After the success of Super Mario Land there’s no surprise that it was eventually followed up with a sequel. For once, I’m actually pleased with the sense of continuity and ongoing narrative, as the story behind this game is quite clever: while Mario was off saving the day in Sarasaland, Wario took control over his castle back home and, in fact, had been the person behind all of the bad goings on in Sarasaland! Very good, for the Super Mario series.

Speaking of things I like, this is the game that introduced us to Wario. For those who don’t know, Wario is a kind of evil twin to Mario. He’s a greedy, money-obsessed character with a comically bizarre design. Wario has gone on to be a regular character in the Mario series and has even gone on to have his own series of games. Right from his first appearance he’s very likeable and it is the introduction of Wario, perhaps, that is this game’s best feature… Even if he is only the final boss.

But there’s something strange about this game. There are a lot of things about it which, independently, I like very much, for example: there’s a nice big over-world map, unique choices of enemies (such as the three little pigs) and unusual level locations (like the inside of a whale) but despite all of these qualities, things just don’t quite gel for me. The soundtrack is generally quite bland and the controls feel quite floaty and just generally ‘off’ so I wonder if these two things might be what’s spoiling my enjoyment of it.

It’s by no means a bad game and, if you can find a cheap copy of it, by all means give it a try because maybe you’ll like it more than me. I just feel like the game has a good premise and lots of good ideas and it’s all the more disappointing because of that. It could have been a superb Mario game, but for me it just misses the mark.

Rating: 6.7/10

Buy it here.

The Game Boy was Nintendo’s first real portable console and, as I’m sure you can understand, they were keen to get a brand new Super Mario game ready to be released alongside it and Super Mario Land was that game.

Super Mario Land has a lot in common with other 2D platforming games in the series, but also has a fair few elements which give it a unique identity. Usually Mario travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser, but this time he travels through Sarasaland in order to rescue Princess Daisy from Tatanga. On the one hand, Tatanga is an interesting and mysterious villain and I wish he had appeared in more games, on the other, Princess Daisy is basically Peach but with a different colour scheme (and she is the one who’s gone on to make lots of appearances, but I guess some people like her, so I shouldn’t complain).

However, while the change of characters is interesting, I think the best thing about this game is the change of setting. Sarasaland gives you creatures and locations that you don’t find in other Super Mario games, for example you’ll find yourself exploring ancient temples, or in a place based on Easter Island (with Moai-like creatures!) and even a place based on ancient China. Sure, you’ll see some enemies that look like the creatures you’re familiar with from other games, but even they are a little different. What’s most exciting is that, unlike the Mushroom Kingdom, Sarasaland cannot be entirely transversed on foot and some levels have you driving a submarine or airplane!

If that all sounds quite exciting to you, there’s something you need to bear in mind: it’s very short. There are four worlds and each of those are made up of three individual levels, so, that is only twelve levels for the whole game. I completed the whole game twice (once normally and then again in hard mode) in only forty minutes. At the risk of sounding arrogant, maybe I’m just very good at it, but I think most people might make short work of this game. But I think it’s always important to remember “quality over quantity”; in many ways it feels like a better version of Super Mario Bros. and that game has more than double the number of levels. I like Super Mario Land for its unique levels and enemies, having a catchy soundtrack and for just being generally enjoyable.

Rating: 7/10

Buy it here.

Octopus was one of the earlier Game & Watch titles and, as the years have gone by, the eponymous Octopus has become perhaps the most iconic thing from this early series of games. This also happens to be one of the better ones.

You have three lives, represented by the three Mr. Game & Watch people waiting in a boat at the top of the screen, and you have to go down into the water and collect as much treasure as possible from the sunken ship. However, this isn’t a simple undersea excavation! The treasure is guarded by a very defensive octopus (hence the title) and you have to be sure to avoid its tentacles because, if it catches you, you’re dead!

On your first try, it will probably seem very hard. It may even seem annoyingly hard, although slowly but surely you’ll get the hang of it. You’ll learn the movements of the octopus and figure out the best way to get the most treasure and to keep yourself as safe as possible! Having said that, due to the somewhat limited Game & Watch gameplay style, you’ll probably find yourself inadvertently moving right into a tentacles path because you almost expect the movements to be slightly smoother. It’s a little hard to explain, and it’s not something that happens that often, but is still bothersome when it happens.

Being a Game & Watch, it is a fairly simple game and other than two different difficulty levels, an alarm clock and the ability to save scores, there’s not all that much to it. But what there is to it, is nice. Worth a try, if you can find a way to play it.

Rating: 5.9/10

Buy it as part of Game & Watch Gallery here.

(I do not own the copyright of the boxart.)

(Don’t miss today’s Finger Puppet Show!)

(Don’t miss my latest article for SmartDating UK!)