!!This op is about Super Mario Land!! (Super Mario Land (GB))

Member Name: trussellp

Product:	Super Mario Land (GB)
Date:	09/03/02 (212 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: excellent graphics for the platform, controls, range of aliens

Disadvantages: gets a bit repetitive after a while

Released to coincide with the launch of Nintendo's original Game Boy was a platformer featuring one of the company's most recognisable and popular characters. The game was Super Mario Land, and starred the unlikely super hero Mario, an Italian plumber. This initial platformer created a tidal wave of similar games, with many providing little in terms of game play. Fortunately, Super Mario Land represents a true hand held classic, and is still able to compete against recent titles in terms of quality and play ability.

Mario's first hand held adventure found him on a mission to release the beautiful Princess Daisy, who was being held captive by the evil Tatanga. In order to save the Princess, the plumber had to explore four very different Kingdoms, each with an enemy boss to battle before proceeding to the next.

Super Mario Land incorporated many of the ideas and themes first seen on the earlier Mario games released on the Nintendo Nes system. The plumber made his first platforming debut in a game called Super Mario Bros, back in 1985, which sold a whopping 40 million cartridges. The release of the hand held version offered Mario a brand new adventure and gave the plumber additional powers and equipment to overcome his enemies with.

The game offered an exciting mixture of pixel perfect jumping and alien squashing, with each new level encouraging you to play on. To help you proceed through the scroller, various power ups and tokens could be found, and on collecting one hundered coins you received an additional life. The power ups included the ability to fire at enemies, and the excellent invincibility star which allowed you easy passage through a more tricky stage. Further, by finding a mushroom normally hidden in a block, Mario could double his size, and in this taller state he could explore different areas of the screen. Later levels gave Mario the ability to pilot a submarine and fly in an aeroplane which was particularly enj
oyable.

After completing a level, you could also take part in a bonus round where extra lives or power ups were available to be won.



Graphically the game appears rather sparse compared to more recent platformers, but fortunately each new Kingdom was visually distinct. The Egyptian and Christmas Island stages were particularly impressive, as each gave you a real sense of being at the location. Further, the animation of Mario was especially good, and on each ever more death defying leap he was both fluid and fun to watch.

The platformer also included some of the most insanely catchy tunes ever composed for a video game, many of which you would find yourself humming days later. The spot effects were also well crafted and the Game Over melody was especially memorable.

Super Mario Land continues to be a highly playable platformer, and remains a true classic within the genre. Although graphically dated compared to recent scrollers, the all important gameplay still remains as fresh today as when it was first released over ten years ago.

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