May 29th, 2006, 11:50 PM
Okay, completed all of the levels, collected and spent every Star Coin. Review time:
Gameplay:
Simple as always. Mario can now perform some abilities he had in recent games like the triple jump, in addition to his signature gameplay that originated in his NES days. Super Mushrooms and Fire Flowers return, in addition to three new forms; Mega Mario (a giant form that acts as a means to destroy everything in your path, accumulating 1-Ups as destruction builds up, and one of the game's selling points), Mini Mario (basically standard Mario, but even smaller, with the ability to walk on water and jump even higher), and Shell Mario (acts as a thrown Koopa shell when he runs fast enough, can duck to protect himself from enemies, and is a better swimmer). Some aspects of the level design affect the gameplay as well, such as mushrooms you can bounce on. Music also has an effect on gameplay, as you will see later.
Graphics: A mix of 2-D backgrounds and 3-D models. The colors are vibriant, and fit the game nicely. The enviroments are varied as well, from the sunny fields to the dark castles. There's also a nice touch with rooms full of lava, where you can see small flames other than Podoboos shoot up constantly in the air.
Sounds and Music: Wonderful! Some sound effects come straight from the NES games, and so does the music. Unlike the Super Mario Advance games, Mario doesn't say things like, "Just what I needed!", although there are still plenty of voice clips in the game. The music in World 7's map reminds me of that of the bramble stages in Donkey Kong Country 2, and the music in later stages of World 8 made me think of Gunstar Heroes. There are some nice touches here as well. While Mario makes galloping noises while he walks on most surfaces, Bowser Jr. makes little squeaking noises when he walks. Clearing The music also has certain beats that a few reoccuring enemies react to, like Goombas hopping, Cheep Cheeps spinning, etc.
Replay value: This game is addcting. There are 18 hidden exits in the game, and there are 240 Star Coins hidden in the game, 3 in each level. There are also minigames included in the game, most of them comming from Super Mario 64 DS. Wario and Yoshi also make appearances in the minigame mode as well.
Overall: The game really keeps true to Mario's platforming legacy, while adding lots of new stuff into the gameplay. A lot of neat touches, such as music affecting the enemies, also enhance the gaming experience. Plus, it's always fun to run around as Mega Mario. All in all, a classic in the making.
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Linear Mode
