Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 preserves the tight, responsive controls of the original Super Mario World while injecting fresh elements through its portable makeover. Mario and Luigi can sprint, jump, and perform spin jumps in a seamless manner, making level traversal feel both intuitive and thrilling. The addition of character speech adds charm without detracting from the classic platforming flow.

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The star of many levels, Yoshi, returns in full force with the ability to eat enemies, fly with Koopa shells, and unleash special attacks depending on shell color. The blue shell grants wings for extra air time, the red shell shoots fireballs, and the yellow shell enables ground pounds that can unearth hidden blocks. This layered approach to Yoshi’s mechanics encourages experimentation and elevates replayability.

Power-ups are scattered throughout Dinosaur Island to enhance Mario and Luigi’s capabilities. The Super Mushroom increases size and defense, the Fire Flower grants projectile attacks, the Starman bestows temporary invincibility, and the Cape Feather offers gliding and high-speed flight. These familiar items blend perfectly with the new speech cues and slightly revamped physics, offering both nostalgia and novelty.

Beyond the main campaign, Super Mario Advance 2 includes a four-player version of the classic Mario Bros. arcade game, modernized for the Game Boy Advance. This delightful multiplayer mode is easy to pick up, making it a fantastic option for quick, competitive fun with friends. The inclusion of this extra content significantly boosts the cartridge’s value, ensuring there’s something for solo players and groups alike.

Graphics

The transition from Super Nintendo to Game Boy Advance brings a crispness to Super Mario World’s visual design without losing the original’s vibrant color palette. Characters, enemies, and environments are rendered with sharp outlines and saturated hues, maintaining the charm of Dinosaur Island’s grassy plains, lava-filled fortresses, and cloud-strewn skies.

Detail is apparent in both foreground elements and background parallax layers, creating a sense of depth that rivals the SNES version. For instance, rippling water effects and subtle cloud movements in the backdrops enhance immersion, making each world feel like a living, breathing environment.

Character animations remain fluid, whether it’s Mario’s iconic spin jump, Yoshi’s tongue flick, or Bowser’s menacing stomp. The added voice clips—short “It’s-a me, Mario!” style lines—lend personality to the sprites without interrupting gameplay flow. These vocal touches, first introduced in Super Mario 64, integrate seamlessly here.

Small interface tweaks, such as an updated HUD and refined power-up icons, make it easier to track lives, coins, and item status at a glance. This streamlined presentation helps players focus on the action, rather than hunting for information, which is crucial on the GBA’s compact screen.

Story

The narrative of Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 follows the time-tested template: Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach, prompting Mario and Luigi to embark on a daring rescue mission across Dinosaur Island. While the plot is straightforward, it sets the stage for a delightful romp through imaginative worlds filled with hidden secrets and memorable boss encounters.

Yoshi’s involvement adds depth to the storyline, as Mario and Luigi discover that Bowser has magically transformed Yoshi’s friends into eggs scattered across the island. This rescue subplot provides extra motivation for exploration, encouraging players to revisit levels in search of hidden exits and bonus stages.

Despite its simplicity, the tale unfolds with touches of humor and whimsy—especially when Yoshi converses with the brothers or reacts to different shell abilities. Princess Peach’s occasional quips and Bowser’s triumphant roars contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere that balances challenge with charm.

Additional story flavor comes via brief text interludes and animated cutscenes that bookend major worlds. These moments don’t slow down the adventure but offer just enough context to keep players invested in the Mushroom Kingdom’s fate, proving that sometimes a classic formula is all that’s needed for a captivating journey.

Overall Experience

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 stands as one of the finest portable entries in the Mario series. It strikes a near-perfect balance between honoring the original Super Nintendo classic and introducing new features—such as character speech and a built-in multiplayer arcade mode—that feel both fresh and faithful.

The combination of polished level design, inviting visuals, and tight controls makes each play session rewarding, whether you’re clearing a world for the first time or hunting for secret exits and Yoshi eggs. The variety of power-ups and Yoshi’s expanded abilities keep the core platforming formula engaging from start to finish.

For newcomers, this title serves as an accessible gateway into Mario’s universe, offering straightforward objectives and forgiving difficulty curves early on. For longtime fans, the extra Mario Bros. multiplayer mode and subtle graphical enhancements provide enough incentive to revisit familiar territory with new eyes.

Ultimately, Super Mario Advance 2 delivers a comprehensive package that excels on the Game Boy Advance hardware. Its blend of nostalgia and innovation ensures that both solo adventurers and groups of players will find countless hours of enjoyment on Dinosaur Island.

Retro Replay Score

8.6/10