This game is awesome. I know everyone was expecting Super Mario Bros. 3, and were all a little disappointed to hear that number 2 was the launch game. But no one should be even close to worried. Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World will be hitting the shelves in just a few months, and Mario Advance is definitely enough to tide you over. This game contains an enhanced Super Mario Bros. 2, with Super NES-esque graphics and a few quirks that no one saw coming, and Mario Bros. Classic, the old Atari version of Mario where you hit the baddies from underneath and then jump on them while they're helplessly turned on their back. Along with these extremely fun Single Player modes is one of the most addictive Multiplayer modes on a handheld system yet. Even if you only have one game pack, you can still link up with your friends and challenge them. Now that you have a bit more knowledge on this fabulous game, I'll take you through all the different functions, the pros and cons, and everything else. Here a-we go!

     The first mode, and also the main one, is Super Mario Bros. 2. This game is almost exactly the same as the original Nintendo version, but it does have some differences, and the graphics are much better than the 8-bit original. The game starts off much different than most Mario games, and a good reason stands behind this. After Super Mario Bros. was made on the NES, they wanted to make a sequel. So Nintendo made a game which looked and played exactly like the original, but was much harder. This game, actually, was so challenging that when it was released in Japan, there were many complaints. Nintendo then took a game called Doki Doki Panic, and replaced the four main characters with Mario, Luigi, Toad and Peach. This is why you don't see any of the original baddies in the game, but instead Shyguys, Sniffits and other odd characters. If it weren't for this game, the library of Mario baddies would not be nearly as big today. Thanks Doki Doki Panic!

     Now, in Super Mario Bros. 2, there are 7 worlds. Each world has a few levels. Before each level there is a sub-screen which shows a small map/list of all the levels, and this helps to show you which you have beaten/not beaten, and where you are. The game is alot different than most Mario games, and some people don't like it nearly as much. The scrolling screen and turnip throwing can be a very big turn-off for some people, and others love it.

     When you start playing, pretty much the first thing (or atleast interactive thing) you will see will be the character selection screen. There are four main characters, each with his or her own attributes. The four characters are:

• Mario - All around character. Even stats in everything.
• Luigi - Best at jumping, hangs in air for a few seconds. Not very good strength.
• Toad - Very strong and very fast. Not good at jumping.
• Princess Peach - Glides through air for short time. Not strong.

     There are not many differences from the original 8-bit NES version of Super Mario Bros. 2 and the new 32-bit GBA version. The graphics add a bit more eye candy, but they do not extremely exceed that of the original, so it still feels like home. Other than the newly improved graphics, not much else has changed. The gameplay is identical to the original, and doesn't have as bad timing as some other ports. For example, Super Mario Bros. Deluxe for the GBC was a port of Super Mario Bros., but something there was missing. The timing in the controls was slightly off, and surprisingly, this made an EXTREMELY big difference in game play. Fortunately, the GBA Development Kits are much easier to use, and ports of games have much more accurate controls, even more so than the ports found in Super Mario Allstar for the SNES. There are a few new extra things, like the fact that you can now bet your money from the Alpha World at the end of every level, which you couldn't do in the original. Other than the new giant baddies (every once in a while you'll run into a giant Shyguy or other giant badguy that looks exactly the same, just huge, and you always get a heart for throwing them), and the wierd hill creatures that bump you up to other platforms, the game isn't much different.
     Another cool thing is the Yoshi Challenge. This is a neat add-on to the game. After you've beaten it, that same file will now be following the Yoshi Challenge. This is where you must find two Yoshi Eggs in every level. The Yoshi Eggs are located only in the Alpha world, and the potions must be placed at certain spots for you to find them. It is a very challenging thing to do, but unfortunately, beating the Yoshi Challenge does not give you anything special, or atleast nothing has been found yet at this time.

     Mario Bros. Classic is a very addictive game, I can tell you that. I've found myself a few times playing it non-stop until I finally reach a game over. There are so many levels, and it gets harder and harder as you go. The game idea is simple enough, you control Mario as baddies run around, coming out of tubes. If a baddy is on the platform above them, you hit them from underneath (hit your head on the bottom of the platform) to flip them over. Then run into their upside-down bodies and Mario will automatically kick them out of the screen. A coin will then come from a tube at the top, which you may collect for extra points if you wish. Farther in the game, more and more baddies pour in from the tubes at the top, and the screen is full of different creatures, each that take a certain amount of hits to flip over. Some baddies, like the crabs, get angry after they're hit, and then go faster, etc., making it harder to hit them a second time to flip them on their back. When the screen is flowing with different creatures, it gets fairly hard. The Pow Block item can help out quite a bit, though. There are two ways to use it. You can either jump on to the block and pick it up, then press B to throw it on the ground and shock any baddy touching the ground at that time. Another way is to jump and hit the bottom of the block with your head, which makes the block a bit smaller and shocks the enemy. This keeps a half block hanging in the air, and when hit a second time, it shocks the baddies a second time. Now all that is left is a quarter-block, which you can hit or throw for the last shock. The latter usually works better, especially if you want to be able to use the Pow Block more than once in a match. Although the Pow Block knocks most baddies on to their back, enemies like crabs still get angry and move faster, so this has the same effect as hitting the baddy underneath, but it hits every enemy.

     The Multiplayer is probably the best part of Super Mario Advance. With Nintendo highly supporting link cable use with the GBA, almost every game has a multiplayer, but so far, Mario Advance has the most interesting concept. The multiplayer follows Mario Bros. Classic, but in more than one way. With one game pack and two GBA's, you can still hook up and play multiplayer. Although it doesn't have as many functions, this is still an awesome idea. With one game pack, you can only play the Battle mode. This is alright though, considering it is probably the best of the two modes (Battle and Classic). Mario must be inserted in one game. The other GBA can be empty, but if you'd like to keep the game you have in, then hold Select + Start when you power up. It will make an odd sound and stay at the Game Boy Advance screen. Go to Multiplayer on the Game Boy with Mario inserted. It will take about 20 seconds or so to download the information to the empty GBA, and then you'll be ready to go.

     The Battle mode is very fun. The point of this mode, is pretty much to screw the other play over as much as you can. This involves killing baddies and collecting the coins (5 coins will automatically make you win the round), or pick the other player up and throw him at the enemies. You can jump on the other player's head and press B to pick them up, but sometimes this doesn't work. The best way is to hit them from beneath, and then jump on their paralyzed body and pick them up. You'll find many different ways to be the other player, including bashing them into the baddies and other things of the sort. Another interesting thing of the Battle mode is the Trash can at the bottom of the playing area. If you jump into the garbage can, press A and B rapidly to have your character leap out with an item after a few seconds. Items include Eggs which hold Stars and Hearts, Koopa Troopa Shells, and a fish (which does nothing). You can use the item against the baddies or against the other player. If a player is inside the garbage can, and you have a few seconds to spair, jump on the lid and stand still to trap them inside. This can help if you want to slow them down a few seconds.

     The Classic mode is just as fun as the Battle mode, and equally well-made. This is pretty much playing the one player Classic, but with another player. Unlike the Battle mode, your goal in Classic is to work together. In the Bonus modes, instead of trying to get more coins than the other player, your goal should be for you and the other player to make sure you grab every last coins. Sometimes it's good to assign eachother to certain sides, etc. Getting all the coins, regardless of who go which ones, will give you both a large amount of points. The same thing goes with the main parts of Classic, you should try to assign your friend to a certain place on the playing field so that you don't bump into eachother, accidentally pick the other up, etc. and possibly screw up your score or lives. If you master not constantly bumping in to eachother and having a good level plan, you will find you progress through the levels much faster than just by yourself.

     All in all, Super Mario Advance is one of the best, most evened out launch games for the GBA. The graphics and control are superb, and it is organized neatly so that you won't have any problems finding out what to do next, etc. Even though Super Mario Bros. 2 was chosen instead of 3, this is still a very good game, and will give good memories to video game veterans from the NES days. The Mario Bros. Classic is a game that most people haven't tried, or may not remember, but it's very addictive and fun, and should be given a fair trial. But in all, the multiplayer is by far the best thing in the game, even with one pack this is full of chocolatey multiplayer goodness.

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