The mainlineSuper Marioseries usually falls into two distinct categories: its 2D iterations and its 3D titles. While both categories tend to share general movement and gameplay mechanics, albeit from a different perspective, enemy types, and even occasionally environments, both also have their own set of unique features that’s kept each one relevant for decades. But that doesn’t mean3DMariogamesshouldn’t take notes from past 2D entries, andSuper Mario Land 2has a lot of great ideas to draw from.
Originally released in 1992 for the Game Boy,Super Mario Land 2is the sequel to thefirst everMariogame on a handheld device, and it still remains one of the best. Following in the footsteps ofSuper Mario World,Super Mario Land 2introduced handheld players to a bold new art style, a new hub world design, and a slew of new platforming mechanics. And withSuper Mario Land 2back in the zeitgeist thanks to Nintendo Switch Online, it’s the perfect time to look at just what made it so great as well as what a modern 3DMariogame could learn from it all these years later.
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Super Mario Land 2 Should Be Used As a Blueprint for a 3D Mario Game
Super Mario Land 2has the perfect premise for a lighthearted 3DMariogame. After returning to the Mushroom Kingdom after defeating the alien antagonist of the first game, Mario finds out that his jealous counterpart Wario has stolen his castle from him, and he’s scattered the six golden coins needed to unlock the castle gates across the different lands. It’s simple, but it’s effective, and it’s a greatfirst introduction to the character of Wario. This premise is perfect for a 3DMariogame, with its simple narrative easily setting up the conflict. It would also be great to see Wario take on the role of antagonist once again, as he isn’t often seen in the mainlineSuper Marioseries. Including Wario adds a tongue-in-cheek tone to the whole experience, and that’d be perfect for a 3DMariotitle.
The overall level design ofSuper Mario Land 2also lends itself naturally to a fully-fledged 3D adventure.Super Mario Land 2contains seven distinct worlds for the player to explore, each with its own set of levels. Each of these worlds is completely different from the last, with Tree Zone’s gigantic bug-infested woods being completely different from Turtle Zone’s aquatic environment, which is completely different from Pumpkin Zone’sHalloween-inspired world. While recent 3DMariotitles likeSuper Mario Odysseydo have fairly different biomes, they’re not nearly as varied asSuper Mario Land 2’s.
It would also be great to seeSuper Mario Land 2’s hub-world be translated into a 3D environment. In most 3DMariogames, the player has an extremely limited hub-world, with it usually only acting as a set of gateways to other worlds and missions. Even the best 3DMariogames, likeSuper Mario GalaxyandSuper Mario Odyssey, are guilty of this. Instead, it would be great to see a fully-fledged hub-world in a 3DMariogame, similar to Peach’s Castle inSuper Mario 64. This hub-world could take inspiration fromSuper Mario Land 2, allowing players to access shortcuts between worlds and levels.
Super Mario Land 2’s hub-world was also home to a casino, in which players could bet their coins for additional lives. While the subject ofgambling in a kid’s game- even using in-game currency - is a little dicey, it would be interesting to see a mechanic like this appear again in a 3DMariogame, letting players earn collectibles and power-ups with their coins.
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