Ultimately just feels like a hard level pack of mario 1 where you can play as luigi. That would usually make the game more interesting but I find the level design to just be not as good as the first. Ultimately I feel american mario 2 was a better sequal even if technically it was a reskin of another game.

While it may not be the "real" mario 2, I think it is ultimately a more interesting sequal than lost levels could ever be. Also it has done far more for the mario canon than many "real" mario games ever have. Mario 2 will always be the real mario 2 in my hamburger lovin heart.

Not my first pokemon game, but the first one I really cared about. HG/SS faithfully remakes the original gold and silver in gen 4. Two regions has still never really been explored outside of the johto games making these still a very unique experience, along with the absolutely wonderful sprite work of the pre 3D era of pokemon. While not perfect HG/SS are still for me one of the most memorable games in a series I once loved.