Review: Super Mario Bros. 2 (Virtual Console)

Known in Japan as Super Mario USA

Super Mario Bros 2 is often referred to as the black sheep of the series. It's gameplay is completely unlike any of the other 2D Mario titles, and the fact that it's a reworking of a Japan-exclusive game called Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic doesn't sit well with a lot of the plumber's fans. Some even go so far as to say it's not a real Mario game. I really don't care about its unusual origin, and as far as I'm concerned, the whole controversy is ridiculous. When it comes to video games, I only have one question: is it fun? In the case of Super Mario Bros 2, the answer is a resounding "Yes!"

Unlike the previous game (and just about every other Mario game), the villain is not Bowser and the Princess does not need to be rescued. Instead, Mario enters a dream world known as Subcon, a land whose inhabitants have been put under a spell by an evil frog named Wart. Mario takes it upon himself to free Subcon from its amphibian oppressor, and enlists the help of Luigi, Peach, and Toad.

Each character handles differently and has their own unique abilities.

The gameplay is very different from Super Mario Bros. While the controls are basically the same, the mechanics are anything but. Jumping on enemies has no effect on them, and there are no Fire Flowers to give you Mario's patented fireball-throwing ability. Instead, you defeat enemies by throwing vegetables, random objects, or even other enemies at them. It is definitely a different style of play, and it is somewhat controversial among hardcore Nintendo gamers. Most players, myself included, think it's fun and addictive, but there is a vocal minority who feel otherwise.

Mario may have top billing, but his three friends are all playable characters as well, and each one handles differently. Their abilities are measured in three categories: speed, strength, and jumping. Mario is a well-rounded player, with good showings in all three, while the rest vary considerably in their talents. If you aren't familiar with the game and don't know how the players stack up, these GameFaqs will help you out.

The graphics are a huge improvement over the first game.

Mushrooms and coins are featured in the game, but they are used in a unique way. Both are found only in Subspace, a mirrored image of the normal world. To enter Subspace, you smash bottles filled with magic potions on the ground, creating magic doors to the shadow world. Mushrooms refill your health and add a bar to your life meter, while coins are used to play a slot machine game in between levels to try and earn extra lives.

The graphics are a huge improvement over the first Super Mario Bros. The sprites aren't nearly as pixelated, and the levels are much more colorful and detailed. The animation, on the other hand, is a mixed bag. For the most part, it is pretty decent for an NES game, but some of the enemies, such as the tweeters and phantos, have no animation whatsoever. They are simply images that bounce and float about in a way that looks very cheap, even for a late 80s title.

Some of the levels scroll vertically. Kind of impressive at the time.

The audio was done by Koji Kondo, so naturally it's great. Most of the sounds are original creations, although you will find that some of the more traditional sound effects have been shoehorned in, no doubt to help legitimize the title as a Mario game. Regardless of their origin, the pops, whistles and bangs never seem out of place.

Koji Kondo outdid himself in the music department as well. The tunes have a crisp, clear quality to them and they always fit the setting. In the outdoor levels, the music is happy and cheerful, while indoors, it is somber and mysterious. The piece that plays during boss battles is perfect, conveying a sense of chaos that permeates the atmosphere. The famous Super Mario theme makes brief cameos in Subspace, but sadly, you will only hear the hear the first ten seconds or so as your trips there last but a few seconds. There is a glitch involving the Super Star that allows you to hear the tune in its entirety, though. Do a Youtube search for "Super Mario Bros. 2 Music Glitch" if you want to see a demonstration. Good stuff.

One of the few Mario games where Bowser isn't the antagonist.

When all is said and done, Super Mario Bros. 2 is a great game. It may not be the "real sequel," and it is a little on the easy side, but it is a great game nonetheless. It has been accepted as canon, and is responsible for introducing many of the enemies that are still found in Mario games today, most notably the shy guys. If you are the kind of person who dislikes it simply because it is a reissue of a different game with the Mario brand slapped on, consider this: Super Mario Bros. 2 was so successful that it was re-released in Japan under the title Super Mario USA, where it was received with great enthusiasm by the very people who had bought the "real sequel" just years before. A worthy entry in the series.

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Screenshots courtesy of The Video Game Museum, vgmuseum.com