Super Mario Land 2 : la naissance de Wario

Super Mario Land 2: The Six Golden Coins

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Released on Game Boy in 1992, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins is much more than a portable sequel: it's the game that gave birth to Wario. Developed by Nintendo's famous R&D1 team (creators of the first Super Mario Land), it sends Mario to reclaim his own castle, stolen by a greedy and jealous rival previously unknown to players.

With its six freely explorable worlds, new transformations like Rabbit Mario, and production quality that rivals console episodes, this title is often cited as the best platform Mario ever released on Game Boy. Here's why it remains a crucial milestone in the saga.

Summary

The Birth of Wario

Super Mario Land 2 marks Wario's very first appearance, Mario's evil counterpart. While the plumber was fighting Tatanga far away (in the first Super Mario Land), Wario took advantage of his absence to seize his castle and cast a spell on the inhabitants of Mario Land.

His motivation? A jealousy dating back to childhood: Wario has always envied Mario's fame and desperately wants a palace of his own. His name is a portmanteau formed from "Mario" and the Japanese word warui (悪い), which means "bad." To emphasize his control, he even flipped the "M" on the castle to form a "W." This character, initially a simple antagonist, later became a star in his own right with the Wario Land and then WarioWare series.

Six Zones, Six Golden Coins

The principle is clear: to reopen his castle gates, Mario must recover six golden coins, each guarded by a boss in a specific zone. The game map, freely explorable à la Super Mario World, provides access to six very different worlds:

  • Tree Zone: a forest world around a giant tree.
  • Space Zone: short, zero-gravity levels where Tatanga reappears.
  • Macro Zone: a colossal setting where Mario seems tiny.
  • Pumpkin Zone: a haunted, Halloween-themed area with ghosts and a witch.
  • Mario Zone: the interior of a giant robot in Mario's likeness, filled with gears.
  • Turtle Zone: an aquatic world guarded by an octopus.

There is no imposed order: the player chooses their path, which was rare and audacious for a portable game in 1992.

Rabbit Mario and Other Transformations

The game's big addition is the Carrot, which transforms Mario into Rabbit Mario. Thanks to his long ears, he can glide and slow his fall by flapping his arms, which makes delicate aerial sections easier. This is a transformation exclusive to this episode, instantly recognizable.

Alongside him, we find the classics: the Super Mushroom to grow, the Fire Flower to shoot fireballs, and the Super Star for temporary invincibility. This familiar array, combined with the novelty of the rabbit, provides rich and balanced gameplay.

A Technical Masterpiece on Game Boy

Super Mario Land 2 impresses with its size: 32 levels spread across six zones, several of which feature secret exits leading to hidden stages (38 objectives in total). The sprites are large, expressive, and detailed, a far cry from the minimalist look of the first Super Mario Land.

Another major advance: battery-backed save integrated into the cartridge. This is the first portable Mario game to allow players to save their progress, a convenience that changes everything for a handheld console. The soundtrack, composed by Kazumi Totaka, solidifies this title as a technical reference for the Game Boy.

A Three-Round Final Showdown

Once the six coins are gathered, Mario finally enters his transformed castle to confront Wario in the throne room. The battle takes place in three phases: in each, Mario must jump on his rival three times. Cleverly, Wario himself uses the Carrot and Fire Flower to copy Mario's powers.

Upon defeat, Wario shrinks, loses a shoe, and flees crying from the balcony. The spell breaks: the castle turns white again, and the "W" reverts to an "M." A conclusion that is both funny and satisfying, cementing the arrival of an anti-hero destined for a great future.

Fact Sheet

Developer Nintendo R&D1
Director Hiroji Kiyotake
Producer Gunpei Yokoi
Release (Japan) October 21, 1992
Platform Game Boy
Number of Levels 32 (6 secret exits)
Sales Over 11 million

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FAQ

  • Is this the first game Wario appears in?
    Yes. Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992) is Wario's very first appearance, here as the final boss and thief of Mario's castle. He later became the hero of his own series, Wario Land and then WarioWare.
  • How many worlds does the game have?
    There are six zones: Tree Zone, Space Zone, Macro Zone, Pumpkin Zone, Mario Zone, and Turtle Zone. Each is guarded by a boss who holds one of the six golden coins.
  • What is Rabbit Mario?
    It's a transformation obtained with the Carrot, exclusive to this game. His long ears allow Mario to glide and slow his fall, which greatly helps in aerial sections.
  • Why did Wario steal Mario's castle?
    Out of jealousy. Wario has envied Mario's fame since childhood and wants a palace of his own. He takes advantage of Mario's absence, who is off fighting Tatanga, to seize the castle and cast a spell on its inhabitants.
  • Can you save your game?
    Yes, thanks to a battery integrated into the cartridge. It's the first portable Mario game to offer a save feature, a real convenience for a handheld console in 1992.
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