Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

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Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Developer(s)	Nintendo
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Gunpei Yokoi
Release date(s)	October 21, 1992 November, 1992 January 28, 1993
Genre(s)	Platform game
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: K-A (Kids to Adults)
Platform(s)	Game Boy
Media	4-megabit cartridge

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (スーパーマリオランド２・６つの金貨, Sūpā Mario Rando Tsū: Muttsu no Kinka^?) is a platforming video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It debuted in Japan on October 21, 1992, in the United States on November 1, 1992, and in Europe on January 28, 1993.^[1] Like its predecessor Super Mario Land, Super Mario Land 2 was not created by Shigeru Miyamoto, but rather by Gunpei Yokoi. Super Mario Land 2 is also the first game to feature Wario. It was one of the system's largest games (4Mb) at the time of its release.

1 Story
2 Gameplay
3 Music
4 Reception
5 Trivia
6 Sequels
7 External links

[edit] Story

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Super Mario Land 2 takes place immediately after the original Super Mario Land. Wario has put an evil spell over Mario Land while Mario was away in Sarasaland. The inhabitants are now brainwashed into thinking that Wario is their master, and Mario is their enemy. Wario's motive behind this sudden attack was to take control over Mario's castle in order to have a palace of his own. In order to stop Wario, Mario must find the 6 Golden Coins throughout Mario Land to gain access to his castle. Mario eventually faces off against Wario inside his stolen castle and defeats him, thus reclaiming his castle and freeing Mario Land from Wario's hypnotic spell.

[edit] Gameplay

While its predecessor was similar to the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Land 2 has more in common with later games: the player may now scroll the screen to the left, levels are not linear by virtue of a map screen that permits him to choose a level, and the game has battery backup saves. Hidden levels have been added too, another element unavailable in the first game. In addition, the game keeps track of how many enemies the player has killed (by jumping on them, hitting them with a fireball, etc.).

Screenshot from Super Mario Land 2

[edit] Zones and Levels

Super Mario Land 2 consists of six themed zones, each culminating with the attainment of a golden coin. There are also four levels which are independent of any zones. The zones are, working clockwise around the map:

Levels outside Zones There are a few more levels found outside the themed Zones. The first (Level 1) is an introductory stage. The second (Level 8) is situated between Tree Zone and Space Zone. The third (Level 9) is the entrance to Space Zone. The fourth (Level 32) external stage is Wario's Castle, which you need the six golden coins to get in, and confront Wario.
Tree Zone (Levels 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) is set in a tree. Levels are themed to various parts of the tree- the ground around it, the inside, the top and a beehive on it. Appearing adversaries are primarily birds and insects. The chief villain is a bird.
Space Zone (Levels 10, 11, 12) is set in space. The chief villain is Tatanga.
Macro Zone (Levels 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) is built around a house, where Mario is shrunk. The levels are themed to an anthill, the sky next to the house (secret level), the house plumbing, the kitchen and fireplace, and the attic. The chief villain is a rat.
Pumpkin Zone (Levels 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) is built around a pumpkin. The levels within it (except for the secret levels) are Halloween-based, as the enemies include monsters, ghosts etc. The chief villain is a witch.
Mario Zone (Levels 24, 25, 26, 27) looks like a large clockwork figure of Mario. The levels are toy-themed and the chief villains are the Three Little Pigs.
Turtle Zone (Levels 28, 29, 30, 31) gets its name from how the player enters the zone (by being swallowed by a giant turtle). It leads to a number of water-themed levels, including a submarine and inside of a whale. The chief villain is a giant octopus.

Macro Zone level 2 (Level 15)

There are 32 levels in total.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Items

Like most other Mario games, you can collect items which give you different power-ups. They can be acquired mid-level or in end level bonus games.

Starman: Mario gains temporary invincibility. He is impervious to death by any means except lava, bottomless pits, getting stuck in a scrolling-screen level, and running out of time.

Super Mushroom: Mario doubles in size, can break bricks by hitting them from below or landing on them with a spinjump, and can take one hit without dying.

Fire Flower: As Fire Mario, he can throw fireballs that bounce across the ground.

1-Up Heart: Grants one extra life.

3-Up Heart: Grants three extra lives.

Coin: Worth one coin apiece. These can be used in the slot machine mini-game found on the world map.

Money Bag: Worth fifty coins. These can be used in the slot machine mini-game found on the world map.

Carrot: A carrot transforms Mario into Bunny Mario. He can use his ears to slow his descent when falling after a jump or walking off a ledge. Holding down the A button causes Mario to hop like a bunny.

[edit] Mini-games

This game contains 3 minigames. In one minigame you play a game of Skill Crane which you lower a claw over a moving conveyor belt which contains items. The other minigame requires you to stop a pair of mice which will gnaw through paths to various prizes. Stopping them in the correct position will leave the path to the better items open. This minigame could be the predecessor to a minigame in Mario Party 3 and a similar minigame in Super Mario 64 DS. The third minigame is a slot machine which requires coins to play. Winning can gain you coins or even more lives.

[edit] Easy Mode

Mario Zone overworld

The game actually has two levels of difficulty. The default is normal mode. Pressing Select at the file select screen displays the words "EASY MODE" at the top of the screen, which reduces the number of enemies encountered in the game and introduces some other minor changes to levels, such as widening the crumbling skull bridges found in the final level, and slowing down the enemy bubbles.

[edit] Music

Just like in Super Mario World, most of the music in Super Mario Land 2 is a variation on the same theme.

[edit] Reception

Super Mario Land 2 sold over 7 million units. [1]

[edit] Trivia

Tatanga, the boss of Space Zone, was previously the final boss in Super Mario Land.
Totaka's Song can be found at the game over screen when the game is left running for a long time.
Mario Land (and Wario Land) is referenced in Mario Party 2.