Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga Review

The big End of the Year Review!



In 1996, Nintendo and Square Enix came out with the first Mario RPG on the SNES. Later in 2001, Paper Mario came out. While we waited for the next Paper Mario on GCN, which would not arrive until 2004, Nintendo treated us to a portable Mario Adventure. What we didn't know is that it would be one of the greatest games of all time.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga starts off with a very humorous catch: an evil witch Cackletta has stolen Peach's voice for her own nefarious reasons, so Mario and Luigi journey to the Beanbean Kingdom. The RPG action works like Paper Mario and even Super Mario RPG, but you control Mario with A and Luigi with B. The game focuses heavilly on timed button presses: jump at the right moment when an enemy throws something at you and you can avoid damage completely, or if you press the Jump button right before attacking, you can deal more damage on the enemy. There are also fancy Bros Attacks that are multi-button combos. There are only 8 Bro Attacks, but they're so fun to do that you most likely won't notice.

Nearly every element of SS is perfect. The plot is gut-bustingly hilarious with many quotable lines, the pacing is perfect for any style of gamer, the areas are well-designed, and the enemies are some of the most creative in the genre, from a Christmas Tree Hermit Crab to a gladiator made of soda. Every character is well thought-out and has very convincing personalities. SS is also a homage to the Mario series in general, with many cameos and gameplay parts sure to set the nostalgia glands on haywire.

The Graphics are goregeous, with every thing in the game full of emotion, plus it adds to the humor. The music is also up with other GBA greats; Alphadream really nailed the musical feel of Super Mario RPG and then some.

Pulling any critisizm on this game would be nagging, but you could say the game is a bit on the short side. SS is very replayable, however, with multiple ways to approach it.

VERDICT
Gameplay: An RPG that manages to emulate many other gameplay styles, while still being true to the source material. Brilliant stuff. 10
Graphics: Well-animated and very humorous to look at. 10
Audio: Excellent. A great listen. 10
Overall: Never before have I played a game that excels at nearly everything it does. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is so good, that I would go to such lengths as saying it is the culmination of RPGing in general. If you do not own this game, you are truly missing out on something special.

10 out of 10

Favorite Games for each System

Just thought I'd like to post the list of my favorite games per system. Here they are:

NES: Mega Man 4


SNES: Super Metroid


N64: Super Mario 64


GCN: Kirby Air Ride


Wii: Super Mario Galaxy 2


GB/C: Pokemon Red


GBA: Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga


DS: Pokemon SoulSilver (Even though Warioware DIY comes pretty close to 1st)

Kirby's Epic Yarn Review

Nintendo loves to keep us waiting. The last console Kirby game was 2003's rather excellent Kirby Air Ride, but since then the little guy's been demoted to the handhelds. But Nintendo, partnered with Good-Feel, set to change that on the Wii; and Kirby's Epic Yarn is unlike any other game in the series.

The story of Kirby's Epic Yarn (KEY for short) starts when Kirby eats a magical Metamato. Apparently, an evil sorcerer named Yin-Yarn didn't like that, and sucks him into Patch-Land, a world made completely out of textiles. (These cutscenes are told by a PBS Kids-esque narrator that is charming at first, but gets kinda obnoxious; thankfully, you can skip the scenes.) Kirby's form changes into Yarn, and soon finds the air goes right through him in this world. Kirby still has a few tricks up his sleeve, though; he can stretch out a whip-like strand of yarn that has multiple uses, like rolling up enemies into yarnball projectiles, swinging across pits Indiana Jones-style, pulling zippers to open up parts of levels, and much more.

The next biggest change is Kirby's morphing powers. At any time, he can turn into a car by double-tapping a direction, he can turn into a parachute by holding 2, and turn into a weight by holding down in air. These instant-morphs are basically the Wheel, Parasol, and Stone abilities of old, abiet at any time. But at certain times in the levels, Kirby can touch a morphing orb and turn into a large variety of objects. One levels morphs Kirby into a tank, and the missiles are guided by moving the Wii Remote. Another level transforms Kirby into a Mole Tank, allowing him to drill deep in the surface. The best transformation, in my opinon, is the Firetruck, where Kirby can aim the hose via tilting the Remote. There's enough morphs to keep your attention for a long time, and often brings me fond memories of the vehicle transformations in Yoshi's Island- a game KAR shares a lot of influence to. Note that this game can be played with two people, which is a blast.

KAR features a lot of replayability: every level has multiple achievements and lots of alternate paths. One aspect about this game that is unlike any other Kirby game, though, is the inability to die; Kirby just looses beads if he's hit, and gets saved if he falls down holes. Getting to the end of the level without loosing any beads is pretty hard in its own right, though, and the later levels have especially tricky locations of treasure chests.

The graphical style of KAR is absolutely amazing. Everything in Patch Land is made out of things you could find at a crafts store. One level substitutes quicksand for yellow waving cloth, the next has a variety of sweets yarnified, and another has beautiful snow made out of cotton. Everything looks beautiful in this game. The music especially is wonderful. From orchestated remixes on classic Kirby tunes to beautiful piano solos, the music fits the mood of each world perfectly.

The stiching in the final framework has a couple of flaws, though. Along with the aformentioned inability to die, the game is far too short. Another big issue I have is that it really does not feel like a Kirby game: there's no inhalation, copying, or any other recognizable Kirby elements. But what the game is, it suceeds.

VERDICT
Gameplay: UnKirby but still very fun. A bit on the easy side, though. 9.0
Graphics: Unlike anything else out there. So much innovation in only 2 dimensions. 9.5
Audio: Enjoyable. 9.25
Overall: Kirby's Epic Yarn, while not all that epic, is a fine addition to the series, and a game all fans of platformers should pick up.
8.5 out of 10

Pokemon Red/Blue Review

In 1996, Nintendo launched an RPG on the Japanese GB: Pokemon Red and Green. These two games had a revolutionary idea: instead of having pre-set heroes like most RPGs, you had to catch animals and use them to fight. It was, at first, looking to be unsuccessful, until something clicked with the public, and they started selling like hotcakes. Nintendo took a risk and launched these games in America, and needless to say, our country has not been the same since.

Pokemon Red and Blue starts out like most RPGs of the day, but a notable difference is that it takes place in modern times. As the Pokemon Trainer Red (or whatever you named him), you walk around town, then you spot a patch of grass. The Pokemon Professor, Oak, will come over and tell you you need a Pokemon. You get to choose from 3 of the Pokemon he has. One is the cute Bulbasaur, the fiery Charmander, or the watery Squirtle. If you choose one, your rival (which you can also name) will choose another one that has a type advantage to yours (for example, Squirtle's a water-type, so his moves are more effective against the fire-type, Charmander). Type advantage is only one of the aspects of the Pokemon battle. To explain every single rule would take far too long, and it's best to figure out yourself every single rule.

Random encounters are very frequent in this game, but in a unique twist, you can "catch" a foe Pokemon and put them on your team. Only 6 can be in your party, so every team is different. The big catch about the game, really, is in the phrase on the box, "Gotta catch 'em all!" Some Pokemon are very frequent throught the whole game and are very easy to catch (with an item called a Poke Ball), like Rattata, Tentacool, and Zubat; while some are extremelly rare and very hard to catch, like Chansey or the legendary Mewtwo. The variety of the 151 creatures you can find and catch in this game is amazing, and has not been surpassed by any other sequel.

The plot itself is not the most amazing for an RPG, but it does the job well. You are tasked with beating all 8 Gym Leaders and getting their badges, then with those badges must ascend Indigo Plateau and challenge the Elite 4 to become the Pokemon Champion. Along the way you'll encounter Team Rocket (the "mob" of this game) and beat their leader, run various sidequests, and battle other Trainers (with their teams of Pokemon). The lack of various features from newer games like Abilities, a lack of a map, and Breeding means that this is one hard game. But once you develop a proper team, the challenge doesn't seem quite that daunting.

The music of this game pushed the GB to its utter limit: it still rocks today. Easilly some of the best on the whole system. The graphics, though, is something that might set those who started with the newer games off: they look downright ugly by today's standards. Another thing that might set people off is how slow Pokemon learn moves and how slow they level up. Get past those issues, and you'll enjoy a great game without all the confusions of the way-complex battle systems of today.

VERDICT
Gameplay: Not as complex as the newer ones, but still as addictive as it was back in 1998. 9.5
Audio: Fantastic. A joy to listen to. 9.75
Overall: If you're newer to the franchise, or wanna see where it all began, this is the perfect game to start out with. When you've caught all of the original 151, you really feel like the champion of the world. Easilly the greatest Game Boy game.
9.5 out of 10

Super Metroid Review

In 1986, Gunpei Yokoi created one of the most popular gaming franchises in history: Metroid. The game was a unique blend of Mario's platforming and Zelda's exploration that worked well, but it had a few big gameplay problems. The 1991 sequel, Metroid 2: Return of Samus, improved some of these (Especially with the Save System), but fans didn't imbrace it that well because of its linearity. 3 years later, Nintendo launched their biggest game at the time: Super Metroid. It not only improved on nearly every kink from the previous two, but is one of the greatest games ever to be made.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Super Metroid starts out right where Metroid 2 left off. Samus had mothered a Baby Metroid off of SR388, and brought it to the research center. Days later, Samus recieves a distress signal, and finds all the scientists are dead by the hands of her archnemisis, Ridley. He takes the Baby with him and you're left with a minute to escape the exploding facility. It's an epic beginning to a game that justs get better.

For starters, the controls rock. It was probably one of the only games of its time that allowed customizable controls. Samus herself moved swiftly and finesely, and shooting with her beams are no trouble at all, a godsend after the first game's twiddly traction. During the course of here adventure in Brinstar, she gets various weapons like the Ice Beam, Super Missiles, and Grappling Shot, all are insanely fun to use. The enemies in-game are hard enough not to be infuriating, and all have great design. The bosses in particular are insanely fun to fight.

The Overworld is massive, with a ridiculous number of collectibles to find, so thank the Metroid gods they included a map. It's a lifesaver in confusing locations, and with it, you can never go back to the older ones again. The pacing at which you get items is absolutely perfect, and the puzzles are extremelly innovative.

Brinstar and its locales are absolutely beautiful: the graphics took full advantage of the SNES's power. The music is also very enjoyable to listen to, because it sets the perfect mood for the dreary world.

Not every gem is without its chinks. Wall-jumping can be infuriatingly hard, there are places you can get genuinely stuck, and you can't go back to the overworld once you beat the Final Boss. Still, those are very minor problems.

VERDICT:
Gameplay: Insanely fun. Keeps you appealed until you beat it, and then some. 10
Graphics: Excellent. Takes full advantage of the system's power. 9.75
Audio: Tunes that set the mood for each area perfectly. 9.75
Overall: You have no excuse not to own this game. Not only is Super Metroid the best game from the 16-bit era, but explains why videogames are so fun to play: it's a giant world begging to be loved and explored.
10 out of 10

Mario Kart Wii Review

In 1992, Nintendo launched a Mario Spin-off game that would become so popular, it created a whole new genre: Super Mario Kart. It was insane hybrid of go-karts and the Mario universe, only made better by the insanely competitive 2-player mode. Mario Kart 64 added two more to the fun in 1997, Mario Kart: Double Dash on Gamecube added a co-op element by putting another character behind your Kart, and Mario Kart DS allowed you to race anyone around the planet for the first time. Naturally, Nintendo's next step was to bring it to their newest console, the Wii. Mario Kart Wii had a lot to live up to, but what we got in the end is not only the best racer on the system, but the greatest game in the whole series.

The game introduced a bunch of new elements to the series; the biggest is shown right on the box. Mario Kart Wii comes with the Wii Wheel, a plastic case that slip around the remote, and is supposed to simulate you at the hands of the Kart wheel. At first, it takes awhile for series veterans to get used to the more lifelike control, but commit to it, and it becomes second-nature. Not only is the Wii Wheel a unique way to play, but it's a great way for casual gamers to get quickly into the series. (You can also choose between multiple other controls schemes like the GCN Controller and the Remote+Nunchuck a la Smash Bros, but I prefer the Classic Controller myself)

Two other big new editions are Bikes and Tricks. There's as many Karts as Bikes in this game, and they each play very differently. A Kart is better at turns and can charge its Mini-Turbo to a shiny orange, when released, gives you a nice long boost. Bikes, on the other hand, can only charge to the second stage of a Mini-Turbo (Blue), but can pop a wheelie any time by shaking the remote, making it better on straitaways. The differences may not be big at first, but they can mean the matter of wining or loosing. The new Tricks feature is a welcome addition: if you shake the wheel just as you exit a ramp or jump, your character does a cool little pose, and when they hit the ground, they gain a mini-turbo boost. The tricks are more powerful the higher the jump, but at the same time become harder to land.

There are 24 characters (including Miis) to choose from, each of which resides in a different weight category (Light, Medium, or Heavy), allowing you to use different types of Karts depending on who you chose. Unlike Mario Kart DS, everyone now shares the same types of vehicles, and the machine variety is well-balanced, making there no real "best car". The Track selection is at its best; 16 Tracks new to the game, 16 from all the older games. Since there are now 12 Karts on track at a time (4 more than usual), the tracks are wider, have opportunities for tricks, and are very fun to race on. Despite a flurry of big Karts on screen, the Retro tracks are still extremely fun to play.

All the traditional multiplayer modes remain like Vs. and Battle, along with a massively improved online play. Connecting with 12
other humans is fast and easy; and knowing you've thrown a Blue Shell at an actual person is extremely satisfying. The game even includes a free download of the Mario Kart Channel: a constantly-growing community where you can take part in MKDS-style weekly missions, race random Time Trial ghosts, and see how you stack up against the rest of the world on each track.

Mario Kart Wii isn't flawless though; with 4 more added on the track means more items everywhere, and it seems that the person in 1st is constantly being pelted with Lightning, Blue Shells, POW Blocks, and more. The cars seem to have much worse acceleration this time around; even lightweights can take awhile to start back up their motors to top speed. The Battle Mode is fun for a bit, but the option to turn off teams would be nice. There is a small bit of frame-skipping in Multiplayer, but it doesn't take much away from the actual game. Lastly, the new Lightning Cloud item is just an unwanted addition.

VERDICT
Gameplay: Polished to (Almost) Perfection. The developers finally got the Mario Kart formula down and completely nailed. 9.75
Graphics: Not the best on the Wii, but still has a variety of cool lighting effects. 8.0
Audio: Mario Kart music has always been enjoyable, and this is no exception. 9.0
Overall: With over 15 million units sold, it's no wonder this game is great; the new features like Bikes and great Online makes this game a joy either to play with yourself or with your buddies.
9.5 out of 10

Megaman Battle Network 6 Review

In 2001, Capcom launched yet anohter new era in the Megaman legacy, this time turning the Blue Bomber into an RPG star. Players found out it was more than that, though; it was more like the crazy child of Final Fantasy and Yu-gi-oh. Players could select 30 different Battle Chips out of 200 total, each wildly different and could be used strategically. Unlike most RPGs, though, you had a 3 by 3 grid you could move around in, and so did your enemy. It all seems confusing at first, but with a bit of practice, the battles became second-nature. In a 6-year period, Capcom releaced, you guessed it, 6 different versions of the game. From 3 onwards, each game was split in 2 different versions (a la Pokemon). This Battle Network was the last one in the series, and Capcom went all-out making it the most enjoyable installment in the series.

The story is much more enguaging than the previous iterations. Lan Hikari and his netnavi Megaman Exe move to the wonderful city of Central Town, so every location is brand-new and look great, plus a bunch of new folks join the party. Things seem normal then onwards, but suddenly a Cyberbeast takes control of Megaman (Different for which game you have). After a bit, you gain control of the monster within you, and you get to "Beast Out" for 3 turns each battle, and your stats rise considerably. The Beasting Out feels underutilized story-wise, but in battle, can be used in a variety of awesome strategies.

The biggest feature BN6 adds is the Cross System, a massively improved version of the Soul Unison from 4 and 5. At any time you can fuse with one of 5 Navis (once again, different for each version of the game), and gain different strategies that seem small at first, but can mean the difference from victory to defeat.

This game also takes out some of the flaws that made other instalments in the franchise annoying. Besides the aftormentioned improved Cross System, the insanely hard Liberation missions from 5 are taken out, and replaced with small story moments that highly resemble them, but are MUCH more fun. The Navi Customizer also feels more fluid, the Graphics spiced up, the Audio restored to its glory days from the 2nd and 3rd game, all the Chips are excellent, the pacing is drastically improved, and the VS mode is at its finest.

Some of the Fatal Flaws have remained from the other games, though. Random Virus Battles, though not as frequent, still happen far too often, and some of the Requests on the Request Board are monotinously annoying. A minimalist run is considerably easier than the other games, but it makes up for this due to the insanely hard Post-Game.

VERDICT
Gameplay: Capcom polished it to near perfection. Some flaws keep it from reaching that goal, though. 9.25
Graphics: The Sprites have been polished up enough, but it stil isn't the greatest-looking GBA game, despite a variety of cool effects. 8.25
Audio: Stellar. It sounds as good as the 8-bit installment's legendary scores.
Overall: If you're new to the series or are an Battle Network expert, this is the one to get. With an insane ammount of content and fun, me and my friend haven't put this one down for weeks.
9.25 out of 10