Play Famicom Mini - Vol 21 - Super Mario Bros. 2 (J) Online

Famicom Mini - Vol 21 - Super Mario Bros. 2 (J) is a GBA port of the Japanese version of SMB2, which is actually the original Doki Doki Panic reskinned with Mario characters. The first thing you notice is how different it feels from the first game—no stomping on enemies here, you have to grab and throw them instead. The levels are vertical, full of weird vegetables to pluck from the ground, and the music has this offbeat charm that sticks with you.

I remember getting stuck on the first boss for way too long because I didn’t realize you could pick up his bombs and throw them back. The controls take some getting used to, especially the floaty jumps, but once it clicks, there’s something satisfying about the rhythm of digging through sand or tossing shy guys off ledges. It’s not the Mario game most people expect, but that’s what makes it interesting.

Famicom Mini - Vol 21 - Super Mario Bros. 2 (J) is a weird little time capsule, and I mean that in a good way.