Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Super Mario Bros. 2 / スーパーマリオUSA - CM Battle!

Welcome once again to CM Battle, where we take a look at both the American and Japanese versions of commercials of the games we hold dear. Today is Super Mario Bros. 2... or Super Mario USA in Japan.




You see, as accidentally shown in our last edition of CM Battle (and as many of you already know), the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2 was a VERY different creature. And to top it all off, what became the American version started off as a game called Yume Koujou Doki Doki Panic (夢工場ドキドキパニック):




Even here, however, they are sure to make a connection between the Yume Koujou property and Mario, even going so far as to offer a complimentary calling card for the occaision (and as Japanese land-line companies charge by the minute, this is no small charity)!



However, at some point, it was decided that the aforementioned Japanese SMB2 was too hard (a selling point in the commercial) and reskinned and updated Doki Doki to resemble a Mario game, and here we are! The very game that I ALMOST won in a Channel 20 "20th Caller" call-in contest (I called and I called and I called, and when I finally got something other than a "too busy" recording, I got nervous and didn't answer their questions)!

So, without further ado, HERE ARE THE CMs!


American Version



Japanese Version


Conclusion:

Well, to me, the American version is pretty plain. All it does is kinda sorta go over the terrain you'd be going through in the game. Sure, it showed gameplay, but it was an overall plain presentaition.

Granted, that's all we needed in America in 1988, but still.

The Japanese version, however, takes a rather different turn.

Instead, it focuses on the sexuality of Birdo (or Catherine, as the Japanese commercial says). This would have been a rather unheard of thing to do on children's TV in 1988. So... kudos?

In conclusion, the Japanese version is MUCH more interesting, if mereley for shock value.

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