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FEATURE: Fanart Friday, Do the Mario Edition

Posted by admin | Posted on 02-09-2012

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Fanart Friday returns, more than ready for Olive Garden’s Neverending Pasta Bowl. Last week, we checked out some of the coolest signature weapons from our favorite titles, but this week is all about a guy who only needs two weapons: his feet. While Mario may not exactly be a Tony Jaa-type spin-kicking dervish of death, his mighty jumps have propelled us to some of the greatest adventures in all of gaming. Without Mario, video games wouldn’t be half of what they are today.

Video games were single-screen affairs until Super Mario Bros. pioneered the actual side-scroller–a staple genre of two generations and a hardcore favorite ever since. 3D platforming has come a long way since Super Mario 64, but where would we be without its ideas on controlling a character in a three-dimensional space? I’ve been gaming for close to thirty years now, and while they’re not always perfect, I always look forward to the next Mario game. Case in point: New Super Mario Bros. 2 hits the 3DS this coming Sunday, so join us in celebrating our favorite portly plumber and all his friends (and enemies!) in this week’s Fanart Friday!

DISCLAIMER: None of the art presented is the property of myself or Crunchyroll. All characters and series are ^tm and © their respective creators and corporate owners. All art is the creative property of their respective artists. Any artists who wish to have their work removed from this article may contact me, and appropriate action will be immediately taken.

by ikuyoan

And what better way to start than by–wait, what? Dammit Snake, you’ll get your own installment in a couple months! Get outta here!

by 宗早

There we go! Mario and Luigi, bros to the end, always ready to step up and stomp whoever’s causing trouble in the Mushroom Kingdom–and beyond!

by SilentKV

Well, y’know… at least that’s what it seems like on the outside. Nobody ever really covers this side of the war.

by Robotpencil

Okay, I’m no longer sympathetic about crushing Goombas and beating up Koopa Troopas. They work for this guy–and this artist is able to make Bowser Koopa seem so overwhelmingly evil that it’s frightening.

by sangheili117

This is what I think of whenever I’m in Bowser’s territory. This is what you have to work through in World 8. Actually, this is a beautiful Mario level done using the Unreal Development Kit, the same engine that powers most major games today. Makes you kinda long for cute trees and bushes with eyes, doesn’t it?

by いなかかえる@リクエスト消化3

Princess Peach is generally the driving force of a Mario game–she gets kidnapped and Mario (often with Luigi in tow) has to go rescue her. Surprisingly, Bowser is kind enough to let her use the postal service, so she can send Mario gifts–one day she’s gonna get fed up, mail Mario a submachine gun and call it a day.

by botjira

Papercraft is always pretty slick, especially when a good artist (like this) can use different textures for a variety of effects. In a lot of ways, doing a collage like this is one of the best ways to express Mario’s trippy, surrealistic feel.

by MikePMitchell

Resident Evil is about people fighting an evil corporation and its deadly experiments. Street Fighter is about martial artists battling in a global tournament. Mario games are about a plumber who sometimes rides dinosaurs and fights an evil dinosaur/turtle to rescue the (human) ruler of a kingdom of mushroom people. And you wonder why the movie sucked so bad.

by slimu

Bringing the topic back to Princess Peach and her constantly getting kidnapped, she’s shown in three games that she’s quite capable of rescuing herself. Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario RPG, and even her own game Super Princess Peach all let her cut loose and save the kingdom with her own hands. Maybe she’s just lazy?

by EiffelArt

Y’know, I’ve thought a lot about the Fire Flower. In a lot of ways, it’s a surprisingly terrifying power for Mario to have! But also thinking about Mario as a character, it’s also a very handy power with a lot of practical uses…

by 森川ちゃば

…like making dinner!

by わたあめ

Without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite Mario games is the SNES collaboration with Squaresoft, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Equally funny, exciting, and heartwarming, it’s a nice and light alternative to the excellent (but heavy) Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger.

by Vana

The only times the game didn’t feel light were when you were taking on Smithy’s weapon-based minions–these guys were scary!

by LordDonovan

If you have never played Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, you’re missing out. In my opinion, it’s probably the best title ever put on the Gamecube, and one of the best titles of the last console generation. Another Mario RPG, Thousand Year Door is also one of the best comedies I’ve ever played, with dynamic gameplay and incredibly likeable characters.

by tvskyle

Okay, so after Joseph Luster took us way back with his NostalJoe on Nintendo cartoons, you’d think somebody would get around to making another Mario cartoon–one that didn’t suck. Hell, if anything I’d hope it would look like this. I’d watch the hell out of a show like this.

by アネイ

Or, y’know… we could go with something like this!

by ロジー

So I’ve got kind of a bad habit in Mario games–I obsessively grab every coin possible while barrelling through the levels at top speed. It’s almost like I’m playing some crazy hybrid of Mario and Sonic. New Super Mario Bros. 2 has a power-up that lets you make all the money you want. That’s not cool, Nintendo.

by まるな

Peach isn’t the only heroine in the Mario universe–the Galaxy games introduced Rosalina, who gets to chill on her giant space station while Mario careens around the universe fighting Bowser’s forces and somehow not getting killed. Space is lethal in those games!

by Shortpacked

But, uh… the less said about Daisy, the better. Poor Luigi, this’ll break his heart.

by yassy

Someone, somewhere on the internet, is going to look at this picture and say “that is hot.” I don’t even have a joke for that. I’m gonna go curl up in the corner and cry now.

by ken-wong

You can buy prints of this? That’s awesome! Going for the digital papercraft style is always cool, and I love how he’s able to get the entire NES era, Super Mario World, and Super Mario Kart in there!

by コスモス

There are three sounds that gamers fear just for how annoying they are: Navi saying anything (although you need her to play the game), Ashley screaming “HEEEEEEEEELP! LEOOOOOOOOOOOON!” in Resident Evil 4, and Baby Mario’s crying in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. One of the most beautiful video games ever made, but man I wanted to just let that baby float off into the void.

by MasaBowser

A little detail I didn’t notice at first–there’s a Monty Mole at the bottom of the screen handing Morton a wrench. It was great to see the Koopa Kids return in Super Mario 3D Land–Bowser Jr. just doesn’t have as much character.

by プラリネ

While Super Princess Peach was a great game, it was also kinda on the easy side. Same goes for New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario 3D Land. I’m kinda hoping that New Super Mario Bros. 2 up and kicks my ass from the start.

by Orioto

In the end, this is what Mario is all about to me. A bright, beautifully-designed world that’s basically just an acrobatic platforming playground. How does Shigeru Miyamoto come up with this stuff? How was Mario created? I mean, we all know the story about Nintendo of America’s landlord, but…

by TsaoShin

…eesh. Sorry I asked.

And that’s all for this week! Mario’s world and games are so vast that I know I missed a few faces–who are some of your favorite Mario characters? What about power-ups, or your favorite moments from the games? Let us know in the comments!

And as always, your art is welcome here, no matter your skill level or experience–PM me a link to your work and I’ll make sure to include it in a future installment of Fanart Friday, along with a little READER SUBMISSION notation next to your name! Crayon drawings, clay sculptures, recording yourself playing the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack on a kazoo–just send it in and I’ll find some way to use it! Next week, we’re scouring the archives of anime, manga, games and more for our favorite MASTERS AND STUDENTS!

Thanks for checking out Fanart Friday, and I hope you have an awesome weekend!

It’s-a da same game

Posted by admin | Posted on 01-09-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

When Nintendo released “New Super Mario Bros.” in 2006, it marked the return of everyone’s favorite Italian plumber to his 2D roots. The simplicity of running from left to right, hopping on goombas and turtles, and grabbing the flag at the end of every level is basic video game joy.

Unfortunately, “New Super Mario Bros. 2″ — which is actually the third installment of the series, as the Wii version isn’t numbered — is basically the same game with redesigned levels and a coating of 3D gloss.

Bowser has again taken Princess Peach, who refuses to increase her security detail despite repeated kidnappings. Mario, the typical boyfriend, pays more attention to the Princess when she’s with another guy, and again makes chase.

What follows is nine very well designed levels of hopping and bopping through ghost houses, castles and pastel-colored landscapes. And every other area of the Mushroom Kingdom you’ve seen before.

It sounds like I didn’t enjoy “New Super Mario Bros. 2,” but that’s not the case. Every level is perfectly laid out, with just the right increase in difficulty as you proceed through the game.

Power-ups are plentiful and include the usual mushroom and fire flower, as well as the raccoon suit that allows Mario to take flight. Also returning are the big and small mushrooms that turn Mario into a powerful giant and a tiny spec, respectively.

I enjoy every Mario game, no matter how familiar because I like the characters and enjoy the action. But that doesn’t excuse the complete lack of innovation. Anything new here — a new power-up, a world with a new theme, a few new enemies — would have freshened up the game at least a little.

Instead, we get more of the same, with the addition of 3D, a nice but completely unnecessary feature. If you want a 3D Mario game, get “Super Mario 3D Land,” a very innovative take on the franchise.

“New Super Mario Bros. 2″

From: Nintendo

Rated: E

Who’s it for: Mario fans that don’t mind the same old, same old

Console: Nintendo 3DS

Grade: B

“Sleeping Dogs”

From: Square Enix

Rated: A

Who’s it for: Anyone who enjoys a top-notch open-world action game

Console: Xbox 360/PS3

Grade: A

Review: Mario’s latest gold rush doesn’t pan out

Posted by admin | Posted on 31-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Whenever video-game companies stretch out popular franchises for financial reasons rather than creative ones, disenchanted customers call it a “money grab.” It’s a charge Nintendo has largely been immune to, even though its most popular character, Mario, has starred in hundreds of games.

That changes with “New Super Mario Bros. 2″ (Nintendo, for the 3DS, $39.99), which takes the whole money-grab concept quite literally. The whole point of the game is to grab money – namely, the sparkling gold coins that have littered almost every Mario release since the mid-1980s. It’s an oddly mercenary approach to Nintendo’s lovable little plumber, and the result is one of the least inspired outings in his storied history.

That’s not to say this is a bad game. It’s exactly what you would expect: a collection of cleverly designed, two-dimensional environments for Mario to scamper through, dodging monsters and collecting treasures. The usual power-ups – flowers that let Mario shoot fireballs, a raccoon suit that lets him jump farther – are available in convenient locations. And most of the levels include alternate pathways, so there’s motivation to return after you’ve conquered them.

But while I enjoyed my time in Mario’s latest world, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d been there before. The major new power-up is a golden block that screws onto Mario’s head, creating a trail of coins. The familiar POW blocks now turn obstacles into, well, coins. And hoops scattered across the skies deliver … more coins. Some sort of prize awaits if you collect 1 million of the things, but I only made it to 10,000.

And then there’s Coin Rush, in which Mario has one life with which to race through three randomly chosen levels, collecting as much gold as possible. You can then challenge other humans to beat your score using the 3DS’ StreetPass function. There’s also a multiplayer mode in which Mario and his brother, Luigi, collaborate to collect double the loot. Both players need a 3DS and a copy of the game, and you need to be in the same room to team up.

Despite the “New” in its title, the latest Mario game is more of a look back to the 1980s, when we were all enjoying his antics on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Nostalgia aside, it just doesn’t offer the innovations and rewards of last fall’s “Super Mario 3D Land.” Two stars out of four.

—

The release of “NSMB2″ coincides with the arrival of Nintendo’s newest hand-held game device: the 3DS XL ($200), an extra-large version of the 3DS machine introduced last year. So you get your dual screens – one a touch screen, the other a three-dimensional graphics display – but they’re both about 90 percent larger.

That’s a huge difference to a gamer like me with vision problems. My eyes usually get tired after about 10 minutes of looking at the original model’s 3.53-inch-diagonal 3-D display. The XL’s 4.88-inch screen means I don’t need to squint as much, so I can play for about half an hour without needing a break. As a game reviewer, that’s a blessing when I’m facing a deadline, but I think you civilians will like it, too.

The entire package is still reasonably compact, fitting into an adult-size jeans pocket – though not exactly comfortably. If you resisted the 3DS when it came out last year, now’s a good time to give it a second look.

Follow Lou Kesten on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lkesten

New Super Mario Bros. 2 Review: My Interest Is In Another Castle

Posted by admin | Posted on 31-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Most of the time, Nintendo knocks it out of the park when it comes to great ideas and innovation. From game systems to fun and entertaining franchises, the brains at Nintendo know what people like. But other times, they fall flat, regurgitating overused gameplay elements and stale characters. Sadly, New Super Mario Bros. 2 falls into the latter category.

Platforms: 3DS
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Side-Scrolling Scrooge McDuck Simulator
Release Date: August 19, 2012
ESRB Rating: Everyone

Mario has really been through the ringer over the last few decades. His girlfriend, Princess Peach, just keeps getting kidnapped by Bowser. He really needs to lock that down at some point, am I right? In this iteration of the same story, Mario doesn’t just fight Bowser’s brood and minions aplenty… this time, he’s also focused on collecting gold coins. Not that he isn’t focused on that in other games, but it’s the primary goal of this game. And you’re reminded of that fact every step of the way.

Each world has several levels in it, including the typical mid-world castle and end-world castle, and lots of fun Toad Houses and other bonuses in between. After completing each end-world castle, you battle one of Bowser’s children. True to form, Peach is then whisked off to the next world by another of the Koopalings. The game is very reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 3, with each offspring having their own unique attacks. The regular monsters are all pretty typical of a Mario game – you’ve got your Koopas, your Goombas, Lakitu, Piranha Plants, etc. Powerups are the same as well – Mario will get huge, tiny, invincible, and all raccooned up in this game.

Everything feels like it’s just pulled from one Mario game or another. There’s nothing all that new or unique here. It’s the same platforming, the same enemies, the same goals. Some parts are so easy it’s almost embarrassing, while other parts are so punishingly difficult, you’re reminded of the original Super Mario Bros., where you had to memorize the pattern to get through a certain area. But unlike the original, New Super Mario Bros. 2 saturates you with coins and extra lives, so even if you do get stuck, you’re just burning through, at most, half a dozen of your 100+ extra lives.

The only new thing about this game is the focus on collecting coins. In addition to the three large special coins hidden on every level, players are encouraged to get as many of the regular coins as possible, and the game makes it ridiculously easy to do so. As you get more and more coins, you unlock more levels in Coin Rush, which is a game mode that gives you a set time limit to go through three random levels and get as many coins as quickly as you can.

I’m not sure what the appeal is here. The levels themselves are mediocre at best, and playing them again in Coin Rush tips the scales into boring. That’s how the whole game is, really – a mediocre sequel that has no real replay value. You can play it again to get more coins, but I just don’t see the point. There’s nothing exciting or new or different about this game – it’s the epitome of the Nintendo way of milking an IP as much as possible. But unlike Super Mario 3D Land, or even Mario vs Donkey Kong: Mini-land Mayhem, there’s nothing fun about New Super Mario Bros. 2, unless you enjoy making Mario whore himself out for coins. It’s just a boring, bland game that isn’t nearly worth the price tag.

The game is mercifully short – I finished it in two longish gaming sessions, with a few moments here or there snuck in to beat a level or two. The music is grating, and the enemies stop to dance to it at the same interval every time. This may have been adorable when they introduced it in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but now I just stomp that silly Koopa to death for being distracted. (Bowser would not be happy to hear about them messing around on the job.)

New Super Mario Bros. 2 has nothing “new” about it, and plays more like it should just be DLC for the first game, or for New Super Mario Bros. Wii. It’s not long enough to be considered tedious, but even the biggest Mario fans would find themselves hard pressed to enjoy it, unless they’re just trying to fill their days waiting for the Wii U to release. There are plenty of better games out there, and you should spend your money on those instead.

Review Disclosure: A review copy of New Super Mario Bros. 2 was provided by Nintendo for the purposes of this review.

Opinion: Mario has run his course. How can Nintendo revive its fallen mascot?

Posted by admin | Posted on 30-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

There’s been an air of fatigue around the Mario brand lately, and it has come into focus with the portly plumber’s latest outing, New Super Mario Bros. 2 (NSMB2).

In his review, Peter praised the game for its quality and polish, but also noted that there’s a distinct feeling of been here, done that, done that, and done that, too. Where has this apathy regarding Mario come from and what can Nintendo do to turn things around?
Obviously, there’s no pressing need for Nintendo to turn it around at all. Mario sells. Pipefuls. In fact, Nintendo’s last 2D Mario title, New Super Mario Bros. (NSMB), became the biggest seller for DS, with The Big N shifting nearly 30 million copies of it.

But, there’s restlessness among the fanbase. Mario’s always been a critical success (though we won’t mention Mario Teaches Typing), but the tide’s turning, with NSMB2 averaging ‘just’ 77 per cent on GameRankings.

Poison Shroom

Many who try NSMB2 experience an acute sense of déjà vu – precious little has changed since the last instalment, you see, which was released a whopping six years ago. Time flies.

The changing face of Super Mario (clockwise: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, Super Mario Land 2)

In its simplest terms, NSMB2 is a cash grab. A hugely playable, eminently enjoyable cash grab. Which, ironically enough, is what you’ll spend a lot of your time doing in the game itself, trying to achieve the target of 1,000,000 coins set by Nintendo.

Nintendo needs to reinvent the 2D Marios, and the most frustrating part is it obviously knows how. Watching the evolution from Super Mario Bros. 1 to 3 on the NES is fascinating, because they are all so different.

The Western version of Super Mario Bros. 2 is one that’s divided opinion for years. While it may have been a reskinned version of original Japanese game Doki Doki Panic, at least it took Mario in new directions.

Breath of fresh air

Nintendo was known throughout the Mario series for incredible playfulness and creativity, and the player rarely knew what was around the corner.

That feeling of freedom when you first put on the red cape in Super Mario World and soared through the skies was unparalleled, and it’s moments like this that have defined the series.

The pastel style of Yoshi’s Island was gorgeous and flipped Mario’s universe on its head. Gone was the original template of Mushroom Land, Goombas, and Koopa Troopas, who were relegated to minor appearances. In came Shy Guys and Kamek.

These were firm fan favourites and still are to this day, but we haven’t seen anything as startlingly original or daring from Nintendo since.

The Super Mario Land series on Game Boy went off on a whole zany new tangent, with alien spaceships, underwater shooter sections, and the mustachioed miser Wario.

We expect more, though. Why haven’t we seen driveable vehicles to alter progression, or new characters to play as that can be controlled in a different manner?

Mario’s spring suit from Super Mario 3D Land would be well suited to a 2D plane, for example. Or perhaps a surfboard for the tropical levels that sees you riding a wave that crashes across the screen.

Pipe dreams

The non-changing face of New Super Mario (clockwise: New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. 2, New Super Mario Bros. Wii U, New Super Mario Bros. Wii)

Nothing beat looking up at the sunbeam in the entrance hall in Super Mario 64 and finding Mario doffing his winged red cap, soaring above the clouds and Princess Peach’s castle.

How about bringing the Wing Cap to 2D games and having Mario fly through levels using air currents? The over-reliance on the racoon tail in recent games is already dismaying many. The well of power-ups, suits, and hats looks like it’s beginning to dry up.

From Super Mario Bros. 3 to Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, drastic changes are evident in art style and gameplay – these kept the series fresh and intriguing.

Little things like using Baby Mario in Super Mario World 2 or giant Mario in NSMB kept the audience that had grown up with the Italian plumber interested and engaged.

Looking at NSMB and its sequel, however, the only thing that’s visually different about the game is the sheer plethora of coins. You can’t help but feel like Cyril Sneer half the time.

Bob-omb Battlefield

Nintendo likes the 2D and 3D Mario games to stay separate, but wouldn’t it be great to include large branching 2D levels that encouraged exploration and multiple playthroughs to see everything that’s on offer? That feeling of discovery’s been lost through the years, as we trudge through Bowser’s Castle once again.

Some of my favourite parts in Super Mario Galaxy were the 2D gravity-shifting levels, which were unlike anything actually seen in a 2D Mario. We know this works, so why not try it?

Off the back of all this, NSMB2 appears lazy and repetitive. Shouldn’t we expect more from such a beloved franchise? Recent handheld platform games like Rayman Origins and Sound Shapes have injected freshness into the genre, while the grandfather of the platformer is as stale as months-old bread.

Mario’s not going anywhere any time soon, but let’s hope that he at least evolves over the coming years, and that next time he brings something truly new and exciting to the table – which is what we really remember Mario for.

Review: Mario’s latest gold rush doesn’t pan out

Posted by admin | Posted on 29-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Whenever video-game companies stretch out popular franchises for financial reasons rather than creative ones, disenchanted customers call it a “money grab.” It’s a charge Nintendo has largely been immune to, even though its most popular character, Mario, has starred in hundreds of games.

That changes with “New Super Mario Bros. 2″ (Nintendo, for the 3DS, $39.99), which takes the whole money-grab concept quite literally. The whole point of the game is to grab money _ namely, the sparkling gold coins that have littered almost every Mario release since the mid-1980s. It’s an oddly mercenary approach to Nintendo’s lovable little plumber, and the result is one of the least inspired outings in his storied history.

That’s not to say this is a bad game. It’s exactly what you would expect: a collection of cleverly designed, two-dimensional environments for Mario to scamper through, dodging monsters and collecting treasures. The usual power-ups _ flowers that let Mario shoot fireballs, a raccoon suit that lets him jump farther _ are available in convenient locations. And most of the levels include alternate pathways, so there’s motivation to return after you’ve conquered them.

But while I enjoyed my time in Mario’s latest world, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d been there before. The major new power-up is a golden block that screws onto Mario’s head, creating a trail of coins. The familiar POW blocks now turn obstacles into, well, coins. And hoops scattered across the skies deliver … more coins. Some sort of prize awaits if you collect 1 million of the things, but I only made it to 10,000.

And then there’s Coin Rush, in which Mario has one life with which to race through three randomly chosen levels, collecting as much gold as possible. You can then challenge other humans to beat your score using the 3DS’ StreetPass function. There’s also a multiplayer mode in which Mario and his brother, Luigi, collaborate to collect double the loot. Both players need a 3DS and a copy of the game, and you need to be in the same room to team up.

Despite the “New” in its title, the latest Mario game is more of a look back to the 1980s, when we were all enjoying his antics on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Nostalgia aside, it just doesn’t offer the innovations and rewards of last fall’s “Super Mario 3D Land.” Two stars out of four.

___

The release of “NSMB2″ coincides with the arrival of Nintendo’s newest hand-held game device: the 3DS XL ($200), an extra-large version of the 3DS machine introduced last year. So you get your dual screens _ one a touch screen, the other a three-dimensional graphics display _ but they’re both about 90 percent larger.

That’s a huge difference to a gamer like me with vision problems. My eyes usually get tired after about 10 minutes of looking at the original model’s 3.53-inch-diagonal 3-D display. The XL’s 4.88-inch screen means I don’t need to squint as much, so I can play for about half an hour without needing a break. As a game reviewer, that’s a blessing when I’m facing a deadline, but I think you civilians will like it, too.

The entire package is still reasonably compact, fitting into an adult-size jeans pocket _ though not exactly comfortably. If you resisted the 3DS when it came out last year, now’s a good time to give it a second look.

___

Follow Lou Kesten on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lkesten

Nintendo’s 3DS XL is a Winner of an Upgrade

Posted by admin | Posted on 29-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Thinking about upgrading to Nintendo 3DS XL (or, perhaps, buying into the system for the first time)? Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s a good move.

Let’s start with the excruciatingly obvious…

It’s bigger.

The system rocks a 90% bigger screen size while not adding too much extra size and heft to the actual build. It’s bigger, absolutely, but the Nintendo 3DS XL remains portable in spite of its extra-ness.

That bigger screen size translates to grander gaming experiences. Since I purchased the system, I’ve continued playing New Super Mario Bros. 2 and dove back into older games like Super Mario 3D Land; both have been superb.

The larger screen size genuinely makes for more fun while gaming. Nintendo has always been really good about making their software pop with wonderful colors and graphics. They, as a developing house, know how to make the most of their hardware. These games look fantastic on the 3DS XL.

More than just size.

But, my love for the system comes down to far more than it being bigger. The Nintendo 3DS XL feels like a more smartly designed handheld. First off, the buttons feel much better. The shoulder buttons, the system buttons below the touch screen and even the 3D slider are built so well this time around. Honestly, it makes the standard handheld look a little less healthy.

The shiny sheen of the original model has gone away. In it’s place, we’ve got a rough plastic that deters fingerprints. We’ve also got a clamshell that clicks into three perfect gaming positions.

My second favorite upgrade? The stylus. Both in design and placement, the 3DS XL stylus destroys that of the original model. It’s plastic, not metal, and it’s a solid piece instead of a telescoping tube that likes to collapse during play. Even better? They put it on the side of the device instead of the top; that means grabbing it during gaming sessions is much, much easier.

Finally, battery life. I typically got around three hours out of each gaming session with my 3DS. The XL has earned me closer to six. If I left my 3DS on and closed over night, it turned off. Now, the XL has gone several days without seeing even a minor dip in battery. Over this past week, I’ve only charged it twice.

The Nintendo 3DS XL is a marvelous upgrade. Kudos to Nintendo. If you’ve been considering this unit for either an upgrade or a first time purchase, pull the trigger. It’s a win.

Mario’s latest gold rush doesn’t pan out

Posted by admin | Posted on 28-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

That changes with “New Super Mario Bros. 2” (Nintendo, for the 3DS, $39.99), which takes the whole money-grab concept quite literally. The whole point of the game is to grab money — namely, the sparkling gold coins that have littered almost every Mario release since the mid-1980s. It’s an oddly mercenary approach to Nintendo’s lovable little plumber, and the result is one of the least inspired outings in his storied history.

That’s not to say this is a bad game. It’s exactly what you would expect: a collection of cleverly designed, two-dimensional environments for Mario to scamper through, dodging monsters and collecting treasures. The usual power-ups — flowers that let Mario shoot fireballs, a raccoon suit that lets him jump farther — are available in convenient locations. And most of the levels include alternate pathways, so there’s motivation to return after you’ve conquered them.

But while I enjoyed my time in Mario’s latest world, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d been there before. The major new power-up is a golden block that screws onto Mario’s head, creating a trail of coins. The familiar POW blocks now turn obstacles into, well, coins. And hoops scattered across the skies deliver … more coins. Some sort of prize awaits if you collect 1 million of the things, but I only made it to 10,000.

And then there’s Coin Rush, in which Mario has one life with which to race through three randomly chosen levels, collecting as much gold as possible. You can then challenge other humans to beat your score using the 3DS’ StreetPass function. There’s also a multiplayer mode in which Mario and his brother, Luigi, collaborate to collect double the loot. Both players need a 3DS and a copy of the game, and you need to be in the same room to team up.

Despite the “New” in its title, the latest Mario game is more of a look back to the 1980s, when we were all enjoying his antics on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Nostalgia aside, it just doesn’t offer the innovations and rewards of last fall’s “Super Mario 3D Land.”

Two stars out of four.

Mario is back with more of the same in New Super Mario Bros. 2

Posted by admin | Posted on 28-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

You know, that weird feeling you get when you think you’ve done something before? I had that feeling this week, thanks to a stereotypical, Italian plumber. Lucky for me, no unsightly plumber crack was involved.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the Nintendo 3DS is the sequel to the 2006 game released on the Nintendo DS. And if you own that game, I suggest you go back and replay it again. Seriously, it’s like the exact same game, outside of a couple of changes.

That’s not to say the sequel isn’t fun, because the original was a classic Mario 2-D platformer on the go. But after starting up the 3DS game and playing for a few hours, it’s impossible not to get that “here we go again” feeling. Everything from the overworld map layout to the gameplay remains nearly identical to the original.

There have been some changes. The power leaf and Raccoon Mario makes its triumphant return from Super Mario Bros. 3. There is also an emphasis on collecting as many coins as humanly possible, turning the game into a regular coinucopia as it were. There are coin block helmets that multiply the number of coins you can collect, and a gold flower leaf that turns blocks and enemies into currency. It’s like everything and anything pukes out a coin or 10 or 50, which results in plenty of extra lives. I racked up over 100 extra lives in no time.

But just because it’s easy to get a life, doesn’t mean your quest to rescue the perpetually kidnapped Princess Toadstool will be a cake walk. The difficulty has been ramped up in the sequel, and presents a challenge to the most seasoned Mario veterans. There’s also the option of playing two-player wirelessly in either co-op or a coin rush mode. In coin rush, you collect as many coins as possible over three stages and put your high score up against the world to beat.

Unlike the far superior Super Mario 3D Land, the 3-D functionality is near useless this time around. It barely adds any depth to the graphical presentation, and the difference between 2-D and 3-D is minimal. That’s pretty disappointing, considering we’re playing what’s supposed to be a 3-D handheld.

When you think about it, it’s fitting that collecting coins is at the forefront of the New Super Mario Bros. 2, because it seems Nintendo is going back to their cash cow series. There’s a certain amount of fun, but there needs to be an injection of new gameplay. Shake things up a little, and please, just put the cookie cutter away.

As blasphemous as this sounds, I give it a 6.5 out of 10.

On The Bit Life Blog this week:

I look back at a Nintendo 8-bit cult classic Milon’s Secret Castle, and to keep with the this week’s theme of collecting as many coins as possible, I came across a neat Super Mario Bros. coin bank complete with sound effects. Ka-ching!

By night, T.J. Colello is a sports reporter at the Cape Breton Post. Even later at night, he plays way too many video games to be considered healthy for a normal human being. He can be reached via email at tjcolello@cbpost.com, on Twitter @tjcolello, on Facebook at facebook.com/thebitlife or visit his blog at thebitlife.capebretonpost.com.

Super Mario Bros. 2′s Blur Effect – A Mistake?

Posted by admin | Posted on 28-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Hey Nintendo. I’ve got something to say.

Yesterday I received my brand spanking new copy of New Super Mario Bros. 2 for my Nintendo 3DS. I literally have not been following it in the news, knew nothing about any premise or setups, and chose to be pleasantly surprised by whatever the game had to offer. But I didn’t think one tiny iota that I would be disappointed right off the bat with a new graphical feature.

As a person with a strong opinion on a number of things, I have been known to throw my weight around and open my mouth when I probably shouldn’t. Now that I am in my thirties I generally find myself a lot more forgiving of artistic decisions than I was in my teens or twenties. So for me, this is a big, rant-worthy one and I promise it doesn’t come from a fanboy “You ruined my favorite game brand” perspective.

I love my 3DS. I love it more than I thought I would. Games like Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 3D Land, and Mighty Switch Force! (shameless self-plug) look great when turning on the 3D mode. The already great graphics pop out and have a whole new feel. But New Super Mario Bros. 2, a game which delivers clean and colorful graphics, simply looks awful when 3D is turned on.

If you haven’t seen NSMB2 in 3D, you need to. Rent it, borrow it from a friend, see it in a store kiosk. Whatever you do, see it! The mechanics of it are: as you slide the 3D slider on the top screen the objects “slide” horizontally in each eye to create the 3d effect, much the same as any other game. But in addition to this, the game is layering a blur effect on every background object being translated into 3d which gets stronger as the slider is pushed further. To reiterate, every object behind the playfield is being blurred, and the more 3d you want, the more blurry it gets.

This is a “feature” new to any game on the 3DS (to my knowledge). Up until this release every game has simply translated objects horizontally to enable the 3D effect, and for those of us who can see the 3D effect, and enjoy the 3D, this new effect is horrible. It sounds so subjective, but I have shown this to many people who are confused and turned off by the effect, and the only remote support was a Nintendo fanboy who was mostly playing devil’s advocate calling it a neat idea.

The blur effect is fundamentally flawed from a functional standpoint as well as an aesthetic one. It literally makes the objects in the background lose enough detail that your eyes can’t see the 3D on the background objects. Some playfield objects and those just behind the playfield begin to pop out in 3D, and feel far in front of the hot blurry mess in the far background, but the subtleties of items existing at different depths is completely lost. Ultimately what you are left with is a game which looks great in screenshots, and without the 3D turned on, but the very key feature of this specific console completely obliterates the great graphics into a blurry mess.

As a developer who has worked on the 3DS, I can see where someone would get this idea. And as the phrase goes “There is no such thing as a bad idea”, but I am sure there is a quote out there that finishes it out with something along the lines of “…but if that idea comes to fruition make sure it doesn’t suck.”

I am surprised this feature saw its way to release for a number of reasons. I do not know if this is an “East vs. West” kind of situation, but I know many people on any of my dev teams would see this in action and say “This doesn’t work very well” or “This sucks, you’re an idiot for wanting this.” (And others may simply commiserate while out at lunch with coworkers, but when more than one person complains about the same thing it usually finds its way back to management to try to be fixed or addressed.) I welcome this kind of an open discourse, but wonder if employees at a Japanese developer and publisher keep these kinds of things to themselves more often, because I have to believe some people didn’t like this during the course of development.

I am also surprised by how strong the blur effect really is. It reminds me of when I bought my first computer in 1999 and had a copy of Adobe Photoshop 5.0. The first weekend I had the thing I stayed up until six in the morning for three straight days just fiddling with filters and creating neat art (which I look back on at times, and find the art to be riddled with lens flares.) There was never a hint of subtlety: you did an effect to showcase the effect. The NSMB2 blur effect feels like more of a tech demo than a feature to be praised or showcased, and I really feel it should have stayed in the demo stage.

But a part of me is not surprised to see this thing out there because I have seen this kind of thing before on other games I’ve worked on (as I am sure many other devs have as well). Someone with some clout had a neat idea and really, really wanted to see it in the game. I can imagine meetings over the course of development going:

“Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a blur?”

“Hey guys, make sure you get that blur in.”

“Hey, it’s that blur, I love it.”

“I hear what you are saying, but I really like the blur.”

“Tell the testers to stop sending bugs about the blur.”

“Stop bringing this up, we are 2 weeks from beta. I’m the boss and I like it. The blur stays.”

Blur occurs in films and photography, and we have all seen how blur works: focus on one object, things behind or in front get blurry. The blur helps to distinguish between foreground and background objects, and even Penny-Arcade started using this from time to time for dramatic purposes. But in 3D simply turning the 3D mode on makes the depth distinct, and you don’t get confused about the location of the player and what exists in the background and what exists in the foreground.

The thing that frustrates me the most is that the whole point of the 3DS console is the 3D effect. No other device is doing it. It’s in the name. I am stating the obvious so hard it is hurting my fingers typing it. This blur effect ruins the very feature that makes your system unique and wonderful. This is Nintendo making this happen, not a third party developer. This would be like Tesla Motors releasing a diesel engine vehicle. This would be like Apple putting a 56k modem on their iPhone. It would be like Smith Wesson selling a black powder musket for law enforcement. It is counter to the very thing that makes their product a unique standout.

Nintendo, by doing this you are saying one of two things to consumers. 1) “Some people have a hard time with 3D so we are turning on this blur to make 3D easier to see”, which is essentially apologizing for the key feature of your best device currently on the market. Or 2) “We don’t feel the 3D effect is important enough for our customers to keep the game looking good when 3D mode is turned on.”

Every game developer should see this for themselves and come to their own conclusion. I for one genuinely hope this is the last time I ever see this effect in a 3DS title.

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