Super Mario Land: the first portable Mario

GameGame BoySarasaland

The first portable Mario wasn't designed by Miyamoto, but by Gunpei Yokoi. Released on April 21, 1989 alongside the Game Boy and developed by Nintendo R&D1, Super Mario Land sends the plumber to Sarasaland for twelve levels spread across four worlds. This guide covers its exotic settings, its plane and submarine sequences, and its more than 18 million copies sold.

On April 21, 1989, just as the Game Boy landed in Japan, Nintendo slipped a title into its wake that was destined to make history: Super Mario Land. It's Mario's very first adventure conceived for a handheld console, and it takes the plumber far from the Mushroom Kingdom, into a brand-new world named Sarasaland.

Developed by Gunpei Yokoi's team rather than by Shigeru Miyamoto, this miniature platformer dares some surprising ideas: a new princess to rescue, shooter sections in a plane and a submarine, and a wonderfully exotic setting. Here's a look back at a founding classic that launched an entire branch of the saga.

Contents

• A historic launch alongside the Game Boy
• Gunpei Yokoi at the helm, not Miyamoto
• Sarasaland, Daisy and the alien Tatanga
• Four kingdoms with exotic settings
• Plane, submarine and Superball: brand-new mechanics
• The legacy: the birth of the Land branch and of Wario
• Quick facts
• FAQ

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A historic launch alongside the Game Boy

Super Mario Land was released in Japan on April 21, 1989, the very day the Game Boy launched, as one of its launch titles, then on August 1, 1989 in North America and on September 28, 1990 in Europe. It is therefore one of the very first games for Nintendo's handheld.

The gamble paid off beyond all expectations: the game sold more than 18 million copies, making it the 4th best-selling Game Boy game, behind Tetris and the Pokémon entries. That commercial smash proved a true Mario platformer could fit in your pocket, a revolution in 1989.

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Gunpei Yokoi at the helm, not Miyamoto

It's one of the game's most striking quirks: Super Mario Land wasn't designed by Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario's father. It's the work of Nintendo R&D1, with Gunpei Yokoi as producer and Satoru Okada as director.

• Gunpei Yokoi is the legendary creator of the Game Boy and the Game & Watch.
• That separate team explains the game's peculiar tone, far more experimental than the canonical entries.
• Mario's sprite is noticeably smaller here, tailored to the console's tiny monochrome screen.

This different signature gives the game an identity all its own, halfway between classic Mario and the future Wario games born in the same studio.

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Sarasaland, Daisy and the alien Tatanga

Gone is the Mushroom Kingdom: the action unfolds in Sarasaland, a kingdom split into four regions with exotic inspirations. Princess Daisy makes her grand debut here as the ruler of this world, long before becoming a regular in the Mario spin-offs.

The antagonist isn't Bowser but Tatanga, a mysterious alien who hypnotises the inhabitants of Sarasaland and kidnaps Daisy. Mario has to cross all four kingdoms to free her and face Tatanga in the final battle. Tatanga even returns as a boss (Space Zone) in Super Mario Land 2, which makes him a real curiosity for fans.

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Four kingdoms with exotic settings

The game's 12 levels are spread across four worlds, each one inspired by a real culture or place and each with its own enemies:

• Birabuto: a desert world evoking ancient Egypt, guarded by the boss Totomesu.
• Muda: underwater levels inspired by Bermuda, where you run into the boss Dragonzamasu.
• Easton: a rocky setting borrowed from Easter Island and its statues, with the giant Hiyoihoi.
• Chai: a region evoking ancient China, leading to the final showdown against Tatanga.

This variety of themes, rare for a 1989 game, gives Sarasaland a flavour found nowhere else in the Mario universe.

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Plane, submarine and Superball: brand-new mechanics

Super Mario Land stands out for sections no other main entry would ever really reprise. Twice, Mario swaps jumping for an auto-scrolling vehicle straight out of a shoot'em up:

• The Marine Pop, a submarine, in the waters of the Muda kingdom, where Mario fires torpedoes.
• The Sky Pop, a small plane, in the final level, used to defeat Tatanga and then fly off with Daisy.

Another novelty: the headline power-up isn't the Fire Flower we all know, but the Superball Flower (Superball Flower). It turns Mario into Superball Mario, able to throw a bouncing ball at 90° that ricochets off the walls and scoops up coins on the way. A one-of-a-kind projectile, missing from later Mario games for decades.

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The legacy: the birth of the Land branch and of Wario

Super Mario Land's success spawned a genuine handheld lineage. Its sequel, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (1992), introduces a character destined for great things: Wario, who seizes Mario's castle.

The third instalment, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994), hands the spotlight straight to that rival and launches his own series. Long set aside by Nintendo in the official chronology, Super Mario Land was finally rehabilitated during the saga's anniversaries, recognised as an essential link: the one that proved Mario could conquer living rooms and schoolyards alike.

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Quick facts

Release (Japan)	April 21, 1989 (Game Boy)
Developer	Nintendo R&D1
Producer	Gunpei Yokoi
Setting	Sarasaland (4 kingdoms)
Number of levels	12 levels (4 worlds)
Sales	More than 18 million copies
Sequel	Super Mario Land 2 (1992)

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FAQ

• Who created Super Mario Land?
  The game was developed by Nintendo R&D1, with Gunpei Yokoi as producer and Satoru Okada as director. Notably, Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario's usual creator, played no part in its design.
• Why isn't Peach in Super Mario Land?
  Because the action takes place in Sarasaland and not in the Mushroom Kingdom. It's Princess Daisy, the ruler of Sarasaland, who is kidnapped by the alien Tatanga and whom Mario has to rescue. It's also Daisy's very first appearance.
• What is the Superball Flower?
  It's the game's flagship power-up, standing in for the Fire Flower. It turns Mario into Superball Mario, who throws a ball that bounces diagonally at 90° off the walls. That ball can defeat enemies and pick up coins.
• Why are there a plane and a submarine in the game?
  Super Mario Land features two unprecedented auto-scrolling shooter sections: the Marine Pop submarine in the Muda kingdom and the Sky Pop plane in the final level. These sequences make the game unique within the main series.
• Is Super Mario Land connected to Wario?
  Yes. Its sequel, Super Mario Land 2 (1992), introduces Wario as the antagonist. The third entry, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (1994), then launches the series devoted entirely to Wario.

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