Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
Box art of Super Mario Land 2
Developer(s)	Nintendo R&D1
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Designer(s)	Hiroji Kiyotake
Composer(s)	Kazumi Totaka
Series	Mario
Engine	Enhanced Super Mario Bros. 3 engine
Platform(s)	Game Boy
Release	JPN October 21, 1992 NA November 2, 1992 EUR January 28, 1993
Genre(s)	Platform game
Mode(s)	Single-player

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 North America on November 2, 1992, and in Europe on January 28, 1993. Like its predecessor Super Mario Land, Super Mario Land 2 was created by director Hiroji Kiyotake rather than series creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Super Mario Land 2 is also the first game to feature Wario. At 4 megabits, it was one of the largest games on the Game Boy at the time of its release and 8 times larger than its predecessor's capacity.

The sequel to this game is Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land.

Gameplay

Screenshot from Super Mario Land 2

The objective of Super Mario Land 2 is to reach the end of a level, defeating or avoiding enemies while doing so. The enemies include several returning enemies from the Mario series, such as the Goomba and the Koopa, and introduces several new enemies. Enemies can usually be defeated by jumping on their head, but also may need to be defeated in different ways, such as a superball. Other famous mechanics include Warp Pipes, which allow the player to enter hidden areas or find shortcuts, coins, and ? Blocks, which hide coins and items. Unlike in previous Mario games, coins are not used to get lives; instead, they are used to play games in a special area that awards lives and other power-ups. To gain lives, instead, the player must find hearts. After killing 100 enemies, a star comes flying down which provides a short period of invincibility. The star can also be found at other places in the game. While being invincible, the 5th and each subsequent enemy killed will provide one life.

While its predecessor was similar to the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Land 2 has more in common with Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World: The player is no longer restricted to moving right in a level, and any level (except for the introductory stage) can be replayed. At the end of a level, there is a door that must be touched to clear a level. In addition, there is also a bell above the door which, if touched, activates a mini-game where the player can try to get either a power-up or extra lives.

There are 32 levels in total, based in several different themed zones. Some of the levels can only be accessed by entering in secret exits found in regular levels. Once the player clears or loses a life in these secret levels, he or she is returned to the level where the secret exit was found. Each zone has its own boss, which must be defeated to get one of the 6 Coins. If the player loses all of Mario's lives, all of the 6 Coins are returned to the bosses, which must be defeated again to retrieve the coins.

Super Mario Land 2 features three returning power-ups—the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Starman. The Super Mushroom increases Mario's size, the Fire Flower gives him the ability to shoot fireballs, and the Starman makes Mario invincible to anything besides pits. Both the Super Mushroom and the Fire Flower also allow Mario to do a spin jump like in Super Mario World. The game introduces one new power-up: a Magic Carrot which turns Mario into Bunny Mario and allows him to use the ears to descend at a slower rate and rapidly jump if the button is held down and also jump higher.

This is the second official Mario game to have a save feature, after Super Mario World, though this is the first Mario game released to a portable console to have a save feature.

Plot

Super Mario Land 2 takes place immediately after the original Super Mario Land. It was revealed Wario hired Tatanga to invade Sarasaland and kidnap Princess Daisy in order to distract Mario. While Mario was away in Sarasaland, Wario put an evil spell over Mario's world: Mario Land, renaming the area Wario Land. 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 to have a palace of his own. As the instruction manual states, he is an overgrown manchild who has been jealous of Mario since they were children. To stop Wario, Mario must find the 6 Golden Coins throughout Mario Land to reclaim his castle.

Development

The music was composed by Kazumi Totaka, and it is one of his earliest works. Totaka's Song is also hidden in the game and can be heard in the Game Over screen after waiting for exactly 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

Reception

Review scores

Publication	Score
Game Rankings	74.9%
Electronic Gaming Monthly	87.5 of 100
Nintendo Power	3.7 of 5

Official Nintendo Magazine ranked Super Mario Land 2 44th on their list of the "100 Greatest Nintendo Games". Nintendo Power listed it as the seventh best Game Boy/Game Boy Color video game, praising it for its improvements over Super Mario Land and for having impressive visuals for a handheld game.

External links

• Official Nintendo Japan Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins site Template:Ja icon
• Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins at MobyGames
• Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins at NinDB
• Information about Super Mario Land 2 on GameFAQs
• Japan page about mario land 2 anime film.
• Super Mario Land 2 commercial at PimpMyNintendo