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[Like the hat?]

Despite having a gba pretty much from the beginning and super Mario bros 2 being my favorite of the NES Mario games, I never actually bothered to play through Super Mario Advance. I was going through my gba games earlier and came across the cartridge I picked up for cheap like6 years ago and figured it was finally time to give the game a go. I've reached stage 5-2 so far.

Overall it's not that bad, but I don't think it is nearly as compelling to play as the NES original. It looks nice and everything, but the weird scrolling kind of makes it a bit disorienting, and the voices...my god. If someone were to ask me how not to do voices in games, I would point them to SMA.

I was surprised to see how much was changed, though. Nothing crazy, but still. Do the other Mario advance games have changes like that? I own all of them but haven't played any of them (snapped up a huge bunch of cheap gba games after DS came out).

What do people generally think of the SMA games, and is one in particular?

 

[Katzii]

The other games definitely did not see such drastic changes. SMA2 (Mario World) and SMA3 (Yoshi's Island) were essentially ports with a bit of voice acting and a few extras thrown in. SMA4 (Mario 3) used the All-Stars style look and (for North America and Japan) added the eReader levels. None of them messed with the games though.

 

[Strax]

The other games definitely did not see such drastic changes. SMA2 (Mario World) and SMA3 (Yoshi's Island) were essentially ports with a bit of voice acting and a few extras thrown in. SMA4 (Mario 3) used the All-Stars style look and (for North America and Japan) added the eReader levels. None of them messed with the games though.

Well, I'm glad we got that out of the way

 

[Like the hat?]

I'm thinking of doing Mario world next. Doubt I will do yoshis island since I recently played through my snes cart.

I really wish I had the ereader levels for smb3. I have an ereader but only have a couple of item cards.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

and super Mario bros 2 being my favorite of the NES Mario games

My man.

 

[Jake Tower]

just what i needed!

 

[RM8]

Funny, I'm playing it right now since I recently bought a GBA Micro. I adore SMB2 and I also consider it my favorite from the NES Mario games. I love everything about it.

 

[jwhit28]

Isn't Super Mario Advance just a port of the SNES version of Super Mario Bros 2 with voices added and Mario Bros battle game?

 

[Bgamer90]

Super Mario Advanced made me enjoy SMB2 for the first time.

The features that they added made the game feel much more in line with the other 2D Mario games.

 

[Like the hat?]

Isn't Super Mario Advance just a port of the SNES version of Super Mario Bros 2 with voices added and Mario Bros battle game?

It has a bunch of other stuff (giant vegetables, robo birdo, etc)

 

[RM8]

Peach was my first "main", since playing Peach is pretty much "easy mode". But Toad being my favorite character has gotten the most play-time from me. Still, I have played through SMB2 with all four characters. Man, I love this game, it's probably my favorite 2D platformer.

 

[Alo81]

The other games definitely did not see such drastic changes. SMA2 (Mario World) and SMA3 (Yoshi's Island) were essentially ports with a bit of voice acting and a few extras thrown in. SMA4 (Mario 3) used the All-Stars style look and (for North America and Japan) added the eReader levels. None of them messed with the games though.

The Super Mario World port is definitely better though. Having the spin jump on the R button feels so much more natural.

God damn it's a really good game.

There are some other changes too.

I know one change is that when you get hit, it doesn't make you immediately tiny, it just kicks you down a level.

So Cape Mario turns into Super Mario when he's hit, instead of Cape Mario turning into small Mario.

I could have sworn the game looked better on GBA SP too but that's probably just a rose-tinted glasses memory of it.

 

[El Odio]

j-j-just what i needed!

Fixed.

 

[MisterHero]

SMB3 is really good. It has a replay feature and you can warp between worlds when you beat the game. Removing the VS mode is a crime though.

As for SMB2... adding the things like A-coins and Yoshi eggs was kind of annoying because they didn't alter/add locations for potions. The boss voices were a decent novelty.

I think Yoshi's Island had new levels.

 

[Robin64]

Luigi in the Mario World one actually controls a little differently. More in line with how he feels in Lost Levels. So Mario and Luigi travel the world map together and you can tap a button to switch between them before a level.

It also keeps track of who has beaten a level and if you got all the dragon coins or not. Just for shits and giggles, I guess.

 

[megarockexe]

The Super Mario World port is definitely better though. Having the spin jump on the R button feels so much more natural.

God damn it's a really good game.

There are some other changes too.

I know one change is that when you get hit, it doesn't make you immediately tiny, it just kicks you down a level.

So Cape Mario turns into Super Mario when he's hit, instead of Cape Mario turning into small Mario.

I could have sworn the game looked better on GBA SP too but that's probably just a rose-tinted glasses memory of it.

The problem with all the games is they were lightened up and generally look worse, but only to compensate for the GBA's dim, non-lit screen. All the games are ports of the SNES so they've been cropped down from 4:3 to 3:2.

 

[jwhit28]

The problem with all the games is they were lightened up and generally look worse, but only to compensate for the GBA's dim, non-lit screen. All the games are ports of the SNES so they've been cropped down from 4:3 to 3:2.

Yeah the cropped screen, worse music, and unnecessary voices in the Mario games and Link to the Past turned me away.

 

[Sapiens]

SMW is the only one I like of all the Advance series.

SMW GBA is also my preferred way to play the game these days.

Yoshi's Island is an awful port and does not work on the tiny screen though.

SM3 is the biggest cock tease on GBA. All those eReader levels you will NEVER be able to play. Eff you Nintendo.

 

[drspeedy]

Overall it's not that bad, but I don't think it is nearly as compelling to play as the NES original. It looks nice and everything, but the weird scrolling kind of makes it a bit disorienting, and the voices...my god.If someone were to ask me how not to do voices in games, I would point them to SMA.

Link to the Past was more annoying, had the WW "hyyyyyaaah!" with every. Single. Swing. Of. The. Sword.


I didn't play SMA, but I did play the GBA SMW port- which was just all around better to my tastes. Which reminds me, Nintendo has a very good way of getting my money multiple times: NES original, GBA port, SNES All Stars and then All Stars again on Wii... I should really practice some self control on things like that.




...But I probably won't

 

[gryz]

is this the one where the fire guy is like "IM TOO HOT TO TOUCH"?

 

[nintendoman58]

is this the one where the fire guy is like "IM TOO HOT TO TOUCH"?

Yes.

 

[G0523]

Fun Fact: You can play the Mario Bros. game with multiple Game Boy Advances (and link cables) no matter which Super Mario Advance game you all have.

 

[leroidys]

SMB3 is really good. It has a replay feature and you can warp between worlds when you beat the game. Removing the VS mode is a crime though.

As for SMB2... adding the things like A-coins and Yoshi eggs was kind of annoying because they didn't alter/add locations for potions. The boss voices were a decent novelty.

I think Yoshi's Island had new levels.

Your avatar just blew my mind.

 

[DaBoss]

SMW is the only one I like of all the Advance series.

SMW GBA is also my preferred way to play the game these days.

Yoshi's Island is an awful port and does not work on the tiny screen though.

SM3 is the biggest cock tease on GBA. All those eReader levels you will NEVER be able to play. Eff you Nintendo.

That's how I played it, seemed fine to me.

 

[Fat Goron]

"Just what I needed!"

SHUT UP!

 

[Dr. Feel Good]

Such a great game to buy at launch with the GBA. Super Mario Advance 2 is probably the best of the series, if you can't get ahold of a eReader that is.

 

[Marz]

I'm so sad I missed out on the GBA era.

 

[Bgamer90]

Fun Fact: You can play the Mario Bros. game with multiple Game Boy Advances (and link cables) no matter which Super Mario Advance game you all have.

Actually, all you need is one cartridge to play it against others.

Other GBA one cartridge multiplayer games include F-Zero and Mario Kart.