Super Mario Land

This article is about the Game Boy game. For other uses, see Super Mario Land (disambiguation).

"SML" redirects here. For the unofficial YouTube channel that was acknowledged by Nintendo, see List of unofficial media acknowledged by Nintendo § SuperMarioLogan.

Not to be confused with Super Mario World or Super Mario 3D Land.

Super Mario Land
North American box art For alternate box art, see the related gallery.
Developer	Nintendo R&D1
Publisher	Nintendo
Platforms	Game Boy, LodgeNet, Virtual Console (Nintendo 3DS), Game Boy – Nintendo Classics
Release dates	Game Boy: April 21, 1989 August 1, 1989 September 28, 1990[?] November 21, 1990 Player's Choice: October 1996 Virtual Console (Nintendo 3DS): June 6, 2011 June 7, 2011 June 7, 2011 June 7, 2011[?] February 3, 2016 Game Boy - Nintendo Classics: May 14, 2024 May 15, 2024 May 15, 2024[?] May 15, 2024 May 15, 2024[?] May 15, 2024
Language	English
Genre	2D platformer
Ratings	ESRB: - Everyone CERO: - All ages PEGI: - Three years and older USK: - All ages RARS: - All ages[?] GRAC: - All ages[?] ACB: - General[?]
Mode	Single player
Format	Nintendo Switch: Digital download Game Boy: Game Pak GB Memory Cartridge: Cartridge Nintendo 3DS: Digital download
Input	Nintendo Switch: Joy-Con Joy-Con (horizontal) Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Game Boy: Gamepad Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad
Serial codes	DMG-MLA DMG-ML-USA DMG-ML-USA-1 (Player's Choice) DMG-ML-EUR DMG-ML-AUS

“Join Mario in a world of strange creatures!”

—Game tagline

Super Mario Land is a 2D action-adventure platform game for the Game Boy, first released as a launch title in 1989 in Japan and North America and in 1990 in Europe and Australia. It is the first Super Mario game released for a handheld console and the fifth entry in the series. In Japan, it is recognized as the fourth. Unlike previous installments, the game was not developed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo R&D4, but by Nintendo R&D1, with Gunpei Yokoi as guiding producer. Super Mario Land takes place in Sarasaland rather than the Mushroom Kingdom, and introduces Princess Daisy, a new character serving as the damsel-in-distress in place of Princess Peach. Tatanga, a malevolent alien with mesmeric powers, serves as both the main antagonist and final boss.

In addition to being the first of the three Super Mario Land games, this game is also the shortest, comprising of only twelve levels spanning four different worlds. It was succeeded by Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins, which introduced Wario, and Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, which is also the first installment in the Wario Land series. Super Mario Land and its sequel were initially excluded from the main Super Mario series, but they were later included alongside the more traditional games in material for the Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary and Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary, as well as the history pages on the Mario Portal and "The official home for Mario" websites.

This game is notable for its inclusion of different or unrelated enemies and sound effects compared to traditional titles. Additionally, though the game did not receive critical acclaim, mainly due to its graphical capabilities and shortness in length, it sold extremely well, eventually totaling over 18 million copies sold, making it the fourth best-selling game for the Game Boy overall.

The game was re-released for the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2011, and for Game Boy – Nintendo Classics for the Nintendo Switch in 2024 in celebration of the Game Boy's 35th anniversary. The Virtual Console release requires 42 blocks (5.3 MB) of memory to be installed.

A board game adaptation of this game was released exclusively in Germany and Spain, titled Das Super Mario Spiel. Although the board game does not explicitly state its theming after Super Mario Land, it features the same characters, worlds, and story.

Story

Mario in Sarasaland, surrounded by various enemies in the game

The following text is taken directly from the instruction booklet.

Once upon a time, there was a peaceful world called Sarasaland. In this world there were 4 kingdoms named Birabuto, Muda, Easton and Chai. One day, the skies of Sarasaland were suddenly covered by a huge black cloud. From a crack in this cloud, the unknown space monster Tatanga emerged to try to conquer Sarasaland. Tatanga hypnotized the people of all the kingdoms so that he could control them in any way he liked. In this way he took over Sarasaland. Now, he wants to marry Princess Daisy of Sarasaland and make her his queen. Mario came to know of these events, and he has started on a journey to the Chai Kingdom where Princess Daisy is held captive, in order to restore peace to Sarasaland. Can Mario defeat Tatanga, release people from his interstellar hypnosis, and rescue Princess Daisy? It's all up to you and Mario's skill. Go for it Mario!

In this game, Mario is tasked with saving Princess Daisy and the inhabitants of Sarasaland from Tatanga. To do so, he must travel across and conquer all four kingdoms - the Birabuto Kingdom, a desert kingdom based on ancient Egypt, the Muda Kingdom, an aquatic kingdom, the Easton Kingdom, a kingdom partially based on Easter Island, and the Chai Kingdom, a kingdom inspired by mythical ancient China.

The first three kingdoms are each guarded by a boss Mario must defeat to rescue an enemy disguised as Princess Daisy. These three kingdoms are led by the Gao-like King Totomesu, Yurarin Boo-like Dragonzamasu, and Tokotoko-like Hiyoihoi. A cloud known as Biokinton is fought in the fourth kingdom. In the end, Mario must board the Sky Pop to battle and defeat Tatanga himself in his heavily armed airship, Pagosu. After he is defeated, Mario rescues Daisy and the two ride off together in a spaceship.

It is revealed in the sequel, Super Mario Land 2 - 6 Golden Coins, that Wario took advantage of the events in this game to take over Mario's castle. In this game, Tatanga guards a Golden Coin, presumably working under Wario.

Gameplay

Mario traversing the first level of the game, World 1-1

Super Mario Land is very similar to previous Super Mario platformer games. allows the player to jump, while serves as the action command, allowing Mario to run faster. controls where Mario walks or runs. The player may also pause at anytime with . Jumping on an enemy usually defeats it and earns the player points. When Mario is Superball Mario, or if he is driving the Marine Pop or Sky Pop, fires out projectiles at Mario's enemies.

Most of the bosses can either be beaten via physical attack, or by jumping on a switch behind the boss. Collecting one hundred coins earns Mario an extra life, and if he manages to earn 100,000 points, he gains an extra continue to use in the event all lives are lost.

Mario is vulnerable as Small Mario. When he gets a Super Mushroom, he grows slightly in size and is able to take damage once without losing a life, instead reverting back to his small state. If Mario collects a Superball Flower, he becomes Superball Mario, and is able to shoot Superballs at his enemies. If Mario happens to find and collect a Star, he becomes invincible, and is able to defeat any enemy just by touching it. These effects are temporary and last a short time.

At the end of every non-boss level, the player reaches a goal tower with two entrances. The lower entrance takes Mario directly to the next stage, while the upper entrance sends him to a bonus game for the chance to win a Superball Flower or one, two, or three extra lives.

After the main game is beaten, the Mushroom icon on the title screen changes to an icon of Mario's head. This allows the player to play through the game once more, with additional enemies spread throughout the levels, though no further changes occur to increase the difficulty. Beating this game unlocks a level select option. As the game has no battery backup, the title screen reverts to the standard version upon switching the Game Boy off, resetting the game, or having the batteries run out.

Controls

Action(s)	Input(s)
	Game Boy	Nintendo 3DS	Dual Joy-Con / Nintendo Switch Pro Controller / Nintendo Switch Lite	Horizontal Joy-Con
Move		/	/ /
Run, throw Superball, fire torpedo, fire missile			/	/
Jump
Pause				+

Worlds and levels

Super Mario Land utilizes Sarasaland as the main setting rather than the Mushroom Kingdom. The land is divided into four kingdoms serving as the corresponding worlds of the game - the Birabuto Kingdom, the Muda Kingdom, the Easton Kingdom, and the Chai Kingdom, respectively. Each world consists of three levels. These levels normally feature music, backgrounds, and enemies relevant to the themes of their respective worlds. Due to the length of the game, as well as the amount of enemies featured in the game, most enemies are indigenous to one world, while some only appear in one level. At the end of the first two levels of each world, Mario reaches a goal allowing him to advance to the next level immediately, or complete a bonus game for an item beforehand. At the end of the third and final level of each world, Mario fights and defeats a boss to rescue an enemy disguised as Daisy, with the exception of the Chai Kingdom, where he must defeat two bosses, including Tatanga, to rescue the real Daisy.

Kingdoms
Birabuto Kingdom	Areas
	World 1-1
	World 1-2
	World 1-3
The first world in the game – a desert kingdom based on ancient Egypt. Pyramids occur in the background of the first two areas, while the third one takes place within one. This world introduces a number of recurring enemies such as Goombos, Bombshell Koopas, and Piranha Plants. King Totomesu, a large Gao, is fought at the end of the third area. Defeating him leads to a Fly disguised as Princess Daisy.
Muda Kingdom	Areas
	World 2-1
	World 2-2
	World 2-3
Muda Kingdom is a water-themed world. Its name is invocative of Bermuda and the mythical Mu. Muda is the only kingdom to feature the Marine Pop submarine. The first two areas are beaches, while the third is entirely underwater. Most of the local enemies are based on seahorses, carnivorous fish, and other marine animals. Dragonzamasu, a large Yurarin Boo, is fought at the end of the third area. The Daisy found here is a Gunion in disguise.
Easton Kingdom	Areas
	World 3-1
	World 3-2
	World 3-3
This world is invocative of Easter Island. Large moai occur in the background, and a few of the local enemies resemble the statues. Hiyoihoi, a large Tokotoko who attacks by hurling Ganchan, is fought at the end of the final area. The Daisy lookalike here is a Kumo.
Chai Kingdom	Areas
	World 4-1
	World 4-2
	World 4-3
The final world – a land based on China. The first area is a dense bamboo forest. The third one takes place above the clouds, and is the only one to include the Sky Pop. A few of the local enemies seem to be derived from Chinese folklore, while others are affiliates of the local bosses and only occur in the sky. In addition to the cloud boss Biokinton, the final boss Tatanga occurs in the third area. Defeating him rescues the true Princess Daisy.

Characters

Image	Name	Description
	Mario	The game's protagonist and the only playable character. Mario ventures to Sarasaland to rescue Daisy from the space alien Tatanga.
	Princess Daisy	The ruler of Sarasaland, who was kidnapped by Tatanga with the intent to marry her. Defeating a boss leads to a minion disguised as Daisy: the real princess is only rescued when the alien himself is defeated.

Enemies and obstacles

Enemies

There are ~25 enemies in Super Mario Land, most of which appear within only one kingdom. These enemies are of designs culturally tied to their native kingdoms and are wholly new to the Super Mario series. Examples include Gao, which resembles an Egyptian sphinx, and Pionpi, which resembles the jiangshi of Chinese folklore. Piranha Plants are the only enemies in the game to have previously appeared in the franchise. Like the home console Super Mario games, defeating an enemy awards Mario with a certain number of points. The amount of points is dependent on the type of enemy and the means of attack, like Super Mario Bros. and The Lost Levels.

When localized for English-speaking territories in 1989, most enemies were given names that were loose romanizations of their Japanese ones. This included the returning Piranha Plants, which are referred to as "Pakkun Flowers" in the instruction booklet for Super Mario Land. The only major exception are Kumos, whose English name derives from a Japanese word for spiders (蜘蛛, kumo) but go by a more distinct name in the original Japanese release of the game. When rereleased in 2011 for the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, the accompanying eGuide introduced new English names for the enemies that are related to more recurring species in the Super Mario series. Namely: Chibibo were renamed Goombos; Nokobon were renamed Bombshell Koopas; Pakkun Flowers were clarified to be Piranha Plants; and Gira were renamed Bullet Biffs. These are the names acknowledged below. With the exception of the Piranha Plants, none of these names were incorporated into the Mario Portal Game Archive for Super Mario Land in 2022, which instead uses the names from the original 1989 instruction booklet.

Enemies are generally listed in the order they are encountered in-game. They are otherwise clustered near their most immediate relatives.

Image	Name	Description	Levels		Pts.	New
			First	Last
	Goombo	The Goomba relatives of Sarasaland. Goombos walk forward and walk off the edge of platforms. They only turn around when they hit opposing walls. Goombos are defeated when stomped.	World 1-1	World 4-2	100
	Bombshell Koopa	Koopa Troopas with bombs for shells. Stomping one makes it recede into its shell, which subsequently explodes. The blast damages Mario. Bombshell Koopas are safely defeated when hit by Superballs or struck from below. They do not detonate in either case.	World 1-1	World 4-2	100
	Fly	Flies bounce along the ground. They are defeated when stomped or struck by two Superballs.	World 1-1		400
	Bunbun	Flying bees that carry arrows. They fly horizontally and periodically pause to drop arrows that phase through terrain. Bunbun are defeated when stomped or struck by a Superball.	World 1-2		800
	Piranha Plant	Carnivorous plants that pop out of pipes. Attempting to stomp Piranha Plants damages Mario. They are defeated only with Superballs. Standing next to or directly on their pipes keeps them from emerging.	World 1-3	World 4-2	100	—
	Upside-down Piranha Plant	These Piranha Plants extend from overhead pipes and cannot be inhibited.	World 4-1	World 4-2	400
	Gao	Sphinxes that breathe fire. The balls are directed at Mario and phase through terrain. Gao are defeated when stomped or struck by Superballs. In Hard Mode, one appears in World 1-1.	World 1-3		800
	Honen	Undead Torion. Honen leap vertically from water. They can be defeated with any attack.	World 2-1	World 2-3	100
	Torion	Man-eating fish that swim in schools of three. They make a u-turn when they reach the left edge of the screen. Torion are defeated when struck by one of the Marine Pop's torpedoes.	World 2-3		100
	Yurarin Boo	Fire-breathing Yurarin. They move vertically and spit fireballs in Mario's direction. Yurarin Boos are defeated when stomped or struck by two torpedoes.	World 2-1	World 2-3	400
	Yurarin	Seahorse enemies that either swim right to left or in diagonal patterns. They are defeated when struck by two torpedoes.	World 2-3		400
	Mekabon	Squat robots. Mekabon throw their heads at Mario. Stomping on them the heads break them, but they regenerate after a few seconds. Striking the headless bodies with any attack defeats them. Striking an intact Mekabon as Invincible Mario defeats it. Like Bombshell Koopas, Mekabon turn around when they reach the edge of platforms.	World 2-2		400 100
	Gunion	Octopus enemies. Gunion are defeated when struck by three torpedoes, but doing so splits them into two targeting fireballs.	World 2-3		800
	Tamao	An egglike creature that occurs around Dragonzamasu. Tamao bounces against walls and ceilings. It damages Mario on contact.	World 2-3
	Tokotoko	Moai enemies that quickly shuffle across the ground. They are defeated when stomped or struck by a Superball.	World 3-1	World 3-3	400
	Batadon	Winged Tokotokos that bounce across terrain. Batadons directly chase after Mario. They are defeated when stomped or struck by three Superballs.	World 3-1	World 3-3	800
	Ganchan	Living boulders that bound around. Ganchan cannot be defeated, but they can be stood on and used as platforms to reach distant areas. The boss Hiyoihoi tosses Ganchan.	World 3-1	World 3-3
	Bullet Biff	Bullet Bill relatives launched from Pipe Cannons and Roketon. Bullet Biffs fly across the screen horizontally. They are defeated when stomped.	World 3-1	World 4-3	400
	Suu	Striped spiders. Suu descend from the ceiling on silk to strike Mario. They are defeated when stomped or struck by two Superballs.	World 3-2		400
	Kumo	Hairy spiders that bounce across terrain. They are defeated when stomped or struck by two Superballs.	World 3-2	World 3-3	400
	Pionpi	Undead beings that hop along the ground. Jumping on Pionpi briefly stuns them. They are defeated only when struck by two Superballs.	World 4-1		800
	Pompon Flower	Walking flowers that release toxic pollen. They are defeated when stomped or struck by two Superballs.	World 4-2		800
	Nyololin	Snakes that sit still and spit fire, like Gao. Nyololins are defeated when stumped or struck by a Superball.	World 4-2		800
	Chicken	Helmeted birds that fly through the sky and are released by Biokinton. Contact damages Mario. They are defeated when struck by one of the Sky Pop's missiles.	World 4-3		400
	Roketon	Tatanga's attack pilots. Roketon fire Bullet Biffs backwards as Mario flies past them. They are defeated when struck by a missile.	World 4-3		400
	Chikako	Mid-air, electrical enemies. A Chikako is defeated only when struck by ten missiles, or when touched by Mario in his Invincible form.	World 4-3		800

Obstacles

Image	Name	Description	Levels
			First	Last
	Falling block	Slabs that fall from the ceiling when approached.	World 1-3	World 4-1
	Falling spike	Spikes that fall from the ceiling when approached.	World 3-2
	Pipe Cannon	Cannons that fire Bullet Biffs. Pipe Cannons periodically rise from pipes and recede afterward firing. They do this regardless of Mario's proximity to the pipes. Mario can safely stand on top of a Pipe Cannon.	World 3-1	World 4-2
	Pipe Fist	These fists emerge from pipes like Piranha Plants, though slightly faster. They occur in pairs that alternate their punches. A third Pipe Fist occurs in Hard Mode.	World 4-3
	Poison needles	Spikes laid across the ground. Contact makes Mario lose a life. Long stretches of poison needles can be avoided by hopping across bouncing Ganchan.	World 3-1	World 3-3
	Roto Disc	Spinning flames that encircle blocks. The flame damages Mario on contact.	World 4-2	World 4-3

Bosses

Bosses are listed in the order that they are first encountered. All bosses reward Mario with 5000 points when defeated.

Image	Name	Description	Level
	King Totomesu	This Gao breathes fireballs horizontally and periodically jumps. He is defeated when struck by five Superballs or when the switch behind him is struck.	World 1-3
	Dragonzamasu	A giant Yurarin Boo that swims up and down, shooting fireballs. It is defeated when struck by twenty torpedoes or by striking the switch behind it. Tamao surround the boss.	World 2-3
	Hiyoihoi	Throws Ganchan at Mario. Hiyoihoi is defeated by ten Superballs or by leaping over it on Ganchan to reach the switch.	World 3-3
	Biokinton	A cloud boss the bounces all around the area, releasing Chickens at Mario. To defeat Biokinton, he must be hit with twenty missiles.	World 4-3
	Tatanga	The mysterious alien that kidnapped Princess Daisy. Tatanga hovers around the right-side of the arena in his spaceship Pagosu, firing round projectiles that split into three smaller ones. It takes multiple missiles to destroy the projectiles, making it harder to shoot the ship. Once the Pagosu is destroyed, Tatanga and the boss room vanish.	World 4-3

Items and objects

Items

These are collectibles, pickups, and crafts.

Image	Name	Description
	1UP heart	1UP hearts are found in Mystery Blocks and bricks. Collecting one grants Mario an extra life, though it must be collected before it falls through the ground.
	Coin	Coins may be found in Mystery Blocks as well as in groups. They may also be collected with Superballs. Each coin Mario collects earns him one hundred points, while collecting one hundred coins earns him an extra life.