Game Review - Super Mario 64 DS
My first review was a hit, and I was invited to due a regular spot for Gamer's Radio. So from now on I'll be trying to do a weekly Nintendo review for them, so here's the next review in this series.
G'day folks, angeles here, "Down Under" with more Nintendo for you.
This week, I'll be looking at Super Mario 64 DS for the Nintendo DS. The sleek new Nintendo handheld caught my eye months before it was even out, the revolutionary design was a clencher in me buying this soon after it's release. I purchased this Mario remake along with the system, and I sure don't regret it.
You may wonder what the point is in getting a game that's ported from the Nintendo 64, but let me tell you, this is NOT a direct port. Gameplay has been altered dramatically, level design and artwork has been improved, tweaked, and even fixed in some cases. The game isn't just about Mario anymore either; Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi all make an appearance in this game as playable characters. In fact, you start the game as Yoshi, who's told that the others have been lost inside the paintings, and you must go out to rescue them. Already, you see the story twisted for some added freshness.
Unfortunately, the DS is not equipped with an analogue input. The touch screen tries to make up for this, that is, if you can get used to it. I tend to prefer the directional pad, but you may need the touch screen for finer control, like sneaking up on Pirahna Plants. The camera is controlled with areas on the bottom corners of the touch screen, however, it's alot easier to use your thumbs to control this, and you probably will, as it still needs quite lot of manual adjustment. Using your fingers can leave smudges on the screen, but as with most Nintendo products, it's pretty durable. Let me note the durability of this system too. The other day, mine copped a glass full of soft drink. As you can imagine, I was extremely upset when this happened to my brand new system. Amazingly, after being cleaned off and left to dry, it's back to its former glory with absolutely no adverse effects. The reliability of Nintendo systems is the major reason I keep buying them.
Graphically, there's good and bad things. The DS doesn't seem to do any filtering of the textures, which makes some look fairly pixelated, but on the limited real estate of a single DS screen, you'll hardly notice it. One thing I found useful is that if a tree obstructs Lakitu's view (who, of course, is our cameraman documenting the adventures of our heroes), they will fade in and out depending on how close they are. This makes it easier to run around without having to fix the camera even more. From the beginning, if you compare it with the original title, you will notice the colours are no longer as harsh, more placid hues have been used to give it a more realistic feel, especially the grass and trees.
Having stereo speakers in "virtual surround" have made the sound of this system awesome. You will feel immersed in the environment, and even be able to tell the direction in which enemies approach you, which is a plus in any 3D adventure. The music is basically the same, but I've often caught myself humming those familiar tunes long after I've put the DS down. You can tell Nintendo put some thought into the sound system this time.
A big change in the game has been the addition of thirty extra stars, which now totals 150! I'm yet to find them all, despite the amount of time I've put into this game, and amazingly, this doesn't frustrate me, but spurs me to play more. As you wander about, you'll notice subtle differences in the design and objectives of some levels. Many have a star where you need to collect five silver stars bouncing about, which is also used for the multiplayer part of this game. Another common one is the "Switch Star", where you need to activate a switch, and quickly rush over to the star before the timer runs out, and it disappears. To top this all off, some smaller sub-levels have been added to lengthen the game.
Having the extra characters also changes the progression through levels. Each character has their own unique abilities. Yoshi can swallow stuff, and make an egg to shoot, along with his trademark hover move. Mario can bounce off walls to get some extra height. Luigi can hover as well, but with the added ability to spin through the air when you backflip. Wario seems the most limited of all in movement, but makes up for it with power. The three moustached guys are the only ones able to punch blocks, with Wario being able to break the tougher ones. While you can be a certain character, which is required to get to some areas of the castle, most of the time it is best to stay as Yoshi, as you can choose who you want to be at the beginning of each level. Some stars require you to have be certain character, while others you are free to use whomever you like.
The Powerup Caps have been replaced with "Power Flowers". Putting on a cap now changes you into it's respective character, while the flowers give each of them a special ability. Yoshi will start breathing fire, which lets you burn enemies and melt ice. Mario will turn into a balloon, which lets you float up to higher areas. Luigi will become invisible, which lets you go through enemies and cages. Lastly, Wario will become metal, which allows you to sink underwater, and even fight the forces of wind. Some of these are unique to this game, and add flavour to an already tasty mix.
Finally, as you progress through this game, you unlock mini-games in the Princess' game room. These are absolutely great to waste time with, and also serves as a good break from the 3D adventure. To unlock these games, you must find the rabbits running around the castle who have stolen the keys to them. Each character has their own set of mini-games, and respectively, each character must find the keys for their games in the adventure field.
Personally, I prefer this game to the others out in Australia at the moment, although there aren't very many of those to speak of yet. I'm glad Nintendo made this a release title as it quenches my thirst for DS gaming. Hopefully, Nintendo will pick up the pace in the game releases and we'll have many more games that are fun to play, and revolutionary.
This is angeles, signing off for Gamers Radio.
If you like my reviews, I suggest you get PodCast and subscribe to Gamer's Radio using a PodCast client. And no, you don't need an iPod to enjoy these, you can listen to them on your computer.
Please also take the time to boost our ratings by voting for us!
Cheers!
G'day folks, angeles here, "Down Under" with more Nintendo for you.
This week, I'll be looking at Super Mario 64 DS for the Nintendo DS. The sleek new Nintendo handheld caught my eye months before it was even out, the revolutionary design was a clencher in me buying this soon after it's release. I purchased this Mario remake along with the system, and I sure don't regret it.
You may wonder what the point is in getting a game that's ported from the Nintendo 64, but let me tell you, this is NOT a direct port. Gameplay has been altered dramatically, level design and artwork has been improved, tweaked, and even fixed in some cases. The game isn't just about Mario anymore either; Luigi, Wario, and Yoshi all make an appearance in this game as playable characters. In fact, you start the game as Yoshi, who's told that the others have been lost inside the paintings, and you must go out to rescue them. Already, you see the story twisted for some added freshness.
Unfortunately, the DS is not equipped with an analogue input. The touch screen tries to make up for this, that is, if you can get used to it. I tend to prefer the directional pad, but you may need the touch screen for finer control, like sneaking up on Pirahna Plants. The camera is controlled with areas on the bottom corners of the touch screen, however, it's alot easier to use your thumbs to control this, and you probably will, as it still needs quite lot of manual adjustment. Using your fingers can leave smudges on the screen, but as with most Nintendo products, it's pretty durable. Let me note the durability of this system too. The other day, mine copped a glass full of soft drink. As you can imagine, I was extremely upset when this happened to my brand new system. Amazingly, after being cleaned off and left to dry, it's back to its former glory with absolutely no adverse effects. The reliability of Nintendo systems is the major reason I keep buying them.
Graphically, there's good and bad things. The DS doesn't seem to do any filtering of the textures, which makes some look fairly pixelated, but on the limited real estate of a single DS screen, you'll hardly notice it. One thing I found useful is that if a tree obstructs Lakitu's view (who, of course, is our cameraman documenting the adventures of our heroes), they will fade in and out depending on how close they are. This makes it easier to run around without having to fix the camera even more. From the beginning, if you compare it with the original title, you will notice the colours are no longer as harsh, more placid hues have been used to give it a more realistic feel, especially the grass and trees.
Having stereo speakers in "virtual surround" have made the sound of this system awesome. You will feel immersed in the environment, and even be able to tell the direction in which enemies approach you, which is a plus in any 3D adventure. The music is basically the same, but I've often caught myself humming those familiar tunes long after I've put the DS down. You can tell Nintendo put some thought into the sound system this time.
A big change in the game has been the addition of thirty extra stars, which now totals 150! I'm yet to find them all, despite the amount of time I've put into this game, and amazingly, this doesn't frustrate me, but spurs me to play more. As you wander about, you'll notice subtle differences in the design and objectives of some levels. Many have a star where you need to collect five silver stars bouncing about, which is also used for the multiplayer part of this game. Another common one is the "Switch Star", where you need to activate a switch, and quickly rush over to the star before the timer runs out, and it disappears. To top this all off, some smaller sub-levels have been added to lengthen the game.
Having the extra characters also changes the progression through levels. Each character has their own unique abilities. Yoshi can swallow stuff, and make an egg to shoot, along with his trademark hover move. Mario can bounce off walls to get some extra height. Luigi can hover as well, but with the added ability to spin through the air when you backflip. Wario seems the most limited of all in movement, but makes up for it with power. The three moustached guys are the only ones able to punch blocks, with Wario being able to break the tougher ones. While you can be a certain character, which is required to get to some areas of the castle, most of the time it is best to stay as Yoshi, as you can choose who you want to be at the beginning of each level. Some stars require you to have be certain character, while others you are free to use whomever you like.
The Powerup Caps have been replaced with "Power Flowers". Putting on a cap now changes you into it's respective character, while the flowers give each of them a special ability. Yoshi will start breathing fire, which lets you burn enemies and melt ice. Mario will turn into a balloon, which lets you float up to higher areas. Luigi will become invisible, which lets you go through enemies and cages. Lastly, Wario will become metal, which allows you to sink underwater, and even fight the forces of wind. Some of these are unique to this game, and add flavour to an already tasty mix.
Finally, as you progress through this game, you unlock mini-games in the Princess' game room. These are absolutely great to waste time with, and also serves as a good break from the 3D adventure. To unlock these games, you must find the rabbits running around the castle who have stolen the keys to them. Each character has their own set of mini-games, and respectively, each character must find the keys for their games in the adventure field.
Personally, I prefer this game to the others out in Australia at the moment, although there aren't very many of those to speak of yet. I'm glad Nintendo made this a release title as it quenches my thirst for DS gaming. Hopefully, Nintendo will pick up the pace in the game releases and we'll have many more games that are fun to play, and revolutionary.
This is angeles, signing off for Gamers Radio.
If you like my reviews, I suggest you get PodCast and subscribe to Gamer's Radio using a PodCast client. And no, you don't need an iPod to enjoy these, you can listen to them on your computer.
Please also take the time to boost our ratings by voting for us!
Cheers!