BS Super Mario USA

BS Super Mario USA
Developers	Nintendo EAD St.GIGA
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform	Satellaview
Release dates	March 31, 1996 Part 1 - March 31, 1996 Part 2 - April 7, 1996 Part 3 - April 14, 1996 Part 4 - April 21, 1996
Genre	Platform
Mode	Single player
Format	Super Famicom: Cartridge Satellaview soundlink
Input	SNES: Super NES Controller

BS Super Mario USA is a direct sequel to Super Mario Bros. 2 (known as Super Mario USA in Japan) for the Satellaview, an add-on for the Super Famicom. It was the first platform game of the Super Mario franchise to make use of the Satellaview's Soundlink features. The gameplay and levels are essentially the same as in the Super Mario All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros. 2 but with numerous added features and a new plot, presented as a sequel to the original game.

Despite being a sequel to Super Mario Bros. 2, which was originally created for overseas markets, BS Super Mario USA has never been released outside of Japan, due to being a Satellaview-only release.

General information

The game was released in four installments. In each one, the player is sent to a different Super Mario Bros. 2 world. The goal is to obtain as many points as possible by collecting items such as the golden Mario statues located in each level and defeating the bosses. Wart can also be found and battled in any world via the "secret passage", accessed by going down any jar while the player is in Sub-Space. The player can select the levels in any order and return to them as often as desired until the "episode" ends at 50 minutes on the clock. The player could also send their score to participate in a tournament and receive prizes.

As the gameplay episode progressed, an audio drama would stream via St.GIGA's Satellite radio, which would tell the narrative of the story.

Plot

Prologue

After Wart and his 8 bits were defeated by Mario and his friends in the events of Super Mario Bros. 2, the group escaped and infiltrated other people's dreams to take over those versions of Subcon. To stop their second invasion, the commander of the king of Subcon suggests using the power of the "stars" (satellites), and the king calls Mario and his friends for help. In the meantime, Wart and his minions also plan on taking the stars' power and misusing it, with the first step consisting in Mouser hiding the kingdom's new symbol of peace: the king's golden Mario statue.

Episode 1

Title card for episode 1

あたしたち、スーパーキャサリンズ ("We, the Super-Birdos!")

The first episode starts with Mario in World 1. Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach commentate Mario's actions and reassure the king that they will save the kingdom, while the Super Birdos (pink, green, and red Birdos) and Mouser make fun of both Mario and the king. Mario's friends and foes also try to help or hinder him by using special moves and devices. Later on, the Birdos and Mouser use a Crystal Ball to switch Mario's position with Luigi, resulting in the former now being a commentator, before doing it again several times with the other characters until Peach burst out crying. After Peach helps Mario with small hearts, the king's commander reports that a new device is complete. This device is used to slow down the movement of all enemies, but the effect only lasts a few seconds, resulting in the king calling the commander a fool and ordering him to create a new device. The second device is revealed by Peach to just be one that turns vegetables into coins, which the king considers useless, while the third makes Toad (who the Birdos switched with Mario) invincible. After the Birdos cause eggs to fall from above, Peach finds and uses several devices found in the castle's store room to get revenge. Later, after Mouser uses a big bomb he got from Wart, Toads reveals he overheard from the Birdos that a secret passage to Wart's palace exists.

While Princess Peach has been switched into the player's character, her friends mention that she has been acting strangely. The king speculates that this must have been caused by the theft of the golden Mario statue. Peach then does a new move which gives the effects of a POW Block to her landings, but the king orders his commander to stop this with a device. Meanwhile, the Birdos lost their Crystal Ball and go to Wart's palace to ask for a new one. The king's commander is ordered to find the secret passage. Afterwards, Mouser finds Birdo's lost Crystal Ball and uses it to switch Peach with Luigi. After the Birdos come back, they insult Peach by calling her violent and start an argument that results in Peach throwing Giant Vegetables and leaving out of rage. The Birdos vent their rage out by doing an attack consisting in throwing themselves with their eggs at Luigi. The commander arrives and communicates that a new device was found, letting the player see Mushrooms from Sub-Space, and also says he has no updates regarding the secret passage. While the Birdos boast that Mario and friends will never find the golden statues, they notice that Mouser found their Crystal Ball and try to get it back, switching Luigi with Mario and breaking the ball in the process. Peach comes back and sends her Love-Love Fire to Mario. The king lets Mario know that his adventure is almost over and the Birdos make Peach cry again by bullying her. Lastly, the Birdos do a countdown and the gameplay portion ends.

Episode 2

Title card for episode 2

ガブチョもびっくり流砂の秘密 ("Tryclyde also surprises, Secrets of the Quicksand")

The second episode is set in World 2. Mouser introduces Tryclyde to the Birdos, and Mario's friends support him by making him invincible. Mousers then warns the Birdos not to make Tryclyde angry, otherwise he will blow fire, but the Birdos ignore this by calling him a pet. The king tells the commander to find more devices to help Mario. After Princess Peach turns all enemies into small hearts, the Birdos reveal that they got a new Crystal Ball from Wart that they could use. Mario is switched with Peach and Tryclyde says that he sent someone into the king's castle warehouse, later revealed to be his servant, the Big Phanto. Mario uses Peach's small heart move, which he learned from her. Tryclyde sends the Big Phanto to attack Peach. Peach is switched with Luigi, and the king and his commander ask Peach for help in organizing the wrecked warehouse. The red Birdo sends her pet Albatoss to the castle to spy on Mario and his friends. Later on, the citizens of Subcon offer to help organizing the warehouse, and Mouser turns all enemies into bombs. After the Birdos find out Peach is helping with the warehouse, the three switch Luigi with her, and then her with Mario to prevent him from using the heart move. With the warehouse almost fully restored, the king orders the activation of invincibility. However, this causes the quicksand to speed up instead. The king finds out that the warehouse has been badly organized, and he realizes that the citizens were actually Wart's minions in disguise. The king sends Luigi to the Birdos to leave a wind-up device there, which the Birdos then use to black out the screen. Luigi combats this by using another copy of the device until the Birdos' device breaks. It is then revealed that this was just a distraction to take the Birdos' quicksand-adjustment device and bring its speed back to normal.

Some time later, Birdo takes revenge on Toad (who took the device) by switching him with Peach, and his friends reward him for earlier with some devices. The Birdos realize they only have Mouser's bombs and Tryclyde left to hinder Mario and friends, with the snake only collaborating if the Birdos give him oil. After giving him gasoline, Tryclyde starts shooting fireballs from above. Meanwhile, Wart tells Mouser that they must move on to the next world. Tryclyde shoots fire at the Birdos instead of Toad, stating that he made a promise later revealed to have been made to the king. This leaves the Birdos' Crystal Ball as the only hindrance. The commander finally stops the quicksand fully and makes Mushrooms appear. Mouser comes back, bringing another Crystal Ball and a big bomb with him. The Birdos start gossiping about Peach, angering her so much that she throws Giant Vegetables again; one of them squashes Mouser. After Peach sends her Love-Love Fire, the Birdos say that they will have Wart fire Tryclyde, and then worry that they are in big trouble if they mess up next time.

Episode 3

Title card for episode 3

氷の海でヒーボーボー ("Fryguy at the Sea of Ice")

In World 4, the Birdos complain about the cold inside a hole, while Fryguy introduces himself and warms up their area. Fryguy explains that he must move to not melt the ice under him and the green Birdo suggest to stay above her and the others. The king cannot view Mario and friends due to the snow and ice, so his commander lets him know that a Satellaview live feed is being set up and a phone to talk to Peach is available. The Birdos notice Peach's phone, and Fryguy (who does not know what a phone is) decides to ask her if they would lend one to them, but she just gives him a glare similar to that of a hannya demon. Thus, the Birdos switch Mario with her in order to provoke her. Meanwhile, the broadcast of "Subcon TV" starts. Mario helps Peach by turning enemies into small hearts, an item that Fryguy is also unaware of. The commander's phone rings and the king, who believes it to be Peach, answers; it is actually the commander's love interest, Mary, speaking on the other end. The Birdos notice the Subcon TV crew and switch Peach with Luigi, before explaining what TV is to Fryguy. The commander scolds the king for watching soccer on TV instead of Luigi. They then activate a device to transform enemies into Ninjis. Fryguy, who believes the TV crew is literally stealing the scenery, shoots fire at the crew.

The green and red Birdos have an argument with pink Birdo over her dream of taking over TV. She cries and goes to Mario and friends, and Peach offers her to stay with them and become a citizen of Subcon. Peach then calls the king to share the news, but Birdo steals the phone and runs off with it to the other Birdos, enraging Peach until she passes out. Mario receives a package containing a phone and a note with a phone number on it. The Birdos realize their phone has been connected to the king the entire time and break it out of frustration. The Birdos think that the music is drowning out their "evil powers". To remedy this, red Birdo takes CDs from Wart's palace and sneaks into the castle to change the music into "Final Boss BGM" and other tracks until she runs out of CDs. Mary calls the commander's phone again and this time Peach answers, angering Mary; thus, she makes the commander pay by calling his other love interest, Lola, to let her know of the affair, stunning the commander. Mario and friends ask for something to eat from the TV staff. The Birdos also decide to go eat and leave Fryguy to guard their hole, letting him reflect on the situation and his surroundings. When Mouser arrives, he shows the Birdos the black Giant Vegetables he has made to rival Peach's. They then start throwing them. Peach becomes angry again and throws more vegetables. Mouser decides to make another vegetable, this time using eggs out of respect for the Birdos. After using the egg vegetables, Mouser leaves and Fryguy follows, leaving the Birdos in the cold. Luigi receives from the king a device to send giant Mushrooms that make Mario invincible, while Peach uses her Love-Love Fire.

Episode 4

Title card for episode 4

マムーの罠，危うしマリオブラザーズ ("Wart's Trap; Watch Out, Mario Brothers!")

The final episode takes place in World 5. Luigi is surprised in knowing how close the world is to Wart's palace, which is also not far from the king's castle. The Birdos summon the Big Phanto. Clawgrip introduces himself and shows off his ability to transform by turning into the red Birdo. Peach notices the increased quantity of enemies and Luigi jokes about it; the Birdos respond by switching Mario with Luigi. Mario and friends mention how they miss the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario notices Clawgrip and goes to scout him out. Peach uses the small heart move and the Birdos wonder if Mario is okay with the move being used on his brother, which leads to the Birdos noticing that Mario is spying on them. They then kidnap Mario. Later on, Mario (who is actually Clawgrip transformed into him) comes back to the castle and tells his friends that they might not stand a chance against the crab, suggesting that they go home. Peach asks the king if there is any way to defeat Clawgrip, and the commander reveals to them that he can transform and he is not actually very strong. The Birdos switch Luigi with Toad to protect Clawgrip's cover. Peach confronts "Mario" about his claim and asks him some questions, blowing Clawgrip's cover. Peach becomes angry and hits Clawgrip, making him cry. The Birdos switch Toad with Peach and Mouser throws a big bomb at her. Mario wakes up, tied up in an underground dungeon. Luigi speculates that they might keep Mario at Wart's palace. To punish Peach for earlier, Clawgrip goes to the palace to take a new device. Clawgrip taunts Mario and reveals that he is being kept in the secret passage to Wart's palace. Toad (later switched with Peach) and the king think of a way to rescue Mario. Clawgrip returns to the Birdos and uses the new move, turning enemies into Snifits. Peach finds Tryclyde, who now works at a factory, and asks for any information that could be useful to rescue Mario in exchange for oil. The Birdos notice Peach running back to the castle and switch her with Toad. Wart launches an attack that makes damaging bubbles appear from below. Mouser goes to the palace to get another device and encounters Mario, telling him about the attack they are about to launch. Mouser then comes back and launches some black Giant Vegetables. Luigi suggests that Toad should go and ask Tryclyde about what he knows, but Toad tells Luigi that he had already done so and been unable to find Tryclyde.

The Birdos attack by throwing themselves with eggs again. Peach is switched with Mario, now making her the one missing. At the dungeon, Peach frees herself due to the rope being too loose for her and the door being unlocked. The Birdos notice Peach and Fryguy goes to check the dungeon. The commander uses the device that slows down the enemies and Peach tells the king what Tryclyde said to her: the passage to Wart's palace is accessed by going down any jar in Sub-Space. Peach requests taking the Subcon citizens with them to increase the chance of defeating Wart, but the king strangely refuses. Tryclyde comes to the castle demanding oil and spits fire at the king, revealing that it is actually Clawgrip, as Tryclyde can see through his transformation. Tryclyde offers Clawgrip to join them, buy Clawgrip refuses and leaves. The real king is found tied inside a wardrobe. Fryguy reports to the Birdos that the dungeon's door was unlocked, and the three blame Clawgrip for it. The commander activates a device on Wart, which stops his movements and attacks entirely. The Birdos and other enemies rush back to the palace and switch Mario with Luigi. Mario helps Luigi by sending him giant invincibility Mushrooms. Mario and Luigi switch again and the others encourage him, with Peach sending him Love-Love Fire. After Wart and the 8 bits are defeated, Mario's friends congratulate him, while the king and citizens of Subcon congratulate them for their courage and friendship. Finally, the king says that it is time for everyone to return to their dreams, and bids them farewell.

Release information

Being episodic, BS Super Mario USA was released on a weekly basis.

The four episodes were premiered during these weeks:

Date/date dange	Japanese	Rōmaji	Translation	World
1996/03/31～1996/04/05	ＢＳスーパーマリオＵＳＡ　パワーチャレンジ 第１回 「あたしたち、スーパーキャサリンズ」の巻	BS Sūpā Mario USA Pāwā Charenji Dai-1-kai "Atashitachi, Sūpā Kyasarinzu!" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 1 Volume of "We, the Super-Birdos!"	World 1
1996/04/07～1996/04/12	ＢＳスーパーマリオＵＳＡ　パワーチャレンジ 第２回 「ガブチョもびっくり流砂の秘密」の巻	BS Sūpā Mario USA Pāwā Charenji Dai-2-kai "Gabucho mo Bikkuri Ryūsha no Himitsu" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 2 Volume of "Tryclyde also surprises, Secrets of the Quicksand"	World 2
1996/04/14～1996/04/19	ＢＳスーパーマリオＵＳＡ　パワーチャレンジ 第３回 「氷の海でヒーボーボー」の巻	BS Sūpā Mario USA Pāwā Charenji Dai-3-kai "Kōri no Umi de Hībōbō" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 3 Volume of "Fryguy at the Sea of Ice"	World 4
1996/04/21～1996/04/26	ＢＳスーパーマリオＵＳＡ　パワーチャレンジ 第４回 「マムーの罠，危うしマリオブラザーズ」の巻	BS Sūpā Mario USA Pāwā Charenji Dai-4-kai "Mamū no Wana, Ayaushi Mario Burazāzu" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 4 Volume of "Wart's Trap; Watch Out, Mario Brothers!"	World 5

The timeframe in which these episodes were featured was from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM and 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM the following morning. It was rebroadcasted in June 1996 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM and again in September 1998 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

Differences and additions

• Each broadcast takes place in a single world starting with its first level. After beating all three levels, players can change levels at any moment. This feature can be abused to cheat death, farm coins, etc.
• The game has a built-in clock (meant to be in sync with real-time) that has the game start at 6 minutes in and end at 50 minutes in.
• The player starts and ends the game as Mario but character changing is forced in timed events.
• Golden Mario statues are included. Picking up one of these gives Mario an extra life and fills his Life Meter. There are three of these in each level, plus one obtainable from the end-of-the-world boss. They are usually out in the open, but sometimes are hidden in Sub-Space. Two of them only appear after backtracking to Phanto's room after using the key. Each statue can be collected only once.
• Entering any jar in Sub-Space will lead to Wart's chamber. He can be defeated multiple times with each one awarding an extra life.
• A points system was added. Points and extra lives can be gained, among other things, by defeating enemies in various ways. After defeating five enemies while invincible, the sixth will grant 1-Up and subsequent enemies 2-Up.
• The "Today's Results Screen" can be accessed by pressing while in the level select screen. It tracks the mushrooms, cherries, coins, and golden Mario statues collected with the current level's stats in red. It also shows the status of the bosses and the score.
• Key sequences in the narrative are accompanied by events that occur in-game. The most common of these are the character portraits at the top of the screen which show which character is talking. The top left is occupied by the good guys while the top right are the enemy bosses. These characters are engaged in off-screen shenanigans that can affect what happens on-screen:
  • Transformations:
    • Swap the player's character, in a few instances multiple times within a minute
    • Erase all enemies on-screen or turn them into small hearts, bombs, or other enemies
    • Slow down all enemies (same sound effect as a Stop Watch)
    • Turn all vegetables into coins
    • Grant the player invincibility
    • One minute of Power Squat Jump without the need to squat
    • The player landing from a jump will have the effect of a POW Block
    • Black outs that hide everything but the player, enemies, and items
    • With a few minutes left, the locations of all mushrooms and statues that are hidden in subspace are revealed. Quicksand will also stop.
  • Enemy attacks:
    • Rain of Birdo eggs or Tryclyde fire
    • Wart blows deadly bubbles from under the screen
    • The Super Birdos dive attack like Beezos, but jumping on them causes damage
    • Fryguy or the Big Kamēn will show up to hunt the player but they cannot follow to other screens. They fade away after a minute.
  • Large things that are thrown on-screen which takes out any enemy in its path including inactive Phantos but not world bosses:
    • When Peach gets angry, she will throw a trio of giant turnips which can also hurt the player. Villains can also throw a trio of giant turnips but they are black with an angry face or a trio of giant Birdo eggs.
    • Enemies throw a big bomb which explodes into smaller bombs
    • Near the end of the third and fourth episodes, allies will throw a trio of giant green or red mushrooms that refill the player's Life Meter while providing invincibility
    • Near the end of each broadcast, Peach will give out her Love-Love Fire which is a giant heart that slowly floats down. It refills the Life Meter and grants invincibility like the giant mushrooms. In the final broadcast, she will give out two of them.

When the time hits :50, gameplay switches to the Bonus Chance for three minutes. Here, players can increase the number of coins and extra lives which will add to the final score. After the credits, the "Today's Results Screen" reappears which will now include the player's extra lives. The player's score will be totaled up followed by a question of whether or not to submit the score for the tournament. The top 10 players of the week received a shirt and a certificate, with the top player also getting a real life golden Mario statue. Along with the score from defeating regular enemies, the following are converted into points and added to the total:

• Golden Mario statue: 50,000
• Mushroom: 2,000
• Coin: 100
• Cherry: 100
• Level boss: 5,000
• World boss: 10,000
• Wart: 20,000
• Extra life: 5,000

Staff

Main article: List of BS Super Mario USA staff

Directed by

• Toshiaki Suzuki

Programmed by

• Shigehiru Kasamatsu
• Yasunori Taketani
• Nobuhito Koganezawa

Gallery

Sprites

• 

  Birdo portrait (pink)
• 

  Birdo portrait (red)
• 

  Birdo portrait (green)
• 

  Clawgrip portrait
• 

  Fryguy portrait
• 

  Luigi portrait
• 

  Mario portrait
• 

  Mouser portrait
• 

  Ōsama portrait
• 

  Shireikan portrait
• 

  Peach portrait
• 

  Toad portrait
• 

  Tryclyde portrait
• 

  Wart portrait
• 

  Ōgon no Mario Zō
• 

  Giant Vegetable
• 

  Black Giant Vegetable
• 

  Love-Love Fire
• 

  Big Kamēn
• 

  Fryguy
• 

  Fryguy
• 

  Flying Birdo (pink)
• 

  Flying Birdo (green)
• 

  Flying Birdo (red)

Screenshots

• 

  The game opens with a controller config. This stays on the screen until the timer allows the opening cutscene to play.
• 

  Luigi standing in World 1-2
• 

  Peach's appearance on the top-left is meant to go along with the radio drama narrative. The game's real-time clock reminded players to pursue gameplay, as events happened at key timed instances.
• 

  The result screen shows the bosses defeated and Mario Statues collected in the level.
• 

  A big Phanto in World 5-2
• 

  Toad fighting Wart with Peach in the background

Cutscenes

• 

  Ōsama (the king of Subcon), Shireikan (his commander), Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and a golden Mario statue
• 

  The return of Wart and his army
• 

  Mario and Toad fighting Wart, Birdo, and the 8 bits off with vegetables
• 

  The Subcon inhabitants bidding farewell after Wart's defeat

Miscellaneous

• 

  Japanese print advertisement

Music

The Satellaview's Soundlink capabilities allowed music to be streamed via Satellite radio. This game used this to enhance its soundtrack with songs that could not be performed via the Super Famicom's soundchips.

As the game played, music from the Super Mario World soundtrack and Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3, Hop! Step! Jump! - as well as new, original compositions and jingles - would be used in place of the traditional Super Mario USA music, none of the music is actually remixed or arranged from the original Super Mario USA. The original soundtrack remains in the game but it is unused.

References to other games

Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic

• In the second episode, the Birdos reference this game's protagonists by mentioning that "people with turbants" used to show up before Mario and friends did and speculating that they were locked in the basement of the king's castle.

References in later media

Super Mario Advance

• Some of the gameplay elements added in BS Super Mario USA return or are repurposed in this remake of Super Mario Bros. 2; the Points system, giant enemies and vegetables, and Ace Coins serving as the equivalent of golden Mario statues.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Note(s)	Ref.
Japanese	BSスーパーマリオUSA Bī Esu Sūpā Mario Yū Esu Ē	BS Super Mario USA

Notes

• The cutscenes depict Mario and Luigi wearing their shirts and overalls in their original color scheme, despite that they have been swapped since 1988.

External links

Footage of game recordings from actual broadcasts. These show how the game plays and the audio drama that accompanies it.

• Episode 1
• Episode 2
• Episode 3
• Episode 4