Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins

[retroed]

I felt the urge to dig out my Game Boy Pocket earlier, not quite sure why. Once I had, I decided to start 6 Golden Coins. This is without doubt one of my favourite Game Boy games. The stages are laid out well in their themed areas, presentation is great, and the music. Oh, the music! The memories came flooding back.

 

I'm going to play this through to the end, it shouldn't take long. My Game Boy Pocket still looks like new, too!

[hinn888]

I use to love this game!

Why was it never remade?!

[illdog]

Fantastic idea, i hate the submarine level but im gonna dig this out too.

[Jimbo Xiii]

man that game was fucking awesome, one of my fave GB games as well.

[illdog]

Yea, old school rules and so do i. Wario's castle is a cunt, i died like 30 times! Did it tho, when i got to Wario i caned him first time, he's all gob and no trousers. I rekon i might go to the original next - Gameboy for the win.

[OCH]

 

Via Gameboy Online...

 

This isn't as easy as I remember? My Aunt had a Gameboy (in the early 90's), we never did. So we only ever played it when visiting. I beat it then, but recall it being the easier of the two SML titles. Anyway, what Gameboy Online does is blow up the screen. The middle third of my TV basically has an extreme close up of Mario (in "green" scale). In total, I've played for about an hour-ish. I'm Four of Six Golden Coins in and I'm really enjoying it. Getting used to two button controls (run+jump) isn't as straightforward as you think it should be. It's a very pretty game, unlike SML 1. Quite the technical marvel for the 8-Bit Gameboy, in retrospect. Bosses so far all follow the same formula - jump on them three times and they die. However the attack variation between them, makes each feel unique. The Three Little Pigheads, for example are quite the test of reflexes. Each hit makes their roll/jump/spring attacks, considerably faster. 

I've found most of the secret levels myself, so far. I don't think I'll go as far as to look up those I've missed online though.

A bit of a dick move however, comes with these levels. Some, if you die on them before you complete them. Send you back to the previous level (to find and enter the secret exit again) to replay the level. World 2 - Space Zone, is one such example. Go to leave the world and you can't just walk back onto that map. I did so accidentally. An annoyance that ended the play session. I think the next session should finish the game.

[OCH]

31/32 Levels complete

Literally done everything else in the game, save for the final level. Had a couple of attempts so far and consistently die to the same jump, every time. Couldn't play for very long today. So tomorrow should mark the end of this one.

 

Pro-Tip: Enter Hippo Zone. Jump into the first bubble and just hold 'A'. You will float above every obstacle in the level until you automatically collide with the secret level bell. Repeat as often as you like for free lives and power ups.

[OCH]

Fuck, that last level is hard!

Talk about save your difficulty spike for the last bloody level of the game! Although to be fair, it was very much akin to Demon's Souls. The level was very difficult, the boss was not. In a strange twist, I found world 2 (Space Zone) had the hardest boss of the game. Mostly because the zone beforehand robbed me of all power-ups in all but the last attempt. Fitting as it was the final boss of the OG Mario Land. Wario's design in this debut though, is mental! He looks like he's on drugs😄

Ultimately, love the Mario Land games. Weird, quirky and challenging. This one takes a little getting used to. But that might just be indicative of playing Gameboy games with a controller. 9/10