Depois que descobrimos a farsa que foi o reskin de Doki Doki Panic com Mario a gente consegue perceber como SMB2 não segue uma linha coerente nem com seu antecessor nem com seu sucessor.

Isso não é demérito, pois Doki Doki Panic é mais interessante e mais variado que o Super Mario Bros original e com ideias radicalmente diferentes.

Apesar do frescor dessas ideias, especialmente no level design variado, com verticalidade e em alguns estágios mais aberto, nas mecânicas de ataque e nos personagens com habilidades particulares, SMB2 recicla demais a si mesmo.

A mecânica de montar nos inimigos e segurá-los acima da cabeça, que também vale para itens específicos, e a própria presença da Birdo e seu design de combate, são reutilizados diversas e diversas vezes, não só faltando originalidade de aplicações, como também um maior aprofundamento e desenvolvimento.

É uma repetição que perde rápido o caráter de novidade e levanta a pergunta: "De novo isso?" várias e várias vezes. Até a própria trilha sonora sofre. Mesmo uma música tão gostosa quanto o tema principal do jogo se torna cansativa após ser usada em excesso.

A falta de variedade de cenários também é um ponto negativo, apesar de mais variado que a primeira aventura dos irmãos encanadores.

Ainda assim, eu prefiro SMB2 mil vezes ao Super Mario Bros 1, sem mencionar o Lost Levels, mas certamente o design deixou a peteca cair tanto artisticamente quanto mecanicamente ao longo do jogo, apesar de ser bem diferente em matéria temática e criativa.

Infelizmente sabemos que os motivos não são mérito da equipe original de Mario, e sim de outra equipe, a responsável pelo jogo original que a Nintendo repaginou.

I'm not gonna explain the whole backstory behind this game and how it was originally Doki Doki Panic because I think anyone who is a big enough fan of Mario knows that already, but the point is because of the fact that wasn't even a Mario Game originally, this one 100% feels the most different out of any of the NES era Mario games. No stomping on enemies to kill them, no timer, a more labyrinth like structure instead of just going from left to right, a lack of common Mario enemies, and a complete lack of Bowser all make this game much different then what comes before and after in the 2D Mario Saga and while I can see people enjoying the game less because of that, I personally got a lot of this more different style of Mario. The more puzzle like elements were pretty fun to go through albeit a bit to vague in parts, the addition of having multiple playable characters like Luigi Peach and Toad and them actually playing different unlike Mario 1 is cool and while it does get annoying after a while hearing the same fucking song in every level, the music for the most part is still well done like the rest of Mario's soundtracks are despite a bit more variety being greatly appreciated. So even though I literally only played it because Chaotique was spamming the box art, I really enjoyed Mario Bros 2 and was a nice unique change of pace compared to the same been their done that feeling again from the repetitiveness of the NSMB franchise. Not playing Lost Levels though, I'm to much of a pussy for that shit. Off to Mario 3 I go.

Did my first warpless playthough of this game, still really like it! Fun to just play in between work stuff on the Switch, and damn it I just really like this game and how different it is from the rest of the series. I know WHY it's different, but that doesn't mean I can't think it's fun that the Mario series tried something like this, and maybe I kind of wish they did it a couple more times. The way throwing works is kind of awkward at first, but as soon as I understood how to throw things far from you vs throwing them right in front of you it was never an issue. I like the boss fights, the variety in levels, though some of them definitely aren't great, love the music, the ability to select a character, and a lot of the best Mario enemy designs are introduced in this game. I'm glad I enjoyed it just as much as I did when I played it the first time.

Here's the thing, the game is fine, but it doesn't feel like a Mario game which is my biggest issue. I know the game is a reskin of Doki Doki Panic, but they tried to make it feel like Mario right? It just doesn't seem like that worked at all. Yeah the iconic enemies like Shy Guy and Birdo (named Ostro in this game) exist, but they also originated from Doki Doki Panic. It just feels like there's nothing to really identify this game as a Mario game except for the fact that Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Peach are playable. Besides that, the game isn't bad. Some of the levels feel kind of tricky, but the game isn't cheap like how Super Mario Bros. and The Lost Levels were (those stupid levels that looped until you took the right path are what I'm referring to). The only levels I didn't really like were the desert levels since you had to dig into the ground and it felt awkward. There's no variety with the bosses as it's either Ostro (Birdo) or the boss at the end of the world which you would beat in the same way. I don't like how you can't jump on enemies to kill them in this game since it, again, doesn't make the game feel like a Mario game. The plus side is the different characters because Luigi and Princess Toadstool are fun to play (I didn't figure out what Toad did prior to the review, oops). Those make beating levels more unique since you can use different characters to solve the same problems. Overall, the game isn't bad by itself, but as a Mario game, it doesn't really fill the quota.

I know that nowadays the fact that this is a reskin of Doki Doki Panic is common knowledge in the gaming community, but that wasn't always the case so I wonder what people back in the day thought about this game. 🤔

It's interesting that the main mechanic in this game is picking up and throwing things. You do it quite a bit, probably about as much as you do platforming.

Having four playable characters instead of just Mario and Green Mario is a nice change of pace. It's funny that I never played as Mario in this Mario game, but I played as every other character. Peach makes platforming a lot easier, even the harder segments.

The bosses are pretty lackluster, especially Birdo. The normal enemies all have pretty neat designs, I like Shy Guy.

Gets way too much flack for being "different" (which yes I understand the history that literally everybody knows now) and instead people ignore just how rock solid of a platformer Super Mario Bros 2 actually is. Sure, it's not as tight as the first game nor as varied and charming as later installments, but in it's place are four distinct characters, each with their own unique playstyles, and level design that actually rewards replay and exploration.

It just feels really good to go through to boot. I love the throwing mechanic, and how it allows you to use enemies as their own platforms. I love the different kinds of enemies in this and how each one is completely unique from each other. I love the improved sprite work from the first game. It's just a great, fantastic time, if a little clunky sometimes. Still worth a check out if you haven't played it, and worth a second look if you dismissed it at first.