Retro Review: Super Mario Land

© Nintendo Co., Ltd. © Nintendo Research and Development 1

​Platforms: Game Boy, Virtual Console (3DS)
Player(s): 1
 
With the major success of the Mario Bros. franchise thus far, it came as no surprise that Nintendo would kick off their new portable console with its own Mario game. Rather than depending on the familiarity of the hit Super Mario Bros. games, they decided to go a slightly different route with how they’d approach platforming on the Game Boy: variety. This singular concept ends up being the defining factor that helps to fuel (and ultimately hurt) this cute gem within the franchise. 

© Nintendo Co., Ltd. © Nintendo Research and Development 1

In Super Mario Land, Mario discovers that Sarasaland is under invasion by aliens, and he has to go and rescue Princess Daisy (in her debut game). Each kingdom or land revolves around a specific theme (like Egyptian or East Asian), with art design reflecting on that concept. Because of this, each land feels unique. To top it off, they even each have their own unique musical themes. Each area has its own set of enemies that seem different on the surface, but do a great job of progressing the gameplay and difficulty. It’s a very clever way of masking progression so the player is more focused on enjoying each new environ as they move on. These features of Super Mario Land are especially pleasing to me, because it helps establish very clearly that Mario is not in Mushroom Kingdom. The game does a fantastic job of making itself a unique and special entity while still retaining the core of what makes a Mario game.
 
This is ultimately what makes Super Mario Land so special: its ability to create something very different but fundamentally the same. It’s a very creative and clever approach that shines as you play through the game. The level design is also increasingly clever. Each level offers multiple approaches to progression, making multiple play throughs a little more enticing and enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the boss battles, which were each quite different. There are even some shooter sections that play kind of like Gradius, albeit much more simple. 

© Nintendo Co., Ltd. © Nintendo Research and Development 1

Despite the beautiful artistic direction, tight controls and clever level design, there is a fundamental flaw with Super Mario Land: length. The game is painfully short. There are 4 lands with only 3 levels each. This means that you can easily beat the game in one sitting. It’s understandable that the game is short since it’s a portable game designed to be played in bursts, plus this was before saving was a standard in Game Boy games. Still, despite how quickly this game is over it’s a fantastically made game that definitely warrants being played.
 
-Teepu

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Graphics: PERFECT
Sound: PERFECT
Gameplay: PERFECT
Value: GOOD
 
OVERALL: AMAZING

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