UrbanOtaku

If Super Mario Bros. was a birth, Mario 64 a feat of power, and Mario Galaxy a grand event, then this game can only be summarized by a word that doesn't even exist in the English dictionary. This game is immaculate, and one of the few games I consider should be publicly protected; it's fine if YOU have specific problems with it, (heck, even I do; the hint art sections ****), but saying it's a bad game is a downright sin and should be a genuine warning to others that you are not a good person. One great part is the pacing; it blends the simplicity of 64 and the dialogue heaviness of Sunshine, except that the dialogue can be skipped, so everyone wins in this situation. One other part I love about this game is the nostalgia ripped from other entries and eras in the series, and not just coming from the original SMB1. I thought "there's no way they're going to make MY eyes water up. I grew up with the Wii and 3DS, they don't let people feel nostalgic for those eras..." Wrong. They are past the era of only using 8-bit Mario as a nostalgia drug; they're using Mario 64DS, Mario 3D Land, and even some "forbidden" games and consoles like Mario Artist and the Satellaview. They're even acknowledging that Donkey Kong was Mario's first appearance, not SMB. They didn't just want the 40 year olds to be happy; they wanted both people who were (relatively) new to the series and the VERY old fans to feel attached to this game. And you know what? Seeing 3DS-era salutations makes me feel happy; I miss 2013, back when I was a kid. Lastly, the game itself is, put subtly, "if the word "f***" had positive connotations." So many challenges, every corner of the maps are used, and the worlds themselves are so grandly designed; instead of the usual "introduce a gimmick and use that gimmick for the whole stage" trope, it's more so "bam, here's an idea, use it for a bit, bam, another idea, bam, fuse those 2 ideas together, bam, yet another idea". It never feels like a certain gimmick gets stale; every portion feels long enough to experiment with an idea, yet short enough as to not let that idea become tiring (a problem I had with NSMBU). This game being compared to just an amusement park is a disgrace to this game; this is a festival, and anyone who hasn't played it yet should go and treat themselves with this game.

Thank goodness we got train course back, guys. Oh also some random course inspired by Waluigi; that's also cool.

Buy this for Ninja Hideaway, the butchered Coconut Mall, and leave the rest to dry. I'm sorry, but even though Nintendo improved the Booster Course Pass overtime, it's baffling how little effort they put into the 1st wave.

Voice acting is kinda corny but that's my only problem. Nice if you have $20 and don't just want to waste it.

What a game. This was the only game I got my nihilistic little brother to play with me. AndI actually got to see him smile, too.

I can see why some people aren't into this, but if you're a person who likes warm fuzzy vibes and just want something to sit down and enjoy for a good 6 hours, then hey, this small side-project by the makers of Kirby is the game for you.

After Punch-Out!! Wii and Luigi's Mansion 2, Next Level Games managed to keep their rolling momentum with pushing out technically and graphically incredible games for their respective consoles. The creative themes from Luigi's Mansion 2 combines itself with the open-world-yet-linear design and the arcade-like aesthetic of the original that many people begged to return after Dark Moon. Plus, with the amount of puzzles in the game, this was the first game in a long time that actually made me use my brain. Trying to find out how to tackle an objective with only but a few visual clues and combatting ghosts that get in your way; sometimes both, and sometimes even on a deadly time crunch! So much life was put into this game, and I can't wait for NLG to tackle their next big project after the somewhat meh new Mario Strikers game.

This sounds rude, but I mean it in the best way when I say that I'm glad the DKC series came to a grand, yet subtle close, right here. I grew up playing DKC Returns with my brother on the Wii back in 2017, completely unaware of the Wii U or this game even existing. But when I grew up and got on summer break, I heard about this game and thought I'd give it a kick, see if it would do any tricks for me.

This sounds rude, but I mean it in the best way when I say that I'm glad the DKC series came to a grand, yet subtle close, right here. I grew up playing DKC Returns with my brother on the Wii back in 2017, completely unaware of the Wii U or this game even existing. But when I grew up and got on summer break, I heard about this game and thought I'd give it a kick, see if it would do any tricks for me.

It's been 15 years since this game came out, but I'll keep it short and sweet. It's not uncommon for game developers to like making their games, but here, the people at Next Level Games INSISTED that they wanted to make this game. And hey, it shows. Looking back now, it took some guts for them to transfer the arcade-style appeal of the original game into a modern console environment. But the artstyle sells it for me. If Wind Waker was the GameCube's graphical masterpiece, then Punch-Out!! Wii is the Wii's graphical masterpiece. And even though the game is short and simple, I can't help but want to sit down every once in a while on the holidays and play it again. The goal of the original was wanting to pick up the controller again, and even in an era where online and wireless exist, this game manages to hook you and makes you want to come back, even when there's no point to going back. And the presentation is nothing short of electrifying. The fast reflexes are still a must, the humor is intact, and I'm glad to see that in the 21st century, the developers were brave enough to keep the stereotypical satire from the original; it's all in fun. Anyway, go beat that sodomiet Aran Ryan for me.

It's genuinely a good game, don't get me wrong. That's why my score for this game is so high. Though I can't help but feel as if something is off.

Not really a review persé, but I'll say that I think the game being $50 ($60 for digital) is completely fair. The Wii U did bad, so the original game did bad. It deserved to get another fair chance instead of just being plopped into obscurity. And hey, It's doing just fine!

You know, everyone says this is the most vanilla Mario game ever after NSMBU, but in this case, I think the basic tone of this game is rather cozy. You may not be going into the depths of Corona Mountain, or plummeting into other planets out in the universe, but the little toybox-esque levels have so much cute charm to them that it justifies this game's existence. And I gotta say, the music is oddly good, too. It's like they took a loan from Mario Galaxy with how contrasting the tones are. Again, this game isn't tough stuff, but that's why I like it. Its not afraid to admit that it's a bit soft. And playing it with someone else is really fun. (Would highly recommend to play it on a rainy day with a close friend and a cup of hot cocoa. May replace close friend with son/daughter/relative kin of choice if you wish).

This game has Olimar, so I was considering giving this game an 11 out of 10. But I do not like the random tripping, it was a weird decision to add it; so I could only really give this game a 10 out of 10, which is coincidentally the highest score this site lets me submit.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Mario 64 was about breaking into the 3rd dimension, setting a new standard for games as a whole. Mario Galaxy was about conveying emotions such as bliss, joy, wonder, and even grief; all while saying "**** gravity, am I right?" Mario 3D Land was about translating the 3D Mario formula into a handheld setting (64 DS got there first, but that's another can of corn that I'll save for later). Mario 3D World brought Multiplayer fun to the mix, and blended the tight levels of 3D Land with a hint of Mario Galaxy's grand music. And Mario Odyssey was effectively the revival of the collectathon genre reminiscent of the N64 days of DK64 and Banjo-Kazooie. So what did this game do, I mean aside looking so dang gorgeous and handsome for it's time? Well... not much. But I think that's a blessing in disguise. While all the other Mario games were made to showcase new technological or formula advancements (while also being fun, I'm not dissing any of them), Sunshine was just able to focus on being "a game". "Ooh, a second analog stick!", yeah I think that part is less an advancement in tech and more simply a quality of life upgrade. Controlling F.L.U.D.D. feels slick and tight. And I'd have to say that this is the first game where Mario's movement feels complete. Few of his moves in this game have even become staples of his arsenal for the years following, such as the super-ground-pound and the wall slide. Others, like the corkscrew-spin-jump, haven't seen the light of day again, but I must say I don't see why they haven't returned; that move feels awesome to use. Isle Delfino is a wonderful, gleaming paradise, and it awaits you in Mario Sunshine with doors wide open.

This game is rather alienating to veterans of the series, I get it. It's weird to have a roster of 150 fresh Pokémon, and have some of them be superior overhauls of previous designs in the series, such as the mysterious Musharna over the disturbing Hypno, or the drill-headed Excadrill, a redesign of the bland (yet SOMEWHAT amusing) Dugtrio. It's weird to have Bug and Poison Types that are actually usable and aren't just Route 1 Pokémon. It's weird to give a Pokémon game an actual story with actual plot, and a deep message about not submitting to the way others think and how they want this world to run. It's weird to have a region with environmental diversity (Hoenn aside). It's weird that they wanted players to have a breath of fresh air in the Regional Pokédex and not have Pikachu shoved into their face for the 800th time. It's weird how TM's are actually usable now and you don't have to fear losing one forever. This game is a gem and Sinnoh stans and genwunners should stop crying.

The amount of creativity this game births, conceives, adopts, [other synonyms for 'create'] is unmatched, and it comes with a bow on top; that bow being the mustachioed man himself. Mario Maker 1 was already a great sandbox game, so adding more items and gimmicks to it was the logical next step, and that step took them to the land of gold. The addition of extra background themes was a great step, and it gives levels more flair. In MM1 the level themes were fine, but the lack of diversity just made levels feel like "platform challenges or cool tech showcases" rather than graspable places Mario would visit. Now, who knows where your level could be? A jungle full of acid, a windy desert, high in the clouds? The list isn't infinite, but the new options feel so welcome. But that's all cosmetically; howis the gameplay? As many people have quoted throughout the history of our species: "fun". The new items feel "spicy" enough to justify its difference from it's Wii U father, yet tend to stay calm enough as to not overwhelm the maker or players with complicated items. Slopes feel so good in levels and HEAVILY alleviate the problem with the New SMB style in MM1; you can make fresh hills rather than blocky awkward steps. The addition of Swinging Claws has given creators a new tool for platforming, as you can suspend enemies and items in the air and make them fall if you walk under one; Spinies are my go to option to put on the claws in a platformer. While it was an update item in ver. 2.0, it's hard to imagine this game without Spike Balls. They follow real laws of gravity, so you can have fun making hilly levels that take advantage of the ball slowing down and speeding up on slopes. Twisters and Snake Blocks, albeit underwhelming when the public first saw them, are cute obstacles and feel like a natural and justified inclusion in this game despite their few uses. Fish Bones are a unique enemy introduced; on land, at least. They'll be destroyed if they touch literally anything, yet can still harm the player. To take advantage of this unique property, I like to put them on parachutes. And lastly,the ON/OFF Switch. Wow, this is impressive. So much uses have been seen for it; a jump sensor, a way to make rhythm game levels, kaizo platforming... it's such a perfect fit for the game and fits the spirit of the game like a glove. The courses you find online are very polar; they're either extravagant or awful, if you found an inbetween, then wow good for you. You tend to get recommended a certain ratio of recent uploads/at least 1 heart given, and it works okay. The ONE SOLE issue I have with viewing online courses, as well as this game as a whole, is that like YouTube you can "Boo" or dislike a course, but no one will see that Boo. Being able to see a Boo to Yeah ratio would have been so good for level browsing and would've made you aware of bad levels way faster. Other than that one gripe, this game is phenomenal; and again, so much creativity has blossomed from it. People have made entire 2-digit calculators in this game, that's impressive. So what are you waiting for? Let's-a go get making!

This game is nothing more than a diversion. The only reason to even buy this game is if you are a Pokémon fanatic and absolutely MUST capture the new 80 or so goofballs the minds of Game Freak designed. Although, let's consider that I myself AM a Pokémaniac. I STILL don't think buying this game is justified, let alone its existence as a whopping *$60* game. 7 years ago, I got a copy of Pokémon Sun (gen 7) at Walmart with my birthday money. It was clear that Game Freak wanted players to remember that game with a bright smile, as Sun and Moon only has missed opportunities, not major issues; for a 3DS game it looked stunning with some areas even having cinematic camera angles for you to find, the post-game content was excellent, and the base game was the hardest a Pokémon title has ever been; with boss battles using weather, status moves, abilities, and gimmicks to their complete advantage. And while I won't write an essay on it, the story was touching. A nice deviation from the typical optimistic "stop evil team and become champion" trope the franchise welded itself to for so long. Only the Unova duology has topped its story. This is where Game Freak reached their magnum opus and crafted art, rather than just "a game" Which is why this entry in the series is even more disappointing for me than the embarrassment that is Sword and Shield and BDSP. First off, Dex-it is back from SWSH and BDSP; we all know the spiel of that. But in my opinion, Dex-it in this game is even *worse.* There are some fan-favorite Pokémon such as Absol, Gigalith, Steelix and Aegislash who are not present, and it is jarring to see icons so beloved by children and adults be completely sidelined, not even alluding to them. But what stings even more is the removal of the Eternal 3; a group of Pokémon I dubbed that name due them being in every game since Red and Green; the families of Machamp, Alakazam, and Crobat. The absence of these Pokémon isn't just heart-breaking, but also feels illogical. No one in the Pokémon fanbase could even IMAGINE a game without those 3 showing up. Their disinclusion leaves an awful hole in the game. Another issue I have is the shallow main-game. The story this time is divided into 3 smaller stories, which merge together after completing all of them. While this is a cute idea and is a concept i would be curious to see in a BETTER game, this just results in a wild goose chase across the map, except you eventually DO catch the goose. Its just so awkward; the lack of routes and distinct locations that previous games used to merge point A and point B together hurts this style of story progression a lot. I often got frustrated at trying to find my next location or trying to scale a mere rock. And again, I can't stress how much those distinct locations in the earlier games fleshed the journey out; not only did they indeed merge A and B together, but some areas even adopted clever gimmicks, such as floating stones that you move around, deserts with a hidden exit, or an abandoned hotel that requires you to access both the North and South side to 100% the area. The lack of any cool landmarks makes the journey lame and bland. And post game? Uhhh there IS none! I guess the Battle Tower and secret post-game locations were just too awesome to bring back, jeez... The game is also far from hard. While some trainers do use items (held items, at that), they often use very abysmal Pokémon in combat with very poor moves; a Hypno with a Life Orb is still a sad, weak Hypno. The conclusion of the game is somehow even MORE pathetic. The Elite 4's teams are awful, and Geeta's team was so unacceptable that Game Freak UPDATED HER TEAM in post-game after ver. 2.0.. Yes, it was SO BAD that they had to ALTER her team. Unlike Sun and Moon, the boss battles don't feel like challenges with strategy to imply; team members often fail to play to their strengths and the moves that they are able to learn, and everyone online memes at the fact that Geeta's last Pokémon was designed to be setup fodder, the opposite of your final ace in the hole. And finally... this looks awful. People are saying this looks like a GameCube game, but that is an absolute insult to the GameCube. THAT console could actually render impressive lighting, shadows, and visual effects like heat-wave. The graphics were also decent; Super Mario Sunshine and The Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess still look good today. And the system could even withstand loading in 128 AI units at once. This game cannot render it's lighting and shadows properly. Its graphics are garbage and sometimes seem to glitch out. And I don't think the game can even handle *50* units on screen at once. Heck, having more than even 5 units on screen already makes it quiver a bit. None of this is even the 1080p console's fault; this game was made with NO heart put into it and was ONLY made to be a cash-grab as "the 21st game iteration of the highest grossing media franchise of the 21st century". WOW.