The world's favorite plumber makes his first appearance (along with playable characters Luigi, Peach, and Toad) on the Game Boy Advance, and, for the most part, Mario's arrival is welcome indeed. Super Mario Advance is primarily a slightly tweaked port of Super Mario Bros. 2, the (still) very popular side scroller from the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). So expect plenty of running, jumping, and hurling of items at many a foe. The game's graphics and sound have been a given a nice overhaul from the original game, and are clear and bright enough to please old-school and new fans alike. While Nintendo did a good job shrinking the visuals down to handheld size, the tiny GBA screen can get very busy at times, making accidental death due to sometimes less-than-precise controls frustratingly frequent--at least in the beginning. Most gamers should overcome such mishaps with a little patience. Also included is the still fun, if forgettable, original Mario Bros. game from many eons ago. Up to four players can engage in a coin-collecting battle mode or the classic mode. Super Mario Advance isn't the game to show off the power of the GBA, but it is a long, fun title that will satisfy today's gamers with a taste from the best of Mario's past. --Mark Brooks Pros: One of the best NES games is faithfully ported Upgraded sound and graphics Gameplay is easy to get into Cons: Somewhat loose controls Neither fresh nor original for those who've played the NES version