Super Mario Advance (2001) | Nintendo Game Boy Advance Video Game
Play Super Mario Advance on Game Boy Advance, a refreshed version of Super Mario Bros. 2 featuring four playable characters, hidden collectibles, save support, and multiplayer Mario Bros. action.
Game Intro
Super Mario Advance is Nintendo's Game Boy Advance adaptation of the classic Super Mario Bros. 2, released in 2001 as one of the handheld's launch titles. Rather than being a simple port, the game updates the original adventure with improved visuals, character voice clips, new collectibles, save functionality, and additional content designed specifically for the GBA.
The story takes players to the dreamlike world of Subcon, where the villain Wart has taken control of the kingdom. To restore peace, Mario and his friends set out across seven distinct worlds filled with unusual enemies, hidden secrets, and platforming challenges. Unlike most Mario games, defeating enemies often involves picking them up and throwing them instead of jumping directly on them, giving the gameplay its own identity within the series.
One of the game's biggest strengths is its four playable characters. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad each handle differently, encouraging players to experiment with different approaches throughout the adventure. Combined with colorful level design and a steady difficulty curve, Super Mario Advance remains one of the most memorable early Game Boy Advance releases.
How to Play
At the start of every stage, you can choose which character to use. Each hero brings unique abilities that affect movement and overall strategy. Mario offers balanced attributes, Luigi can reach higher platforms with his impressive jumps, Peach can float through the air for a short time, and Toad excels at lifting and throwing objects quickly.
Levels are built around exploration as much as platforming. Players collect vegetables, pull items from the ground, carry objects, and use them to defeat enemies. Hidden throughout stages are potions that open temporary portals to a mysterious area called Subspace. While inside, players can uncover useful rewards such as health upgrades and coins.
The Game Boy Advance version introduces Ace Coins hidden across every stage. Collecting these special coins provides additional rewards and adds an extra challenge for completionists. After finishing the main adventure, players can unlock the Yoshi Challenge, which encourages revisiting levels to locate hidden Yoshi Eggs.
The game also includes a save feature, making it easier to continue progress without replaying large sections of the adventure. This improvement makes the handheld version more convenient than some earlier releases.
Mario Bros. Multiplayer Mode
Alongside the main adventure, Super Mario Advance includes a separate version of the classic Mario Bros. arcade game. This mode supports up to four players using Game Boy Advance link cables, turning the experience into a competitive battle for points and survival.
Players share a single-screen arena where enemies emerge from pipes at the top of the stage. To defeat them, players must strike the platform beneath an enemy to flip it over before running into it. Waiting too long allows enemies to recover and become even faster, increasing the challenge.
Multiplayer matches can become surprisingly chaotic, as participants compete for eliminations while interfering with one another. Managing lives and reacting quickly to enemy movements becomes essential for staying in the game.
Controls
- D-Pad or Arrow Keys: Move character left or right, climb ladders and vines.
- A Button or Z Key: Jump.
- B Button or X Key: Pick up, carry, throw objects and enemies.
- Start or Enter/Return: Play/Pause the game.
- Select: Access available options and menus.
Touch Devices Controls
You can use onscreen trontrols in touch devices like android mobile, applie phone, iPhone, tablet, iPad and other touch support devices
Why Super Mario Advance Still Holds Up
Even years after its release, Super Mario Advance remains a standout entry in the Game Boy Advance library. Its unique gameplay mechanics, varied character abilities, hidden collectibles, and additional multiplayer content help it feel different from traditional Mario platformers. For players interested in classic Nintendo games, it remains an enjoyable way to experience one of the series' most unusual adventures on a portable system.
