Game of the Week #4

Metal Mario · 08-09-2009, 04:02 AM

Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES, 1988)

It all started when the bigwigs at Nintendo of America decided that the game released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2 would be too difficult for U.S. gamers. (And let's face it, folks, they were right.) Balking at the poor sales they anticipated from the release of such a game, NOA instead decided to give us something different. And in that, they certainly succeeded.

Doki Doki Panic was a game Nintendo had developed and released in Japan in cooperation with Fuji Television, in order to promote the latter's Dream Factory '87 event (an exhibition of Fuji TV's latest shows and related products). What was essentially a marketing tie-in would go on to much greater things, however, as Nintendo decided to upgrade, localize, and Mario-ize it for distribution in the West as Super Mario Bros. 2.

For a game that stemmed from a project completely unrelated to Mario, SMB 2 is responsible for introducing several characters that would go on to become staples of the Mario franchise, including Toad, Shy Guy, Snifit, Bob-Omb, Pokey, and Birdo.

In 1992, the game was released in Japan as Super Mario USA, just as we Western gamers finally got to experience the Japanese SMB 2 with the 1993 release of Super Mario All-Stars. Now that's what I call cultural exchange!

In 2001, an upgraded version of SMB 2 served as the GBA's flagship launch title in the form of Super Mario Advance.

***Cosmonautical*** · 08-09-2009, 07:32 AM

I think this game gets a lot more flak than it deserves. It's got fantastic play control and truly original concepts, as well as some stellar graphics for the time.

I've never had huge problems with the difficulty in Lost Levels, btw, but I suppose I'm a bit above average in my experience with the SMB engine.

Dizzy · 08-09-2009, 02:06 PM

It's a bit easier than Doki Doki Panic, but still fun. It's one of my favorite NES games.

Luigiman7 · 08-09-2009, 03:47 PM

Lost Levels are haaard.

Dizzy · 08-09-2009, 03:55 PM

^That's because you're a wimp.

Luigiman7 · 08-09-2009, 04:02 PM

Hey, I got up to World 3-3.

Metal Mario · 08-09-2009, 06:27 PM

I've owned Super Mario All-Stars for years, but I recently downloaded the original Famicom version of The Lost Levels for the VC, and Jeepers H. Cripes, that **** is a lot harder than the SNES remake.

08-09-2009, 04:02 AM	#1
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	Game of the Week #4 Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES, 1988) It all started when the bigwigs at Nintendo of America decided that the game released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2 would be too difficult for U.S. gamers. (And let's face it, folks, they were right.) Balking at the poor sales they anticipated from the release of such a game, NOA instead decided to give us something different. And in that, they certainly succeeded. Doki Doki Panic was a game Nintendo had developed and released in Japan in cooperation with Fuji Television, in order to promote the latter's Dream Factory '87 event (an exhibition of Fuji TV's latest shows and related products). What was essentially a marketing tie-in would go on to much greater things, however, as Nintendo decided to upgrade, localize, and Mario-ize it for distribution in the West as Super Mario Bros. 2. For a game that stemmed from a project completely unrelated to Mario, SMB 2 is responsible for introducing several characters that would go on to become staples of the Mario franchise, including Toad, Shy Guy, Snifit, Bob-Omb, Pokey, and Birdo. In 1992, the game was released in Japan as Super Mario USA, just as we Western gamers finally got to experience the Japanese SMB 2 with the 1993 release of Super Mario All-Stars. Now that's what I call cultural exchange! In 2001, an upgraded version of SMB 2 served as the GBA's flagship launch title in the form of Super Mario Advance. Last edited by Metal Mario; 12-15-2009 at 10:41 PM.

08-09-2009, 04:02 PM	#6
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	Hey, I got up to World 3-3. __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

08-09-2009, 07:32 AM	#2
*Cosmonautical* Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: I rub my tilde all over your asterisk Gender: Posts: 28,102 Thanks: 2,157 Thanked 5,338 Times in 2,433 Posts	I think this game gets a lot more flak than it deserves. It's got fantastic play control and truly original concepts, as well as some stellar graphics for the time. I've never had huge problems with the difficulty in Lost Levels, btw, but I suppose I'm a bit above average in my experience with the SMB engine.

08-09-2009, 02:06 PM	#3
Dizzy Podiaphobe Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Posts: 19,359 Thanks: 1,764 Thanked 1,162 Times in 805 Posts Blog Entries: 116	It's a bit easier than Doki Doki Panic, but still fun. It's one of my favorite NES games.

08-09-2009, 03:47 PM	#4
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	Lost Levels are haaard. __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

08-09-2009, 03:55 PM	#5
Dizzy Podiaphobe Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Posts: 19,359 Thanks: 1,764 Thanked 1,162 Times in 805 Posts Blog Entries: 116	^That's because you're a wimp.

08-09-2009, 06:27 PM	#7
Metal Mario Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Gender: Posts: 16,435 Thanks: 72 Thanked 190 Times in 127 Posts	I've owned Super Mario All-Stars for years, but I recently downloaded the original Famicom version of The Lost Levels for the VC, and Jeepers H. Cripes, that **** is a lot harder than the SNES remake.