Super Mario Land

The Good
The levels in this game are pretty well designed. There are memorable moments like the submarine level (think Mario meets R-Type) and the boulder jumping in kingdom 3. The music is pretty memorable albeit a bit repetitive. Another nice thing about Super Mario Land is since it takes place outside the mushroom kingdom, the enemies are a bit different than your normal fare. The Koopa Trooper-esque enemies turn into time bombs after you squash them. There are also some interesting bosses here such as a seahorse and a sphinx.

The Bad
The controls are NOT like the console Mario games of the same era. It will take players a while to get used to the controls. Jumps need to be very precise and, often times, you'll wonder why you couldn't make it to a platform that seemed relatively easy to reach.

Also, the length of the game is unacceptable. Coming in at a mere 12 levels, this game will not last long once it is mastered. Granted this is a first generation title for Nintendo's first cartridge-based handheld, but it just seems like the game could've had a few more levels.

The Bottom Line
A nice start for the Mario Land franchise, but it has not aged well whereas the console titles have. Try it for the historical significance more than the game itself.