The length of Super Mario Bros. 2 depends on whether you mean the North American/European version (1988) or the Japanese version, known as The Lost Levels (1986). Here’s a breakdown:
🇺🇸 North America / Europe – Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988, NES)
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Main Story (beating the final boss, Wart): ~4–6 hours for an average player
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Exploring all levels / collecting hidden items: ~6–8 hours
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Replayability: Some players spend extra time mastering each character (Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad)
🇯🇵 Japan – Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (1986, Famicom)
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Main Story: ~3–5 hours
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Full completion / all tricky levels: 6–10 hours
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Known for its higher difficulty, so players often take longer than the North American version.
⚡ Notes
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Both versions are NES platformers, so the total playtime is relatively short compared to modern 3D Mario games.
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Speedrunners can finish either game in under 30 minutes, but casual play is much longer.
✅ Answer in short:
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NA/EU Mario 2: ~4–6 hours for the main story
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Japan Lost Levels: ~3–5 hours for the main story, longer if completing all levels