Reviews

Super Mario Brothers 2

By Corey

Super Mario Bros. 2 is definitely the outcast in the series. Though it features Mario characters, many don't consider it a Mario game at all...

Graphics: 8

The visuals are updated from the original game. Plenty of colors are on the screen at each time, all the areas have different looks, and there is plenty of detail placed in each thing on screen (for an NES game anyway).

Gameplay: 9

It should be noted right here that Super Mario Bros. 2 wasn't a Mario game in Japan. Now I don't know if I'm completely right on this, so please e-mail me me if I'm wrong in anything here, but Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan is known as The Lost Levels in North America. That game didn't sell to well, so Nintendo used the engine from a game called Doki Doki Panic and made into Mario 2 for North America. Even though people don't consider it part of the series, some gameplay elements inspired new ideas for the rest of the series.

So anyway, first you can choose from 4 characters: Mario, Luigi, Toad, and the Princess. Each character has an advantage over the others; such as Luigi can stay in the air longer and the Princess can float for a short time.

The first thing you'll notice when you start playing is that when you jump on the enemies, they don't die. What gives? Well, you can either pick them up or throw food at them. Onions are the most common thing around. Pick them up and whip'em at the enemies who don't eat a balanced diet. You'll also find yourself needing to throw bombs at walls, and finding keys to unlock doors.

You won't find yourself fighting the same boss after each level (though you do fight the same one after each act; level 1-1, 1-2, 2-1, etc). Unlike SMB1, there are a few different bosses found in the game, the 1 mini-boss and 5 normal bosses. Some (all?) of them were found in the Super Mario Bros. 3 TV show (or one of those old Mario cartoons) and I thought should have been brought back in the newer games. Characters such as the Shy Guy were also introduced in this game. Of course most, maybe all, of the enemies were in Doki Doki Panic.

To answer your next question, yes, a couple of the old power-ups are in the game. By getting a certain amount of cherries, a star will appear to give you invincibility for a short period of time. If you find a mushroom, the number of hits you can take will be increased by one for that level. You start with two, and can go up to four. You go back to two after each level. To replenish your life, you need to find hearts that are found at certain points in the levels.

Sound: 7

Some catchy tunes are played throughout the game, and they aren't all Mario themed. Of course, various sound effects are present for their appropriate actions. I'll admit though, I'd rather listen to the radio than the sound in this game.

Lasting Value: 9

The game features 7 levels with 2-3 acts in each. Like most NES games, it can be beaten in 1 sitting, but you'll want to come back for more.

Bottom Line

Even though not originally a Mario game, its still fun. It's not the best in the series but still a solid game all around and everyone with an NES should play the game at least once.

Final Score: 8 out of 10