Played this once before when it first came out, got about 70-something shines. This time I just got the required 50 to beat the game. My main purpose in replaying this is because of all of the rumors of the upcoming "open-world" 3D Mario game for Switch 2, I wanted to see the game that is the first foray into that kind of thing.
This really feels like Nintendo dipping their toes in the water with the idea of an open world Mario game. And I think they succeeded! This game is quite a bit on the short side, and that's really the only reason this falls a half star short of a perfect score. That and the weir Mario 3D World camera and controls. That being said, this is still 3D Mario so it controls a hell of a lot better than 99% of other video games.
I am a sucker for a good open world. And on the flipside I absolutely detest lazy open worlds. This proves that Nintendo knows what they're doing with this concept. This isn't a Unreal Engine 5 demo of Mario running around a massive empty green field "NINTENDO HIRE THIS MAN" style, this is a big Mario world, a collection of individual levels seamlessly put together on an ocean you can ride around on the back of Yonka Dingo, and it's great! The main purpose and goal of Super Mario is to just be pure, unbridled fun, and there's no fun to be had in loading screens. So how's about we separate our levels with actual gameplay and traversal and platforming, instead of those lame, antiquated loading screens. That's what Nintendo's philosophy feels like in this game, and it's genius.
Dunkey put it best, "This is just an appetizer to some masterpiece off in the distance." Now that that masterpiece is rumored to be not so distant, here's hoping that 1) it's real and 2) it truly will be a masterpiece.
I love Mario games so much dude.
This really feels like Nintendo dipping their toes in the water with the idea of an open world Mario game. And I think they succeeded! This game is quite a bit on the short side, and that's really the only reason this falls a half star short of a perfect score. That and the weir Mario 3D World camera and controls. That being said, this is still 3D Mario so it controls a hell of a lot better than 99% of other video games.
I am a sucker for a good open world. And on the flipside I absolutely detest lazy open worlds. This proves that Nintendo knows what they're doing with this concept. This isn't a Unreal Engine 5 demo of Mario running around a massive empty green field "NINTENDO HIRE THIS MAN" style, this is a big Mario world, a collection of individual levels seamlessly put together on an ocean you can ride around on the back of Yonka Dingo, and it's great! The main purpose and goal of Super Mario is to just be pure, unbridled fun, and there's no fun to be had in loading screens. So how's about we separate our levels with actual gameplay and traversal and platforming, instead of those lame, antiquated loading screens. That's what Nintendo's philosophy feels like in this game, and it's genius.
Dunkey put it best, "This is just an appetizer to some masterpiece off in the distance." Now that that masterpiece is rumored to be not so distant, here's hoping that 1) it's real and 2) it truly will be a masterpiece.
I love Mario games so much dude.