Before Super Mario Bros. 2 captured Western audiences in 1988, there was Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, the 1987 Famicom Disk System platformer that started it all. Developed by Nintendo and Fuji Television as a tie-in to the Yume Kōjō '87 technology and media exposition, the game combined imaginative level design with the charm and polish of Nintendo's best platformers. While it wasn't originally part of the Mario series, its creative mechanics and distinct style would soon make it the foundation for one of Nintendo's most fascinating transformations.
In Doki Doki Panic, players choose from four characters - Imajin, Lina, Mana and Papa - each with unique abilities like high jumps, fast throws or floating. The game's storybook presentation, magical environments and vertical exploration stood out at the time. Instead of stomping enemies, you pull up vegetables, toss enemies around and uncover secrets hidden in dreamlike stages. Its visuals and music were heavily inspired by Middle Eastern folklore, creating a unique identity unlike anything else on the Famicom.
InvictusBM Showcase
This video is the reason why I LP'd the original NES version of Super Mario Bros. 2: I wanted to show the difference between this game, released only in Japan, and the Western version which turned into the veggie-throwing Mario classic. Spoiler: there's not many differences.
