LeJeffBezos

Donkey Kong 64 is, in my opinion, the best out of the four Rare-DK-games. The worlds are beautifully created and all of the different abilities add much to the exploration. The game is also, like most people know, full of collectibles - and while most people think the game has too many of them, I think it’s just the right amount of collectibles: not too many so it feels bloated, but also not too few so it feels empty. The soundtrack is, like always, a banger - but it needs a tiny bit of time to really get that good. The bosses are a little bit of a mixed bag, one half is mid to average, the other half is extremely good. Talking of bosses, the final boss/finale is one of the best ones I’ve ever played. The only real issue I have with this game are some missions. The DK Arcade mission, the Beaver Brother Bonus Stage and Diddy’s flight missions take long to complete and are honestly terrible. But all in all, this game is awesome and unjustly hated. 8,9/10

In my opinion, Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! is the weakest entry of the mainline DK-games. Although it's still a good game, it suffers from several small but noticeable issues. One of the main problems is the level design. Many levels revolve around unique gimmicks, which sounds interesting in theory, but often leads to uneven gameplay. Unlike DKC2, where gimmicks felt well-integrated and good, DKC3's gimmicks feel forced and are a lot worse. The placement of DK Coins and Bonus Barrels is another minor issue, because they`re placed straightforward. A bigger flaw, in my opinion, is Kiddy Kong. His abilities, like the water bounce, add little to the gameplay. More frustratingly, he has one of the worst hitboxes I’ve ever experienced in a platformer. While the DK series has always had some odd hit detection, in DKC3 it becomes a real problem—especially with Kiddy, making the game unnecessarily frustrating in certain sections. Visually, the game looks decent, but the character designs, are often less appealing and strange. The backgrounds are sometimes beautiful but don’t reach the detail of the first two games and in some levels they even feel rushed or bland. The soundtrack, while good in parts, doesn’t come even close to the incredible music of the earlier titles. The difficulty is most of the time moderate, but spikes in the end. The boss fights are a slight improvement over those in DKC1, but not as good as in DKC2. Despite all these issues, DKC3 still has worlds where the game's full potential lies (Worlds 3, 4...), but other worlds highlight many of the game’s flaws at once (Worlds 1, 2...). This inconsistency is what holds the game back the most. In the end, DKC3 is a solid platformer, which doesn't reach the height of its predecessors. 7,6/10

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest improves on its predecessor in almost every way. The level design is more complex and inventive, e.g. the new DK and Krem Coins make exploring and finishing bonus stages more rewarding. In addition, the new mechanics add to the gaming experience. The soundtrack is even better - the bosses, especially the final boss, is one the best 2D platformer battles I’ve ever played. The game is also longer and significantly harder, with a noticeable spike in difficulty after World 2. The only real drawbacks are that the graphics aren’t quite as good as in the first game, but in return the levels/backgrounds are more detailed and the animations smoother. Also, Worlds 1, 2, and 5 aren`t as good as some areas in the original/other worlds of the game, but still not bad. Even so, DKC2 is a fantastic and challenging platformer that’s well worth playing. 8,8/10

Donkey Kong Country marks the beginning of one of the best 2D platformer series of all time. The game features a variety of unique, fun and at times challenging levels, a phenomenal soundtrack and impressive visuals/animations that still hold up today. The only real downside of the game are the bonuses, as most of the time they are hidden behind walls or simply impossible to find as a blind player. But still, DKC is a fantastic 2D platformer and definitely worth playing. 8,7/10

Paper Mario: The Origami King is the best of the “new” Paper Mario games, even with its flaws. While it has generic characters, a lackluster combat system (Just not with the bossefights, almost all of them are really good and intense), and a story that isn’t as deep as titles like TTYD or PM64, its strengths outweight its flaws. The game holds some of the best graphics in any Nintendo title, it has a phenomenal soundtrack, and charming regions that make exploration insanely fun. Even the generic characters (mostly the ones that are important for the story) receive enough personality to keep the game unique, and for the first time in years, the series introduces a unique antagonist. Although the game doesn't have an incredible story, the game successfully breaks away from the generic formula seen in games like Sticker Star and, to a lesser extent, Color Splash. Without Nintendo's restrictions (which now finally seem to have been removed (Mario RPG/TTYD Remake, M&L Brothership)) it might have been the best Paper Mario game of all time. But for now on we have to stay on this actually pretty good game... 8,25/10

Paper Mario: Color Splash is, in my opinion, much better than Sticker Star, but still has the same major problems as Sticker Star that everyone knows about. Despite this, I have to admit that these problems have become much smaller. The battle system is just as bad as in Sticker Star. The characters are still bland and look almost identical, although they sometimes show a bit of personality. The same applies to the story, which only picks up towards the end. On the bright side, the jokes are genuinely funny. The puzzles and worldbuilding are much more varied and engaging, and the graphics, as well as the paper art style, are even better than in Sticker Star. Overall, Paper Mario: Color Splash is a huge improvement over Sticker Star and really is a good game, but still not as good as the old Paper Mario titles. 6,9/10

Paper Mario: Sticker Star was one of my favourite childhood games. I don't know why, but something about this game fascinated me so I played it again and again. But at some point, and I think it was when I heard about the other Paper Mario games and saw Let's Plays about them, I lost interest in the game over time. When I finally got Color Splash, I completely lost interest in the game. As the years went by, I became more and more critical of myself because I was no longer a small child, which completely changed my entire perspective on the Paper Mario series and I now understood what was happening with Paper Mario and the community surrounding the series. I played Sticker Star for the last time in 2021 and unfortunately found that the game is bad both objectively and from my perspective and I think everyone here knows why. But even though I don`t like the game anymore I can understand it why some people like Sticker Star because I liked it before. I don't know why, but Sticker Star has a unique, charming, really likeable but also homely vibe that I only felt in this game, which is also the only real reason why you might like this game and I respect that absolutely. Hate Sticker Star for really, really, REALLY good reasons, love Sticker Star for the vibe, I'm completely fine with it. But yes, I personally don't like Sticker Star anymore, but I'm still kind of happy that I played the game because my child self had a lot of fun with it and that's what counts most in the end, just having fun playing games... 3,6/10

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is, for me and many others, the best Paper Mario game. It improved on the things that made the original Paper Mario so great (battle system, story, characters etc.). Although I'm not the biggest Paper Mario fan and I also see the one big problem that the game has, the paths that are sometimes far too long, which have a negative impact on chapters 4 and 7 in particular, I still like this game and definitely recommend playing it. 9,1/10

Paper Mario is the game that made me realize that the Paper Mario series was actually an RPG series. Despite the fact that my view of the Paper Mario series has completely changed, I really enjoyed this game. It`s a cozy and captivating game with a great battlesystem/soundtrack, unique characters and a story that isn't great but has enough depth to be good enough for a Mario RPG. Overall, Paper Mario is a great game that is definitely worth playing. 8,95/10

Super Mario RPG is a really, really nice Mario RPG. In some places it`s very childish, but overall it's just a cute, little Mario RPG... 8,6/10

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not my second BotW - but it's still extremely good, even if the game gets repetitive later on and ends up not being what I expected... 9,3/10

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is, in my opinion, the worst Zelda game I have played so far. It's super linear, the gameplay gets sometime really boring and the world building is horrible, since you have to go to the same 3 places multiple times without anything changing much. Despite this, the story is pretty good and the finale is definitely the highlight of the game (Skyward Sword went from a bad 6 to a good 6 for me). Overall, Skyward Sword is fine. There are some serious issues that affect the experience, but it's still a good game. 6,6/10

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is one of my top 10 favorite games. Everything about it feels almost perfect. The dark and vibrant premise - a moon that threatens to set in three days and destroy the world - is truly unique. You alone hold everyone's fate in your hands. Little by little you will witness how the people of Termina come to terms with their impending doom. Each character reacts differently: most are afraid, others are sad, a few experience moments of joy, etc. I've never seen another game accomplishing this level of emotional realism. The phenomenal and eerie soundtrack and sound design make the premise even more clear and darker. Each character in the game feels like an unique and individual person with their own backstories and problems. This game also has the best side quests I've ever seen, because they're tied to the characters and story or just plain fun. The world/worldbuilding, dungeons, puzzles and the actual gameplay are also phenomenal. So why isn't Majora's Mask a 10/10 for me? This is because some puzzles or heart pieces are almost impossible to solve/find blindly. While the dungeons are all extremely good, just one of them, the Stone Tower Temple, is truly flawless. However, even this temple has a tiny weakness: its boss is underwhelming. Similarly, the final boss could have been much better. At times, the game would have benefited from giving the player subtle hints or clearer guidance about what to do during certain passages. Overall Majora`s Mask would be a god-level game (10/10) but because of the small problems it narrowly missed this rating. Absolutely worth playing. 9,99/10

I think Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity did almost everything it can to be a good game. The gameplay was pretty fun but unfortunately it became too repetitive and boring at some point, which ultimately was largely due to the repetitive and non-innovative quests. The story carried the game a lot as it was definitely the highlight of this game. Overall, this is a solid game, even for people like me who aren't familiar with Hack&Slash-games. 8,1/10

Anyone who knows The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker knows how great the “Wind Waker feeling” is. This feeling is one of the main things that makes this game great. Also the amazing and entertaining world, the unique characters and story as well as the dungeons are really great. The remake is even better in my opinion, with better graphics and quality of life changes. This game doesn't really have any bad aspects, it just doesn't reach the highest heights (you just get used to the "Wind-Waker-feeling" a little and the last part of the game can feel a bit lame at times). Overall a great game with an even better remake. 9,5/10

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a WONDERFUL piece of gaming. Seriously this game is my favourite 2D Mario Game. Each Level is awesome and beautiful designed, there are several new types of enemys, the game feels more alive than ever thanks to the beautiful and elaborate animations, every Level is unique and wonderful flowers provide variety and "WOW"-moments. The Badges provide for individuality, little Challenges provide for even more variety and the Overworld is better than ever. The marvelous soundtrack lets you immerse yourself in the game. But every game has some flaws. The two biggest flaws in the game are first the Bosses. The Bosses in Super Mario Bros. Wonder are terribly lame and repeat themself, because there is actually just one Boss: Bowser jr and sometimes worlds don`t even have a boss. The second, not so big, flaw is, that sometimes Wonder Effects repeat themself. This happens lucky just a few times but is still a problem. One small "problem" also would be, that the game is too easy, but that is rather irrelevant. Overall, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a fantastic game for the Nintendo Switch and without a doubt the best 2D mario game or even the best 2D Nintendo platformer ever created. 9,7/10

New Super Luigi U is definitely the second best game from the “New”-series, of course behind NSMB. Its core feature - fast-paced levels with more challenge - presents NSMBU in a new and for me, better light. However, since it`s technically a DLC, it still shares the same issues as NSMBU. But still, its different approach feels, or rather felt refreshing. Overall, the game is fine and worth playing at least once. 6,6/10

New Super Mario Bros. U is the definitive version of its predecessors, NSMBWii and NSMB2. Among these titles, it offers the best leveldesign, multiplayer, visuals, etc. NSMBU is still leagues away from NSMB and shares the same issues as the later entries: they are bland, generic and basically copies of each other. But still, the game remains slightly above average and is worth playing at least once. 6,5/10

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is the third game from the “New”-series and doesn’t add many new ideas. It’s "basically" NSMBWii, but with worse multiplayer and a coin gimmick that isn’t great either. However, the level design has improved a bit, because of the two new secret worlds, that add some character to the game (even though the game is quite easy, due to both the coin gimmick and generally simple level design). The side modes are also relatively fun. Overall, the game is slightly better than it`s predecessor and is at least worth playing once. 6,4/10

New Super Mario Bros. Wii isn`t a particularly bad video game, but it is a bad Mario game for sure. Many of the things that made its predecessor, New Super Mario Bros., so good were stripped away. Unique enemies, creative gimmicks, good level design, an awesome soundtrack and great secret exits are mostly missing here. The only real improvements are the multiplayer, which wasn’t present in NSMB and the new power-ups. Aside from that, the game feels just bland and uncreative for a Mario title, making it less fun than most Mario games. But still, the game isn`t horrible - just average and worth playing at least once. 6,3/10

New Super Mario Bros. is not only the first game I ever played, but also one of the best 2D Mario games ever made. Every level is beautifully designed and offers a unique challenge, making the game consistently fun, while the soundtrack is great and perfectly captures the DS vibe. One of the best additions to the game are the Star Coins, which make exploration and discovering secrets more exciting and prioritized. The new power-ups are some of the best in the entire series. The Blue Shell allows for fast and fluid movement, the Mega Mushroom makes you feel incredibly powerful and turns destruction into pure fun and the Mini Mushroom is essential for many great puzzles and secret exits. Speaking of secret exits, this game has also the best secret exits, as there are creative, well hidden and often unlock entirely new paths, levels, or even worlds, making exploration even more rewarding. Another highlight are the bosses, which are alwas unique, really fun and quite challenging at times. Visually, the game looks fantastic for a DS game, with it`s beautiful backgrounds and level design. Overall, NSMB holds a special place inside me, not only because it was my first game, but also because it’s a really good one. 8,45/10

Super Mario World is one of the best 2D Mario games and a noticeable improvement over its predecessor, Super Mario Bros. 3. The game basically takes everything SMB3 did and improves upon it further. The level design is more polished, the gimmicks are better than ever and the gameplay is smoother and better thanks to Mario`s new moveset, power-ups and the addition of Yoshi, who makes his first ever debut in this game. Yoshi, the new power-ups and enemies add even more variety for both the game and the player. The world map does a major step forward and the addition of secret exits improves exploration and the search for secrets. The soundtrack is awesome and iconic and the introduction of Yoshi also gave us one of Nintendo’s most beloved characters, as well as several very fun levels that focus strongly on his abilities. While the game doesn`t have a single truly bad world, Worlds 3 and 4 are, in my opinion, the best because they use all of these strengths perfectly. Other worlds, especially Worlds 1, 6 and Star, don`t fully (partly) use the game’s potential, whether in terms of gimmicks, level design, enemy variety, etc. This inconsistency between worlds is the game’s only major flaw. Despite this, Super Mario World remains a really good game and like Super Mario Bros. 3, one of the most revolutionary games in the Mario series. 8,35/10

Super Mario Bros. is a game that aged poorly. While the core gameplay and ideas are still solid, with it`s power-ups and design choices that are very basic and not really special, the game tends to repeat itself alot. Mario also moves very clunky and unintuitive to control, which increases the difficulty badly. Being an NES game makes this even more difficult but also more frustrating, because you have to replay the whole game every single time you get a Game Over and this will happen quit a few times, since the game is pretty tough. Despite aging poorly, I still think the game is worth trying at least once, since it`s one of the most influential and important games in gaming history and the game is still "just" below average. 5/10

This game is by far the worst game I`ve ever played and will ever play. I emulated the original NES (Famicom) version of The lost levels in 2024. This was my SECOND NES game (the first was super mario bros) and I never thought how bad this game is. First of all the OG version is A LOT HARDER then the remake version from the SNES. The controls and movements of Mario are TERRIBLE -t. also Mario`s acceleration is so **** WEIRD and UNPREDICTABLE... I don't know what the developers' intention behind this was. The Second thing is the gamedesign. I don`t know why but this game has NO GOOD LEVELS. Kaizo blocks, enemy spam, unpredictable projectiles, a **** camera in a 2D GAME (sometimes you need to see if there's an enemy or a hole or something on the other side, but because of the camera that's sometimes very hard to do detect ), unfair levels, no checkpoints, bugs, almost no power-ups and levels that are generally way too difficult even for very good players. Overall I would say this game is yeah... the hell himself and worse. I really don´t know why JUST WHY this game got created. Yes the game is for "Super players" but hard doesn`t mean UNFAIR or nearly IMPOSSIBLE Levels. But if you still want to play this game, then play the SNES version. With this version you don't have to replay the entire world again when you get a game over,. All previous bugs have been fixed, Mario's movements are still bad but not terrible, and projectiles are no longer as random as they were in the OG version. The remake version is the fairer and easier version of The Lost Levels. In order to get 100% in The Lost Levels, in the OG version, you have to play all 8 worlds once without using warps to unlock World 9 and play through the game another 7 times to unlock the A-D , which you then also have to play . In the remake you only have to play through the game normally once to get this extra content. In the end I want you to know that you should NEVER PLAY Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels - there is a reason why the Levels are lost. Like I said this was my SECOND NES game and no I didn´t Cheat, I didn`t use Tricks or Save States or whatever you could use to make this game easier for yourself. I played this game blind and not normally, I played it to 100% and it took around 40 HOURS. Am I proud of it? NO! Was it worth playing the game and would I recommend it to someone? DEFINITELY NO!!! did this game give me trauma and do I hate this game... ABSOLUTELY...... If you wanna play this game for reasons unknown to me then play the SNES version like 99,99% of people did. Notes: (Sorry for the bit of flexing, I usually don`t do this but getting the 100% was pretty special, so please don`t take the whole thing too badly.) 0/10

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a classic and revolutionary entry in the Mario series. It introduced many features that became staples of the franchise, such as the world map, familiar enemies/characters and numerous new power-ups that remain iconic to this day. The levels are fun and unique, with each one offering a new gimmick or special feature. The game uses its new mechanics and ideas perfectly and even is quite challenging, with a noticeable difficulty spike in World 7 and especially in World 8. The only real downside is that World 3 and World 4 feel mediocre. Both rely too much on a single main gimmick - World 3 focuses on water levels, I know everyone likes water levels and World 4 focuses around giant levels. I feel like the creativity has faded away in both worlds. Despite that, Super Mario Bros. 3 is still fun today and is by far the best Mario game from the NES. 8/10

Super Mario 3D World is one of my favourite 3D Mario games and a huge improvement over Super Mario 3D Land. It takes all of the good elements of 3D Land (the soundtrack, power-ups, gameplay mechanics and level design) and improves every single of them. The soundtrack is wonderful, the level design is more open and creative, the new power-ups add extra fun and the controls feel smoother. Collecting has a far greater relevance than in 3D Land, new characters and world themes make the game feel less generic and more unique and the multiplayer is excellent. Overall, the game is a significant upgrade over its predecessor and definitely worth playing. 9,65/10

Super Mario 3D Land is a great 3D Mario game, even though it’s more classic and generic than other titles in the series. The game has a great soundtrack that fits each level perfectly. Most levels feature a unique gimmick or are simply very well designed for platforming. Combined with well implemented power-ups, Super Mario 3D Land offers a strong foundation of simple, fun and engaging gameplay. The S-Worlds, which include harder variants and sometimes completely new levels, increase the overall experience and even provide a good amount of challenge. While the game might lack a big, defining gameplay gimmick like other 3D Mario games and feels a bit more traditional and generic, its polished gameplay and perfectly tuned design for the 3DS make it easily able to compete with other great titles in the series. The only real downside is that the controls feel a bit janky. But in the end, this game remains fantastic and is definitely worth playing. 9,3/10

Super Mario 64 is the first 3D Mario platformer and a very good start for the series. The game offers unique sandbox worlds full of charm and secrets, an iconic soundtrack and fun gameplay mechanics that vary from world to world. The atmosphere of exploring these isolated but packed maps feels special and the gameplay really adds to this unique experience. Overall, the game doesn’t have many problems, but two crucial issues stand out: The camera and the controls. Both are very clunky, which makes progressing and platforming often really awkward, especially in Tick Tock Clock and Rainbow Ride - those worlds are really horrible and frustrating. But even today, the game remains entertaining, iconic and definitely worth playing, even if the outdated camera and controls are noticeable. 8,7/10

Mario Sunshine gave me one of the craziest video game experiences I’ve ever had. On the surface, it seems harmless - a fantastic and iconic soundtrack, stunning and colorful visuals and fun worlds. But as good as it sounds, Mario Sunshine has issues. This game can reach the highest highs of any 3D Mario game, but also the lowest lows. Missions like the **** machine, the F.L.U.D.D.-less challenges, the Chuckster stage and the Lily Pad ride are some of the worst-designed and buggiest levels I’ve ever played. The game’s inconsistency really hurts it - it can be incredibly fun, but it holds itself back with frustrating design choices. I don’t really mind the blue coins, though they could have been better. For me, the biggest problem is the mix of extreme difficulty and inconsistency. That said, Mario’s moveset here is one of the best I’ve ever felt - fluid and just fun to control. The camera can be clunky, but I don’t mind it much. Sunshine is the definition of heaven and hell, especially if you go for the 100% like I did. The worst and hardest missions are optional, so the game punishes you for loving it. Paired with its weird story - which I actually like the most out of all 3D Mario games - Sunshine feels like a big fever dream. If it hadn’t been rushed, this game could have been so much better. But in the end, I would still recommend Super Mario Sunshine to anyone who enjoys 3D platformers - but I DON`T recommend going for 100%. Unless you have the nerves and willpower to finish one of the most frustrating, challenging, yet also fun and unique Nintendo games ever made, you might lose all enjoyment along the way. 9/10

Super Mario Galaxy is in my opinion the “worst” 3D mainline Mario game. It has a good leveldesign, an amazing soundtrack and the second-best finale in the 3D Mario series, but its extreme linearity holds back both the creativity and the leveldesign. For a platformer, the leveldesign doesn’t focus that much on constant jumping and running. Exploration and collecting - core aspects of 3D Mario games - are barely present, since you have only one collectibIe and galaxy´s, that aren´t large enough for exploration. The new power-ups are also rarely used, some of them aren’t very good and their implementation often feels lacking. For me, all of these issues come from the game’s strict linearity, which limits space for more creative ideas and risk-taking. Mario is known for bizarre, inventive worlds and gimmicks, yet here that creativity feels less present than in any other 3D Mario game. That’s why I especially like galaxies such as Toy Time or Freezeflame - they stand out for their unique style and leveldesign. But despite all my criticism, I still think it’s a solid and fun game, just one that could have been much better and knowing how great a 3D Mario game can be, is exactly why it`s missed potential bothers me. Super Mario Galaxy is a good, worth playing game. 8,4/10