Why Super Mario Land 1 & 2 need to be remade for Switch 2

The Super Mario Land series on Nintendo’s Game Boy was, for some, their first entry into the iconic plumber’s world. It was for me, having been gifted the handheld and Super Mario Land 2 in 1995. But despite these two games being re-released for the Nintendo Classics service on the Switch consoles, there’s been nothing else done to revisit the series.

The first game arrived in 1989 as a launch title, followed by a sequel in 1992. Each of them offered unique and innovative ways of the Super Mario formula, with exclusive power-ups and levels that have not been revisited since. With this in mind, here’s our case for why Super Mario Land 1 & 2 need a remake for Switch 2.

The Escapist recaps

• Super Mario Land was a launch title for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1989.
• The game sold 25 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the franchise’s best-selling titles.
• Super Mario Land 2 came out in 1992 after a year of development, with the aim of the team to break away from the typical tropes of the series, like its power-ups, coins, and more.
• Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 puts the player in control of the previous game’s antagonist, establishing Wario as his own character and starting his own series of titles.

Actually, Daisy was my first time

I had the odd circumstance of owning a Sega Mega Drive and a Nintendo Game Boy in the mid-90s, with both introducing me to their mascots. Sonic 3 was life-changing for me, and set the path for how you’re reading these words right now. The blue blur had speed, music, and even the bare bones of a plot through some cut-scenes interspersed between zones and acts. 

But Super Mario Land on the Game Boy showed me games could be unforgiving, but still come with catchy music and power-ups that left you wondering if there were any more to change the plumber into other forms.

It took me at least a year until I beat the first Mario Land game, thanks to the panic the final boss, Tatanga, would give me via his fast movements and projectiles. But this game set a standard for what I was expecting from a 2D Mario title. 

So imagine my surprise when I’d play Super Mario World soon after on the Super Nintendo console, and there wasn’t a Princess Daisy, nor were there Egyptian-based levels and bosses like Tatanga. Since then, I’ve been wanting Nintendo to go back to this ‘Land’ and see how the title would be on a Switch.

However, its sequel is also a crucial piece of the puzzle.

Six Coins, One Plumber

Released just a week after Sonic 2 on the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis, Mario Land 2 was a game I received as a birthday present in 1995. This time, the graphics were given a major boost, thanks to the developers having a better understanding of the Game Boy’s power, as well as not being bound by its console counterparts. This meant a few changes, such as Mario reclaiming something that had been taken from him, which is his castle, and by a new antagonist, called Wario.

Across six ‘zones’, you have to visit each of them via an overworld map, and progress through until you face a unique boss. This could be a rat, a bird, a witch, or even the return of Tatanga from the previous game. Every zone offered something different that wasn’t seen in a Mario game around then, and arguably not since. Even some power-ups, like the Carrot, would give Mario rabbit ears to float. 

It’s another game that gave the series a breath of fresh air, especially when it came to facing Wario at the end, as he would absorb a power-up and use it against you, again something not seen before and since. You can play Mario Land 1 and 2 on your Switch console right now via the Nintendo Classics service, but the time seems right to revisit these two games in whole new ways for old and new audiences.

Return to the Land

We’re fast approaching Mario’s 40th anniversary later this year, and whilst previous celebrations have meant re-releases of the plumber’s games on the console, such as Mario 3D All Stars on the Switch in 2020 as a limited release, Nintendo should consider something else for the 40th. A revisit of the first two Mario Land games would be one of several great ways to celebrate it, but have them redrawn in the style of the box art and instruction manuals of both games.

What made the two games appeal to me at the time was how vibrant and detailed both front covers are on the game boxes and cartridges. Their instruction manuals also have so much personality, showcasing enemies and the overworld, which adds even more depth to the games. To be able to play both titles in this art style would be a perfect way to honor them, as well as showcase how good it would look on the Switch 2, especially at higher resolutions.

Seeing zones like Pumpkin and Tree Zone, as well as the hidden Space Zone, would shine with this art style, and it could give way to new features, such as a two-player co-op mode, or new power-ups that we’ve seen since 1992, such as the Ice Flower, Propeller Mushroom, Bubble Flower, and more. Even a Boss Rush mode once the games are completed would be a nice touch, too.

Ultimately, it’s the opportunity to revisit these games in a new light. For over 30 years now, fans like myself have only been able to play these games via our original cartridges or through services like Nintendo Classics, while those who grew up with Super Mario 64 and others have seen many remasters. 

For those who first encountered Mario via the Game Boy, it would be a great way to give some extra life to these two games, whilst keeping what made them unique. From the music, to the levels and zones, to the power-ups like the carrot. They make Mario Land 1 and 2 uniquely great, and for Mario’s 40th anniversary, it could be a perfect way to celebrate the plumber’s debut on Nintendo’s most successful handheld of the ’90s.

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