Donkey Kong has carried Pauline away, and the opening stages resemble the classic arcade chase. Soon, however, the game expands into a long series of compact puzzle rooms. Mario must usually find a key and carry it to a locked exit, negotiating enemies, ladders, switches, and temporary structures along the way.
His expanded moves include handstands and acrobatic jumps, making movement itself part of the puzzle toolkit. Carrying an object changes what you can do, so route planning matters as much as reflexes. The stages stay short enough for quick experiments while introducing ideas at an impressively generous pace.
