When it comes to gaming franchises, they don't really get any bigger than Super Mario. Technically debuting in 1981, with Mario first appearing in the arcade game Donkey Kong, the Super Mario franchise has had a constant presence in the video game landscape, and a monumental one at that. Soft toys, board games, spin-offs, manga, TV shows, movies, Mario has appeared in every medium imaginable, and he's been to a lot of different settings along the way.
By far, the most iconic Super Mario location is the Mushroom Kingdom. First appearing in Super Mario Bros. in 1985, the Mushroom Kingdom can be found in nearly every mainline and spin-off Mario title in one form or another, whether it's as a racetrack in Mario Kart, the hub area in Super Mario 64, or the bustling metropolis of the live-action Super Mario Bros. movie. With the Mushroom Kingdom being such an iconic setting, it's easy to forget some of Super Mario's lesser known locations, and Super Mario Land's Sarasaland tends to be one that gets passed over.
The Next Super Mario Should Bring Back Sarasaland
Sarasaland was first introduced with Super Mario Land in 1989. Though Super Mario Land was the first ever handheld Mario title, releasing for the original Game Boy, the game manages to retain the same general look and feel of the original Super Mario Bros. side-scrolling platformer. Rather than traveling across the Mushroom Kingdom, however, Super Mario Land drops the player into Sarasaland, a united country governed by Princess Daisy.
In Super Mario Land, Sarasaland is made up of four distinct kingdoms, each inspired by a real-world location. The Birabuto Kingdom, where players start their adventure, is based on Ancient Egypt, which can be spotted straight away with the first screen in the game showcasing some pyramids and Sphinxes. The Muda Kingdom comes after, being based on Bermuda. The Easton Kingdom is one of Super Mario Land's more memorable areas, being based on Easter Island, and large heads sticking out of the ground. The final Sarasaland kingdom is called Chai Kingdom and is based on ancient China. As opposed to scouring the land for his own love, Peach, Mario is tasked with chasing after Princess Daisy, who has been kidnaped by an alien named Tatanga.
In the decades that have followed Super Mario Land's release, Sarasaland hasn't made a single reappearance in a mainline Mario game. The only appearances Sarasaland has made since its debut is within the WarioWare series, where it occasionally pops up as the background for a microgame. The most recent reference to Sarasaland can be found in WarioWare: Get It Together, where it acts as the backdrop for the "Super Mario Land" microgame, which sees players try to grab the mushroom before Mario can get it. Aside from brief mentions in Daisy's profile in a variety of games, Sarasaland hasn't been seen outside of Super Mario Land or WarioWare.
A new Super Mario title should definitely return players to Sarasaland. On a surface level, Sarasaland features some extremely unique settings that aren't often explored in Mario titles. While a desert and a jungle isn't something players haven't seen in Mario, it's unlikely that they've seen an Easter Island-inspired location, or an area heavily inspired by ancient, mythical China. On top of the exotic location itself, setting a future Super Mario title in Sarasaland would pave the way for Princess Daisy to get a larger part in the narrative and action. It's often the case that Daisy's brought in whenever another side character slot needs to be filled, but the character deserves more than that, having been in the franchise since 1989.
Super Mario Land is available on Game Boy.