365//365: Day 279 – Super Mario Land (GB) [PP]

"Proof Mario games on the GB don't need to be side-strollers."

It’s no secret that the Nintendo Game Boy was far and away a commercial success, with everyone from kids to business men carrying around Nintendo’s little handheld that could. Many thanks go to two separate games – the packed in puzzle game Tetris, and Mario’s debut on the portable unit, Super Mario Land. Many traditional mainstays reappear, some with a slightly altered state. Mario himself still shrinks when he gets hit and grows when he obtains a mushroom, but no visual cues are added for gaining a fire flower. the speed and pace of the gameplay remains intact, however everything has been shrunk down considerably, otherwise the experience would have chugged along (see Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins for proof). While the look has changed quite a bit, it retains enough of a feel to call it a Mario game, new enemies notwithstanding. Jumping can feel awkward at times, though it’s not something that cannot be overcome. The audio took a massive detour, ditching the iconic melodies and memorable sound effects, and giving them a newer sound. Strangely enough, they fit this bizarre world that Mario has landed in, with the music in particular, coming off as fitting, and surprisingly catchy. While many of the changes and adjustments can easily become non-issues, the length cannot. Seasoned veterans to 3D platformers can breeze through this in no time, with even the casual crowd being able to complete the game in an afternoon. It was a rather significant change that the Mario franchise experienced with Super Mario Land, but the enjoyable as ever gameplay, catchy music and visual change ups distinguishes Super Mario Land from every other 2D Mario title, in a positive way.

"Different" isn't always bad, as Super Mario Land manages to be different, yet engaging.

Rating: 8.3