A "LMX" Review
So, we are only weeks away from Mario’s next big game and unless you’ve been living under a rock you have no doubt heard about it. Super Mario Galaxy is promising to be a worthy successor to the awe-inspiring game that is Super Mario 64, which is the game I will be reviewing today. Mario 64 is the game that truly bought the gaming world into the third dimension. It had everything a great 3-D platformer could ask for: a ton of worlds, and plenty of long-lived fun to be had.
When you first popped this baby in your N64, you were greeted with colours and a lot of them at that. The visuals that are featured in Mario 64 are purely groundbreaking for its time. You may look on it now and shrug your shoulders but when you first got the game you have to admit you were blown away. From the aquatic environment of Wet Dry World to the dark and moody environment of Bowser in the Dark World, each area presented a unique style that really amazed my eyes. In it’s day there was really no competition that could beat what Mario 64 had done visually, it gave us everything we wanted from a game. As soon as you start the game you are treated to a wide open yard in front of Princess Peach’s massive castle, whom Mario has of course come to visit… no doubt because of the promise of cake. And upon arriving you find out the one and only Bowser has taken Peach hostage and scattered 120 Stars throughout its rooms, turning worlds in paintings that Mario must leap headfirst into and explore.
Stop slacking off Mario.
The castle itself is a treat to look at; colourful walls greet your eyes with familiar Mario clouds and green hills that those who have played Super Mario Bros. 3 should remember. The best thing is, even areas that seem very similar in nature are in fact completely different. Jolly Roger Bay and Wet Dry World are both water-based levels. But one allows diving into the depths of the bay and exploring the ocean floor, the other expects you to collect stars by continuously raising and lowering the water level.
However the gameplay is where it really shines, a lot would have been doubtful as to whether the elements of the original Mario Bros. Games could successfully be brought over into a big, open world such as the one provided in Mario 64. But the game well and truly addresses those annoying little doubts and then some, showing us that the classic formula can be done again and in a completely new world. There are many different objectives to complete; however this is where one of my complaints comes into the games. Anyone who has played both of the 3-D Mario titles will know when I mention it. Red Coins, quite frankly this being repeated once every world is annoying. Collecting all 8 Red Coins should be an optional star just like collecting 100 coins per area. And Mario 64 is no different; I found it somewhat tiresome to find all 8 Red Coins every single time I went to a new area. But that is only a forced gripe because it wasn’t too big of a deal because I would have ended up getting them eventually to get all 120.
The platforming elements remain perfectly in tact despite the new style Mario is featured in. The classic features are still present, such as collecting coins to get extra lives although it was made much easier and granting one extra life per fifty coins you collect in a world. And the 1-Up Mushrooms gained some intelligence being able to run away from us now they are in a 3-D world, damn them!
That’s right, apparently coins allow you to survive underwater.
Controls are yet another strong point of this game, using the joystick felt so natural for this game. The jumping, double jumping and triple jumping all work well with the classic platforming action and allow you to get around the worlds without much trouble at all. You certainly won’t be sitting there scratching your head trying to figure out how to get places. Sometimes you’ll need to hold down Z and press A to do a back flip to reach a hole in a wall too high for a regular jump. Or even running and jumping at the wall and tapping A again as you hit the wall to do a wall jump, one element that has stuck with Mario ever since this game.
Only problem I had control-wise was the controls of the camera in the game, maybe it was just me but at times they felt somewhat awkward. Now, this is probably because Nintendo had only just entered the 3-D arena so it would hardly be something that I could hold against the game. But it became annoying when I was trying to rotate the camera and hearing the buzzer go off saying I can’t go any further that way so I’d have to go back the other way.
Another minor complaint is when fighting Bowser and you have to rotate the joystick to throw him off. Granted this is more an issue with the control itself as opposed to the game but it really was quite uncomfortable using the joystick to rotate, mostly due to how the joystick itself is made (this point would be further experienced during the final boss fight in Conker’s Bad Fur Day). That being said, the controls work well besides a few nagging problems. This is impressive considering that prior to this Nintendo hadn’t tried their hand at 3-D gaming so to get it down this well on their first try is a show of true skill, or really good luck.
Dede de dede de duh! Ah, audio. Mario theme. Timeless classic. This has always been one of the Mario franchises greatest areas. Then again, the same can be said for almost any Nintendo game (Metroid, Zelda, ect.) and this title does not disappoint. A soundtrack that is stuffed full of new tracks that will impress any gamer, and others that are clever remixes of old school Mario songs that will make your inner fanboy satisfied. For example, my personal favourite is Bowser’s theme, which is a hybrid of the Underground Theme and Bowser’s music. It made my ears cry tears of joy, and yes… my ears can do that. Yours need to learn how to so you can truly appreciate such music. Koji Kondo comes through for us once again with a piece of musical brilliance.
The sound effects are also as you expected. The coin sound returns, as does the typical 1-Up chime. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because if it isn’t broke then it does not require fixing. I’d have been a bit confused to come into the game to find Mario’s jumping sound had a completely new spin on it.
He’s got balls to take on the Chain Chomp like this.
After all is said and done this game is one of Mario’s greatest games to date. The question on everyone’s mind is whether or not Mario Galaxy has got what it takes to beat this game. Sunshine tried (which I will review in a week and a half) and failed, next up to the plate is Galaxy. So far its looking good but there is no way to tell until we have the game in our own hands. Look out for my Galaxy review in a month’s time readers.
Star get!
He is far too athletic for his own good, what’s he taking? I want some.
Pros
+Mario makes his mark on the 3-D Platforming world.
+120 Stars scattered over 15 worlds
+Good soundtrack for newbies and fanboys
+Yoshi gives you a bonus for all 120 stars
Cons
-Camera can get annoying at times.
-Repetitive Bowser fights.
-Rainbow Ride is so broken, lol.
The scores.
Story: 8/10
-It’s a Mario game… Bowser takes Peach; Mario needs to save Peach by collecting 120 stars. Still fun though.
Visuals: 9.5/10
Groundbreaking for its time. First 3-D Mario game.
Gameplay: 9/10
-You shouldn’t get bored of this game for awhile, its gameplay really shines.
Controls: 8.5/10
-Great controls, really compliment the platforming. Camera somewhat annoying.
Audio: 9.5/10
-Mario newbies and hardcore fanboys rejoice. You will both enjoy the soundtrack.
Replay Value: 9/10
-Finished the core story? Well, that’s all good in well, you’ve probably got about 60 stars… go back and get all 120!
Overall: 9/10
-Mario in style. Not better than Mario Bros. 3, but better than every other Mario game to date.
Review by LemonManX
