History VideoGame / SuperMarioBros2

''Super Mario Bros. 2'' is the third[[labelnote:*]]Explained in details below.[[/note]] overall installment in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series. It revolves around Mario, Luigi, Toad and Princess Peach (known in the West as Princess Toadstool back in the day) travelling to the land of Subcon to save it from the tyranny of Wart, which has turned it into a land of nightmares. In a literal sense, because he gained his power by corrupting the Dream Machine. Interestingly, this mission was entrusted to Mario by way of a strange dream, in which one of the land's inhabitants begged the famed plumber for his help. This means that Subcon is a DreamLand, to which Mario and company access through a gateway identical to the one seen in the aforementioned dream; hence why many of the events and situations they'll experience, as well as the enemies they'll face (especially ''how'' they're faced, since GoombaStomp no longer works), differ greatly from what Mario and his friends were used to until that point.

''Super Mario Bros. 2'' is the third overall installment in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series. It revolves around Mario, Luigi, Toad and Princess Peach (known in the West as Princess Toadstool back in the day) travelling to the land of Subcon to save it from the tyranny of Wart, which has turned it into a land of nightmares. In a literal sense, because he gained his power by corrupting the Dream Machine. Interestingly, this mission was entrusted to Mario by way of a strange dream, in which one of the land's inhabitants begged the famed plumber for his help. This means that Subcon is a DreamLand, to which Mario and company access through a gateway identical to the one seen in the aforementioned dream; hence why many of the events and situations they'll experience, as well as the enemies they'll face (especially ''how'' they're faced, since GoombaStomp no longer works), differ greatly from what Mario and his friends were used to until that point.

* IFellForHours: The ''very first'' part of the game has you falling from a door in the sky onto a hill in Subcon. Later, in World 3-1, you can access a secret cave by falling several screens onto the bottom of the very tall waterfall (this cave has several vegetables which can be collected as coins in Subspace, plus a WarpZone to World 5). Lastly, in World 5-2, you eventually climb up a rocky area only to fall from the other side (and due to the spikes present, quick reflexes are required to avoid taking damage).

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Shyguys and Bob-Ombs[[note]]"Bob Omb" in the in-game cast roll[[/note]] are known as "Shy Guys" and "Bob-ombs" in later games, and are rendered as such in the ''Advance'' manual; conversely, Fryguy is known as "Fry Guy" in the ''Advance'' manual, but the original spelling is still present in the in-game cast roll.

** In the original and ''All-Stars'' version, you were stuck with the character you chose for a level until you complete it or get a game over. The ''Super Mario Advance'' release allowed you to reselect a character whenever you died, just in case your initial pick wasn't good suit for the level.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: If a player uses a WarpZone to reach another world from a level where they had previously collected coins in Subspace, those coins will be carried over to the new world's first level. This allows players to use those coins alongside whichever ones they find afterwards at the end of that level in the BettingMiniGame, which not only prevents the old coins from going to waste, but also provides a greater number of chances to farm extra lives.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: In sharp [[ContinuingIsPainful contrast]] to the original and ''All-Stars'' versions, lives are complete non-issue in ''Advance''. Even if you do get a GameOver, you can continue from the very same level you left off at.

* AllDesertsHaveCacti: Cacti are present in all of the desert levels. Thankfully they are harmless platforms for Mario and crew to jump on. The same can't be said for Pokey, an multi-segmented cactus creature that tries to move into the characters to damage them with its spikey body. Unlike their later appearances in the series as a [[TheSpiny spiny]], you can safely jump on their heads and ride them.

The game was later [[VideoGameRemake remade]] for the Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem as part of the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioAllStars'' CompilationRerelease in 1993, and then with further [[UpdatedRerelease updates]] as the first of the individual ''Super Mario Advance'' line for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance in 2001.

The game also received a Japan-exclusive "sequel" in 1996 with ''VideoGame/BSSuperMarioUSA'', based on the [=SNES=] version released for the UsefulNotes/{{Satellaview}} add-on, and its story confirmed that the original game's events are indeed real, as in this follow-up the characters return to Subcon to protect it once again from Wart. The concept of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad all being playable characters with differing stats and abilities in a PlatformGame would resurface in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'' and reappear in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRun''. Lastly, despite not having a dedicated game style in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'' or [[VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2 its sequel]], the former added several Mystery Mushroom costumes based on enemies and characters from this game, while the latter added assets from it via updates (Pokey[[note]]including both the modern yellow incarnation and its original green design[[/note]], a game mode involving Ninjis, a powerup allowing Mario to grab and throw enemies, and keys guarded by Phanto).

* TechDemoGame: ''Super Mario Advance'' was a launch title for that system, so it does a lot to show off the capabilities of the Game Boy Advance. Even the game's intro is part of this, as it starts out with a shaded box framing the older UsefulNotes/GameBoy ([[UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor Color]]) resolution that fades away to show the larger screen.

In Japan as well as North America, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' turned out to be a blockbuster hit, and the KillerApp that Nintendo needed to get the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem (and the Famicom, the Japanese version) into the homes of game players. Nintendo of Japan decided to strike while the iron was hot, and push out a sequel as quickly as possible, using both newly designed levels and levels originally created for the arcade version, ''VS. Super Mario Bros.'' - the result was titled ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' (and later released internationally as ''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels''). But while the designers and Japanese videogame fans thought it was fun for being even harder than NintendoHard, [[http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1358562997/gamemaster-howards-know-it-all/posts/326815 Howard Phillips of Nintendo of America playtested the game]] and just found it punishing to play, not fun at all. It was decided that the original ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' just wouldn't work for American gamers, since it was both [[MissionPackSequel basically a retread of the first game]] and [[PlatformHell just]] too [[SequelDifficultySpike hard]], traits that would negatively impact a video game market still recovering from [[UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 the crash]]. Furthermore, Nintendo feared the graphics of ''The Lost Levels'' would be seen as outdated in the face of new competing games coming from [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI both]] their [[VideoGame/Metroid1 own developers]] and [[Creator/{{Konami}} those of]] [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI their]] [[Creator/{{Capcom}} third-party]] [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 partners]].

Meanwhile, 1987's ''[[VideoGame/DokiDokiPanic Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic]]'' (Dream Factory: Heart-Pounding Panic) [[http://www.wired.com/2011/04/super-mario-bros-2/ started life as a prototype based on]] ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'' being made by the same team in charge of ''Mario'' games, having a primary focus on vertical levels and co-op multiplayer; but when Nintendo netted a licensing agreement with Fuji TV, it was revived and rebranded with the mascot characters of Fuji's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL9o9zzCUsQ Yume Kōjō]]'' ("Dream Factory" or "Dream Machine") promotional event. When Nintendo of America rejected the Japanese sequel and needed a new one for western markets in a hurry (especially since ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' was already on the way), they ''re-''rebranded ''Doki Doki Panic'' to match the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' characters, ported it from the Family Computer Disk System to the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem, and gave the game a few additional visual upgrades (mostly redone animation), as well as quality-of-life features like adding a run button, improved music and a new boss character. As a result, Nintendo of America unintentionally fulfilled their Japanese sister branch's original intentions regarding the prototype, albeit without the co-op multiplayer; that wouldn't be introduced in its intended form until ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', 21 years later.

The game was later [[VideoGameRemake remade]] for the UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem as part of the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioAllStars'' CompilationRerelease in 1993, and then with further [[UpdatedRerelease updates]] as the first of the individual ''Super Mario Advance'' line for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance in 2001.

* CatchPhrase: In the GBA remake, which like the other GBA remakes of the Super Mario Bros. series was enhanced with voice acting. For example:

* DifficultButAwesome:
** Toad's a crappy jumper in a PlatformGame. That said, his SuperStrength and SuperSpeed made him a favorite for speedrunners.
** Peach is the slowest runner and her pickup speed is also the lowest, which can make things hairy in situations where enemies are swarming, the bomb-block wall puzzles (In 3-2 and 6-3) and during boss fights, where her delay can potentially cost you a hit point. However, her floating ability more than makes up for it, and she has other quirks like invincibility frames during her pluck animation. Making her a favorite among beginners and veterans.

** The game also visually demonstrates how its Boss Battles work. At the end of the first level, they face their first encounter with the Pink Birdo. There are no items or even enemies to grab in her boss room. After being taught that enemies can be defeated by grabbing and throwing things at them, the player has to figure out how to defeat Birdo without nearby things to throw. They will discover that they can only defeat Birdo by [[TennisBoss grabbing the eggs she spits at them and throwing them back at her]], which showcases the very different and dynamic boss battles the game offers. And each level will gradually increase the complexity of the Birdo fights so the player needs to hone their combat skills: The fight in World 1-2 reduces the space of the battlefield (thus requiring quicker reflexes to grab the eggs), the fight in 2-1 takes place in a perilous area where both end sides have BottomlessPits, the fight in 2-2 pits you against Red Birdo (who is now red and will shoot both eggs and fireballs, hence why the use of Mushroom Blocks to attack her is advised), the fight in 3-1 has Birdo ''and'' a bottomless pit, 4-2 removes the Mushroom Blocks ''and'' brings back the pit while also adding slippery ice, 5-1 has Green Birdo (shoots fireballs only) and only one Mushroom Block, etc.

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* KingKoopaCopy: The FinalBoss is not Bowser, but a grumpy, tyrannic toad named Wart. But since the game's precursor (''Doki Doki Panic'') was also created by the ''Mario'' staff and already had elements and aspects shared from its then-future step-parent franchise, Wart (known there as Mamu) was conceived as an {{Expy}} of the Koopa King. Both villains are green-colored, enlarged animals capable of shooting projectiles periodically, and are responsible for the wrongdoings seen in their respective kingdoms.

* RegionalBonus: Reskinning aside, ''Super Mario Bros 2'' has a substantial number of improvements over ''VideoGame/DokiDokiPanic''. A run button was added, the sprites are far more polished and detailed, load times were eliminated due to the move to a cartridge, and the [[FakeLongevity the requirement to beat the game with every character to unlock the ending]] was mercifully nixed. The only major downside is that the ability to save the game was removed, replaced with a limited amount of continues.

* OffModel: The actual game gives Mario his distinct red sweater and blue overalls, but this is not reflected in either the Western or the Japanese cover art.

The game also received a Japan-exclusive "sequel" in 1996 with ''VideoGame/BSSuperMarioUSA'', based on the [=SNES=] version released for the UsefulNotes/{{Satellaview}} add-on, and its story confirmed that the original game's events are indeed real, as in this follow-up the characters return to Subcon to protect it once again from Wart. The concept of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad all being playable characters with differing stats and abilities in a PlatformGame would resurface in ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld''. Lastly, despite not having a dedicated game style in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'' or [[VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2 its sequel]], the former added several Mystery Mushroom costumes based on enemies and characters from this game, while the latter added assets from it via updates (Pokey[[note]]including both the modern yellow incarnation and its original green design[[/note]], a game mode involving Ninjis, a powerup allowing Mario to grab and throw enemies, and keys guarded by Phanto).

Meanwhile, 1987's ''[[VideoGame/DokiDokiPanic Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic]]'' (Dream Factory: Heart-Pounding Panic) [[http://www.wired.com/2011/04/super-mario-bros-2/ started life as a prototype based on]] ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]'', having a primary focus on vertical levels and co-op multiplayer; but when Nintendo netted a licensing agreement with Fuji TV, it was revived and rebranded with the mascot characters of Fuji's ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL9o9zzCUsQ Yume Kōjō]]'' ("Dream Factory" or "Dream Machine") promotional event. When Nintendo of America rejected the Japanese sequel and needed a new one for western markets in a hurry (especially since ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' was already on the way), they ''re-''rebranded ''Doki Doki Panic'' to match the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' characters, ported it from the Family Computer Disk System to the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem, and gave the game a few additional visual upgrades (mostly redone animation), as well as quality-of-life features like adding a run button, improved music and a new boss character. As a result, Nintendo of America unintentionally fulfilled their Japanese sister branch's original intentions regarding the prototype, albeit without the co-op multiplayer; that wouldn't be introduced in its intended form until ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', 21 years later.

* TooDumbToLive: Sure Wart, fight the PlayerCharacter [[BossArenaIdiocy while the malfunctioning/rebellious Dream Machine is tossing out vegetables everywhere]] when your [[WeaksauceWeakness one weakness is vegetables]], and your primary form of attack is to [[TacticalSuicideBoss open your mouth to spit bubbles]]. How, exactly, did you think this would go well for you? Bonus idiot points for [[FailedASpotCheck the Dream Machine being]] ''[[FailedASpotCheck right in front of you]]''.

* VanillaUnit: With the exception of Princess Toadstool, who can float, none of the characters have any special abilities. However, they have better stats than Toadstool to make up for it.

--> '''Pink Birdo:''' This is as far as you go!
--> '''Red Birdo:''' I'm gonna finish you off!
--> '''Green Birdo:''' I'm ready for you this time!

In Japan as well as North America, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' turned out to be a blockbuster hit, and the KillerApp that Nintendo needed to get the UsefulNotes/NintendoEntertainmentSystem (and the Famicom, the Japanese version) into the homes of game players. Nintendo of Japan decided to strike while the iron was hot, and push out a sequel as quickly as possible, using both newly designed levels and levels originally created for the arcade version, ''VS. Super Mario Bros.'' - the result was titled ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' (and later released internationally as ''Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels''). But while the designers and Japanese videogame fans thought it was fun for being even harder than NintendoHard, [[http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1358562997/gamemaster-howards-know-it-all/posts/326815 Howard Phillips of Nintendo of America playtested the game]] and just found it punishing to play, not fun at all. It was decided that the original ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' just wouldn't work for American gamers, since it was both [[MissionPackSequel basically a retread of the first game]] and [[PlatformHell just]] [[SequelDifficultySpike too]] NintendoHard, traits that would negatively impact a video game market still recovering from [[UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 the crash]]. Furthermore, Nintendo feared the graphics of ''The Lost Levels'' would be seen as outdated in the face of new competing games coming from [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI both their]] [[VideoGame/Metroid1 own developers]] and [[Creator/{{Konami}} those of]] [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI their]] [[Creator/{{Capcom}} third-party]] [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 partners]].