A save feature makes this game much more playable,improved visuals make it look more charming.It's game play is fun.
I must admit,I wasn't a big fan of Super Mario Bros 2 for NES because the developers changed the game play formula that made the original Super Mario Bros such a fun game.
However,I found Super Mario Advance(which is a remake of Super Mario Bros 2)to be a lot more fun and a lot more playable than the NES version of Super Mario Bros 2 because of two main reasons.
1.Super Mario Advance allows you to save your progress
2.The graphics are improved and the enemies look bigger and more detailed
For those who haven't played Super Mario Bros 2,it's a 2D Mario plat former but instead of focusing on moving from left to right the emphasis with Super Mario Bros 2's game play involves doing more exploring and it's levels are designed so you'll need to run/climb/jump left,upwards,downwards and right because it's levels are set up like mazes with lots of passage ways and areas to explore and you'll need to search for keys to unlock certain doors as well as find your way to the end of the levels.When you jump on enemies it doesn't kill them but allows you to pick them up and you can throw them at enemies.You can throw items such as fruit on the ground and keys at enemies.Some of the bigger enemies cannot be picked up but you can jump on them to move across them.Your character(you can choose to play as Mario,Luigi,Peach,Toad)can withstand at least 3 hits if you find extra hearts(I can't remember how much exactly)unlike in the other 2D Mario games in which Mario can withstand a max of 2 hits until he finds more power ups.There is no fire flower power up.You can use the pow box which was in the original Mario Bros game to defeat multiple enemies quickly if you jump near it and they are near.However,the enemies in Super Mario Bros 2 move much more quickly than in the original Super Mario Bros and at times you'll be surrounded by lots of enemies and because you can't kill them by simply jumping on them means you'll need to time your jumps well if you try to jump in between them,over them or on them.
The inclusion of a save feature made me appreciate Super Mario Bros 2 qualities much more because I don't have to restart the game if I lose all my lives,and like I said this game is not easy.Some of the boss battles require delicate timing because they throw fast projectile at you and you'll need to jump on those projectiles so you can throw the projectiles at the boss and some bosses attack you from the air at awkward angles and some bosses throw numerous projectiles at you from above at awkward angles.Also,some enemies attack you from the air at awkward angles.And there's some testing platforming segments in the game in which you'll need to deal with aerial enemies as well as delicate platform jumps and segments in which you need to climb ladders/ropes and switch to different ladders/ropes/platforms whilst dodging enemies that move up and down the ladders/ropes very fast and there's segments you have to avoid numerous fast moving enemies that guard areas.
I did find this version of the game quite fun and worth playing because it's very different to the other 2D Mario games.
The different characters have different stats and advantages/disadvantages such as how far they can jump or how long they stay in the air when they jump(which allows you to make platform jumps easier but leaves you more vulnerable to enemies)or how fast they can move
The story for the game isn't about Peach getting kidnapped but I won't spoil it for you.
Interestingly,this game wasn't meant to be a Mario game but Mario and his buddies found their way into this game.
The art style for the visuals is charming and so is the way the levels are set out.
Overall,this game is fun,but it's far from being the best Mario game and it's not even a great Mario game,it's fun for a while and playable and has charm.