this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2023
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Just a random (almost 35 years too late) question because I've been replaying SMB2 on the Switch.

It seems like she's just objectively better in every way. I don't get why I would pick the others.

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[–] [email protected] 85 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Oh man, I love Super Mario Bros 2! It's one of my favorite games of all time.

So, each character actually has very different stats.

Luigi and Princess have obvious special jumping abilities. I think Luigi can actually jump a little farther... But both of them have significantly shorter jumps and run more slowly when carrying a vegetable, and both pick up vegetables quite slowly (especially the princess). This can be extremely detrimental on sand stages that require a lot of fast digging to get away from enemies, or picking up a block to throw at a boss before he attacks.

Toad is the opposite. He can pick up vegetables and run with them blazingly fast, and can run and jump as high (higher?) while carrying them.

Mario is balanced all-around.

It's all explained in the instruction manual with some cute drawings. Each character is really quite balanced in my opinion.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 25 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Oh wow, I had no idea. I didn't even own the manual back in the day because I played it on Mario All Stars on the SNES.

Where were you with this info in the mid 1990s?

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 years ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Huh, transgender Birdette is in there too.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 19 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I thought this comment was a joke. lol

For anyone else out of the loop, here's a screenshot from the linked manual above:

(also, apparently his name is supposed to be Birdo, but it was misprinted in the manual as "Ostro". Ostros are the big flamingo looking things)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I feel like the version we had definitely had its name printed as Birdo and not Ostro. I have always called that thing Birdo.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

The name is also shown in the cast roll at the end of the game, so you might remember it from there. :)

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[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 13 points 2 years ago

Man, I miss manuals like this.

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[–] AcornCarnage 3 points 2 years ago

The strengths/weaknesses are ingrained in my brain from studying that manual. I thought it was common knowledge.

[–] dual_sport_dork 59 points 2 years ago (2 children)

The reason to has actually been removed.

In the US version of Mario 2, all you have to do is make it to the end with any character to win. In the Japanese Doki Doki Panic on which it is based, you actually need to get to the end with all 4 characters before you've beaten the game.

The different characters do have strengths and weaknesses: differences in run speed, item pickup speed, and jump mechanics (and Toad actually runs faster when he's holding an item) but you are correct in that for purposes simply amounting to no more than getting through each level to the end, using Peach/Toadstool is the easiest.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 16 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Oh man, this would have been brutal and fun!

[–] taiyang 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I think you could recreate that experience a bit of you go after the retroachevments for the game (e.g. fan made achievements enforced via emulator). I think they require you beat the game 5 times, one for each character and once with a split group. Also, no damage runs and such. Difficult stuff.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

e.g. means 'for example.' I think you were looking for i.e. (which means 'in other words' or 'to be specific').

[–] AcornCarnage 9 points 2 years ago

I think of them as "example given" and "in essence" which is close enough to remind me which to use.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Doki doki panic is a great game and you should play it. Feels nostalgic, even if you've only ever played super Mario Bros 2.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I assume I'll need to locate a rom?

Wait, I have a famicom. I bet I could find a cartridge.

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[–] UltraBlack 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The Steven He Asian difficulty is real?

[–] woelkchen 5 points 2 years ago

Emotional damage

[–] cybervseas 24 points 2 years ago

Peach is a slow runner and it takes her a long time to pick up an object.

[–] TORFdot0 21 points 2 years ago

Peach is slow as hell. Toad all day baybee

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 years ago (4 children)

That's always been my feeling too. I think Mario can run faster, and Luigi can jump a little higher, but Peach just controls better. Who knows what kind of maniac would choose Toad.

[–] mercano 19 points 2 years ago

Toad can dig / lift the fastest, and gets a huge run speed boost when carrying enemies, making him the speed runner’s choice in many levels.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Toad pulls roots faster, and he's my favorite

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Thanks for the root-cause analysis.

Glad to have found you.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Hi! I am a toadstool maniac. Ama.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

You know that ghost that chases you when you look away from them? That guy.

But seriously, toad's special power is how fast he can dig and throw. Toad is max DPS. Toad is OP.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Ok, I just tried playing as toad. I think you've recruited me.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

I always played him for his speed and throwing and carrying ability like others have said.

I only used Peach on levels where floating was really helpful and I didn’t have to throw anything at a boss.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

I pick Toad quite a lot. He's a fast little goober.

[–] radix 15 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

There's a warp zone you can only reach with Luigi, IIRC (but it's been a long time). So for one level, at least, he's better if you want to skip ahead.

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

TIL this game has warp zones

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

Yeah, they're pipes / jars / whatever. You have to find a potion, throw it so the pipe is available when you go through the door, and then go down the pipe.

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[–] spacemanspiffy 12 points 2 years ago

Peach was basically my only character ever, but occasionally I would use Toad for the Ice level with all the whales since he could jump between the bees easily.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 years ago (1 children)

If you want an overly objective answer, speedrunners use different characters for different levels because they're faster in different ways, and I don't think Peach is used often. As a casual player IDK lol I always just played as Peach

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 5 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Maybe I should watch some speed runs. The others just feel terrible to use, and I can't fathom how they would be better.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

You're playing on Switch so I guess that's the same as the NES release? Here's the current world record for all levels

https://www.twitch.tv/coolkid/v/948465227?sr=a

https://www.speedrun.com/smb2?h=All_Levels&x=l9kv002g

Here's a run from a GamesDoneQuick event which means the commentary will probably explain more than usual

https://youtu.be/hGTLfo3f2VI

Oh and here are the number of levels played by each character from the end of that GDQ run lol

The world record is 1, 5, 13, and 1

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

Speedruns can be a lot of fun to watch - the better you know the game, the more fun it can be. Some runs get freaky, but a lot of games have glitchless categories or some kind of ruleset that doesn't break the game too badly. A lot of glitches are fascinating, too.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

I always loved playing as toadstool. You can't dig any faster than the toad!

[–] TheTim 10 points 2 years ago

Playing as Peach in Mario 2 was the OG "Funky Mode."

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Because you're my 5 year old god daughter who always wants to play as "Uwiigi".

[–] The_Picard_Maneuver 5 points 2 years ago

My 1 y/o tries to say "peach" and does the little arm raise when I select her.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago
[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 years ago

Peach's jump is OP. I loved SMB2.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

This is an excellent question and I await the responses to see if anyone used other characters.

Peach was the character I used the most for sure.

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[–] FlyingSquid 8 points 2 years ago

The answer is that you wouldn't. Because she can float. SHE CAN FLOAT.

[–] tabular 3 points 2 years ago

Buh-da buh-da buh-da buh-da da-buh

aeiou

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