Games To Try Before You Die: Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)

When this game hit the scene, people that first played it wondered, "What on earth happened to Super Mario Bros.?!" I was a young kid however and figured it was another Mario game, so I enjoyed it, and I still do to this day.

If you don't know the story of this game yet, that's your fault....however...SPOILER ALERT!

What: Mario has awakened in a strange place where there are Shy-Guys, Pow-Blocks, and throw-able vegetables. The great and powerful Wart is threatening to destroy all the land. Choose your hero of either Mario, Luigi, Toad, or Princess Toadstool and save the land of dreams! Dreams?!

Why: Here is a quick origin of the game.

Nintendo was busy creating Super Mario Bros.2 after the smash hit success of Super Mario Bros. on NES. As they were making it, the Japanese developer figured this game would be way to difficult for American audiences, so they took their game 'Doki-Doki Panic' and slapped Mario characters in it. For years, Americans NEVER played the real Super Mario Bros. 2 until much later on the Super Nintendo's 'Super Mario All-Stars' where the real SMB. 2 was named 'Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels.'

Here is the kicker! Mario has awoken in Dreamland with all of his buddies. The story of this game though? NEVER HAPPENED! At the end, it was all a dream. Don't you just love those story lines?

In the end, the game is actually a lot of fun. It may not be that familiar Mario formula, but it gave such a different feel to Mario. Legend of Zelda basically did the same thing with Zelda 2! You could choose your character of either Mario, Luigi, Toad, or Princess Toadstool. Each one of the characters had their specialty that you could easily pic your favorite. Mario was the all-arounder, Luigi could jump higher, Toad could pick veggies that quickest, and Princess could float.

Sound familiar? That's right, this was the game that solidified the attributes that you see from these characters in Mario games today! This game also featured for the first time Birdo and Shy-Guys. Even though this game is loved and hated, you can't help but notice what it did for the franchise.

In the end, it's actually one of my favorite Super Mario Bros. games. I like how it plays, the characters, the music, level design, etc. It's just a really fun game! Hence why I downloaded it on my 3DS so I can bring it with me anywhere I go :)

But...is my liking for this game...all a dream?