If I had a nickel every time a Super Mario game received a sequel that not only overshadowed its predecessor, but served as the catelyst for a new spin-off franchise starring the breakout new character...
I'd have two nickles. But it is weird that it happened twice.
Unlike Yoshi's Island, SML2 is a classic 2D Mario game at its core. Mario has the same kit he had in SMW, and the game follows the usual formula of platforming for the sake of reaching the goal.
Yet it remains without a doubt the most inspired and wacky 2D Mario experience, in no small part to the developer's creative freedom in desigining the world map and the six zones.
2D Mario is guilty of formulaic world design, especially in the more recent NSMB entries. The usual Green, desert, beach, ice enviroments have become so repetitive and devoid of life that you not only can anticipate the nature of each world, but the exact order you go to each.
In this regard, Super Mario Land 2 makes Odyssey look like New Super Mario Bros 2. And that's not a diss on Odyssey. ML2 has a world consisting of a giant Mario robot piloted by the three little pigs. Each level is a secret compartment on robot Mario's body.
The world design extends past the aesthetic as well, as the level make-up and even enemies are integrated well with the theme, for example, enemy bees flying in from honeycombs to attack you from inside the tree hollow world, or giant ant enemies in the macro world. The world map gives you complete freedom to take on each zone in whatever order you like, a first and only for Mario, and even the way Mario enters each zone is novel (for example getting eaten by a giant turtle, or being enveloped in a giant bubble to take him to space.)
The elephant in the room of course is the debut of Wario, who serves as the main antagonist. I'll admit that the final boss fight against him isn't as mechanically impressive as SMB3 or SMW's, but the concept of battling against a foe who uses your own power ups against you is awesome. If nothing else, this game canonically has a duel between Mario and Wario in bunny suits.
Plus Wario is just. The best video game character ever made. And I'll die on that hill.
I really, really want to give this game a 5 star rating for its embrace of the bizarre and it's comittment to its concepts. On a personal level it's without a doubt my favorite 2D Mario. Unfortunately, unlike, say, Link's Awakening, the Game Boy limitations do hold it back an unfortunate amount, enough to keep it from sharing in the limelight with SMB3 and SMW.
While a fully realized Mario game, it's a mite too short, the controls don't feel quite as smooth as SMW's, and the occasional lag when too many objects are on screen can be frustrating. Hit-boxes can be slightly unfair as well. The music here isn't very special either. A personal love of mine, but by no means the definitive 2D Mario experience.
Still a game I thoroughly recommend: it's well designed and especially refreshing if you find recent Mario games to be stale. The antithesis to New Super Mario Bros for the DS, in my opinion.
Imagine how good a Switch remake could be, though. Get on it, Nintendo!
I'd have two nickles. But it is weird that it happened twice.
Unlike Yoshi's Island, SML2 is a classic 2D Mario game at its core. Mario has the same kit he had in SMW, and the game follows the usual formula of platforming for the sake of reaching the goal.
Yet it remains without a doubt the most inspired and wacky 2D Mario experience, in no small part to the developer's creative freedom in desigining the world map and the six zones.
2D Mario is guilty of formulaic world design, especially in the more recent NSMB entries. The usual Green, desert, beach, ice enviroments have become so repetitive and devoid of life that you not only can anticipate the nature of each world, but the exact order you go to each.
In this regard, Super Mario Land 2 makes Odyssey look like New Super Mario Bros 2. And that's not a diss on Odyssey. ML2 has a world consisting of a giant Mario robot piloted by the three little pigs. Each level is a secret compartment on robot Mario's body.
The world design extends past the aesthetic as well, as the level make-up and even enemies are integrated well with the theme, for example, enemy bees flying in from honeycombs to attack you from inside the tree hollow world, or giant ant enemies in the macro world. The world map gives you complete freedom to take on each zone in whatever order you like, a first and only for Mario, and even the way Mario enters each zone is novel (for example getting eaten by a giant turtle, or being enveloped in a giant bubble to take him to space.)
The elephant in the room of course is the debut of Wario, who serves as the main antagonist. I'll admit that the final boss fight against him isn't as mechanically impressive as SMB3 or SMW's, but the concept of battling against a foe who uses your own power ups against you is awesome. If nothing else, this game canonically has a duel between Mario and Wario in bunny suits.
Plus Wario is just. The best video game character ever made. And I'll die on that hill.
I really, really want to give this game a 5 star rating for its embrace of the bizarre and it's comittment to its concepts. On a personal level it's without a doubt my favorite 2D Mario. Unfortunately, unlike, say, Link's Awakening, the Game Boy limitations do hold it back an unfortunate amount, enough to keep it from sharing in the limelight with SMB3 and SMW.
While a fully realized Mario game, it's a mite too short, the controls don't feel quite as smooth as SMW's, and the occasional lag when too many objects are on screen can be frustrating. Hit-boxes can be slightly unfair as well. The music here isn't very special either. A personal love of mine, but by no means the definitive 2D Mario experience.
Still a game I thoroughly recommend: it's well designed and especially refreshing if you find recent Mario games to be stale. The antithesis to New Super Mario Bros for the DS, in my opinion.
Imagine how good a Switch remake could be, though. Get on it, Nintendo!