Super Mario Bros. 2, called Super Mario USA when it was released in Japan, is still a standard platformer, but differs from the previous Mario entries in the basic ways. It is the first Mario game to introduce the concept of four playable characters, with each one offering different types of gameplay.
General Gameplay
The game is based on Doki Doki Panic and differs from the original Super Mario Bros. in a lot of ways. It is split into seven worlds, with each of the first six worlds having three levels and the last world having two levels. Most of the levels in the game end with the player having to fight Birdo, where upon its defeat, it drops an item that opens the gate to the next level.
However, at the end of each world, the player will fight a boss. Each boss, except for one, is only fought once, with Wart being the final boss of the game. At the beginning of every level, the player is able to pick from one of four different characters. They are also able to choose should they lose a life.
As with the original Super Mario, the player would defeat enemies by jumping on top of them, but things work differently with this game. Instead, players must pick up vegetables, and other select objects (such as Bombs and Mushroom Blocks) and hit enemies with them. Also, players can jump on the enemies themselves, pick them up and toss them to defeat other enemies.
Characters
As previously mentioned, at the beginning of every level, as well as the loss of a life, the player is able to choose from one of four different characters: Mario, Luigi, Toad and Princess Peach. Each character plays differently, as they each have a special trait, except for Mario, who is an all-around character.
- Mario - All-around and no special abilities
- Luigi - Can jump higher than anyone else, but is slightly slower and takes more time to pick up objects/enemies
- Toad - Runs the fastest and strongest in picking up items/enemies, but has lowest jump
- Peach - Can hover for a few seconds after jumping, but is slowest and takes longest to pick up enemies/items
Parallel World & Bonus Chance
Sometimes when you pick up grass, a potion will appear. By tossing this onto the ground, a door will appear that leads the player to a parallel world. If you pick up grass while in this world, you will get coins, which can be used in a Bonus Chance mini-game at the end of the level. Also, placing the potion at the right spot will make a mushroom appear in the other world, increasing the player's health by one for that level.
Bonus Chance is a mini-game of sorts at the end of levels that can be used to gain extra lives. In order to participate in it, the player must use the potions in levels to go to the parallel world and pick up the grass to get coins. Each coin grants one extra chance to stop the three slot reels to match certain combinations (three of a kind or two with a cherry in the first slot) to gain an extra life.
