1990 Super Bros. 4 is a hack of the Japanese Super Mario Bros. 2 (a.k.a. The Lost Levels).
The game is largely identical to the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros. 2. Aside from an edited title screen, some of the graphics were changed; the graphics were reused from Super Mario Bros. 3, although some sprites are custom. Some of the power-ups have a different use: a Super Mushroom turns Mario into Fire Mario, and a Starman allows Mario to swim in the air.
The game can be played alone or with a friend. It offers 2 different modes: Single game (play only one sport) or Full game (play them all). The player can compete in these sports disciplines:
- 100-meters
- Long Jump
- Shot put
- High Jump
- 400-meters
- 110-meters hurdles
- Discus throw
- Pole vault
- Javelin throw
- 1500-meters
This version of Lemmings saw a reduction from 16-bit to 8-bit, reducing the graphics and sound quality by a considerable amount. SFX are also completely absent, and the intro cutscene has been cut.
Your task is to rescue the Lemmings across 120 levels of fast-paced puzzling. These creatures simply walk blindly through the world in the hope of reaching safety at the end of the level - unfortunately, these levels include steep drops, gaps in the ground, barriers, and rivers amongst other hazards.
You are in control not of any individual Lemming, but of a cross-hair, which can be moved over any of the Lemmings. Along the bottom is a selection of functions that can be assigned to a Lemming, including climbing, floating, and bashing. You must click to select the appropriate function, then click on the Lemming to activate it. Each level has a different range of skills on offer, a different amount of Lemmings, and a different percentage target in order to progress.