It seems like the opinion on this game here's pretty divided. Either you'll like it or hate it. Me, I fall on the spectrum of really really liking this one. Partially due to nostalgic attachment, but also because I think there's a pretty solidly designed game here, underneath one caveat. The controls. Coming from Mario 3, or even Mario 1, Mario's physics feel a lot more basic. There's no friction, no momentum, it kinda feels like one of those amateur Mario fangames that don't even bother trying to get the feel of the physics right.
Despite that, the controls DO work, and the level design works alongside them. And that very level design is what saves this game. The collection of levels here feels just as fun to master as any other Mario game, encouraging exploration and the discovery of secrets that shower you with coins and 1-ups. As you get better at replaying the game, levels get a lot faster to run through, incorporating that speedrunning aspect that Mario 1 had. The variety of levels is strong, constantly taking you to different locales, and occasionally throwing in a little shoot'em up level here and there. The game is short and sweet, a full playthrough taking a little over 20 minutes to complete. And lastly, it goes without saying that the music is catchy as hell.
So, there's a lot going for it. but your expectations of how a Mario game usually feels might really fuck this one up for you. There are definite quirks, but I feel it's possible to quickly master them. To me, Mario Land's a tiny little gem among the Gameboy library, and I feel everybody should give it a shot at least. It's certainly no polished masterpiece, and yet, somehow, it clicked. With an open mind, maybe it'll click for you.
Despite that, the controls DO work, and the level design works alongside them. And that very level design is what saves this game. The collection of levels here feels just as fun to master as any other Mario game, encouraging exploration and the discovery of secrets that shower you with coins and 1-ups. As you get better at replaying the game, levels get a lot faster to run through, incorporating that speedrunning aspect that Mario 1 had. The variety of levels is strong, constantly taking you to different locales, and occasionally throwing in a little shoot'em up level here and there. The game is short and sweet, a full playthrough taking a little over 20 minutes to complete. And lastly, it goes without saying that the music is catchy as hell.
So, there's a lot going for it. but your expectations of how a Mario game usually feels might really fuck this one up for you. There are definite quirks, but I feel it's possible to quickly master them. To me, Mario Land's a tiny little gem among the Gameboy library, and I feel everybody should give it a shot at least. It's certainly no polished masterpiece, and yet, somehow, it clicked. With an open mind, maybe it'll click for you.