The Curious History of Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan

Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan and Abroad: In Japan, the original Super Mario Bros. 2 released for the Famicom Disk System bears a notably different name compared to its American counterpart. Known in the west as The Lost Levels, the game released in Japan under the title Super Mario USA. This discrepancy is an interesting cultural quirk that highlights the diverse naming conventions employed by game publishers around the world.

SMB2 in Japan: Doki Doki Panic

The game you might recognize as Super Mario Bros. 2 in North America goes by the title Doki Doki Panic in Japan. This game was first released a few months prior to Super Mario USA for the NES version. The NES adaptation of Doki Doki Panic was essentially a re-skinned version of the Japanese game. The similarities between the two are striking—much more than just color schemes. Let’s dive into the details.

When you look at Super Mario USA (initial title Super Mario Bros. 2) and compare it to the original Doki Doki Panic, it is nearly impossible to miss the direct borrowing of game mechanics and levels. It is not just colors and shades that change; the core gameplay, levels, and even the story elements are nearly identical.

Story Behind Doki Doki Panic

The narrative of Doki Doki Panic is as whimsical as it is intriguing. Set in a fantastical land known as Muu, the story revolves around the concept of dreams and weather. Citizens used a dream machine to control their dreams, which in turn influenced the weather. However, an evil toad named Mamu disguised as Wart from the NES version, invaded the land and twisted the dream machine into a nightmare device. The people learned to defeat him using vegetables as weapons.

The story follows the adventures of twins Poki and Piki, who, along with their friends and family, embark on a quest to save their parents and siblings by entering the book that contains the land of Muu. A monkey named Rusa is central to the plot, acting as a guide for the children through the book, which serves as an alternate world.

Comparing Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES) and Doki Doki Panic

The storyline of Super Mario Bros. 2 for the NES (Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic in Japan) is remarkably similar to the Japanese game. The plot details, the characters, and the overall narrative are almost identical. Here is a brief comparison:

Plot: Both games have a book-like setting with a narrative driven by dreams and weather. Characters: The classic characters, including the toad Wart, the twins Poki and Piki, and the monkey Rusa, appear in both games. Game Mechanics: The level design, obstacles, and gameplay mechanics are identical between the two versions.

The only differences are in the presentation, with the NES version being a re-skinned and slightly modified version of the Japanese game.

Conclusion: The relationship between Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2 is a fascinating example of cultural exchange in video game design. The game we know as Super Mario Bros. 2 is merely a direct adaptation of its Japanese predecessor, Doki Doki Panic. This practice of licensing and repurposing games across different markets is a common phenomenon in the video game industry, emphasizing the global influence of Japanese gaming culture.

To conclude, the game’s different titles in Japan and the west can be attributed to localization efforts to appeal to different markets. Whether named Super Mario USA, Doki Doki Panic, or Super Mario Bros. 2, these titles represent a rich interplay of cultural, narrative, and technical elements that make up the history of one of the most beloved video game franchises.