Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

While its predecessor was similar to the original Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Land 2 has more in common with later games (specifically Super Mario World): the player may now scroll the screen to the left, levels are not linear by virtue of a map screen that allows the player to choose a level (from Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World), and the game has battery backup saves. The game also contains secret exits in levels that lead to hidden levels. In addition, the game keeps track of how many enemies the player has defeated.

Zones and levels

Super Mario Land 2 consists of six themed zones, each culminating with a boss, who possess 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 requires the six golden coins for entry; in it, Mario confronts Wario.
• Tree Zone is set in a gigantic 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 crow.
• Space Zone is set in space. The chief villain is a space alien, who bears curious resemblance to Tatanga from Super Mario Land. This zone is entered from a level outside containing a hippo statue. Levels are themed to the moon and a distant star area.
• Macro Zone is built around an otherwise normal house that Mario can only enter after shrinking down to a tiny size, making it huge and dangerous. 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 is built around a large 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 looks like a large clockwork figure of Mario. The levels are toy- and mechanical-themed and the chief villains are the Three Little Pigs.
• Turtle Zone gets its name from how Mario 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 an octopus.

There are 32 levels in total. Some of these levels can only be accessed by entering secret entrances located in the regular levels. Once these levels are cleared, or if the player dies therein, most can only be replayed by entering the secret entrance from the previous level once again. The only exception is the Macro Zone secret level, which can be replayed directly at any time. When a golden coin is obtained, its respective level is still available to play, but the boss will not reappear.

Mini-games

The game contains three mini-games. In one mini-game you play a game of Skill Crane which you lower a claw over a moving conveyor belt which contains items. The other mini-game 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. The third mini-game is a slot machine which requires coins to play. Winning can gain you either more coins or more lives.

Easy mode

The game has two levels of difficulty, the default being 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.

Powerups

Returning from Super Mario Land are the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, Starman, and 1-UP Heart, though in this edition the Fire Flower is more akin to that found in the NES versions; with it, Mario throws fireballs, not the superballs from Super Mario Land. The Heart takes the place of the usual green 1-UP mushroom from the NES version, as red and green mushrooms would be impossible to differentiate with the Game Boy's monochromatic palette. In addition to these, three new power-ups appear in Super Mario Land 2:

• Carrot: Original to this game, this power-up transforms Mario into Bunny Mario. Now sporting bunny ears, Mario can flap them to glide down from long heights, similarly to Raccoon Mario in Super Mario Bros. 3. Unlike that power-up, however, Bunny Mario lacks the ability to fly or swing a tail to cause damage.

• Bubble: Allows Mario to fly, but is only present in one level. Unlike other power-ups, this one does not come from a block and instead is blown-up by a hippo face statue. You cannot get this in a mini game.

• Spacesuit: Automatically equipped when entering the space zone, this power-up gives Mario the ability to jump higher or to propel himself through space. You cannot get this in a mini game.

• Fire Flower: Transforms Mario into Fire Mario and allows him to shoot fire balls at enemies. Besides the levels, you can get this power-up through mini games. As color cannot differentiate Fire Mario from Super Mario on a Game Boy, Fire Mario gains a feather in the middle of his hat to distinguish him, a trait unique to this game. Also unique to this game are blocks that can only be destroyed with fireballs.

Plot

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, renaming the area Warioland. 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.

Music

Just like in Super Mario World, most of the music in Super Mario Land 2 is a variation on the same theme. The game shares a tradition of many games whose music is composed by Kazumi Totaka and includes Totaka's trademark track, Totaka's Song. It is a hidden clip which has been found in many games which he has worked on. In this game it can be found at the game over screen when the game is left running for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The theme song was sampled by the music group Ambassadors of Funk for their song Six Golden Coins. This song was included on the album Super Mario Compact Disco.

Sequels

• Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
• Wario Land II
• Wario Land 3
• Wario Land 4
• Wario: Master of Disguise

References

External links

• Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins at MobyGames
• Information about Super Mario Land 2 on GameFAQs