**Super Mario Bros. 2 Review**

Super Mario Bros. 2 was released in the US for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1988. The game is extremely unique in comparison to the rest of the Super Mario Bros. series, and it is beloved by Nintendo fans the world over, some who’s first experience with Mario came by Mario 2.

Super Mario Bros. 2 absolutely tips the 2D Mario gameplay from the original on it’s head; by changing the run-and-jump nature of the first Mario game into the run, jump and pick-up and throw gameplay of this sequel.

Read my full review for all the details on the game and my personal opinion of how it stacks up nearly 18 years later.

Super Mario Bros. 2




System: NES
Also On: SNES - Super Mario All-Stars, GBA - Super Mario Advance, Wii - As a Virtual Console $5 download
Originally Released: October 1988
Genre: Side-Scrolling Platformer, 2D
Players: 1
Save: NES - None, All-Stars - 4 Files
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Origin: Japan

There is only one way to describe Super Mario Bros. 2 . . . . And that word is: Odd.

As the second game in the series, Mario Bros. 2 does exactly everything that you WOULDN’T expect from a sequel to the first game. It takes the characters in the Mario universe, adds them to a strange and quirky world, and then takes the gameplay of the first game and absolutely tips it on it’s head.

There are several design changes that factor in to making Super Mario Bros. 2 so different from the first game in the way it plays. First off is the elimination of the timer. Since there is no timer on any of the levels, you are no longer racing to try and finish the game as fast as you can. The second difference is the fact that you can go backwards in a level. In the original game, when the level scrolled, you could no longer go back in that direction (which made sense in Mario 1 because you are always racing to reach the end of the level before the timer runs out and you die, so there is no reason to go back).

. . . As this video demonstrates to well

Thirdly . . . while Super Mario Bros. 1 popularized the aspect of a side-scrolling game, meaning that the screen scrolls to reveal a bigger playfield (instead of being confined to a single-screen as in games like Pac-Man or Galaga) it was still a game that was confined in the sense that you could only go forwards, you were forced to go forwards (even though you scrolled the screen yourself). Super Mario Bros. 2 changed all that by letting the scrolling of the level, either forwards or backwards, be completely up to the player.




However the biggest change did not come from the aforementioned improvements, but rather from another improvement . . . one that you didn’t really see much of in the first Super Mario Bros. This sequel let the player explore the world in a whole new way . . . a new dimension. And that dimension was vertically. Mario 2 opens up the whole notion of vertical gameplay to the player. Whether it’s jumping onto platform after platform that are suspended in the air, or climbing vines or ladders, Super Mario Bros. 2 sends the player vertically just as often as you scroll left or right, which is a dramatic change.

The combination of the lack of a timer, the ability to go backwards and the insistence of the levels in pushing you upwards, gives Super Mario Bros. 2 a COMPLETELY different feel as far as level design goes.
Overall Rating (For beaing a classic Favorite): 10/10!!!

Rare NES game shines

Super Marios Bros. 2 for the classic Nintendo console is probably one of the most popular games in the Mario Brothers franchise. Second only to the Mario 3 sequel for most players, this game features multiple characters, including Mario and Luigi, but also introducing Toadstool and the Princess as playable characters for the first time in the game. Each of these new characters has their own advantages and disadvantages - from Toadstool's ability to speed-run through levels to the Princess's "float" skill, each character including the originals has things to offer, and thankfully the Luigi in this game is not a different-colored carbon copy of Mario. The game has multiple levels with lots of hidden easter eggs to find and shortcuts that a true explorer of the game will have no difficulty with. There isn't much strategy to the game with exception of the final World, and even then you're limited more by the items in your collection than by the abilities of your character. This game is a must-have for every NES game collection, and simply begs to be played.

The quirky, American release of Super Mario Bros. 2 will entertain!

After the success of Super Mario Bros. A sequel was released in Japan that highly resembled the gameplay and look of the original. However, Nintendo quickly assumed that Mario's new adventure would be far to difficult for American gamers. Their solution was to add some Mario sprites into a game called 'Doki Doki Panic' and slap the Mario name onto it and call it Mario 2 in the United States. The real (japanese) Mario 2 is now known as the 'lost levels' in the united states and was later released on the snes with updated graphics as a part of the 'Mario All-Stars' compilation. In the meantime, American gamers plucked vegetables, carted keys, and utilized the abilities of the four different playable characters to defeat the dastardly frog, Wart. Though radically different from its predecessor, Many elements and enemies from Mario 2 such as the 'shy guy' became commonplace Mario elements and the game is actually quite tight and entertaining. One of the more meaty NES titles. Pick it up!

In a Class of Its Own

Super Mario Bros. 2 is a game unlike any other. I remember having this feeling of confusion when first playing it because of how the first Mario gameplay was. This game was completely different. Enemies were destroyed by throwing objects at them and it was the first time you were able to play other characters besides mario and Luigi. Each character had their own attributes. You will find that each character is easier to control at certain levels over others. Overall this game is a classic and a must have to any nes player.

Great product for the price, hours of play if you like sidescrollers

Although not really a part of the mario series until it came to the US it's still a very challenging and good game. Being able to play 4 different characters, each with a special talent is great. Although I always stick with princess for floating. It's only flaw is that the characters always seem to have slippery shoes. They slide more than would be expected and it's a real challenge in the Ice world.

Overall a really fun game and quite worth the money.