It got lost in the mail for a while, but TYP's long-awaited review for Super Mario Advance is finally here!
When Super Mario Bros. DX (SMBDX) came out for GBC a few years
ago, it got rave reviews and stayed on EBWorld.com's "best seller" & "must have" lists for months. Now, Nintendo continues the Mario ports after such amazing success with Mario Advance. Unfortunately, MA doesn't share the same sparkle as SMBDX.
Mario Advance's presentation provides easy navigation. Graphics and animation are crisp throughout the game. MA’s updated cartoon-style sprites hardly push the hardware, but they maintain the standard Mario atmosphere, though the gameplay doesn’t. Although not a “true" Mario game, MA's controls are still as intuitive and responsive as any other in the series. The catchy music—both old and new—matches the quality Mario All-stars. Although initially amusing, the voices may hinder the experience after extended time. It’s not that the voices are bad—they can be quite a riot—but they’re just too common.
After mastering the levels, the red coin and Yoshi challenges can provide extra difficulty to an already demanding game. Also, most levels now contain a new mushroom. Although these extras add much to the game, it just isn't "deluxe."
While SMB2 is a good game in itself, Mario Advance really shines with its Mario Bros. remake. The basic gameplay is the same as in the arcade (kill guys, collect the coins,) but the controls are borrowed from SMB2: you can change directions in mid air, squat to jump higher, and even pick up POW boxes and other players!
Single player is suggested for the Original mode, although 2 can be fun as well. Battle mode (available in 1 cart play) is the best feature on the entire cartridge. Although similar to classic mode, Mario starts big and gamers compete. It can get really rowdy, especially when human opponents use cruel tactics on each other! And best of all, everybody can enjoy the multiplayer "Mario Madness*," even without owning the game!
Many thoroughly enjoyed the original, and novices should have the opportunity to enjoy its second reincarnation. Its portability and new collecting aspects will spark new life into the aging level design for Gurus. As for its drawbacks… Hopefully, Nintendo will take a cue from SMBDX and add more features in the upcoming Mario remakes. Easter eggs, secret characters, and new levels would have made this game so much more.
*Quote from SMB2 box/game art.
Graphics
Although the sprites are very crisp the animation smooth, the colors are quite limited. Its cartoon graphics hardly leave an impact like some of the others'. Nintendo could have added a little more detail without detracting from the style. Of course, prerendering would have detracted from the Mario atmosphere, but more colorful backgrounds (like those in Yoshi’s Island) would have done the trick quite nicely. Also, vertical scrolling can sometimes be a pain (Just like in the original.) The most glaring issue is probably in vertical shafts: the entire shaft can't fit on the screen, causing visibility issues in some situations.
Sound
If the amusing voices don't prove to be bothersome later
on, the audio experience is quite good. SMB2's classic songs
sound great on the handheld, as do the new ones. Three catchy new
songs can be found in the Mario Bros. Classic mode along with a
great remix of the Super Mario Bros. Underground music. And then
there is the return of the irreplaceable Super Mario Bros. 3
Battle music for Mario Bros. Battle mode!!!!! Yeah!!!!
Control
Each character has his or her own distinct properties, but despite the variations,
the controls remain very tight, allowing easy transition from one character to another. Since the Mario Bros. mode uses the same exact interface, players should have no problem switching back and forth between the two games in
Mario Advance. Nintendo has also made it possible to use the R button instead of the B button to run, which should make people with bigger thumbs happy. The only control issue involves the scrolling (once again): although the L button is supposed to scroll the screen vertically, it often doesn't work well. Fortunately, Mario Bros. does not suffer from this.
Gameplay
Super Mario Bros. 2 holds some interesting challenges, making it more than just a platforming game. Level designs are varied: some are straight forward, while others may involve digging, finding a key or both. Believe it or not, strategy even comes into play a bit when battling enemies or bombing through walls. It's a blast to throw enemies at each other, and the various secrets scattered throughout the game keep things from getting too difficult. Meanwhile, in the Mario Bros. modes, players will need to learn how to escape dangerous situations and put others into them.
Lastability
The lastability depends on the player’s familiarity with previous versions of SMB2. The game will last much longer for rookies, as there is plenty to explore. Meanwhile, veterans will still struggle at points, as dying does not yield a full heart meter any more. If you have a buddy to play with, the game will be in your system all too often, but otherwise, after clearing everything, SMB2 will just be great to play every now and then. Until the next Mario remake comes out, gamers may have pass the time by doing “The Mario."
Final
SMB2 is very good, but its entertainment value is highly dependent on personal taste. People who don't like SMB2 should pass this game up unless necessary for multiplayer, but anyone else should at least try this game out. Gamers who love SMB2 will feel the same about this game, and those unfamiliar with the game will most likely wish they didn’t pass it up the first time.
Review Page 1
Super Mario Advance
Super Mario Advance
