Super Mario Bros. 2


Probably the strangest mainline Mario title, Super Mario Bros. 2 gave America an unforgettable romp through Mario's deadly dreams. Starting as the Japan exclusive Doki Doki Panic, Mario 2 dropped the classic goombas and koopas in favor of  now-familiar baddies like birdos and shy guys that weren't even meant for the Mario universe. Mario's defeat-an-enemy-by-jumping-on-it superpower is also gone, replaced instead by the ability to pick up and throw almost everything. But most exciting, you can actually play as four different characters, each with their own abilities!

Now, Nintendo claimed that they released this title in the US because it was easier than what we now know as The Lost Levels, but I'm not sure I got that. The game was definitely still difficult, which was exacerbated by the length of the levels. Plus the evil masks that chase you when you pick up a key are real jerks and I hate them.

Despite my issues with the difficulty, this was a fun, albeit unorthodox, Mario adventure. I especially appreciate it for it's contributions to the Mario Kart Roster. Because of that, I would recommend playing this game at least once, but if it isn't your jam, don't feel pressured to finish it.
The game is available for 3DS here (as of 9/5/20): https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/super-mario-bros-2-3ds/
The game is available for WiiU here (as of 9/5/20): https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/super-mario-bros-2-wii-u/
The game is available for Switch here (as of 9/5/20): https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/nintendo-entertainment-system-nintendo-switch-online-switch/

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