How Is Your SNES Gaming Going?

[dunpeal2064]

Super Mario Bros
Super Mario Bros 2 (Lost Levels)
Super Mario Bros 3
Super Mario World
New Super Mario Bros
New Super Mario Bros 2
New Super Mario Bros Wii
New Super Mario Bros U

Those are, to me, Mario games.

Technically Super Mario USA is a Mario game. As is Mario's Missing (Okay, unfair, I admit. How about Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, which is also not a Mario game).

Maybe my definition is too strict, but I think 2D Mario games have a style that is un-ordinarily consistent, and Super Mario USA is just not one, not even remotely.

Really though, I pointed out that this wasn't my main gripe with the game. Even if it had never been re-skinned, and I had played some hidden gem called Doki Doki Panic, I would still have the same complaints.

[Gunstar Green]

most enemies can just be bypassed more quickly and safely than actually trying to kill them.

To be fair you can say that about almost any platformer that doesn't force you to kill enemies to proceed. Most enemies in any Mario game can be safely bypassed.

[dunpeal2064]

most enemies can just be bypassed more quickly and safely than actually trying to kill them.

To be fair you can say that about almost any platformer that doesn't force you to kill enemies to proceed. Most enemies in any Mario game can be safely bypassed.

But the game at least encourages you to kill them. Its not unnatural.

SMB2 makes you actually stop platforming, go and pick some veggies, line up a super awkward arc, and throw. Or just grab an enemy, which is less invasive of the platforming, but still... it just lacks oomph. I never feel like I want to go and kill these enemies, whereas in any other Mario I'll gladly curb stomp every mofo.

[Exhuminator]

I must inform you that a bomb throwing mouse makes your arguments against SMB2 irrelevant.

[dunpeal2064]

I said I liked the bosses

Its just, you know, I like my platformers, and Mario games in particular, to do two things:

Platforming that feels good and rewarding

Enemy killing that feels good and rewarding.

SMB2, for all the cool stuff it does have, fails at both of these for me. I never think "Fuck yeah, I just platformed the shit out of that" or "Yeeah, eat shit enemy!"

I'd love to hear from those that hold the game high what it does that places it among the grand games of its genre. How its mechanics improve upon the ways other games approach platforming and enemy killing, or what actually good platformers you would consider SMB2 to be better than.

[Sarge]

I like throwing enemies. It's fun as all get-outs. Plucking items and throwing them into their faces feels great, too.

I also like the sense of mystery in the game. It's got a lot of neat little secrets. It's not as technical as other Mario games, but it's well-constructed and polished on the play control side.

Floating around as Peach never gets old.

Running from Phanto is always a harrowing experience.

Really, it is markedly different, but it's no less a Mario game than Zelda II isn't a Zelda game. It just observes the NES rule that almost all sequels have to be really weird and different. Besides, technically Mario 64 doesn't feel a whole lot like Mario games up until that point, either.

[dunpeal2064]

Thanks Sarge, and some good points indeed. I also enjoyed the moments where I had to run from Phanto. I did a Mario playthrough, so no Peach floaty goodness for me this time around.

Would you place this above any other well-recieved or loved platformers though? Or is it just a nice romp? I've voiced not being a huge fan of this game in a few places, and tend to get quite the shock, but I've never seen someone hold it up with the likes of DKC2, Yoshi's Island, Sonic 2, SMB3, etc. Usually suck backlash is reserved for highly quality games.

As for Mario 64, that intentionally wasn't in my list either, since I was just speaking of 2D Mario games. Mario 64 spawned its own sub-series of similar styles of games. And if Luigi's Mansion were called "Mario's gone again: The Luigi Story", I wouln't call that a Mario game either.

But hey, I tend to disregard Castlevania 2 when discussing the OG Vania games too. Its possible I am just the odd one out.

[Xeogred]

Goomba's and Koopa's are overrated. SMB2US introduced the best Mario grunts of them all...



I freaking love SMB2. It's a blast and I make sure to never skip the levels. Really good music. So many strange ideas with the magic carpet parts, or having to ride Birdo's egg across a level, digging through sand, tons of verticality in levels, the mask chasing you with the keys, the rocket in the snow level always cracks me up. It's really cool how massive the last level is too with multiple paths. I love going through the entire palace, backtracking a bit to fight all the upgraded Birdo's and whatnot before Wart.

I for one am sad they never made a follow up to SMB2 in that same style. I think the aesthetics are something I really love about it. All the levels and environments are really cool looking and I love how free roaming the levels are (easy to backtrack and explore a bit). I like fighting Birdo at the end of every level too.

Mechanically it's super different, but I seriously find myself instantly adapting to SMB2's style whenever I replay it. I wouldn't change a thing. Realistically yeah, it's obtuse to get Mario thrown over its blueprints, but look at Zelda 2. I just can't really describe it I guess, I have zero complaints about SMB2 and love it. Nowadays I'd much rather replay it than SMB1 and sometimes am even in the mood for it over SMB3.

Now I want to replay the All Stars version, it's been awhile!

I do like the All Stars version of SMB1 more than the NES. I like both forms of SMB2 and SMB3 though.

[Sarge]

This might not be a popular opinion, but I didn't really think DKC2 was upper-tier. I actually did think that about the original, though. Not entirely sure why, but there ya go. (I'm also not a huge Sonic fan in general. More unpopularity! )

I do think it belongs, but I also recognize mine is a minority opinion. It's not SMB3, but not much is. For a while there, it was my favorite Mario game, and in some ways I still love how different it all is. (I also hated SMB3, which I've talked about before.) I also happen to absolutely love Zelda II, and a remake or re-imagining would have me telling Nintendo, "Take my money!!!"

(Speaking of which, Elliot Quest is a great amalgam of Zelda II and Kid Icarus. I highly recommend it.)

[MrPopo]

most enemies can just be bypassed more quickly and safely than actually trying to kill them.

To be fair you can say that about almost any platformer that doesn't force you to kill enemies to proceed. Most enemies in any Mario game can be safely bypassed.

Pacifist Ninja Gaiden runs are a thing.