"I think what makes Super Mario Ultra 2 so great is just Prince Cream, Peach's brother. Cream was a very compelling character. He was a psychic, which meant he could touch someone or something and get a vision of their personal history. Hey, if the Koopa Troop hadn't taken Cream first, I think the story would have been over sooner."
-SuperMarioT,
What Makes Mario Ultra 2 the Best
"
Cream is actually one of the reasons I made this a top 15 as opposed to a top 10, especially since this list includes characters from across the franchise. The idea of a kid with strong psychic powers is what makes him so unique in the world of Mario. It's just too bad we don't see him as often as the other heavily marketed characters. Especially since I think it would have been fun to have a game focusing on all his psychic powers."
-Nathaniel Bandy
, Top 15 Super Mario characters
"Does someone wants to hurt you?"
"Yes."
-Catherine Cavadini as Princess Peach and Eli Marienthal as Prince Cream,
Super Mario Ultra 2
"We were going to use this star on the tree. But since you found the angel we normally use, you can have it instead."
-Father Patrick in unspoken dialogue in Freezyton Village,
Super Mario Ultra 2
"Where is everyone, Mama?"
"Everything is empty."
"I don't know, sweeties. What do you think, Honey?"
"I guess this isn't a busier time of day. I read the map and it said it's open about now."
-Tara Charendoff as Harry, Grey DeLisle as Jerry, Russi Taylor as Toadette, and Wayne Allwine as Toad,
Super Mario Ultra 2
"Do you really think I'd just let him warn your pathetic princess that we were coming? Imagine if we came, and they had a bunch of tanks with them!"
-Michael Bell as Kamek,
Super Mario Ultra 2
Super Mario Ultra 2 (1999)
Release Date: July 14, 1999
Platform: Nintendo-Sony Playstation
Developer: Nintendo EAD
A direct sequel to Super Mario Ultra, this game differs from its predecessor in certain ways. One is the use of many traditional Mario power-ups, especially the fire flower, in the place of kicks and punches. Second, the worlds are a bit larger and harder. Third, the hub world has more secret levels, which usually are hinted at by Cream or the Toad Twins Harry and Jerry.
Most of the courses are ones from several levels that were originally made for Mario Ultra, but then cut out. In these courses, new missions include a game of hide-and-seek with Toad's sons, following Peach's brother Cream to entrances to 2D platforming sections he alone knows about, or riding on Yoshi in races. Each world has has at least ones boss. Typically a Koopaling but also at times another sort of enemy. Plus the obligatory Bowser fights at about at the 1/3 point.
Gameplay
The Wing, Metal, and Invisibility caps returns from Mario Ultra. As do several items from the 2D games, namely the Fire Flower, Ice Flower, Invincibility Star, Frog Suit, and Tanooki Suit. The Fire Flower is usually used to burn up obstacles or light fires, and replaces Mario's punch attack when he uses it. The Ice Flower is similar to the fire flower, but Mario can then pick up a frozen enemy and throw it in one direction. The Tanooki suit mainly acts as a way for Mario and Luigi to disable tougher enemies before jumping on them. The Frog suit lets them swim faster and more agilely.
Levels
The levels here are mainly those of OTL's famous fan game
Super Mario 64: Last Impact, but with each having one boss mission, and the star count being grown to 10, which was allowed by virtue of having the knowledge of how far the Playstation's technology could be flogged. These new missions include boss fights, encounters with the Toads, and 2D sections unearthed by Cream.
Much like Peach's Castle in the first Ultra, Port Able is divided in five areas where all the levels are accessed.
Town Park
- Wildlife Valley: The same level from OTL's Last Impact. Though here there are some missions where Mario first uses the fire flower to help set a fire in some homes. The boss here is Larry Koopa.
- Feezyton Village: A village that has been preparing for Christmas. Among other chores, you must help the church pastor, Father Patrick, with parts for a nativity scene. Or help decorate the tree. Notably, Father Patrick's model is modified from the Happy Mask Salesman in the Playstation Zelda titles (Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask).
- Stonesnake Shatters: The same level as OTL, with more emphasis on a jetpack called Jetty. Jetty eventually evolves into FLUDD from Super Mario Sunshine. The boss is the same dragon thing as OTL.
- Super Sweet Sugarland: At level accessed through the oven of a café. Yoshi is ridden a lot here and many missions involve him eating the food. The boss here is Lemmy, who throws pie at you as they are thrown back with the Raccoon Leaf.
First major boss: You put up against Boom-Boom.
Waterfront
- Sunset Islet: The beach level from OTL's Last Impact. Here, the Fire Flower mission is replaced with the introduction of the Ice Flower. Which Mario first uses to help a put-upon snack bar worker. The boss is Morton Jr.
- Big Beast’s Belly: The boss is Ludwig, who is causing stomach pains for the beast.
- Crystal Caves: The same Last Impact level from OTL.
- Sky High Islands: Mostly the same as OTL
Commercial Center
- Agent Alleyways: A crime and spy themed level. Where Mario first uses the invisibility cap and takes on a mob boss in a fight.
- Melty Molten Mountains: Largely the same as OTL's Last Impact level.
- Bouncy Shroom Valley: Here, Mario first finds the metal cap so he won't have to bounce all over the place. The boss here is a big bad bird.
- Dusky Doomed Dale: The Tanooki Suit is used a lot, mainly in the fight with Kamek.
Special Boss Battle 2: You fight Pom-Pom
Industrial Front
- Abandoned Outpost: The same level as OTL's Last Impact. The boss here is Iggy who has a laser gun.
- Calico Junction: A large train yard based on the Union Pacific's steam engine facility in Cheyenne, and the Norfolk and Western Roanoke Shops. Mario accesses it when the engineer of the train he rode in on offers him a free ride to the level. Here, Mario uses the fire flower to start the fires of all the steam trains in the roundhouse. Mario also uses the Tanooki Suit to apply the manual brakes on a runaway train.
- Harried Honey Hive: The boss here is Wendy Koopa.
- Gamble Game Galley: The boss is a large robot who has gone haywire.
Third major boss: All three kinds of Bros. Hammer, Fire, and Boomerang.
Town Square
- Colossal Circuit: The same as OTL with the obligatory 3 additional stars. The boss is again the same.
- Livid Surreal Dream: Again, mostly the same as OTL. But with twists like Ice Flowers giving you Fire powers and vice versa.
- The Spacelands: Same as OTL's Rainbow Road Level but with less of a rainbow motif.
- Queasy Cliffs: A levels based on Andean Mountains where Mario must travel across bridges or first use the wing cap in a race with a dragon. The boss here is Roy.
Final Boss: Bowser and Kamek together.
Also, the Secret Levels from OTL's Last Impact are featured.
Plot
The story focuses on Mario and Luigi going to join Peach, her brother Prince Cream and father King Henry, Toad's family: him, his wife Toadette, and twins, and Yoshi on a trip to a resort town called Port Able. When they arrive however, the place is almost abandoned. Cream, who has strong psychic powers, deduces that the Koopa Troop is nearby, and planning to attack. As such, Mario and Luigi immediately set to work on trying to stop Bowser by going through the numerous worlds...
They are able to take care of many parts of the world. But a while in, Cream is abducted by Kamek, knowing that Cream could try and telepathically warn them when Bowser kidnaps Peach, whereas Henry as been temporarily immobilized. Peach tries to save Cream and almost succeeds, but is forced to give up and rely on the Marios. Mario and Luigi continue to fight on with the Toad family and Yoshi's help. Eventually reaching Bowser and defeating him, Kamek, and the Koopalings. Bowser and Kamek lose hilariously, Cream is saved, and the entire groups begins their well-earned rest.
Development
A direct sequel to
Super Mario Ultra was planned immediately after its success. In July 1996 Nintendo insiders stated that Miyamoto was assembling a team to work on a
Super Mario Ultra sequel, consisting mostly of developers who had worked on the original
Super Mario Ultra. Miyamoto mentioned at E3's 1997 convention that he was "just getting started" on the project. But due to work on
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Miyamoto chose to appoint his protege Yoshiaki Koizumi as the lead so Miyamoto could work on other things.
The original idea for Prince Cream began when someone proposed the idea of Toad having a pair of twins who could telepathically communicate with each other and their peers. This in turn also stemmed from Yoshi having a larger role, where he would have even talked often. However, Miyamoto felt that this would make more sense if the character was a relative of a more important character, specifically suggesting the princess as said relative.
Cream's design was mainly based of that of Kid Link in the Legend of Zelda's Playstation titles. But then in his sketches of the character, Koizumi gave him orange hair, rounder ears, a smaller more button-like nose, and an all around cuter design. His outfit originally was fairly similar in design to Disney's Pinocchio. But this was eventually changed to a light blue polo shirt, demin jeans, a ruby bracelet, and a silver version of Peach's crown. The idea of him being a psychic came from when they were developing his persona. The original Cream was more akin to the cheeky and mischevious Huey, Dewey, and Louie for Disney Duck fame. But Koizumi felt this made him too unlikable, and having recently seen the 1998 film
Ringu, suggested that they make him a child psychic like Yoichi Asakawa, the psychic child of the main characters in said film. The rest as they say is history.
Reception
Ultra 2 is considered on the best Mario games ever made. Especially compared to its predecessor. Particular points of praise included the triumphant return of iconic Mario elements liek the Fire Flower and Koopalings. As well as have an uncharacteristically compelling plot, which was mainly penned by Yoshiaki Koizumi.
Super Mario Ultra 2 sold 16 million copies. Roughly 50% more than its predecessor. Placing it as the all time best selling Nintendo Playstaion game.
Prince Cream is to this day a fan favorite. Many people praised the spectacle of a psychic character in the Mario franchise. As well as Eli Marienthal's voice work as the character, which captured his childish innocence and surprisingly deep characterization.