You can’t have a Nintendo console without having its launch game being a Mario title. Some may argue the nes was the console that started that trend but I’ll always say that the game boy was the console to solidify the Mario series as the one thing you have to have launch your console. This is also the first Mario game not to have any sort of influence from miyamoto himself and was actually the game that was going to show off the game boy’s power…until they decided to bundle in Tetris instead but that was probably a much safer option. So let’s dive into the very first Mario land game.
The story is pretty simple: Mario goes to a place known as sarasaland in the hope of saving princess daisy from the evil tatanga. The game is split into 4 worlds which each consist of 3 levels each with there usually being a boss at the end of each of the final levels. The levels themselves are very similar to the original Mario bros. You have the suspended blocks in the air, the goomba’s and koopa’s, the pipes leading to secret areas, and the power ups. However, the levels no longer end with the flag pole and instead just let Mario go into a small door, or if your feeling a little adventurous, you can do a small platforming section to get to a door above to go through a bonus minigame. These either grant you extra lives or a power up.
2 of the levels are also shooter levels which are…fine? It’s not like I have an awful grudge against them cause there are only 2 and they don’t go on for that long. As for the levels themselves they are also fine. My only real issue is that it is all way too small. I get why they made it like that, it’s a small screen and they wanted it to have similar dimensions to the original, but did they not factor in that I can’t see shit at the best of times and no night light will be able to help me see this minuscule shit.
Overall, Mario land is definitely a quirky little game boy title with some questionable design choices. Now that I think about it, Tetris was probably a pretty good choice to show off the system’s capabilities. The game is still really fun and I would probably still recommend people try it, but its sequel would definitely improve things and also bring in a new problem.
Quirky little game boy game, goated music, tiny characters, oh daisy!
The story is pretty simple: Mario goes to a place known as sarasaland in the hope of saving princess daisy from the evil tatanga. The game is split into 4 worlds which each consist of 3 levels each with there usually being a boss at the end of each of the final levels. The levels themselves are very similar to the original Mario bros. You have the suspended blocks in the air, the goomba’s and koopa’s, the pipes leading to secret areas, and the power ups. However, the levels no longer end with the flag pole and instead just let Mario go into a small door, or if your feeling a little adventurous, you can do a small platforming section to get to a door above to go through a bonus minigame. These either grant you extra lives or a power up.
2 of the levels are also shooter levels which are…fine? It’s not like I have an awful grudge against them cause there are only 2 and they don’t go on for that long. As for the levels themselves they are also fine. My only real issue is that it is all way too small. I get why they made it like that, it’s a small screen and they wanted it to have similar dimensions to the original, but did they not factor in that I can’t see shit at the best of times and no night light will be able to help me see this minuscule shit.
Overall, Mario land is definitely a quirky little game boy title with some questionable design choices. Now that I think about it, Tetris was probably a pretty good choice to show off the system’s capabilities. The game is still really fun and I would probably still recommend people try it, but its sequel would definitely improve things and also bring in a new problem.
Quirky little game boy game, goated music, tiny characters, oh daisy!
The 2nd worst 2D Mario game
I honestly don't really have too much to say. It's a below average GameBoy platformer and the weakest mainline Mario game. I do really like how weird and different it is from other Mario games though.
Nice trip down memory lane. I can appreciate how weird and unique this game is compared to other Mario games. I like the different locations, new enemies and music. Game controls a bit weirdly but that's to be expected on a game that came out over 30 years ago on the Game Boy.
This game is super short, so I'll honour it correctly and make my review of it super short.
The level design is simple, yet effective. Mario has weird, slippery physics, but at this point, I should expect that from older Mario games. The number of levels is small, yetI get that it was a launch title for the original Game Boy, so it's fine I guess. Uhh... it was Daisy's first appearance! She evolved to become my favourite of the Mario princesses!
Umm... Yeah, that's it. Simple, decent game that I guess I wouldn't mind replaying if I was bored.
The level design is simple, yet effective. Mario has weird, slippery physics, but at this point, I should expect that from older Mario games. The number of levels is small, yetI get that it was a launch title for the original Game Boy, so it's fine I guess. Uhh... it was Daisy's first appearance! She evolved to become my favourite of the Mario princesses!
Umm... Yeah, that's it. Simple, decent game that I guess I wouldn't mind replaying if I was bored.
After it finally got on NSO I decided to play it. Pretty charming in spite of how obviously lack it is. And I honestly don't agree with people saying the controls are janky. They def have spunk but they're easy to get a hang of.
Really nothing special outside of being the first portable Mario game. It exists and blends in with most of the other 2D Mario games. 4/10
Entrou no Switch Online e joguei. eu achei as fases mt interessantes pra um jogo de gameboy, mas ele no geral é bastante curto. o gráfico (mesmo sendo de um console limitado) é bem fraquinho, isso comparado com Super Mario land 2, por exemplo, que consegue trazer sprites muito melhores. mas de qualquer forma, é um jogo ok.
e a física é péssima nossa senhora.
e a física é péssima nossa senhora.
Honestly, for Mario’s first handheld outing, I feel like this holds up pretty well.
Obviously the criticisms are there - the level design can be pretty basic, controls sometimes feel jank, and a number of series staples are either missing or compromised to make it work on a handheld. But because of how important and ambitious a title it was, it becomes easy to overlook these shortcomings.
It’s games like Super Mario Land that sometimes make me wish I had been around for the age of the Game Boy - I imagine this would’ve kept me entertained for hours on long journeys, even if handheld titles today are objectively more complete and fulfilling experiences.
Even so, I still had this on original hardware as a kid for some reason, so I actually still have a fair bit of nostalgia for this one.
What makes Super Mario Land so memorable to me however, out of Mario’s earlier adventures, is just how unique it is. Some may criticize it for the same reason, but this game has a lot of weirdness that I feel gives it such a strong, distinct identity. The enemy variety, level themes, even the main villain are unlike any we’ve seen in the series before or since. And I think that makes Super Mario Land a pretty unique, short and sweet platformer - and proof you don’t need all the processing power in the world to make a fun game.
I mean, come on, in what other Mario game are you going to travel through Egypt, fight strange stone-faced creatures, encounter aliens in flying saucers, all before ending up in feudal Japan?
wait a FUCKING SECOND I just described odyssey
Obviously the criticisms are there - the level design can be pretty basic, controls sometimes feel jank, and a number of series staples are either missing or compromised to make it work on a handheld. But because of how important and ambitious a title it was, it becomes easy to overlook these shortcomings.
It’s games like Super Mario Land that sometimes make me wish I had been around for the age of the Game Boy - I imagine this would’ve kept me entertained for hours on long journeys, even if handheld titles today are objectively more complete and fulfilling experiences.
Even so, I still had this on original hardware as a kid for some reason, so I actually still have a fair bit of nostalgia for this one.
What makes Super Mario Land so memorable to me however, out of Mario’s earlier adventures, is just how unique it is. Some may criticize it for the same reason, but this game has a lot of weirdness that I feel gives it such a strong, distinct identity. The enemy variety, level themes, even the main villain are unlike any we’ve seen in the series before or since. And I think that makes Super Mario Land a pretty unique, short and sweet platformer - and proof you don’t need all the processing power in the world to make a fun game.
I mean, come on, in what other Mario game are you going to travel through Egypt, fight strange stone-faced creatures, encounter aliens in flying saucers, all before ending up in feudal Japan?
wait a FUCKING SECOND I just described odyssey
It ok
🗿
There's not much here besides the soundtrack, unfortunately.
was fun, but the producers was high as hell boyz
as a little boy i used to play lots of mario-centric flash games online because my parents wouldn't buy me any real mario games. for some reason they all used only music from this game, especially that one song. you know the one i'm thinking of. i forgot what else i was gonna say about this game but it's pretty good.
A short but fun portable Mario game.
Super Mario Land could have just been a port of the first game but instead, Nintendo created an original story with new gameplay mechanics that make it a worthwhile entry in the series. Certain additions like Princess Daisy would go on to be regular occurrences in the rest of the series. Overall this is a fun installment in the series; it isn't anything amazing but is certainly better than it should be and definitely worth playing.