Super Mario Land
Platforms: Gameboy, 3DS(VC)
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s): Aug 1989(US), Sept 28 1990(EU), Apr 21 1989(JP)
When Nintendo launched it's first handheld system the Gameboy not only did they want to offer games that were simple to pick up and play like Tetris but offer portable versions of their NES games but ones that were also their own game.
The first was the most obvious of choices and that being a Mario game that came in the form of Super Mario Land.
Presentation
Much like the first Super Mario Bros. everything is very very simple but tells you everything you need to know, all very basic but functional.
Graphics
Super Mario Land does it's best to closely resemble it home console older brother but with very small sprites so detail is often lacking as everything appears in its most simplest form so it can all fit onto the tiny screen, as a result most enemies that appeared in the NES games only have a passing resemblance to them and newer one are often hard to make out just what they are meant to be.
The level design is much the same, having a passing resemblance to the NES games but on a much smaller scale, the overall theme of the look has an Egyptian/alien theme which is a very bizarre one indeed, with sphinx like statutes and UFO's adorning the levels, everything is all very functional looking if a little basic compared to any other Mario game.
Sound
Very simple sounds throughout and music too, some times often not even sounding like traditional Mario music at all, the only familiar Mario music crops ups on two of the boss stage levels where you are in either a submarine or plane. All the audio is of a good solid quality but of all Mario games it probably has the least memorable soundtrack of any of them for me from a personal point of view, but it's not irritating in anyway as it more than accompanies the game and does it all well enough.
Gameplay
One real saving grace of this game is that it has very tight responsive controls and plays a lot like Super Mario Bros. on the NES, so timing your jumps right and avoiding enemies will prevail, an where its a combination of good level design and the tiny sprites but avoiding everything can often be tricky and require you to learn enemy movement patters as well has the level hazards too.
There is one thing that Super Mario Land does do to separate itself a bit from the NES games is allow you to use a submarine and plane on two of the different boss stages which changes the pace and mechanics of the game slightly as those stages are no longer platform levels but scrolling shooters which certainly adds some variety to the whole mix, to keep things fresh.
Lasting Appeal
There is certainly a degree of challenge to be had within the game more so on the later levels, as it becomes very much about memorising the layouts and the way enemies attack more so than even the NES games, the game is much shorter in overall length than any of its home console counterparts but that is in many way due to it being designed to be just picked up and played and also due to the memory limitations of the time, it does feature twelve levels to challenge you though and a hard mode once you manage to beat that too that is much more difficult so it will keep you coming back to beat the game if you are after a decent challenge.
Overall
A very challenging game that mainly the hardware limitations of the day hamper certain areas of the game being able to match their home console variations, don't be put of by the tiny spites though as the game still plays as good as any Mario game and is a good reminder of where the Gameboy started in terms of games and then consider what it was able to do some ten years later.
A good solid Mario game that tries things a little different just don't expect an epic adventure as it is the shortest Mario game to date.
Scores
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s): Aug 1989(US), Sept 28 1990(EU), Apr 21 1989(JP)
When Nintendo launched it's first handheld system the Gameboy not only did they want to offer games that were simple to pick up and play like Tetris but offer portable versions of their NES games but ones that were also their own game.
The first was the most obvious of choices and that being a Mario game that came in the form of Super Mario Land.
Presentation
Much like the first Super Mario Bros. everything is very very simple but tells you everything you need to know, all very basic but functional.
Graphics
Super Mario Land does it's best to closely resemble it home console older brother but with very small sprites so detail is often lacking as everything appears in its most simplest form so it can all fit onto the tiny screen, as a result most enemies that appeared in the NES games only have a passing resemblance to them and newer one are often hard to make out just what they are meant to be.
The level design is much the same, having a passing resemblance to the NES games but on a much smaller scale, the overall theme of the look has an Egyptian/alien theme which is a very bizarre one indeed, with sphinx like statutes and UFO's adorning the levels, everything is all very functional looking if a little basic compared to any other Mario game.
Sound
Very simple sounds throughout and music too, some times often not even sounding like traditional Mario music at all, the only familiar Mario music crops ups on two of the boss stage levels where you are in either a submarine or plane. All the audio is of a good solid quality but of all Mario games it probably has the least memorable soundtrack of any of them for me from a personal point of view, but it's not irritating in anyway as it more than accompanies the game and does it all well enough.
Gameplay
One real saving grace of this game is that it has very tight responsive controls and plays a lot like Super Mario Bros. on the NES, so timing your jumps right and avoiding enemies will prevail, an where its a combination of good level design and the tiny sprites but avoiding everything can often be tricky and require you to learn enemy movement patters as well has the level hazards too.
There is one thing that Super Mario Land does do to separate itself a bit from the NES games is allow you to use a submarine and plane on two of the different boss stages which changes the pace and mechanics of the game slightly as those stages are no longer platform levels but scrolling shooters which certainly adds some variety to the whole mix, to keep things fresh.
Lasting Appeal
There is certainly a degree of challenge to be had within the game more so on the later levels, as it becomes very much about memorising the layouts and the way enemies attack more so than even the NES games, the game is much shorter in overall length than any of its home console counterparts but that is in many way due to it being designed to be just picked up and played and also due to the memory limitations of the time, it does feature twelve levels to challenge you though and a hard mode once you manage to beat that too that is much more difficult so it will keep you coming back to beat the game if you are after a decent challenge.
Overall
A very challenging game that mainly the hardware limitations of the day hamper certain areas of the game being able to match their home console variations, don't be put of by the tiny spites though as the game still plays as good as any Mario game and is a good reminder of where the Gameboy started in terms of games and then consider what it was able to do some ten years later.
A good solid Mario game that tries things a little different just don't expect an epic adventure as it is the shortest Mario game to date.
Scores
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