History VideoGame / MarioGivesUp

* NintendoHard: Moreso than the original game. One of the ''first levels'' you can play is pretty much [[ThatOneLevel Tubular 2.0]]. Thankfully, that level is completely optional, and the game proper doesn't start picking up the difficulty until World 4.

* RussianReversal: [[spoiler:Just before the BonusBoss fight against a giant key, a text box appears saying “In Soviet Russia, Key uses you!”]]

* BonusBoss: A rare platformer example--heading to the optional level mentioned below after getting all four switch blocks allows you to reach an area where you fight [[spoiler:the Key Boss]].

* {{Nerf}}: The cape no longer allows you to fly. YMMV on whether or not this is a good thing.

* TakeThat: The entire fourth world, which takes place in the desert, is a ''massive'' example of this, explicitly calling out BP Oil for its recklessness and [[GreenAesop taking a very dim view of drilling for oil in general]]. The boss of the world is a sentient oil drum [[ThatOneBoss that can and will kick your ass the first several times you fight it]].

* ShoutOut: Castle 2 is a huge one to ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.

''Mario Gives Up'' is a ROM hack of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' with a few major twists. First and foremost, Mario has Peach marched off to her death into [[spoiler:prop]] lava at the beginning (hence the title - he's given up on her). He then goes on an adventure for no reason at all, followed by a ghost the entire time. Second, without a Princess to kidnap, Bowser and the Koopalings have very little role to play in the plot, and bow out entirely in favor of a slew of completely unique bosses. [[spoiler:...then Bowser shows up to play the role of the FinalBoss as usual at the very end.]]

!! Tropes in Mario Gives Up:

* RussianReversal: [[spoiler:In Soviet Russia, Key uses you!]]

''Mario Gives Up'' is a ROM hack of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' with a few major twists. First and foremost, Mario has Peach marched off to her death at the beginning (hence the title - he's given up on her). He then goes on an adventure for no reason at all, followed by a ghost the entire time. Second, without a Princess to kidnap, Bowser and the Koopalings have very little role to play in the plot, and bow out entirely in favor of a slew of completely unique bosses. [[spoiler:..then Bowser shows up to play the role of the FinalBoss as usual at the very end.]]

* VillainsOutShopping: The final battle is initiated by [[spoiler:Mario interrupting Bowser watching {{Seinfeld}} and smashing his TV [[{{Jerkass}} for no good reason]].]]

* GreenAesop: The game has a few minor, yet blatant examples -- see TakeThat below.

* PlatformHell: Gloriously averted. The game is definitely harder than the original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', has FakeDifficulty at a few points, and goes screaming into the depths of NintendoHard towards the end of World 4, but it never reaches the level of "completely unfair" made notorious by ''KaizoMarioWorld'' and its successors. You do have to know Mario's abilities very well to get through the later levels, but you're never required to pull off nigh-impossible stunts except in a few bonus levels.

* TakeThat: The entire fourth world, which takes place in the desert, is a ''massive'' example of a TakeThat, explicitly calling out BP Oil for its recklessness and [[GreenAesop taking a very dim view of drilling for oil in general]]. The boss of the world is a sentient oil drum [[ThatOneBoss that can and will kick your ass the first several times you fight it]].
** World 3, a forest, has a mild TakeThat against the logging industry.
* [[spoiler:VillainsOutShopping: The final battle is initiated by Mario interrupting Bowser watching {{Seinfeld}} and smashing his TV [[{{Jerkass}} for no good reason]].]]

* ShoutOut: Castle 2 is a huge ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' ShoutOut.

* ShoutOut: Castle 2 is a huge KingOfTheHill ShoutOut.

''Mario Gives Up'' is a ROM hack of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' with a few major twists. First and foremost, Mario has Peach marched off to her death at the beginning (hence the title - he's given up on her). He then goes on an adventure for no reason at all, followed by a ghost the entire time. Second, without a Princess to kidnap, Bowser and the Koopalings have very little role to play in the plot, and bow out entirely in favor of a slew of completely unique bosses.[[spoiler:..then Bowser shows up to play the role of the FinalBoss as usual at the very end.]]

* InSovietRussiaTropeMocksYou: [[spoiler:In Soviet Russia, Key uses you!]]

* [[spoiler:VillainsOutShopping: The final battle is Mario interrupting Bowser watching {{Seinfeld}} and smashing his TV [[{{Jerkass}} for no good reason]].]]

!! Tropes in Mario Gives Up 2:

* PlatformHell: Gloriously averted. The game is definitely harder than the original ''SuperMarioWorld'', has FakeDifficulty at a few points, and goes screaming into the depths of NintendoHard towards the end of World 4, but it never reaches the level of "completely unfair" made notorious by ''KaizoMarioWorld'' and its successors. You do have to know Mario's abilities very well to get through the later levels, but you're never required to pull off nigh-impossible stunts except in a few bonus levels.