Super Mario Bros. 2 is a game that is Unappreciated because it chose to go a different path than the others.
Genre: Adventure
Developer: Nintendo
System: NES (Nintendo Entertainment System)
Total Score: 73/100
Value Score: 7.3/10
• Story: 5/10
o Super Mario Bros. 2's storyline is vastly different from all the Mario games especially considering the fact it does not involve in any rescue of a princess or defeating Bowser. Regardless of the fact that is a plus to the storyline, absolutely no explanation is given to the overall storyline except for a brief intro about another world. Throughout the gameplay you will encounter all sorts of new enemies and go through levels and worlds never seen before (and never seen again) yet no explanation is given until the very end.
• Characters: 9/10
o Super Mario Bros. 2's character roster is far more expanded than Super Mario Bros. 1, it includes a completely new roster of enemies and baddies which include some of the most famous ones that re-appear such as snifits and birdos. The main character cast this time includes from the original Mario bros., Mario and Luigi but it also includes the ability to play as Peach and Toad.
• GamePlay: 8/10
o Super Mario Bros 2's gameplay is completely different from all the Mario games as it is a carbon copy of another Nintendo game. First of all you are given the choice to play as Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad all of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. Mario is the overall in general character who has pretty much no strengths or weaknesses, Luigi can jump higher, Toad is the fastest and Peach can float in the air for a bit after jumping. A new ability introduced to the game is the ability to pick up enemies and objects and use them as projectiles or as a item to activate them. Another exclusive feature to the game is the health system, you start off with 2 hearts and each hit you take you will lose hearts, you will find hearts floating from time to time which can be triggered by collecting cherries but it is all luck in the end. You can extend your health by finding red potions which can if thrown open up a door where it can lead you to a sub space of the actual map and area you are standing in, depending on the stage and where you throw the red potion, you could find a Mushroom which will not only recover all your health but increase your health meter by 1. The increases of course all go away after you finish a level. You can also collect coins while in the subspace if you find bushes you can pick out which can be later used for a mini game at the end of each stage where it is like a lottery where you can roll for extra lives or chances. At the end of each stage you will encounter a mini boss such as a Birdo while every 3rd level except for the last world you will encounter a boss after the mini boss battle.
• Graphics: 7/10
o Super Mario Bros 2's graphic style is different from SMB1 as well as it is mostly a carbon copy of another Nintendo game but altered a bit to create more appeal for fans of Mario. The improvement in the graphics department is amazing but nothing ground breaking compared to its sequel and other games. The sprites and designs are completely different and unique even to this day.
• Sound: 7/10
o Super Mario Bros. 2 recycles sound effects from SMB1 but it came out in a better quality as Nintendo improved the sound effects using the NES' sound card, although some of the effects are similar you can tell the difference in quality compared to the two games.
• Music: 8/10
o Super Mario Bros. 2's music sounds like it was composed by the same composer who created the music for Capcom's Disney games. Completely different from the original Mario games and of course does not appear as much or have any tunes in the future games, SMB2's music is classical at best and very memorable.
• Length: 6/10
o Super Mario Bros 2's difficulty will provide a challenge in completing this somewhat short game. There are 7 worlds with about 3 levels in the first 6 worlds while in the last world only 2 levels which in total is about 20 levels in total. There are multiple exits and secret passages you can use to get through a level and thus making it shorter however overall the game should not take you more than 3 hours as each stage should only take you anywhere between 5-6 minutes if you are having issues and the last two stages should be the only stages that should take you more than 6 minutes to complete.
• Replay Value: 5/10
o Super Mario Bros. 2 replay value is somewhat the same as SMB1's, although you cannot increase the difficulty after completion, you can finish the game using the different characters and get a different experience in each playthrough you do.
• Player Value: 8/10
o Super Mario Bros. 2 is a fun and challenging game but if you are a new fan of the series or experienced only in the recent games, you might not enjoy this much. This game is for those who are huge Mario fans who have played the older classics and love a good challenge. The unique gameplay and the appealing music will certainly keep you hooked into playing this game despite how much it has aged.