BS Super Mario USA
The title of this article is official, but it comes from aJapanese source.
If anacceptable English name is found, then the article should be moved to the new title.
| BS Super Mario USA | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Nintendo EAD,St.GIGA |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Platform(s) | Super Famicom |
| Release date |  1996[?]Part 1 - March 31 Part 2 - April 7 Part 3 - April 14 Part 4 - April 21 |
| Genre | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Format | Super NES:  Satellaview soundlink |
| Input | Super NES: |
BS Super Mario USA is a direct sequel toSuper Mario Bros. 2 (known asSuper Mario USA in Japan) for theSatellaview, an add-on for theSuper Famicom. It was the first platform game of theSuper Mario franchise to make use of the Satellaview's Soundlink features. The gameplay andlevels are essentially the same as in theSuper Mario All-Stars version ofSuper Mario Bros. 2 but with numerous added features and a new plot, presented as a sequel to the original game.
General information[edit]
The game was released in four installments. In each one, the player is sent to a differentSuper Mario Bros. 2 "world". The goal is seemingly to collect thegolden Mario statues located in each level, defeat theboss, and then find and beatWart, who can be battled in any world when going down in anyjar while the player is inSubspace. The player can select the levels in any order and return to the levels as often as desired until the "episode" ends at 50 minutes on the clock.
As the gameplay episode progressed, an audio drama would stream viaSt.GIGA's Satellite radio, which would tell the narrative of the story.
Plot outline[edit]
After the events ofSuper Mario Bros. 2,Mario and friends believeSubcon is all a dream and move on. However,Wart returns and overthrows theKing of Subcon in the heroes' absence. Mario and his friends must once again face the forces of Wart, including theBirdo trio,Mouser,Tryclyde,Fryguy andClawgrip. Both the protagonists and their foes can use the power of the stars (satellites) to their advantage. In addition, Mouser has stolen the golden Mario statues, symbols of peace, and hid them throughout Subcon.[1]
Release information[edit]
Being episodic,BS Super Mario USA was released on a weekly basis.
The four episodes were premiered during these weeks:[2]
| 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.[1]
Differences and additions[edit]
- 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, farmcoins, 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 asMario but character changing is forced in timed events.
- Mario Statues are included. Picking up one of these gives Mario anextra life and fills hisLife 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 inSubspace. Two of them only appear after backtracking toPhanto's room after using thekey. Each statue can be collected only once.
- Entering anyjar in Subspace will lead toWart's chamber. He can be defeated multiple times with each one awarding an extra life.
- Apoints system was added. Points and extra lives can be gained, among other things, by defeatingenemies in various ways. After defeating five enemies whileinvincible, 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 themushrooms,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 intosmall hearts,bombs, or other enemies
- Slow down all enemies (same sound effect as aStop Watch)
- Turn allvegetables into coins
- Grant the playerinvincibility
- One minute ofPower Squat Jump without the need to squat
- The player landing from a jump will have the effect of aPOW 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 ofBirdo eggs or Tryclyde fire
- Wart blows deadly bubbles from under the screen
- The Birdo trio dive attack likeBeezos, but jumping on them causes damage
- Fryguy or a big Phanto 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 giantturnips 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 herLove-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.
- Transformations:
When the time hits :50, gameplay switches to theBonus 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 Power Challenge tournament. Players must get all ten golden Mario statues to be allowed into the ranking with the top player of the week getting a real life golden Mario statue. It was also given to the player with the highest cumulative score from all four broadcasts.[1] 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
The most efficient strategy used by contestants was to collect all the statues and then farm extra lives.
Staff[edit]
- Main article:List of BS Super Mario USA staff
Directed by
- Toshiaki Suzuki
Programmed by
- Shigehiru Kasamatsu
- Yasunori Taketani
- Nobuhito Koganezawa
Gallery[edit]
Sprites[edit]
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
Giant Vegetable
Black Giant Vegetable
Love-Love Fire
Big Kamēn
Flying Birdo (pink)
Flying Birdo (green)
Flying Birdo (red)
Screenshots[edit]
The game opens with a controller config. This stays on the screen until the timer allows the opening cutscene to play.
Luigi standing inWorld 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 inWorld 5-2
Toad fighting Wart with Peach in the background.
Cutscenes[edit]
The return of Wart and his army.
Mario and Toad fighting Wart,Birdo, and the8 bits off withvegetables.
A Red Birdo dreams of the Subcon inhabitants.
Birdo andMouser on a grassland.
Birdo, a Red Birdo andTryclyde on a desert region.
Wart and his army.
Miscellaneous[edit]
Japanese print ad
Music[edit]
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 fromtheSuper Mario World soundtrack andSuper Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3, Hop! Step! Jump! - as well as new, original compositions and jingles - would be used in place of the traditionalSuper Mario USA music. Surprisingly, none of the music is actually remixed or arranged from the originalSuper Mario USA.
Notes[edit]
- The cutscenes depict Mario and Luigi wearing their shirts and overalls in their original color scheme, despite that they have been swapped since 1988.
References[edit]
- ^abcJuly 18, 2020.BSスーパーマリオUSA パワーチャレンジ.Ambelo (Japanese). Retrieved July 2, 2024.
- ^サウンドリンクゲーム一覧.www.dion.ne.jp (Japanese). Archived September 13, 2017, 17:05:01 UTC from the original via Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
External links[edit]
 | The Cutting Room Floor has an article onBS Super Mario USA. |
Footage of game recordings from actual broadcasts. These show how the game plays and the audio drama that accompanies it.
