Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Super Mario Bros. 2 for the SNES is the enhanced 16-bit remake included in Super Mario All-Stars, developed and published by Nintendo in 1993. Based on the Western Super Mario Bros. 2 originally released for the NES in 1988, the game began life as the Japanese title Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic before being adapted into a Mario adventure. The result is the odd one out among the classic 2D Mario games, but also one of the most creative and memorable.
Rating: 9/10
Super Mario Bros. 2 plays very differently from the games surrounding it. Most enemies cannot simply be defeated by jumping on them. Instead, Mario and friends pull vegetables and other objects from the ground, pick up enemies, and throw them as weapons. Bombs, keys, potions, magic carpets, hidden jars, and temporary doors into Subspace add light puzzle and exploration elements to the traditional platforming.
There are four playable characters, and their differences have a major impact on how the game feels. Mario is the balanced all-rounder, Luigi has an extremely high and floaty jump, Toad is fast and can pick up objects quickly, while Princess Peach can hover briefly in the air. Being able to choose a character for each stage encourages experimentation, and certain sections become noticeably easier or harder depending on who you select.
The adventure consists of seven worlds and twenty stages, covering deserts, caves, icy landscapes, waterfalls, castles, nighttime environments, and other increasingly strange locations. Levels frequently scroll vertically as well as horizontally, and secret areas, warp routes, keys, locked doors, and jars make exploration much more important than in the original Super Mario Bros.
Boss fights also fit naturally around the throwing mechanics. Birdo appears several times throughout the game, joined by enemies such as Mouser, Tryclyde, Fryguy, Clawgrip, and the final boss Wart. Instead of relying on standard Mario power-ups, many encounters involve catching or collecting objects and throwing them back at the enemy.
The SNES version gives the game an excellent visual overhaul. Character sprites are larger and more expressive, backgrounds are considerably richer, and the stronger color palette makes Subcon feel bright, strange, and almost storybook-like. The upgraded soundtrack retains Koji Kondo's memorable melodies while benefiting from the Super Nintendo's much richer sound hardware.
Super Mario All-Stars also makes the game more convenient to play. Progress can be saved instead of requiring the entire adventure to be completed in one sitting, which makes the later and more difficult stages considerably less punishing. The core level layouts and mechanics remain faithful to the NES original, so this feels like a genuine remake rather than a reinterpretation.
Although its origins outside the traditional Mario formula are obvious, Super Mario Bros. 2 ended up contributing enormously to the series. Shy Guys, Bob-ombs, Pokeys, Birdo, Phanto, and other concepts introduced or popularized here became recurring parts of the Mario universe.
It may lack the pure running-and-jumping simplicity of Super Mario Bros. or the enormous variety of Super Mario Bros. 3, but its differences are exactly what make it special. The character variety, throwing mechanics, exploratory stages, unusual bosses, and cheerful presentation still feel distinctive decades later. With its excellent graphical and audio upgrades and convenient save system, the Super Mario All-Stars version remains one of the best ways to experience this strange but essential Mario classic.
Super Mario Bros. 2 for the SNES is the enhanced 16-bit remake included in Super Mario All-Stars, developed and published by Nintendo in 1993. Based on the Western Super Mario Bros. 2 originally released for the NES in 1988, the game began life as the Japanese title Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic before being adapted into a Mario adventure. The result is the odd one out among the classic 2D Mario games, but also one of the most creative and memorable.
Rating: 9/10
Super Mario Bros. 2 plays very differently from the games surrounding it. Most enemies cannot simply be defeated by jumping on them. Instead, Mario and friends pull vegetables and other objects from the ground, pick up enemies, and throw them as weapons. Bombs, keys, potions, magic carpets, hidden jars, and temporary doors into Subspace add light puzzle and exploration elements to the traditional platforming.
There are four playable characters, and their differences have a major impact on how the game feels. Mario is the balanced all-rounder, Luigi has an extremely high and floaty jump, Toad is fast and can pick up objects quickly, while Princess Peach can hover briefly in the air. Being able to choose a character for each stage encourages experimentation, and certain sections become noticeably easier or harder depending on who you select.
The adventure consists of seven worlds and twenty stages, covering deserts, caves, icy landscapes, waterfalls, castles, nighttime environments, and other increasingly strange locations. Levels frequently scroll vertically as well as horizontally, and secret areas, warp routes, keys, locked doors, and jars make exploration much more important than in the original Super Mario Bros.
Boss fights also fit naturally around the throwing mechanics. Birdo appears several times throughout the game, joined by enemies such as Mouser, Tryclyde, Fryguy, Clawgrip, and the final boss Wart. Instead of relying on standard Mario power-ups, many encounters involve catching or collecting objects and throwing them back at the enemy.
The SNES version gives the game an excellent visual overhaul. Character sprites are larger and more expressive, backgrounds are considerably richer, and the stronger color palette makes Subcon feel bright, strange, and almost storybook-like. The upgraded soundtrack retains Koji Kondo's memorable melodies while benefiting from the Super Nintendo's much richer sound hardware.
Super Mario All-Stars also makes the game more convenient to play. Progress can be saved instead of requiring the entire adventure to be completed in one sitting, which makes the later and more difficult stages considerably less punishing. The core level layouts and mechanics remain faithful to the NES original, so this feels like a genuine remake rather than a reinterpretation.
Although its origins outside the traditional Mario formula are obvious, Super Mario Bros. 2 ended up contributing enormously to the series. Shy Guys, Bob-ombs, Pokeys, Birdo, Phanto, and other concepts introduced or popularized here became recurring parts of the Mario universe.
It may lack the pure running-and-jumping simplicity of Super Mario Bros. or the enormous variety of Super Mario Bros. 3, but its differences are exactly what make it special. The character variety, throwing mechanics, exploratory stages, unusual bosses, and cheerful presentation still feel distinctive decades later. With its excellent graphical and audio upgrades and convenient save system, the Super Mario All-Stars version remains one of the best ways to experience this strange but essential Mario classic.
