & it’s a bit of a shame Nintendo hasn’t revisited it in so long. A delightfully different handheld classic.
Another weird but cool one on the go!
Saímos da água e fomos pro vinho.
Esse jogo é uma sequência direta tão boa e mais bem trabalhada se comparado ao primeiro jogo, ele é muito mais criativo e com coisas que fazem sentido no universo do mario, arriscando em propostas novas, com fases muito criativas e que seriam super interessantes se fossem refeitas em algum jogo novo da franquia.
É bizarro que pontos que eu apontei na análise do primeiro jogo, como a falta de um sistema de mapas, e ver nesse jogo que realmente tem todo um mapinha bonitinho, me deixou muito feliz, por que faz dele um jogo com muito mais carinho e que mesmo com a limitação da época, eles trabalharam em um jogo original e com sua própria identidade pro gameboy.
Talvez o único defeito dessa franquia ainda seja o fato deles serem muito curtos e que os bosses apesar de serem incrivelmente bem trabalhados visualmente, ainda são muito fáceis (com exceção do boss final), tendo mecânicas muito parecidas.
Fora isso, é mais do que recomendado pra quem é fã da franquia ou só gosta de jogos antigos mesmo.
Esse jogo é uma sequência direta tão boa e mais bem trabalhada se comparado ao primeiro jogo, ele é muito mais criativo e com coisas que fazem sentido no universo do mario, arriscando em propostas novas, com fases muito criativas e que seriam super interessantes se fossem refeitas em algum jogo novo da franquia.
É bizarro que pontos que eu apontei na análise do primeiro jogo, como a falta de um sistema de mapas, e ver nesse jogo que realmente tem todo um mapinha bonitinho, me deixou muito feliz, por que faz dele um jogo com muito mais carinho e que mesmo com a limitação da época, eles trabalharam em um jogo original e com sua própria identidade pro gameboy.
Talvez o único defeito dessa franquia ainda seja o fato deles serem muito curtos e que os bosses apesar de serem incrivelmente bem trabalhados visualmente, ainda são muito fáceis (com exceção do boss final), tendo mecânicas muito parecidas.
Fora isso, é mais do que recomendado pra quem é fã da franquia ou só gosta de jogos antigos mesmo.
I had very few game boy games growing up that weren't pokemon and this is the one I replayed the most. Still the weirdest Mario ever. Plus it gave us Wario!
Genuinely just such a fun and creative retro mario experience, really feels like they put heart into this game compared to the first.
First video game ever.
MARAVILHOSO
I didn't know what the fuck I was doin' when I first played this. But after seeing some footage over the past couple of months, this is quite an imaginative Mario game in terms of its level themes and powerups. A good one, indeed.
Eh
An obvious graphical and engineering upgrade from the first, yet I found myself having less fun with this one compared to the first. My best guess is that the open-ness of the world had me doing certain levels/worlds out of order and making the difficulty scale feel wonky. I also think the controls are a bit slow and somehow both slippery and floaty.
A pesar de su corta duración, es muy creativo y tiene un carisma que la franquicia no vería de nuevo hasta Super Mario Bros Wonder.
La mayoría de jefe son fáciles, pero también son bastante únicos y divertidos. Y también, este es el juego que introduce a Wario, asi que puntos extra por eso.
La mayoría de jefe son fáciles, pero también son bastante únicos y divertidos. Y también, este es el juego que introduce a Wario, asi que puntos extra por eso.
Fever dream fever dream fever dream
I went in Mario's peanits!
NSO Gameboy
I went in Mario's peanits!
NSO Gameboy
Arguably the best "regular" Mario platformer on the monochrome brick, but it's anything but regular. It features tons of ideas and locations that haven't shown up in a Mario title before or since, along with the brand new Carrot power-up. Wario came from this game, what is there not to like? Highly recommended for anyone hankering for a fun portable Mario adventure.
Para os padrões de um jogo de Game Boy de 1992, Super Mario Land 2 é o melhor que um Mario poderia ser nessa plataforma. Não me agradou muito, e levei algumas semanas para terminar um jogo que poderia ser terminado em aproximadamente duas horas porque não tinha vontade de jogá-lo. Não é um jogo muito bom. É apenas um jogo de Mario com algum valor histórico.
The nostalgia trip continues - another game I spent many hours on as a child and I still remember the levels and bosses.
It’s such a step up from the previous game - better level design and enemy designs. The music is also a lot better and catchier.
Still quite short but it’s to be expected of a game from that era and console. But still a great gaming experience.
It’s such a step up from the previous game - better level design and enemy designs. The music is also a lot better and catchier.
Still quite short but it’s to be expected of a game from that era and console. But still a great gaming experience.
One of my favorite 2D Marios
An improvement over the first game without a doubt, featuring much more variety in locations, more complex gameplay that can rival the SNES games, and Wario.
Enjoyable Mario game available on the GB, I like that it is a little more like Super Mario World except with cutesy and varied worlds.
On the Switch the large size Mario looks good, on original hardware I can understand that it would be a little big and would make the game itself harder to navigate. For a ‘92 Mario title it’s a fun time.
On the Switch the large size Mario looks good, on original hardware I can understand that it would be a little big and would make the game itself harder to navigate. For a ‘92 Mario title it’s a fun time.
Another good one!
Honestly still one of my favorite Mario games, a very creative title and a neat introduction to that bastard Wario.
Super Mario Land 2 is such a delightful game. Something about this, and it's predecessor, feels so different from the NES & SNES Mario games. There's a kind of unhinged creativity in the game's design. There's a few familiar faces here like your classic Goombas and Koopas but in terms of most of the enemies, environments and gimmicks this game marks a pretty significant departure from the look-and-feel of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.
I mean, you've got a Halloween themed area full of vampires, cyclopes, witches and even little guys wearing Jason Voorhees hockey masks. How awesome is that?!
Some of the level gimmicks are pretty cool as well and add some nice variety to the platforming. I enjoyed the honey that you slowly slide down in the Tree Zone and the floatier jumping in the Space Zone in particular.
Just a very charming game overall!
I mean, you've got a Halloween themed area full of vampires, cyclopes, witches and even little guys wearing Jason Voorhees hockey masks. How awesome is that?!
Some of the level gimmicks are pretty cool as well and add some nice variety to the platforming. I enjoyed the honey that you slowly slide down in the Tree Zone and the floatier jumping in the Space Zone in particular.
Just a very charming game overall!
This game surprised me with its evolution compared to its predecessor, showcasing good and creative level design, as well as being the first appearance of Wario. It's one of the best games on Game Boy.