BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge

BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge
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Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Distributor(s)	St.GIGA
First Broadcast(s)	March 31, 1996 (Week 1) April 7, 1996 (Week 2) April 14, 1996 (Week 3) April 21, 1996 (Week 4)
Hours	18:00-19:00, 25:00-26:00
Download location(s)	Event Square Bagupotamia Temple
Rerun(s)	June 3, 1996 - June 29, 1996
Required hardware	8M Memory Pack

BS Super Mario USA (ＢＳスーパーマリオＵＳＡ パワーチャレンジ) is a remake (pseudo-sequel) of Super Mario USA (which is based on the American version of Super Mario Bros. 2) for the Satellaview, an add-on for the Super Famicom. It was the first Mario platformer game to make use of the Satellaview's SoundLink features.

General info

The gameplay is essentially the same as the SNES version of Super Mario Bros. 2.

The game was released in four installments. In each one, the play was sent to a different SMUSA "World." The goal was seemingly to collect the Gold Mario Statues located in each level, defeat the boss, and then find and beat Wart, who was now hidden in areas where Warp Zones were previously. The player could select the levels in any order and return to the levels as often as desired until the "episode" ended at around :50 minutes on the clock.

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 outline

The plotline seems to take place after the original Super Mario USA.

The King of Subcon placed Gold Statues of Mario around his kingdom as thanks for the previous time he defeated Wart. However, the Birdo trio, Mouser, Tryclyde, Fryguy and Clawglip are apparently stealing them.

Differences/additions

Numerous differences exist between BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge and Super Mario USA. Among them:

• The game has a built-in clock (meant to be in sync with real-time) that has the game start at around :05 minutes in and end at around :50 minutes in.
• The player starts the game off as Mario. Character changing is forcibly done via timed events.
• An interesting new feature is the addition of Mario Statues. 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 Subspace. Levels can be played over again in order to obtain all of the statues. It is unknown whether there is a reward for collecting them all.
• Coins were added to levels.
• The "Today's Results Screen" temporarily records the Mushrooms, Cherries, Coins, Mario Statues, defeated bosses, and current level.
• A points system was added. Points can be gained, among other things, by defeating enemies in various ways.
• 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. Other events may include powerups, power-downs, obstacle-spawnings, or the revealing of secrets.

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Release info

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

The four episodes were premiered during these weeks:

Date/Date Range	Japanese	Rōmaji	Translation
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 Super Mario USA Power Challenge Dai-1-kai "Atashitachi, Super-Katherines!" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 1 Volume of "We, the Super-Birdos!"
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 Super Mario USA Power Challenge Dai-2-kai "Gabucho mo Bikkuri Ryuusa no Himitsu" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 2 Volume of "Secrets of the Quicksand that Surprises Even Tryclyde"
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 Super Mario USA Power Challenge Dai-3-kai "Koori no Umi de Hībōbō" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 3 Volume of "FryGuy at the Sea of Ice"
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 Super Mario USA Power Challenge Dai-4-kai "Mamū no Wana, Ayaushi Super Mario Brothers" no Maki	BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge Episode 4 Volume of "Watch Out for Wart's Trap, Super Mario Bros."

The time-frame in which these episodes were featured was likely 7PM. They were rebroadcast multiple times, but as a full schedule of releases for the Satellaview is not available, it is uncertain exactly how many times.

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. Surprisingly, none of the music is actually remixed or arranged from the original Super Mario USA.

Cameos

• In Satellawalker 2 - Satebou wo Sukuedase!, BS Super Mario USA's Event Plaza, the giant Birdo tower, is one of the decaying Event Plaza buildings hidden under the lake.

External links

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

• Footage #1 - Original VHS clips from Week 1 circa 1996.
• Footage #2 - Original VHS clips from Week 4 circa 1996.