Super Mario Advance 2 - Super Mario World + Mario Brothers (Japan)
Game Boy Advance
🇯🇵
Reviewed in 2002
94
✪ Reviewed on January 25, 2024
89
Super Mario World + Mario Brothers on GBA, Japanese version of Super Mario Advance 2. Same SMW excellence in its original version, with Mario Bros. as bonus.
Your verdict
Category
Compilation1 player3+
Description
Japanese version of Super Mario Advance 2 published by Nintendo in Japan in January 2002. Contains Super Mario World - the Super Nintendo classic with Mario and Yoshi exploring Dinosaur Land against Bowser - and the original arcade Mario Bros. Seven worlds, Yoshi to ride, flying cape and 96 exits to discover. Second episode of the Super Mario Advance series in Japan.
Super Mario Advance 2 - Super Mario World + Mario Brothers review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
The Japanese edition highlights the conversion work itself: the frame has been tightened compared with the original television view, which forces the on-screen elements to be redistributed without ever making a jump unreadable. Add interface retouches, enlarged icons and an arcade companion whose far cruder graphics underline the generation gap.
An ode to lightness, the main theme of Super Mario World signed by Koji Kondo varies mischievously with the settings, from the underground to the sunlit sky. Its skipping melody, etched in memory, accompanies every jump with an intact joy. This timeless chiptune classic irresistibly lifts the mood.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Rediscovering Mario's springy jump and the gliding cape reminds you why this classic remains a platforming yardstick. The levels brim with secrets and alternate paths that invite relentless searching. The control precision hasn't aged a day, and the adventure rewards both quick bursts and a full run.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Finding Yoshi and the teeming world of Super Mario World on a handheld screen is diving back into one of the greatest platformers ever made. Every jump breathes precision, every level hides its secrets and hidden exits. The perfect handling and the generous level design grip you relentlessly. A timeless classic, ideal to explore anywhere.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Galloping with Yoshi, uncovering a secret exit and then unlocking a shortcut on the world map sets up a jubilant exploration where every level hides its surprise. Dragon coins, multiple exits and hidden passages reward the slightest search. The port slightly shrinks the readability, but this platforming of rare generosity stays a captivating peak of efficiency.
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Collector interest
Original Japanese edition of Super Mario Advance 2 Super Mario World + Mario Brothers, distributed by Nintendo in January 2002 with the explicit Mario Brothers inclusion as subtitle, in line with the Japanese convention of the Super Mario Advance sub franchise. Nintendo rigid case with intact obi, cover in more saturated colours than the PAL version. Japan run was sized by market, complete with obi remains a documentary object for anyone isolating the original Japanese version from the Western release.
Is Super Mario Advance 2 - Super Mario World + Mario Brothers still worth playing in 2026?
Super Mario Advance 2 is arguably one of the most accomplished ports in Nintendo's history, namely Super Mario World transferred to the GBA with near perfect fidelity and the arcade Mario Bros bonus on top. The jump feel, the Yoshi ecosystem, the richness of the levels and the generous alternate routes remain intact. The only real compromise lies in the slightly tighter framing, with no real impact on playability. Probably the finest portable 2D Mario of the GBA era and an absolute entry point to the series.
