Super Mario Land, Alleyway, and Baseball added to Game Boy NSO (May 2024)

[Why would you do that?]

I think of early GB games as the "black box" games of the Game Boy, akin to the NES's black box games -- to me, they give off the feel of simple gameplay and just-the-basics design and presentation, and I find them very interesting.



Super Mario Land, though... Such a weird game lol. It's like a Mario game was made by a 3rd party who didn't have the license to use anything but Mario's name -- for example, enemies only vaguely resemble those from Mario, you save Daisy instead of Peach, and it's like they couldn't obtain the rights to use the Star music so they put in Can Can instead.

The only reasons why I really go back to Mario Land are the great Hip Tanaka music and the fun shmup stages. Otherwise, the game isn't really all that great IMO.



Now, For the Frog the Bell Tolls, though... That's a really great game. That's the real highlight of this set of games, though sadly it didn't actually come out here. There is a translation patch for it, though; I highly suggest people play it with that.

 

[Chrono]

I'm going to post the ending credits theme for Super Mario Land because it's amazing and everyone needs to hear it.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZL36avKnw8

 

[Mr. Floyd]

Super Mario Land was the first game I ever bought with my own money and the first game I completed. I realise it's not a great Mario game but it's very special to me and I can't wait to play it on a big screen for the first time.

 

[MaverickHunterAsh]

Alleyway, my beloved <3

Don't sleep on this game just because it isn't Mario Land or part of some other major IP. It's a really charming Nintendo-themed clone of Breakout and though I have a lot of nostalgia for it as one of the first three Game Boy games I ever had, I've replayed it multiple times over the years and it really holds up!

 

[ClearMetal]

Never managed to beat Super Mario Land as a kid.

It's been 25 years. It's time to finish the fight.

 

[ConflictResolver]

Super Mario Land kind of meh?

Click to shrink...

You mean the game that got 2 to 4 year old me into videogames?

 

[Piccoro]

FINALLY! Mario Land 1 took ages to be added. Love the game and it's music.

Alleyway and Frog are also good.

Also, the MegaDrive NSO app isn't updated in months (more than a year?).
I wonder if Nintendo/Sega gave up on it.

 

[oatmeal]

Cool. I have my alleyway cart still.

 

[Hours Left]

Give me the frogs.

 

[Unknownlight]

Took long enough for Mario Land 1 lol, game is like 15 minutes long but it's worth going through that one time

Click to shrink...

Come on now, don't exaggerate.

It's at least 20 minutes long.

 

[Nucarn]

Completely forgot that Alleyway was my very first game boy game (most likely one of the first games I ever played even) and super Mario land came shortly after.. good times!

 

[Dagobert Duck]

That's no DK94 but someday.... for sure...

Click to shrink...

so true....

 

[mattycubed]

SML is the first game I ever saw running and instantly wanted a Game Boy.

Five year old me was actually mainly blown away by the fact that … the music paused when you paused the game.

Include that feature Nintendo and you'll make me a lifetime NSO subscriber.

 

[Conrad Link]

When I was younger, before I had a GB, my only knowledge of Mario Land was this cassette tape my family got for me because I love Nintendo.

"Boo this ain't Mario 3 related, I dunno what this is." I remember thinking... but then later on when we got a GB and I actually played Mario Land I was like ahh it's that tune!

 

[fiendcode]

Should've thrown in Tennis given it was a western launch game.

 

[Het_Nkik]

I remember playing SML as a kid on my brother's friend's Game Boy and hating how different it controlled and acted from the NES game.

Then when I got into game collecting a decade and half ago I bought it and gave it another play and... still hated it lol.

SML2 is legit, though.

 

[crazillo]

Here's a fun story, my mum really only ever plays Super Mario Land and has done it on original hardware for the longest time. I got her a 2DS a few years ago and she now enjoys the much better screen. Keeps asking me about save states though. She can make it through to NG+ but then she usually dies. Tried to get her into Dr. Kawashima or newer Mario 2D games but she really loves this one the most by far.

 

[onibirdo]

SML, now there's a blast from the past.

 

[Shift Breaker]

Surprised it took so long for SML to turn up. 2 is obvs the much better game, but the first is still a fun little romp, even if it does have only, like, 12 levels.

 

[Typhon]

Beating Super Mario Land was a huge accomplishment for little kid me. I wonder how it holds up difficulty-wise.

Click to shrink...

I beat in about an hour with 15 lives, so not well. Of course, I also played it as a kid.

 

[diondiondion]

I cannot believe the things I have to read in this thread about SML1!

The game rocks. It's short and to the point, fun to speed-run too, and I'm not into speed-running normally. I even like that it's a bit weird and doesn't feel 100% on-brand.

 

[eXistor]

Anyone know how playable this is if you don't know Japanese?

Click to shrink...

There's a great fan-translation, best to play that.

 

[Charamiwa]

To me SML1 goes in the same category as the first Kirby game, it's short, sweet but the simplicity really makes it a cool playthrough. You really can't play anything like this anymore. A full game that's 30 minutes long, can you imagine? Maybe that sucked at the time when you had to buy it full price, but nowadays it's such a cool curiosity. And the soundtrack is incredible.

 

[vix]

I know I definitely have two of those games in a Tupperware under my bed and the baseball game, I can't remember if I have that one or bases loaded or both. Loved alleyway as a kid, the Mario too. Good times as long as you had plenty of AA's handy.

 

[SPRidley]

Super Mario Land is great for what it is.

Is not mediocre like the NSMB series, nor terrible like Sunshine.

It also has a banger soundtrack.

 

[Jacknapes]

Surprised it took Mario Land this long to hit the service. Game is ok, Mario Land 2 is a heck of a lot better.

 

[Kafkaswaffle]

SML is cool. Cooler than SML 2 in fact. The soundtrack of 2 has me shaking my head in disbelieve.

 

[Teenage Fansub]

Today I learned Mario Land had hopping vampire enemies. Guess I never made it to world 4 as a kid.

 

[Hayeya]

Super mario land is fantastic, the end credit music alone is worth the admission.

 

[Santar]

I find it equally hilarious and brilliant that Nintendo has managed to drip feed basically the same games out to people three (or four with the 3ds) times now and people still get excited.

 

[Marmoka]

Long time without playing Mario Land. I need to go back!

LOL I had Alleyway in one of those "99 games in 1" pirate cartridges (just 5 games repeated in a never ending list with different names). It was a very fun game and the sounds pretty bizarre, just the sounds made the game

 

[The Boat]

I find it equally hilarious and brilliant that Nintendo has managed to drip feed the same games out to people three (or four with the 3ds) times now and people still get excited.

Click to shrink...

What are these three times Nintendo has drip fed this game, considering that the 3DS version was the first time was released after the original?

These dumb rubes getting excited, don't they know Nintendo could have released all their old games at once?

 

[St. Eam the 3rd]

Alleyway is one really solid arkanoid, I've played many versions of it, didn't expect this one to be this good:).

Super Mario land is fun, I had to adjust to the control at first but the level design is build perfectly around it, also I get the concept of a little Mario game for a little system resulting in bug enemies to stomp on it but they didn't had to put so many spiders lol:)
-1 point for the kaizo block in 3-3 wth

 

[St. Eam the 3rd]

NSO still the best sub by far. Never knew any of those games so this has been very interesting for me:).

I find it equally hilarious and brilliant that Nintendo has managed to drip feed the same games out to people three (or four with the 3ds) times now and people still get excited.

Click to shrink...

Yeah right those people, don't get exited when is not my favorite thing, wut
First timers are one options(there are many others I can think of), if you can't see those it's pretty telling

 

[ned_ballad]

I find it equally hilarious and brilliant that Nintendo has managed to drip feed the same games out to people three (or four with the 3ds) times now and people still get excited.

Click to shrink...

Super Mario Land released on the 3DS 13 years ago (2011)

There are people who will play it on the Switch who weren't even alive the last time it was re-released lol

 

[MZZ]

Huh I woke up with the Mario Land Overworld theme playing in my head. I'm also sure it was also in my dream lol

Love SML. My favorite mario anything on GB.

 

[Strat]

SML has an unmatched atmosphere for a Mario game. I wish we could see that weird shit again.

 

[finalhour]

Love SML! Music is so good!

Click to shrink...

Yup!

 

[Gr8one]

Love me some SML. The soundtrack is burned into my brain for life.

 

[KennyLinder]

SML World 2-1 music is one of the all-time favourites. It's so upbeat, from a different, simpler time. It's glorious.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVPjPQK5MeE

 

[CeVee]

Huh. I thought Suoer Mario Lan was already on the eShop!

That's no DK94 but someday.... for sure...

Click to shrink...

I hope. I never played that game until right before the eShop went down on the 3DS. Had no idea what I was missing and the game is super dope. Honestly wish it had gotten the remake instead of Mario vs DK—and I love that series too. 🤣

 

[Goddo Hando]

Super Mario Land being short is kind of what makes it great too. You beat it already? Great! Beat it again. And Again
It's perfectly sized for a commute on the bus/train

 

[mael]

SML is great as a reference if you're a level designer.
There's things that wouldn't fly these days with how the game is made.

Alleyway, my beloved <3

Don't sleep on this game just because it isn't Mario Land or part of some other major IP. It's a really charming Nintendo-themed clone of Breakout and though I have a lot of nostalgia for it as one of the first three Game Boy games I ever had, I've replayed it multiple times over the years and it really holds up!

Click to shrink...

You were not kidding, it's really awesome and addictive.
I thought I was over Breakout by something like 1992 or so and here we are and this is where I spent most of my time with this update!

 

[virtua_44]

I've actually been waiting for Mario Land. And conveniently, I just bought a 3mo sub to NSO (to use a voucher). So it looks like the stars aligned for me.

Hopefully Nintendo realizes it's the 30th anniversary of Donkey Kong 94 and we get that soon.

Click to shrink...

Asking the real questions.

 

[lampeater]

I've always had a soft spot for the GB Baseball game. I figured out you can cheese the AI as a right-handed pitcher facing a right-handed batter and get them to strike out every time by pitching away to catch the outside corner every time. The only problem is all the strikeouts ate up pitcher stamina.

 

[BrianAltano]

Always adored Super Mario Land, specifically because of how weird it is and how impressive it was to have a portable Super Mario game when it first launched.

There's a really well made color hack for Super Mario Land (and Alleyway, actually!) and its become my favorite way to replay it:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Sn8CGOOwk&ab_channel=xRavenXP

 

[ned_ballad]

I still think it's kinda amazing the enemies of SML didn't even have properly translated names until the 3DS re-release's digital manual. And even then not all of them were updated

Really is a forgotten game in terms of relevance to the Mario series. It's a wonder Daisy managed to break out of the game and into mass popularity

 

[jtmmachine]

That makes the last of the Switch Online games which have been teased, right? Nothing else been revealed or leaked?

I still think it's kinda amazing the enemies of SML didn't even have properly translated names until the 3DS re-release's digital manual. And even then not all of them were updated

Really is a forgotten game in terms of relevance to the Mario series. It's a wonder Daisy managed to break out of the game and into mass popularity

Click to shrink...

I remember Kirby Dreamland 3 had a similar case where a lot of enemy names weren't translated—hold a certain nostalgic fondness for the days of inconsistent translation lol