Super Mario Bros. 2

Boss Fight Books #6

by Jon Irwin, Howard Phillips (Foreword)

In perhaps the most famous switcheroo in all of game history, the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 was declared “too hard” by Nintendo of America and replaced with a Mario-ified port of the Famicom hit, Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. The new game (dubbed Super Mario USA in Japan) was a huge success for its four playable characters, improved graphics, immersive levels, and catchy music, and eventually became the 3rd bestselling game for the NES. And yet. Because of its strange new villains, its wild gameplay, and its mysterious touches, SMB2 has for years been regarded as the Odd Mario Out, even as it has seen popular updates on the Super NES and Game Boy Advance. Irwin’s Mario is not a simple retelling of a 25-year-old story, but instead an examination of the game with fresh both as a product of its time and as a welcome change from the larger Super Mario franchise. Along the way he searches for clues, pulling up a few vegetables of his own. What he finds is not at all what he expected.

Genres: Video Games, Nonfiction, Gaming, Games, History, Pop Culture

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2014

Reviews

[Peter Derk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's how my self-talk went after I read this:

First: "That was just a bunch of stuff about Nintendo and the first Mario."

Then: "Well, maybe that's appropriate. I can't assume others have read a dozen books about video game history."

Finally: "Wait...who the hell HASN'T read any books on video game history and BEGINS with this one? The one about a game that is the bastard child of the Nintendo era?"

I was excited because SMB2 (which I can call it because I've done my reading, remember?) isn't something that gets covered a lot. Yes, most of us know the basic story, about the American SMB2 and the Japanese version, how different they were and how odd it was.

But I swear, I just don't need to read another book where -gasp- Mario originated as Jumpman in Donkey Kong.

The SMB2 portions were really good. I enjoyed those quite a bit. I learned some stuff, and it prompted me to pick up that one again. It's actually kind of a great game. Compared to most games of that era, it has pretty amazing variety, feel, and look. So I suppose that's a compliment to the book, that it got me all hot and bothered about a game I wasn't so thrilled about as a youth.

But the rest, I just felt like it's been covered quite often. If this is your first exposure to Nintendo history, it might make for an interesting one. If it's not, CALL ME, because holy crap do I read way too much about this stuff and have NO ONE to talk to about it.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Boss Fight Book I read was the excellent ZZT and the second was the disappointing Earthbound, so I approached Super Mario Bros 2 with a bit of trepidation. I'm glad to say that my fears were mostly groundless, and I enjoyed the book more than I expected I would even though it got off to a weak start.

It's not really the book's fault, since of course it has to include information about the history of the game. But really, is there anyone who's going to read this who doesn't know that Super Mario Brothers 2 was originally called Doki Doki Panic and released in Japan before being brought to the US as a Mario game in order to sell? There were a few bright spots, like the discussion of why exactly Japan's Super Mario Brothers 2 wasn't localized--because it seemed unfair and unduly punishing, more like Kaizō Mario World or this video of another Mario ROMhack than a real successor to Mario--or how Doki Doki Panic actually started based on some ideas from Mario before becoming a game to promote a TV station, then a Mario game, then being back-ported to Japan as Super Mario USA.

Irwin also draws a connection that I hadn't considered, connecting the reluctance to import the original Super Mario Brothers 2 with economic conditions at the time. America was in the throes of the crash of 87, while Japan was just beginning the meteoric asset bubble that would lead to the land around the Imperial Palace reputably being worth more than California. Would Americans really want to bash their head against a game over and over again and lose? Maybe something easier would be better. And that sounds incredibly patronizing, but in the days before widescale industry publications and ubiquitous internet, it's not like anyone would know.

Much was made of how Super Mario Brothers 2 Japan was more of the same except harder, whereas Super Mario Brothers 2 USA took the series in a new direction and proved that Mario could function as a character in multiple types of games. I think this is a little overstated, since it isn't even the first time that Nintendo made that kind of break--compare top-down action game The Legend of Zelda with side-scrolling action-RPG The Adventure of Link; at least Super Mario Brothers and Super Mario Brothers 2 were both side-scrolling platformers--but it is the one with the most lasting impact, with games like Super Mario RPG or Super Mario Sunshine showing continued experimentation, while Zelda games are still mostly top-down, or 3D after Ocarina of Time.

Another point that was briefly brought up but seems to be more important is that Super Mario Brothers 2 is one of the few early era Nintendo games that have a female playable character. There's mention of a survey done where only two games out of a hundred had a female character, and one of those was Ms. Pac-Man. I always played the Princess because hovering was incredibly overpowered, but now that it's pointed out, going from the Princess being the powerless object of Mario's quest to a companion alongside Mario in a shared journey to defeat Wart is a major change. It's too bad it's a trend that didn't continue much forward.

There isn't actually that much of the book devoted to the game, but unlike Earthbound the extra material is at least related to the game and its penumbra. The discussion of the game tends to focus on its dreamlike qualities: pull up a tuft of grass and find a rocket ship, or find a hidden passage beneath quicksand, or the way all the enemies have names. I think my favorite point it makes is about the difference between SMB2J and SMB2USA, when it talks about how the first mushroom in the former game now kills you, and in the latter game when you jump on the first enemy you find it doesn't die, but neither do you, so you have a chance to explore and find out how the rules have changed.

If Goodreads allowed half-stars I'd give this 3.5 because it's not as good as ZZT, but it's a good treatment of an underappreciated Mario game.

[Nick · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate giving a one-star review, because I know writing a book is hard work, but this was honestly just such a disappointment. It’s not a bad book in concept or scope, but it’s so profoundly overwritten and cloying that it frequently veers into obfuscation and even contradiction. The organization of its chapters largely doesn’t make sense. It’s one of the longer books I’ve read so far from the series, and yet it taught me nothing a quick glance at the Wikipedia page for the game couldn’t’ve told me. What a major missed opportunity; I hope someday, in another series, we see a deeper look that goes under the hood and behind the scenes on this strange, beloved game with an unlikely legacy.

[Eric Mesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like other Boss Fight Books, it's a great look back at a classic game. What was most interesting to me is that Doki Doki Panic actually started off as a prototype of Super Mario Bros 2. Since as all gamers my age or older know, that game was reskinned for USA SMB2.

There isn't much to add in this review other than the fact that it changed my point of view from one of deception from Japan to Nintendo of America deciding that Japanese SMB2 wouldn't work here.

[Jeremy Maddux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great research, but the book's second half is marred by hyperfeminist propaganda in which the 'save the princess' scenario is derided as sexist, leaving no doubt that the author was already aware of the audience he wanted to target. The problem lies in him, and others in an industry now at war with itself, trying to hold video games accountable for something that isn't their purpose to account for. Why? Because THEY'RE JUST GAMES. The Super Mario Bros. 3 manuscript from Boss Fight suffered from this progressive framing of perspective as well, but less so and it was written by a woman. This means that Irwin was most likely trying too hard and the work suffered for it. I hope that future Boss Fight Book authors take more care to stick with a careful blend of nostalgia and facts, as Baumann did with his Earthbound treatise and less on impressing their friends at Starbucks.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good easy read on an old favorite. I backed this series through kickstarter and this was my freebie. Background on the game was a lot of fun to learn. For a short book, it seemed to repeat itself quite a bit, though.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

The game makes a lot more sense to me now but some of the writing in this book is absolute torture.

[Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a reasonably interesting entry in the series, combining personal memories with some interesting backstory. Just a little too rambling in my opinion.

[Zach Koenig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super Mario Bros. 2 will always be a unique game in the Mario canon. When the original SMB2 from Japan (now known as "Lost Levels") was deemed too difficult for an American audience, Nintendo of America re-skinned a generic "Doki Doki Panic!" game to make the turnip-pulling, potion-casting SMB2 that Americans experienced. All of this--and a bit more--is covered in this Jon Irwin Boss Fight Book effort.

There are two areas in which this installment really succeeds:

First, Irwin uncovers some extremely interesting information about Doki Doki Panic--notably that it itself was a Mario-adjacent project that never quite got off the ground (only adding to the mystique of the final product!). The biggest SMB2 topic is clearly the "Lost Levels vs American version saga", and Irwin covers this all very well.

Secondly, while describing gameplay (and gameplay experiences) Irwin does so with a clarity and enthusiasm that I think will be contagious to readers of this series. Truth be told I didn't play SMB2 all that much (largely due to its odd format), but I can very much relate to this author's experiences.

Is this the all-time best Boss Fight book? I don't think so. While it does a lot of things well, it can be a bit all-over-the-place in terms of content and it reaches back into other Mario/Nintendo history that many (most?) readers will find a review more than anything new. But considering this was part of the first Boss Fight drop and large portions were indeed informative/compelling, I can easily give this effort a sold 4/5 stars.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had lots of awesome facts and context about the development of Super Mario Bros. 2, and it was still my least favorite of the Boss Fight Series so far. The author tries to make some deep connections about how the game reflects meaningful cultural undercurrents which came off like a lot of the strained literary commentary I disliked from my major.

I knew a little bit about how Mario 2 was different, but I loved the details here. The really hard Lost Levels were actually Super Mario 2 in Japan, and the cultural differences about what people/kids expected in their escapist video games were interesting. After negative feedback from the American side of the company, especially Howard of Nintendo Power fame, they took an obscure game (in the US) based on Japanese characters based on 1001 Arabian Nights and then ported it over to Mario.

It is very interesting how the system of of using different characters, including the only playable female in the series until the 2000's, is so unique in the Mario family of games. (Luigi was the best by the way.) The music is good in a weird way too.

Some language and references to burlesque shows based on Mario. Good book for old video game fans.

[Glen Engel-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another game I missed playing because it came out in that time between the early consoles (Intellivision, Atari) and the later consoles. Most of my formative gaming was on the PC, so I missed the love so many people have for the Nintendo, and I find it basically impossible to go back to these games now with their pixelated characters and worlds and basic controls. Not totally impossible, as I understand that some have and do replay these games with enjoyment; I just find I’d rather spend the time with something a bit newer.

That said, I find reading about the history of these games fascinating. In particular, how this game was the Japanese concession of creating a sequel to the widely popular Super Mario Bros. but not wanting to send the actual sequel which was viewed as too hard for the American market—possibly correctly. The details about the interaction between the Japanese company and its American subsidiary and how these decisions were made was fascinating, as well as the history of the short-lived gaming magazines supporting these consoles.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't find this title quite as engaging as the series' take on SMB3, but it's still one of my fave Boss Fight Books. It succinctly relays the famous story of the game's origin and layers that story with some insightful literary analysis. For instance, it shows the influence of A Thousand One Nights on Doki Doki Panic, how that influence bleeds through to the re-skinned version that is SMB2, and how Scheherazade's story parallels the story of Nintendo: "We, the players, are held in their interactive stories' thrall." Given the crash of home video game consoles that preceded the debut of Nintendo and the Super Mario series, this analogy is all the more apt. Video games were on the verge of death, and Nintendo was the hero that, through the sheer quality of its output, not only kept them from dying but made them legendary.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice combo memoir and history of a game from my '80s childhood that I, like the author, still enjoy replaying a bit for the nostalgia. This book gives a bit of insight into Nintendo the company and their philosophy, part of what makes them such a successful company even as times change. Because I'm a huge nerd, I already knew the skeleton of the story behind Super Mario Bros. 2's development--ever wonder why it looks and feels so different from the original?--but this book filled in some details and wove in some interesting insider information about the company during the 80's.

Is this Pulitzer material? No, but it's a quick, short read, and if you have any interest in general video game history, or especially Nintendo history, give this book a read.

[Ryan Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boss Fight Books must be viewed through a certain lens where we're reading an individual's experience and exploration of the game. It's really more a college humanities lecture more so than an encyclopedia.

In the 3 books I've now read from Boss Fight, there were times where I wish they said more and occasionally time when I wish they said less. Imagine you're on a road trip with the author and they're going to tell you everything they have learned about this game. It's sometimes imperfect or the interest may dwindle at moments like any conversation. But it's nice. It's fine.

If you like a video game but don't know everything about it, it's a decent read where you're supporting an independent writer and small publisher. Don't over think it as a lot of the other reviewers have.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most people who pay attention to games probably know the story or have heard a little bit about the story of Super Mario 2 being an update of Doki Doki Panic. Jon Irwin recaps that story, as well as going into the game levels, secrets, differences, legacy, and his process playing the game and writing the book. Irwin cast a wide net going so far as to talk about the creation of Nintendo Power (it's first issue was Super Mario Bros. 2), and how having multiple playable characters, including one of the first female characters, influenced people and the Mario franchise. Well worth a read if you love Mario, localization, or just NES era games.

[David Macpherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better Boss Fight Books. The topic of how a game called Doki Doki Panic was reskinned to be the American Super Mario Bros 2 is well put together. The balance between reportage and personal was a little off, and some of the personal stuff felt misplaced where they were in the book, I liked it a lot. There was good info and it was a well told tale. This is the second boss fight book that ends with following people who do speed walk throughs of games and I hope that is a trend that doesn't show up freqeuntly.

[Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one from Boss Fight Books. I didn’t like it quite as much as Goldeneye and Galaga, in part because the writing style sometimes felt a bit overwrought for me, and because it didn’t seem like there 180 pages worth of relevant story in this 180 page book. There’s a lot of ancillary Nintendo history, and a decent bit of memoir-via-game, which I actually liked, but this probably could’ve been tightened with a bit more editing. All that said—there’s a lot of good stuff there, and it’s made me start playing the game again for the first time in a long while.

[Tommy Prast · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know anything about the dev history of American SMB2, you pretty much know what this book has to say- there may be a little info you didn't know (doki doki panic was essentially a commercial campaign for a Japanese festival run by a tv company), and some interesting tidbits from the people who actually decided not to release Japanese SMB2 in the states (so you get the real story)

But that being said, not much new here to find out. Still an enjoyable read

[Avedon Arcadio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best one so far in this series. Very informative not only about the game itself but a brief history of Nintendo and how it relates to how they’ve developed as a company and the Mario games.

[Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually I finish these books in a day....

This was a slog to get through.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Expands to cover Nintendo culture generally and serves as an interesting case study on what it means to follow a hit.

[Sensual Storm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Am overly written, pretentious look at Super Mario Bros. 2.

[Hina Ansari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really do love this series. I always learn something new about either the game itself or the production of the game. Never disappoints!!

[Matt Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I contributed to the kickstarter for these books, the two titles that initally caught my eye were 'Earthbound' and 'Chrono Trigger'. I had played Earthbound a little bit when I was younger, and even then thought it was too weird to be alive, so I knew that the book around it (especially with a writer like Ken Baumann) would be awesome. I also knew the other one, 'Chrono Trigger', a bizarre semi-biblical time-traveling RPG, would also be great. But truth be told, I never actually played Chrono Trigger. I wanted to pick the books of the video games I knew well, since I knew they would be much more relevent to my past experiences. The next obvious choice was 'Super Mario Bros. 2'.

It's pretty obvious to anyone whose played it that SMB2 is a departure from the first and third editions of the game. The villians are different, the setting is different, and even the music is replaced by either the jazzy, Django-Rheinhart sounding main theme, or an anxiety-inducing boss theme. The books helps lay out the details about how yes, this WAS a re-skinned Japanese game of completely different origin, used when the 'real' SMB2 was deemed too punishing for American kids. This is the point where the book takes off.

To put it simply, the 'Earthbound' book is a tough act to follow. That game is still a mystery to many people, and that author practically fused himself with the book and put out a living, breathing thing. This book goes into many interesting details around the development of the game, the quirks of its gameplay, but stays on that level the entire time. Sometimes there are callbacks that you think are going to grow into something larger, but instead stay even-keel or the subject is changed. Even when the author does reach, these connections still seem loose at best. The choice of including the speedrunner interview at the end, particularly, seemed way off base. Appropriately, I speed-read through that section. Overall, the author does a good job laying out why this game was so weird compared to other Marios and exposing a few unknown backstories. But when it does shine, it shines brightly.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember getting Super Mario 2 for Christmas on 1988, and it was the most amazing video game I ever played up til that point. Multiple characters to play as, even the Princess! Instead of collecting mushrooms and fighting turtles, we were collecting potions and keys and fighting shyguys and bobombs. It was quite different from the original Mario game, but we didn't care or wonder why.

Then Mario 3 came out another 2 years later, and the "truth" came out about Mario 2s origins, and it suddenly became the bastard child in most gamers memories. This book explores this game's rise and fall, which has more to it than even I realized, and answers the question of if it's a REAL Mario game.

This is the first book in a series of essays about particular video games, similar to the 33 1/3 series of music album books. There are a couple others I look forward to reading.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A smart and insightful look at a game whose history, if you don't know it, is truly fascinating. Everybody knows Mario, but not everybody knows the story of the sequel and this is a great introduction to the Boss Fight series. Irwin does a great job of not talking down to non-gamers while also keeping gamer-types engaged - a tricky balancing act, but one he pulls off with aplomb. And, best of all, you get to learn some stuff: about marketing, about gaming, about culture. It's everything I hoped this series would be.

Check out my review at TNBBC! http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.c...

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I heard there was going to be a book that chronicled the making of Super Mario Bros. 2 I could not have been more thrilled to get my hands on it. After finishing this book yesterday, I am very disappointed. The author does not really give us the behind the scenes look at how Super Mario Bros. 2 came to be outside of a few anecdotes that have been well known to video gamers for years already. The rest of the book descends into a play through journal where the author chronicles his experiences tackling each of the levels in the game. I hope this book is not representative of what the other Boss Fight Books have to offer me.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first foray into the Boss Fight Books series, which is essentially 33 1/3 for video games, and this one takes an in-depth look into Super Mario Bros. 2, the dream one with Wart and such.

The book is pretty solid with where it's going with things, although the overall tale isn't going to offer much of anything new to people who already know the winding story of how this game came to be on a whole. Still, if you're not someone who is well-read regarding the game development, or if you are and see some value in a refresher that has some interesting design and localization information as well, it's a decent read.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent history of Super Mario Bros. 2 (aka "Super Mario Bros. USA") that goes into detail on the game's origins as Doki Doki Panic. For gamers who know that story backwards and forwards, as most from my generation do, Irwin goes the extra mile by touching on how SMB2 influenced Nintendo's business and culture. It felt overwritten at times, and Irwin has a habit of veering a bit too far off the beaten path. On the whole, though, it's a well-researched and well-written dive into one of the best and strangely glossed-over Mario titles.

[Brett Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading if interested in Nintendo and the game development process in the mid-80s.

The book placed the game within the arc of Nintendo's history and their strategic position in the eighties; and cites this game as the impetus for Nintendo's longstanding focus on character marketing. One may quibble that this practice began earlier in the company's heritage but the book argues that SMB2 played a strong and unique role.

Historical background of Nintendo engineer Gunpei Yokoi was especially interesting