Mario Games for the Game Boy

Super Mario Land

• "Super Mario Land" was a launch game for the original Game Boy in 1989. It features an alien come to rule a kingdom known as Sarasaland, which is divided into four kingdoms. You play as the hero Mario and must traverse various side-scrolling 2D levels, including several sections in which you fly an airplane and pilot a submarine, in order to save the kingdom and Princess Daisy. The game has black and white graphics and has met the approval of approximately 75.4% of critics according to the review aggregator GameRankings.

Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins

• "Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins" is the direct sequel of the 1989 hit "Super Mario Land." The game was released in 1992 for the original Game Boy and features the return of several classic villains such as the Goombas and Koopa Troopas, which were absent from the prequel. While utilizing side-scrolling 2D platforming, the game also allows players to move right and left throughout a level, unlike its predecessor which only allows for moving right, thus giving the game much more in common with the Super Nintendo&'s "Super Mario World," which was released in 1990. The graphics are also highly enhanced from the original, with more detailed enemies and levels. According to the review aggregator Game Rankings, "Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins" was met with praise by approximately 77.4% of game critics.

Dr. Mario

• "Dr. Mario" was released simultaneously on the Game Boy and Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. Unlike traditional Mario games, which involve platforming, "Dr, Mario" was a puzzle game, similar to "Tetris," in which players must rotate and organize different types of pills within a giant medicine bottle to alleviate various viruses. Due to the technical limitations of the Game Boy, only three different pills are used (black, white, and gray), though the principle game-play remains the same.