A long time ago, Nintendo developed the sequel to their biggest franchise, which they thought would be too difficult for Western players, this being the reason why they decided to localize another game called Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic. And this marks the story of how Super Mario Bros 2 was developed, by using the main setting of this title for the adventure that takes place in the World of Dreams.

This game, almost inadvertently, introduced new elements to the Super Mario series. Obviously, some changes were necessary, one of which was that the characters could run, since this was not possible in Doki Doki Panic. Other modifications were mostly aesthetic, as they considered certain elements of the original game to be somewhat ‘dark’ for the Mario world.

What stood out the most was that in the original game there were four protagonists, so the two famous plumbers were not enough. To complete the number, for the first time in history, Toad and Princess Peach were selectable characters. Interestingly, since the original characters of YK: DDP were distinguished by their abilities (strength, speed, jumping, and levitation), these qualities were transferred to their Western counterparts, starting the styles that accompany each of them to this day. For example, Luigi jumps differently than Mario, and Princess Peach retains her levitation power. On the other hand, Toad was the only one who changed in this aspect, since in the newer games he is no longer as strong.

Continuing with the changes, this new Super Mario Bros. had a very notable feature, the characters could pull vegetables from the ground. They could also lift their enemies and other items within the levels. This was not merely an aesthetic or trivial addition, but a fundamental part of the gameplay style, as sometimes it was necessary to carry an important item, like keys, for a good portion of the level, to a locked door. This ability was not revisited later, although it appeared, for example, in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, and Peach continues to use it quite a bit in the Super Smash Bros series.

Speaking of the gameplay itself, this title had a considerable improvement in the characters movement compared to its predecessor. The inclusion of the heroes’ running ability gave it a more dynamic touch, since it was a title adapted from another game that had no relation to the Mario series, giving SMB2 a very different style, even when compared to newer games. Certainly, there were elements that were not kept in the series, while others endured enough to be used again, such as the characters Birdo and the Shy Guys, who became very common in various titles, like Mario Kart.

Another important feature was that in this installment it’s possible to advance through the scenario vertically, something that had not been seen in previous titles of this franchise. It’s worth noting that details like this also appeared in subsequent games, such as Super Mario Bros 3.

Now, speaking of something curious, in the game it’s possible to crouch even when the characters are small. Why? Because you have the ability to charge your jump to rise quite high in the air and reach hard-to-access places. This is very useful on countless occasions within this unique adventure.

Another detail that had not been seen in a previous Mario game was that here you have red gems that indicate your health meter, which can be increased if you find the mushrooms in the alternate worlds. What do I mean by alternate worlds? Well, you can find potions that open doors leading to a kind of parallel dimension of the place you are in. This will help you find coins, mushrooms, and even interesting things like Warps that allow you to go forward in the worlds.

It’s also worth mentioning that, unlike its predecessor, lives are no longer obtained so easily in this title. To get them, you need to find mushrooms, or at the end of each stage, use the coins that you’ve collected on the screen where the slot machine appears, and see if your skill (or luck) allows you to get one or more extra lives to continue the adventure. Although it’s not a very difficult game, this curious limitation of lives in Super Mario Bros. 2 does indirectly affect the level of difficulty, as it forces you to treat your lives like they were made of gold.

In conclusion, many things about this game are fascinating, especially because it was a title that broke the standards of a saga that many of us were already accustomed to. If you haven’t played it yet, I recommend you to give it a try so you can fully discover all of its brilliance.