Spevan
Mario Party Superstars is a step in the right direction for a series that has been misguided for well over a decade. Ever since NDCube took over the franchise from Hudson Soft, the quality of the games has dropped entry after entry and that was far too obvious in 2018's Super Mario Party which felt like a husk of the former games. However, this game has really brought the series back and I am finally seeing it get the respect it deserves as the chaotic party game it was always meant to be.
The presentation of the game is actually really nice, even compared to previous entries. Most Mario games go for a toy-looking art style that makes everything look like plastic and ugly but the direction of this more realistic art style has looks much better. But the music is really where this game shines, as every track has been remixed to add new, modern flare to each board and minigame, with the old tracks being optional to change after beating each board. It all sounds and looks just how it should for a simple party game.
Of course, no one comes to Mario Party for its stunning visuals, and luckily the gameplay does not suck this time. The return of the classic 1-10 dice, along with a grab-bag of classic minigames without any gimmicks added to them makes this a Mario Party that feels fresh to new players, and like a true return to form for veterans. The game is finally playable in handheld mode, which was not possible in the other Switch Mario Party and the selection of boards and minigames doesn't suck like the other anniversary title. And, the addition of stickers just adds that little thing that doesn't need to be there but is just fun to have when its not your turn. Also, a solid multiplayer mode! In a first party Nintendo game! Who would've thought? This is genuinely just a solid entry all around.
Although, there are some things lacking that do make me wonder if this game was rushed out the door a bit too fast. The lack of any kind of singleplayer content is a little disappointing since my personal favorite entry is Mario Party DS and that comes with an entire campaign, but also just a mission mode would have been nice. Additionally, the lack of modes for the main board game feels a little bit weird. No 2v2 mode, no partner mechanics, no special dice blocks depending on your character all feel like weird things to be excluded from, but I assume this was to focus on the main game, since NDCube does have a habit of overstuffing their titles with modes that lack any depth. Although, the limited character selection and only 5 boards is a little disappointing, and the boards chosen aren't really stand outs. The fact that Birdo got a slot over like Bowser Jr is a little weird, and Peach's Birthday Cake is a pretty boring map. All in all, I just wish that more content had been taken from the Gamecube titles and MP8 over the N64 titles, since it feels like those titles really got shelved in terms of inspiration.
This is decisively the best Mario Party in a long time and I absolutely want to get more chances to play this with friends because its just a fun time, with that added bit of Mario Party chaos back into the game.
The presentation of the game is actually really nice, even compared to previous entries. Most Mario games go for a toy-looking art style that makes everything look like plastic and ugly but the direction of this more realistic art style has looks much better. But the music is really where this game shines, as every track has been remixed to add new, modern flare to each board and minigame, with the old tracks being optional to change after beating each board. It all sounds and looks just how it should for a simple party game.
Of course, no one comes to Mario Party for its stunning visuals, and luckily the gameplay does not suck this time. The return of the classic 1-10 dice, along with a grab-bag of classic minigames without any gimmicks added to them makes this a Mario Party that feels fresh to new players, and like a true return to form for veterans. The game is finally playable in handheld mode, which was not possible in the other Switch Mario Party and the selection of boards and minigames doesn't suck like the other anniversary title. And, the addition of stickers just adds that little thing that doesn't need to be there but is just fun to have when its not your turn. Also, a solid multiplayer mode! In a first party Nintendo game! Who would've thought? This is genuinely just a solid entry all around.
Although, there are some things lacking that do make me wonder if this game was rushed out the door a bit too fast. The lack of any kind of singleplayer content is a little disappointing since my personal favorite entry is Mario Party DS and that comes with an entire campaign, but also just a mission mode would have been nice. Additionally, the lack of modes for the main board game feels a little bit weird. No 2v2 mode, no partner mechanics, no special dice blocks depending on your character all feel like weird things to be excluded from, but I assume this was to focus on the main game, since NDCube does have a habit of overstuffing their titles with modes that lack any depth. Although, the limited character selection and only 5 boards is a little disappointing, and the boards chosen aren't really stand outs. The fact that Birdo got a slot over like Bowser Jr is a little weird, and Peach's Birthday Cake is a pretty boring map. All in all, I just wish that more content had been taken from the Gamecube titles and MP8 over the N64 titles, since it feels like those titles really got shelved in terms of inspiration.
This is decisively the best Mario Party in a long time and I absolutely want to get more chances to play this with friends because its just a fun time, with that added bit of Mario Party chaos back into the game.
2022
I have been an avid critic of Link's Awakening since first playing it a few years back. The gameplay style is fun if not a little confusing in part due to the confusing nature of the world design where everything is open to you but nothing is actually open to you. I find it a cheap way to hide linear design behind the vignette of an "open world". That being said, I was very willing to give TUNIC a try when I first saw it. I liked the art style, the world looked pretty enough to keep me engaged and I was really looking forward to the combat since playing Elden Ring has made me more hungry for things with that Souls-like formula. That being said, this game has a myriad of problems that the worst of both of those franchises has along with a few extra bits and pieces just for added touch.
Starting with the good, however, since there is genuine merit to this game. The art style is cute. It's very clearly inspired by other big breakout indies like FEZ with its own little twist on it. The sound design is gorgeous, too. The music is wonderful and really sets the mood for each area. The world design is rather cute as well. I feel as though if I really wanted to I could get rather immersed in this world, as it has plenty of realistic elements along with that bit of mysticism that keeps you wanting to know more.
And the presentation is effectively where my praises stop and the criticisms begin. As the gameplay in itself is infuriating in every way. Firstly, the combat, which was my biggest draw to the game. Many are calling this game a Souls-like however I think that's a bit off the mark, as while the game may be hard, incitivises attacking your enemy only when their pattern allows it and there's a dodge roll, it's not fair like Dark Souls. When you die in a Dark Souls game, it really feels like it's your fault. It was never out of your control, you simply lacked the expertise to get that one hit in and got punished for it. This game is not fair. Windows of attack are small and the game will sometimes throw multiple enemies at you, just to make your experience more miserable. And the fire pits that bare similarity to Dark Souls' bonfires are used so sparingly that you'll often be trekking back multiple times through one area because you died to something simply out of your control. The roll is way to fast and is a better movement tool than an evasion tool. The shield does nothing but impede your attacks, giving you no window of opportunity to counterattack. Often times combat will amount to "attack once, step back, wait out the three second animation of a guy swinging at you, attack again, repeat until dead" and it just becomes boring. It says a lot about a game's combat when you csn turn it off from the very beginning. The only incentive to attacking enemies is to clear the path so you can get to your next destination but sometimes running around is even easier than that. If you can avoid combat entirely and it is at the advantage of the player to do so then your game needs tweaking. Although there is a level system, it has more to do with exploration than it really does with beating enemies, as you need certain items before you can level up at all. This would be fine if exploration was not the most cryptic thing alive. Once again comes my problems with this style of gameplay. I absolutely hate it when games pretend to open something up to you, only to hit you with an empty room and a sign that says "come back later". It's always just annoying. If your game is going to be linear, I'd just rather have a sense of direction so I'm not wandering around for an hour before giving up. I looked up walkthroughs twice in my 3 hours with this game, something I have only done once in my 25 hours with Elden's Ring, and that was just cus I got tired of looking. I don't think I would have genuinely known there was a leveling system if it wasn't thanks to walkthroughs. While I like the style of cryptic storytelling the game is going for, it really impedes my enjoyment of the game if the cryptic nature of the game is everywhere. Im a good fifth of the way through the game and the main plot still has yet to reveal itself.
In conclusion, if you like Link's Awakening, this game is for you. If you like Dark Souls this game is not for you. If you hate Dark Souls, this game is also not for you. This game really only serves to be a harder version of Link's Awakening and while I can see merit in that, the gameplay style of Link's Awakening is just my least favorite in an action-adventure game. And I certainly don't think it works here. That does not mean I would not like to see more from this studio, because I do think that even this game is good, it just was not what it was hyped up to be in my mind.
Starting with the good, however, since there is genuine merit to this game. The art style is cute. It's very clearly inspired by other big breakout indies like FEZ with its own little twist on it. The sound design is gorgeous, too. The music is wonderful and really sets the mood for each area. The world design is rather cute as well. I feel as though if I really wanted to I could get rather immersed in this world, as it has plenty of realistic elements along with that bit of mysticism that keeps you wanting to know more.
And the presentation is effectively where my praises stop and the criticisms begin. As the gameplay in itself is infuriating in every way. Firstly, the combat, which was my biggest draw to the game. Many are calling this game a Souls-like however I think that's a bit off the mark, as while the game may be hard, incitivises attacking your enemy only when their pattern allows it and there's a dodge roll, it's not fair like Dark Souls. When you die in a Dark Souls game, it really feels like it's your fault. It was never out of your control, you simply lacked the expertise to get that one hit in and got punished for it. This game is not fair. Windows of attack are small and the game will sometimes throw multiple enemies at you, just to make your experience more miserable. And the fire pits that bare similarity to Dark Souls' bonfires are used so sparingly that you'll often be trekking back multiple times through one area because you died to something simply out of your control. The roll is way to fast and is a better movement tool than an evasion tool. The shield does nothing but impede your attacks, giving you no window of opportunity to counterattack. Often times combat will amount to "attack once, step back, wait out the three second animation of a guy swinging at you, attack again, repeat until dead" and it just becomes boring. It says a lot about a game's combat when you csn turn it off from the very beginning. The only incentive to attacking enemies is to clear the path so you can get to your next destination but sometimes running around is even easier than that. If you can avoid combat entirely and it is at the advantage of the player to do so then your game needs tweaking. Although there is a level system, it has more to do with exploration than it really does with beating enemies, as you need certain items before you can level up at all. This would be fine if exploration was not the most cryptic thing alive. Once again comes my problems with this style of gameplay. I absolutely hate it when games pretend to open something up to you, only to hit you with an empty room and a sign that says "come back later". It's always just annoying. If your game is going to be linear, I'd just rather have a sense of direction so I'm not wandering around for an hour before giving up. I looked up walkthroughs twice in my 3 hours with this game, something I have only done once in my 25 hours with Elden's Ring, and that was just cus I got tired of looking. I don't think I would have genuinely known there was a leveling system if it wasn't thanks to walkthroughs. While I like the style of cryptic storytelling the game is going for, it really impedes my enjoyment of the game if the cryptic nature of the game is everywhere. Im a good fifth of the way through the game and the main plot still has yet to reveal itself.
In conclusion, if you like Link's Awakening, this game is for you. If you like Dark Souls this game is not for you. If you hate Dark Souls, this game is also not for you. This game really only serves to be a harder version of Link's Awakening and while I can see merit in that, the gameplay style of Link's Awakening is just my least favorite in an action-adventure game. And I certainly don't think it works here. That does not mean I would not like to see more from this studio, because I do think that even this game is good, it just was not what it was hyped up to be in my mind.
New Super Mario Bros. U continues the New Super Mario Bros. series by doing the same exact thing that every other game in the franchise has done. It follows the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality just as the games before it. This game came in an era where Nintendo was doing everything they could to make the most profit with the least amount of risk and did so by mimicking its most popular franchise at the time. This game is not bad but it has nothing going for it that was not already done by every other 2D platformer made at the time.
Obviously, the presentation for this game is pretty. It has a pleasant art style and bubbly sounds that call for a comfortable and warm experience. Then you keep playing and you realize how samey everything looks. The music is the same from the 2006 game, as are the graphics and the sound effects, even some of the level designs and power-ups are the exact same. One of the most unique things about the presentation is that the game is in HD which makes everything even worse when you realize how little of a graphical jump SD to HD was when comparing this to the Wii version. The presentation is pretty but it is nothing to brag about.
Speaking of nothing to brag about, how about the way the game plays? Well it plays exactly like every other game, but at least the controls are refined. Really nothing has been added to Mario's moveset here except the Racoon mushroom to let him glide but everything else feels just like the Wii version. No new moves have been added, no new jumps or flips. However, keeping everything the same has helped a ton with level design. In my opinion, most other New Super games have flawed level design at best and some really poorly designed stages at worst but U has almost none of that. Sure this means the game is easy compared to most of its predecessors but it also makes the game a lot more fun. I got really tired of finding some of the dumbest secrets in the older games but here the game lets you figure out where to go, how to get there, and what you need to collect the star coins.
Star coins have made the same contribution they did in Wii and it feels much more worthwhile here. While I still believe that the handheld games have the best system for the coins, the fact that the coins here still feel like they unlock something does leave some kind of feeling of progression.
I feel that I have said all I can about New Super Mario Bros. U without repeating myself. The game is incredibly generic and does nothing to push the series to the heights I know it could reach but with excellent level design and satisfying progression, this game is no doubt the best modern mainline 2D Mario game in a vacuum. Although, that would leave out New Super Luigi U and Super Mario Maker which completely lowers the bar on what the best "modern 2D Mario" is.
Obviously, the presentation for this game is pretty. It has a pleasant art style and bubbly sounds that call for a comfortable and warm experience. Then you keep playing and you realize how samey everything looks. The music is the same from the 2006 game, as are the graphics and the sound effects, even some of the level designs and power-ups are the exact same. One of the most unique things about the presentation is that the game is in HD which makes everything even worse when you realize how little of a graphical jump SD to HD was when comparing this to the Wii version. The presentation is pretty but it is nothing to brag about.
Speaking of nothing to brag about, how about the way the game plays? Well it plays exactly like every other game, but at least the controls are refined. Really nothing has been added to Mario's moveset here except the Racoon mushroom to let him glide but everything else feels just like the Wii version. No new moves have been added, no new jumps or flips. However, keeping everything the same has helped a ton with level design. In my opinion, most other New Super games have flawed level design at best and some really poorly designed stages at worst but U has almost none of that. Sure this means the game is easy compared to most of its predecessors but it also makes the game a lot more fun. I got really tired of finding some of the dumbest secrets in the older games but here the game lets you figure out where to go, how to get there, and what you need to collect the star coins.
Star coins have made the same contribution they did in Wii and it feels much more worthwhile here. While I still believe that the handheld games have the best system for the coins, the fact that the coins here still feel like they unlock something does leave some kind of feeling of progression.
I feel that I have said all I can about New Super Mario Bros. U without repeating myself. The game is incredibly generic and does nothing to push the series to the heights I know it could reach but with excellent level design and satisfying progression, this game is no doubt the best modern mainline 2D Mario game in a vacuum. Although, that would leave out New Super Luigi U and Super Mario Maker which completely lowers the bar on what the best "modern 2D Mario" is.
Magic: The Gathering is one of my favorite games of all time. Yeah, not just board games; my favorite game. So that being said, a free-to-play version with online functionality allowing me to play at any time should be the best thing ever, right? Well...
So I guess I should get this out of the way since it's clearly everybody's problem with this game. Yes, it's insanely predatory, but so are card games? This is no less predatory than actual Magic realistically but I don't think that's most people's problem with this game. Their problem is that when you do get cards and do make a fun deck based around those cards, that deck is rendered almost completely obsolete only a few months later. The fact that Standard is what they decided to base the game around instead of Modern really makes it hard to justify buying cards. Why would I buy cards that have no use outside of this game if they aren't going to be worth anything in said game after a year or so? With paper Magic, there are so many ways to play, with so many formats, casual play is so common that you can use any of your cards in any deck with limitless rules. And with real Magic cards, you can sell those guys when you're done with them if you want. But if you pull cards you don't want in this game, you're just kind of stuck with them, which makes pulling commons even more annoying than it is IRL. At least with paper Magic, you actually own something tangible, even if it's barely worth more than a few cents. I think the easiest way for Wizards to circumvent this would literally just be to let you have the cards. Build and try out any decks you want, just like Magic: Online. I know this isn't realistic and that they have to make their money somehow but I don't think that having ads or something would be any less immersion breaking than scummy monetary practices.
That being said, how is the game as a service for Magic? I'm not going to judge the Magic format because I would simply say that it's perfect and mastered the card game style in '93 but I do want to judge the way this game provides a place to play Magic. In my honest opinion, it's alright. It works well, and processes everything at a nice pace. It certainly feels like I'm playing a game of Magic. But, it doesn't do much in the way of offering me customizability and this ties back into the problem with basing your game around Standard. It's my opinion that the Standard format is inherently flawed. It promotes playing the game for as few turns as possible and it shows by how few control decks are played in the format. However, I understand that there is a market for this format and that a lot of people really do like it. But, what about me who is not one of those people. What do I get to work with? Well there's Brawl which is certainly a lot of fun but other than that, there's only variations of Standard, and considering that most cards in the game are simply 2018 and onward, it really all just feels like Standard. There's barely any variations, no Two-headed giant, no Commander, no Archenemy and no real variations on the Draft formats. It feels like this was constructed entirely for competitive one-on-one... oh yeah... is was. All MTG tournaments since the release of this game have been on Arena. They simply made this as an official way to have pretty presentation for Magic tournaments. I'm happy that these players have their way to play now but most people play Magic as a hobby and would like some variation from time to time. Throwing a bone to your main fan base would probably do you some good, Wizards.
Regardless, the game is presented very well. Special animations for legendary creatures, sound design is delightful and everything looks really good. They did not have to go this hard for a simple card game. The game is updated consistently to keep up with Magic's ever-expanding line of products. But man, those updates are killer and keep me from opening this thing so often. I don't think I need a 7GB update every single time I open your app, Wizards but I appreciate you being on top of things. Also, the lack of social features on here is abyssmal. Magic always has been a very social game and while I'm not saying you need voice chat or anything, but the ability to say something beyond a "Hey!" or a "Nice job." would be nice.
This honestly, just feels like Wizards attempt to kill paper Magic that did nothing but make paper Magic fans more dedicated to their cardboard. It's a nice application but until more features are added to be more inclusive to casual formats, I don't think this will replace paper Magic for me and millions of others.
So I guess I should get this out of the way since it's clearly everybody's problem with this game. Yes, it's insanely predatory, but so are card games? This is no less predatory than actual Magic realistically but I don't think that's most people's problem with this game. Their problem is that when you do get cards and do make a fun deck based around those cards, that deck is rendered almost completely obsolete only a few months later. The fact that Standard is what they decided to base the game around instead of Modern really makes it hard to justify buying cards. Why would I buy cards that have no use outside of this game if they aren't going to be worth anything in said game after a year or so? With paper Magic, there are so many ways to play, with so many formats, casual play is so common that you can use any of your cards in any deck with limitless rules. And with real Magic cards, you can sell those guys when you're done with them if you want. But if you pull cards you don't want in this game, you're just kind of stuck with them, which makes pulling commons even more annoying than it is IRL. At least with paper Magic, you actually own something tangible, even if it's barely worth more than a few cents. I think the easiest way for Wizards to circumvent this would literally just be to let you have the cards. Build and try out any decks you want, just like Magic: Online. I know this isn't realistic and that they have to make their money somehow but I don't think that having ads or something would be any less immersion breaking than scummy monetary practices.
That being said, how is the game as a service for Magic? I'm not going to judge the Magic format because I would simply say that it's perfect and mastered the card game style in '93 but I do want to judge the way this game provides a place to play Magic. In my honest opinion, it's alright. It works well, and processes everything at a nice pace. It certainly feels like I'm playing a game of Magic. But, it doesn't do much in the way of offering me customizability and this ties back into the problem with basing your game around Standard. It's my opinion that the Standard format is inherently flawed. It promotes playing the game for as few turns as possible and it shows by how few control decks are played in the format. However, I understand that there is a market for this format and that a lot of people really do like it. But, what about me who is not one of those people. What do I get to work with? Well there's Brawl which is certainly a lot of fun but other than that, there's only variations of Standard, and considering that most cards in the game are simply 2018 and onward, it really all just feels like Standard. There's barely any variations, no Two-headed giant, no Commander, no Archenemy and no real variations on the Draft formats. It feels like this was constructed entirely for competitive one-on-one... oh yeah... is was. All MTG tournaments since the release of this game have been on Arena. They simply made this as an official way to have pretty presentation for Magic tournaments. I'm happy that these players have their way to play now but most people play Magic as a hobby and would like some variation from time to time. Throwing a bone to your main fan base would probably do you some good, Wizards.
Regardless, the game is presented very well. Special animations for legendary creatures, sound design is delightful and everything looks really good. They did not have to go this hard for a simple card game. The game is updated consistently to keep up with Magic's ever-expanding line of products. But man, those updates are killer and keep me from opening this thing so often. I don't think I need a 7GB update every single time I open your app, Wizards but I appreciate you being on top of things. Also, the lack of social features on here is abyssmal. Magic always has been a very social game and while I'm not saying you need voice chat or anything, but the ability to say something beyond a "Hey!" or a "Nice job." would be nice.
This honestly, just feels like Wizards attempt to kill paper Magic that did nothing but make paper Magic fans more dedicated to their cardboard. It's a nice application but until more features are added to be more inclusive to casual formats, I don't think this will replace paper Magic for me and millions of others.
WHY WOULD YOU REMOVE THE CAMERAS FROM A FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY'S GAME SCOTT??? THERE ARE NO VISUALS IN THE MAIN GAMEPLAY AND IT LEADS TO THIS BEING THE LEAST SCARY AND LEAST TENSE GAME IN THE FRANCHISE! The pizzeria tycoon section is alright with a few bullshit minigames (I'm looking at you basketball hoops) and the salvage sections are actually super cool and tense but a little too easy. I feel like those parts could absolutely pass as they are if it weren't for the unbearable office gameplay though.
Resident "Not A Rhythm Game Type of Guy" here. As someone who has basically always observed this as the "Kirby games of rhythm games" I think it lives up to that standard very well. The game is incredibly easy to get into, has a cute artstyle and is just fun to play. My only complaint is the lack of any content. A very limited selection of songs that mostly consist of noncopyrighted music and Bandai Namco owned music. I get that licensing music is hard but the best you can do is like 40 songs? Twenty of which you already own. And if you lack actual music, you could add modes to make up for it. There's no real substance to the game other than the standard rhythm game fanfare. I will say, points for the two Undertale tracks.
2019
As the first mainline home console game in the Pokémon franchise, there was a lot of pressure to live up to expectations. Pokémon Sword lives up to many of those expectations but lacks in others. In terms of gameplay, this is one of the stronger titles. The new overworld features that were present in the Pokémon Let's Go games, such as Pokémon appearing physically and being able to pick and choose your battles, are both aesthetically pleasing and functionally well designed. The idea of being able to run through an open plain with tall grass blocking your path is not nearly as daunting and encourages exploration. Battles are mainly the same, however type differences are much more apparent which makes the game easier to understand for a newcomer. The obvious main grievances gameplay-wise is the stripped down National Dex and poor visuals which have plagued this game since it's reveal. The visuals in the game are not great, models like trees look unfinished, the pop-in is awful and the game can really drop frames in some places. The National Dex being taken away was not a bad choice on it's own but when coupled with the context that it was stripped mainly to time restrictions and became released later as paid DLC is a bummer to many. The main gimmick of the game, Dynamaxing and Gigantamaxing, are a really lame well to say 'This game has a new powerset, what do you mean?' without having to put in work to make proper unique models for most characters like Mega Evolution did in the past. If Gigantamaxing was the only thing power in this game, I would have been fine with it, but that would have required more time to work on unique and creative models. That brings up what I believe this game lacked in, time. If given more time, I believe this game could have become one of the best Pokémon games to date and I will mention later on where I believe the game feels unfinished due to a lack of time. More on the gameplay however, the overworld is pleasant but that's all I can really say. Nowhere did the game particularly fascinate me, and anywhere slightly fascinating, was typically over very quick, such as the towns of the Fighting gym leader and Fairy gym leader. The Wild Area, as advertised, is easily the best and most interesting part of the game. However, much like the other towns, it too is over far too quickly and lacks much to do, other than filling out your PokéDex. Finally, we turn to the game's story, which is overall fairly good for a game rated E but compared to how deep, or even just well-thought out the stories of the Mario and Zelda entries on Switch, there was a lot to be desired. Spoilers here for obvious reasons, so if you wish to skip over them, my overall summary of the game will be marked at the end. The game focuses around these wishing stars which are brought up at the beginning of the game but quickly forgotten about until the end of the game. Most characters and character designs are done well at beginning, but as the game moves on, the designs become lackluster and stories are wrapped up poorly. This is another big aspect of the game that could've been done beautifully if given more time, but it is what is. Hop, your rival, starts as a very generic character, until later in the game where, after being repeatedly, the player becomes more sympathetic to him, before he goes right back to being generic. Other important character, like Sonia or Bede, start out as okay character, build into better character, and almost as you reach the climax, their stories are wrapped up rather quickly and in an unsatisfying way. The main villain of the game, Chairman Rose, basically becomes evil out of nowhere, believing he needs to unleash an event known as 'The Darkest Day' in order to save the power from going out in the town 1000 years in the future. This motivation comes from almost nowhere and this plan has massive flaws that completely break his character, before he goes back to being his cheery self after being defeated and turns himself in. This wraps up the main plot but there is a fraction of post-game content that, in my opinion, could've fit nicely into the main story and actually make Rose a better villain without having to change his already poor writing. This post game content includes two new characters who are the direct descendants of hero's who saved the region long ago, and believe they are entitled to the throne. They attempt to make themselves look better by wrecking havoc on the region, making wild Pokémon look at fault and turning the legendary Pokémon against the townspeople. These two are written significantly better than most characters, and actually wrap up Hop's story in a much better way than the main game could. The gameplay in the post game content is basic but good enough to still make it worth playing through for the legendary Pokémon and the story.
---------------------------------------Summary-------------------------------------------Overall, Pokémon Sword (and Shield, for that matter) are good entries in the franchise but could have benefited from more time to brainstorm ideas, program better models and create a better story. A solid game, but I will likely not be revisiting, even to finish the PokéDex. If you are an older fan who wants to revisit the franchise or a newcomer who wants to know where to start, this is well suited for you.
---------------------------------------Summary-------------------------------------------Overall, Pokémon Sword (and Shield, for that matter) are good entries in the franchise but could have benefited from more time to brainstorm ideas, program better models and create a better story. A solid game, but I will likely not be revisiting, even to finish the PokéDex. If you are an older fan who wants to revisit the franchise or a newcomer who wants to know where to start, this is well suited for you.
2019
Back in 2015, when the original game got released on the Wii U, I remember being so excited for this game. As a long time fan of the Mario franchise and kid with an overactive imagination, I was thrilled to play that game. It is definitely my most played Wii U game to date. Then when the Switch came around and rumors of this game began to spring up, I just was not as thrilled. Once the announcement for this game came, I just did not feel anything. I was more excited about Tetris 99 which was revealed in the same Nintendo Direct. With all that being said, I still love this game.
As a kid though, I would not have been as happy with this game. Not because of the concept, but more so because of the building aspect. It's impossible to build anything whether you're on the TV or in handheld mode. This definitely could have been remedied with some AR pointer controls which really would make the building process a whole lot better. But there is so much more content to build with. Buttons, switches, slopes, platforms, and bosses, there is so much more to this game than was ever on the Wii U title.
From the perspective of an adult who really has less time to make endless Mario levels and would more prefer to just hop on and play some Mario levels when I'm bored, this game drastically improves upon the original. Levels are actually way better due to the higher skill level for making levels, it's easier to sort by what you want so you don't just end up playing what's on the hot page half the time. Clear conditions make the unique level design come to life and the story mode makes me wish that Nintendo would just give us another unique 2D Mario game.
However, for now, this game will do, as updates and patches came out it left the game in a much more playable state with much better content but if you bought this game on launch with the shoddy online, I am so sorry. If anyone wants to know what the Mario Maker experience was like on the Wii U, get them this game but I will always prefer the original, even if I end up scoring that one lower.
As a kid though, I would not have been as happy with this game. Not because of the concept, but more so because of the building aspect. It's impossible to build anything whether you're on the TV or in handheld mode. This definitely could have been remedied with some AR pointer controls which really would make the building process a whole lot better. But there is so much more content to build with. Buttons, switches, slopes, platforms, and bosses, there is so much more to this game than was ever on the Wii U title.
From the perspective of an adult who really has less time to make endless Mario levels and would more prefer to just hop on and play some Mario levels when I'm bored, this game drastically improves upon the original. Levels are actually way better due to the higher skill level for making levels, it's easier to sort by what you want so you don't just end up playing what's on the hot page half the time. Clear conditions make the unique level design come to life and the story mode makes me wish that Nintendo would just give us another unique 2D Mario game.
However, for now, this game will do, as updates and patches came out it left the game in a much more playable state with much better content but if you bought this game on launch with the shoddy online, I am so sorry. If anyone wants to know what the Mario Maker experience was like on the Wii U, get them this game but I will always prefer the original, even if I end up scoring that one lower.
2021
This was a pleasant surprise that I don't think anyone saw coming. I got around to playing this chapter a bit later than I had hoped but I'm glad I took it at the pace I did. I should probably preface this review by saying one thing: yes, I was an Undertale mega-fan back in the day. That being said, I'm honestly super happy that the direction this game is going. If you want to play this without playing Undertale first, then I think that is perfectly fine, as this acts as a better spiritual successor as opposed to a sequel.
Deltarune Chapter 1 honestly kind of disappointed me when it first came out. It didn't have the replay value Undertale had, hell it barely had any at all, the characters felt like lackluster carbon copies of Undertale characters and overall it just felt like it couldn't detach itself from Undertale's legacy. Of course, me being a mega-fan of Undertale, I had no problem with this at first, as long as you fed me a bit of mystery and plopped in a Sans cameo, I was golden. But as I reflected on the game, I started to realize that it really didn't impact me the same way that game did. But, I can say confidently that Chapter 2 has really redeemed itself and it really makes me excited for what this game has to offer in the future.
Deltarune's gameplay doesn't differ all that much from Undertale, apart from a few minor ways. The game still takes place in a 16-bit SNES style where you play as an androgynous child lost in a world of monsters and magic. However, the battle system has completely changed and what used to be a pretty slow burn with some bullet hell sequences has turned into complete chaos with full RPG features that still lets the essence of Toby's message breathe. Fighting is still an option, and while there are consequences for hurting others, you aren't completely devoid of humanity the second you slap a fly or punch a mouse. Acting is still essential to your main gameplay and gives each fight its own minigame-like sequence, which keeps the whole point of pacifism from getting too monotonous and repetitive. Magic is new to the world of Deltarune however and has largely changed the gameplay and really gives this game a more traditional RPG feel over its predecessor. Puzzles are still a delight to solve, and don't derail the story too much, and those that do typically serve some other gameplay purpose so solving everything and turning over every rock becomes an absolute treat (To Deltarune's credit, Undertale really did have some long hallways that led to nothing). The gameplay just feels like everything you would want in a sequel, but Chapter 2 has absolutely gone above and beyond, adding small animations and little sequences that make the act of ACTing that much more fun.
But of course, who comes to a Toby Fox game for the gameplay? Everyone wants to know about the story. Well, I am happy to say that you will not be disappointed by this chapter. I did genuinely have some problems with the first part of this saga when it comes to story, it became poorly-paced at time, it didn't do much to get you invested in the characters or new world and not much happens that really makes you feel like you impacted some lives or felt something. However, Chapter 2 remedies all of this and more, with new interesting characters that really drive the story forward. Toby Fox's stories are largely driven by their characters and in this chapter, the new characters introduced, along with the previous characters being expanded upon really gives the game new flavor. Your main party members, Susie and Ralsei, feel much more real compared to Chapter 1. Susie has evolved from being an angry tomboy to an angry tomboy lesbian who also actually has complex emotions and a struggle to connect with others. Meanwhile, Ralsei has went from being a shy goat boy to being a shy goat boy with seemingly alterior motives and his hospitality reaches unnerving levels in this new story. Other characters like Noelle and Toriel finally get greater depth in this chapter, as we uncover the roots of Noelle's pushover-like nature and discover a colder side to Toriel that is unseen in Undertale. And the story is just beginning to ooze with mystery as we learn more about the Dark World and its themes of a magical fantasy world where nothing matters contrasted against a bleak real world where nothing you do matters. It truly feels like this part in Toby's new tale has come into its own thematically.
That's all I really have to say on Deltarune's new chapter without spoiling the entire thing. If you liked Undertale or Chapter 1, absolutely give this a try. If you didn't like either, I still think you should give this a try, it's different enough that it could finally be the thing that makes one of these stories click for you. If you haven't tried either Undertale nor Chapter 1 yet, then you should probably try Undertale first. I feel that Deltarune has evolved into a more mature version of Toby's storytelling (as shown by the colorful language and darker themes in this chapter), and playing Undertale first may give you a better beginner's guide to a Fox story. But if you want to jump right into this without playing Undertale because the hype is just killing you, then I highly suggest it either way, you should just probably play Chapter 1 first. This chapter won't make a lot of sense without it.
Deltarune Chapter 1 honestly kind of disappointed me when it first came out. It didn't have the replay value Undertale had, hell it barely had any at all, the characters felt like lackluster carbon copies of Undertale characters and overall it just felt like it couldn't detach itself from Undertale's legacy. Of course, me being a mega-fan of Undertale, I had no problem with this at first, as long as you fed me a bit of mystery and plopped in a Sans cameo, I was golden. But as I reflected on the game, I started to realize that it really didn't impact me the same way that game did. But, I can say confidently that Chapter 2 has really redeemed itself and it really makes me excited for what this game has to offer in the future.
Deltarune's gameplay doesn't differ all that much from Undertale, apart from a few minor ways. The game still takes place in a 16-bit SNES style where you play as an androgynous child lost in a world of monsters and magic. However, the battle system has completely changed and what used to be a pretty slow burn with some bullet hell sequences has turned into complete chaos with full RPG features that still lets the essence of Toby's message breathe. Fighting is still an option, and while there are consequences for hurting others, you aren't completely devoid of humanity the second you slap a fly or punch a mouse. Acting is still essential to your main gameplay and gives each fight its own minigame-like sequence, which keeps the whole point of pacifism from getting too monotonous and repetitive. Magic is new to the world of Deltarune however and has largely changed the gameplay and really gives this game a more traditional RPG feel over its predecessor. Puzzles are still a delight to solve, and don't derail the story too much, and those that do typically serve some other gameplay purpose so solving everything and turning over every rock becomes an absolute treat (To Deltarune's credit, Undertale really did have some long hallways that led to nothing). The gameplay just feels like everything you would want in a sequel, but Chapter 2 has absolutely gone above and beyond, adding small animations and little sequences that make the act of ACTing that much more fun.
But of course, who comes to a Toby Fox game for the gameplay? Everyone wants to know about the story. Well, I am happy to say that you will not be disappointed by this chapter. I did genuinely have some problems with the first part of this saga when it comes to story, it became poorly-paced at time, it didn't do much to get you invested in the characters or new world and not much happens that really makes you feel like you impacted some lives or felt something. However, Chapter 2 remedies all of this and more, with new interesting characters that really drive the story forward. Toby Fox's stories are largely driven by their characters and in this chapter, the new characters introduced, along with the previous characters being expanded upon really gives the game new flavor. Your main party members, Susie and Ralsei, feel much more real compared to Chapter 1. Susie has evolved from being an angry tomboy to an angry tomboy lesbian who also actually has complex emotions and a struggle to connect with others. Meanwhile, Ralsei has went from being a shy goat boy to being a shy goat boy with seemingly alterior motives and his hospitality reaches unnerving levels in this new story. Other characters like Noelle and Toriel finally get greater depth in this chapter, as we uncover the roots of Noelle's pushover-like nature and discover a colder side to Toriel that is unseen in Undertale. And the story is just beginning to ooze with mystery as we learn more about the Dark World and its themes of a magical fantasy world where nothing matters contrasted against a bleak real world where nothing you do matters. It truly feels like this part in Toby's new tale has come into its own thematically.
That's all I really have to say on Deltarune's new chapter without spoiling the entire thing. If you liked Undertale or Chapter 1, absolutely give this a try. If you didn't like either, I still think you should give this a try, it's different enough that it could finally be the thing that makes one of these stories click for you. If you haven't tried either Undertale nor Chapter 1 yet, then you should probably try Undertale first. I feel that Deltarune has evolved into a more mature version of Toby's storytelling (as shown by the colorful language and darker themes in this chapter), and playing Undertale first may give you a better beginner's guide to a Fox story. But if you want to jump right into this without playing Undertale because the hype is just killing you, then I highly suggest it either way, you should just probably play Chapter 1 first. This chapter won't make a lot of sense without it.
2019
For a cross between Halo and Portal, this is not half bad.
The problem is needing a reason to keep playing. Once you have played one round, you have kind of played everything the game has to offer. If you just need a fun, free-to-play game to hang out with some friends on than this is super good for that but the gameplay loop doesn't offer much. It's fun but not very compelling. Shooting someone through a portal or doing a portal jump up to a high area only to pummel three people up there is only so fun for so long. There is no story mode, the battlepass gives you some cosmetic changes and the ranked system isn't so much a ranked "system" as it is a ranked game mode slapped together and labeled a system. The problem with pick-up and play shooters in the online era is there is no real reason to keep playing. Halo or (the good) Call of Duty games are really easy to pick up and start playing but also have comprehensive campaigns and compelling online modes that let you play the game at your own pace. Everything about Splitgate is about getting you into the next match. Matches are timed, no matter what the game mode and lobbies just thrust you into random games, switching up the game mode at a moments pace. You can't just choose to play King of the Hill for a bit, you have to play King of the Hill and a bunch of other games in a jamboree, and if you don't get the mode you like, its too bad cus the game has pretty much already started.
Outside of that gameplay loop, there's not much to say. It's exactly what you expect. Halo but with portals is a really fun concept and when you first jump into this, it is a lot of fun. Trying to find where you can portal to in order to get a high ground advantage, plus using your jetpack to help with tricky jumps and running around the maps trying to pummel someone at close range can be a lot of fun. I love all of the maps with an exception or two, but there's enough variety in each that you won't get tired of any of them, even if you dislike them. The gun variety is really good too. Each gun feels unique in its own way but still easy to use. Rarely ever did I pick up a gun and immediately drop it for another.
Overall, a really solid time for what it is, but you won't see it winning any awards. It doesn't push the boundaries, it doesn't do anything new, it just takes what you've liked about shooters in the past and mashed them into one free, easy to play experience.
The problem is needing a reason to keep playing. Once you have played one round, you have kind of played everything the game has to offer. If you just need a fun, free-to-play game to hang out with some friends on than this is super good for that but the gameplay loop doesn't offer much. It's fun but not very compelling. Shooting someone through a portal or doing a portal jump up to a high area only to pummel three people up there is only so fun for so long. There is no story mode, the battlepass gives you some cosmetic changes and the ranked system isn't so much a ranked "system" as it is a ranked game mode slapped together and labeled a system. The problem with pick-up and play shooters in the online era is there is no real reason to keep playing. Halo or (the good) Call of Duty games are really easy to pick up and start playing but also have comprehensive campaigns and compelling online modes that let you play the game at your own pace. Everything about Splitgate is about getting you into the next match. Matches are timed, no matter what the game mode and lobbies just thrust you into random games, switching up the game mode at a moments pace. You can't just choose to play King of the Hill for a bit, you have to play King of the Hill and a bunch of other games in a jamboree, and if you don't get the mode you like, its too bad cus the game has pretty much already started.
Outside of that gameplay loop, there's not much to say. It's exactly what you expect. Halo but with portals is a really fun concept and when you first jump into this, it is a lot of fun. Trying to find where you can portal to in order to get a high ground advantage, plus using your jetpack to help with tricky jumps and running around the maps trying to pummel someone at close range can be a lot of fun. I love all of the maps with an exception or two, but there's enough variety in each that you won't get tired of any of them, even if you dislike them. The gun variety is really good too. Each gun feels unique in its own way but still easy to use. Rarely ever did I pick up a gun and immediately drop it for another.
Overall, a really solid time for what it is, but you won't see it winning any awards. It doesn't push the boundaries, it doesn't do anything new, it just takes what you've liked about shooters in the past and mashed them into one free, easy to play experience.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is the first instance of 'underrated gem' on the Switch. This game is so packed full of stupid humor and clever gameplay that makes this game an absolute blast to play through. The gameplay is fun and simple but can quickly become challenging as you begin to meticulously plan out each individual move. The game never feels unfair in any instance but never makes it too easy. Humor is pretty good, obviously a little childish because of the Rabbids character but definitely some funny moments. The story is pretty good, nothing too crazy complex but enough to keep you strung along through each battle. If there is anything that I truly believe is a problem is the memorability. The game doesn't entirely resonate with me in the way many other Mario games do and perhaps it's the different developers but there's also the fact that locales are fairly plain, enemies are generic and characters are about as complex as Mario characters come. Still a great time and definitely worth a shot if you're big into grid-based strategy games.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars is quite the complicated case, with a multitude of issues and controversies but I am going to preface this review with this: I will be reviewing the collection in itself based on how good it is as a collection and less so the games inside said collection. If I were to base this game on how good it is as 3 of the greatest games of all time, it would walk away with an easy 5 stars.
That being said, this is a pretty awful collection, especially when it's being marketed as the big event for Mario's 35th anniversary. Nothing here is all that different from how you would play these games on the Nintendo 64, GameCube and Wii and there is no included extras outside of the soundtrack, and in an era where you can listen to videogame music for free online, it basically just means that you are paying that 60$ for the games. There's no artbook, no exclusive developer interviews, no betas, no unused content, nothing but some soundtracks and some decent emulation.
Let's talk about that emulation, shall we? It's actually really good. I played through all of Mario Galaxy with no problems in framerate or quality and even in handheld mode this thing can take a beating. Some of the quality of life improvements are nice, I like being able to use my JoyCon for picking up starbits and the way they handled the lack of pressure sensitive triggers in Sunshine is really good in my opinion. I always had a hard time trying to get the water pressure just right so Mario would actually stand in place while I was aiming. But then there's the things they really messed up on. As anyone who has played Super Mario 64 will tell you, the camera is inverted automatically, with no way to change it, and it feels awkward. I often have to swivel my camera all the way around because I mess up one button press and then I just mess up the jump because Mario 64's camera controls are still mapped like they are buttons, which was my biggest problem with that game and something I was really hoping they would fix in this collection.
However, having all three of these games in the same place, upscaled and put on a console that you can take anywhere makes this a good buy if you can pick it up in the limited time that it is out. If you just want to play one of these games, then I would just get a Wii and play Sunshine or Galaxy, or wait for Mario 64 to inevitably get released on Switch as a standalone title, but if you want to play at least two of them, it's worth your money.
That being said, this is a pretty awful collection, especially when it's being marketed as the big event for Mario's 35th anniversary. Nothing here is all that different from how you would play these games on the Nintendo 64, GameCube and Wii and there is no included extras outside of the soundtrack, and in an era where you can listen to videogame music for free online, it basically just means that you are paying that 60$ for the games. There's no artbook, no exclusive developer interviews, no betas, no unused content, nothing but some soundtracks and some decent emulation.
Let's talk about that emulation, shall we? It's actually really good. I played through all of Mario Galaxy with no problems in framerate or quality and even in handheld mode this thing can take a beating. Some of the quality of life improvements are nice, I like being able to use my JoyCon for picking up starbits and the way they handled the lack of pressure sensitive triggers in Sunshine is really good in my opinion. I always had a hard time trying to get the water pressure just right so Mario would actually stand in place while I was aiming. But then there's the things they really messed up on. As anyone who has played Super Mario 64 will tell you, the camera is inverted automatically, with no way to change it, and it feels awkward. I often have to swivel my camera all the way around because I mess up one button press and then I just mess up the jump because Mario 64's camera controls are still mapped like they are buttons, which was my biggest problem with that game and something I was really hoping they would fix in this collection.
However, having all three of these games in the same place, upscaled and put on a console that you can take anywhere makes this a good buy if you can pick it up in the limited time that it is out. If you just want to play one of these games, then I would just get a Wii and play Sunshine or Galaxy, or wait for Mario 64 to inevitably get released on Switch as a standalone title, but if you want to play at least two of them, it's worth your money.
2001
Luigi's Mansion always stood as that oddball game in the Mario franchise to me. Of course it only just recently got some sequels but ever since I had heard of the game, I wanted to give it a shot. Overall, this is a really fun experience. The setting is confined which makes the game feel claustrophobic and scary but expansive at the same time giving a sense of mystery and exploration. However, some mechanics could use tweaking and a good portion of this game feels like it's padding out and already short experience. Collecting Boos would be fine if there was more than a vague clue as to where they are and they couldn't escape from the rooms you were in because backtracking through half the mansion to get one collectible is not that fun. The Boo collecting doesn't even amount to anything as you can complete the game without them. Some of the puzzles get confusing as you are given few clues as to what to do, which helps feed into exploration in some places and just annoys in others. The good in this game is strong, though. Addicting gameplay loop that has you coming back for more, creative character and gameplay designs and a simple story helps keep the mystery. For a short, quick Halloween title, this is so much fun, but as an extensive game or even a collectathon, it could use some expanding.
2004
Super Mario 64 DS is a game I grew up personally and picked up recently as the nostalgia bug urged me to jump back into it to complete the game. When thinking of this game, I had to ask myself two questions: how does this game expand upon the original, as well as how does this game function as a standalone experience. Some say this is the inferior version of the game which is an understandable point of view.
The controls are just as bad and arguably worse than they were in the original, as precise platforming becomes much more difficult to perform, your hand can get incredibly cramped while playing, and just the fact that Super Mario 64's level design was not made with a D-pad in mind. I do personally believe that the level design is the biggest flaw for this remake, as the precise platforming, especially in later levels, makes the game unnecessarily difficult. Platforming becomes a chore, whereas open-ended levels (or those with less bottomless pits) feel a lot more fun to play. Even levels like Tick Tock Clock, Snowman's Land, and Wet Dry World feel good to play because platforming is much freer. Compare this to Rainbow Ride, Tiny Huge Island, or Tall Tall Mountain and the difference is drastic, as it becomes a nightmare to navigate, and one slip-up where the character loops around instead of snapping to the desired direction means falling to your death. The point stands that controlling Mario is not as fun as it was on the Nintendo 64, even if there were design tweaks made. One of those design tweaks being the new characters which spread out Mario's moveset.
This setup is honestly not too bad as it gives you a specific way that you play the game, but it does get tiresome wanting to run through the whole game as one character and having to compromise that just to do a mission. While we are on the bad, I'll say that Wario seems like the most worthless addition to this game as if it weren't for the black bricks and the fact that only he can use the metal cap, he would be completely unnecessary to 100% complete the game. This is where I believe that splitting the moveset failed in some regards. However, on the brighter side, I do believe that this split was one that made each character feel distinct, aside from the aforementioned Wario. Yoshi has a significantly better grab and has the flutter kick which can leap across larger gaps, Mario has the wall kicking and much less floatier controls, while Luigi has a superior backflip and a slower descent when falling, allowing for better mid-air course correction. Each of these different movesets makes each character feel different and fun, even if you do just want to run through the whole game as Mario.
Finally, we come to the new content, which is really what's advertised as the big new features for the game and it varies in quality. The graphical overhaul is greatly appreciated and still holds up well today. Comparing this game to its Nintendo 64 original, the two look like they were created decades apart. Other than that, it's mostly all the same game you remember. Music is the same, with a few variations in the way themes sound, however the sound design, especially voices, sounds so bad, as though everything was recorded underwater. In terms of actual substance, there's one star removed from every level and two in its place, most of which are switch stars or silver star collecting and get old pretty fast. Six new areas were added but they are fairly small and only contain secret stars and linear platforming sections. Along with all of this in the main game, there's a collection of minigames and multiplayer mode included. The minigames give a lot of extra weight to the game and there are a few that are fun to play over and over, trying to get a new high score. The multiplayer is absolutely fun with friends as complete chaos will break out as everybody tries to beat each other for stars, even if the levels aren't original and the mode does lack depth. All of this is completely avoidable from the main game, aside from collecting all the bunnies required to unlock the minigames, so do not worry. Overall, it meets the requirement for new content without taking too much away from the original. Obviously, storage was a concern as all of the previous game, along with the new content had to fit onto a DS cartridge in 2004.
Now, for the questions I proposed at the beginning of this review: does the remake expand upon the original? Yes, and no. There was plenty of new content, however, most of it was monotonous and repetitive but it does give the player more to do. Does this game hold up well as it's own experience? Absolutely and if someone wants to give this version a shot and has no way to play the original, this is absolutely worth it. All of this extra content and the feel of the original given new life deserves to be held up next to the original as games that launched their new systems in a way that seemed technologically infeasible.
The controls are just as bad and arguably worse than they were in the original, as precise platforming becomes much more difficult to perform, your hand can get incredibly cramped while playing, and just the fact that Super Mario 64's level design was not made with a D-pad in mind. I do personally believe that the level design is the biggest flaw for this remake, as the precise platforming, especially in later levels, makes the game unnecessarily difficult. Platforming becomes a chore, whereas open-ended levels (or those with less bottomless pits) feel a lot more fun to play. Even levels like Tick Tock Clock, Snowman's Land, and Wet Dry World feel good to play because platforming is much freer. Compare this to Rainbow Ride, Tiny Huge Island, or Tall Tall Mountain and the difference is drastic, as it becomes a nightmare to navigate, and one slip-up where the character loops around instead of snapping to the desired direction means falling to your death. The point stands that controlling Mario is not as fun as it was on the Nintendo 64, even if there were design tweaks made. One of those design tweaks being the new characters which spread out Mario's moveset.
This setup is honestly not too bad as it gives you a specific way that you play the game, but it does get tiresome wanting to run through the whole game as one character and having to compromise that just to do a mission. While we are on the bad, I'll say that Wario seems like the most worthless addition to this game as if it weren't for the black bricks and the fact that only he can use the metal cap, he would be completely unnecessary to 100% complete the game. This is where I believe that splitting the moveset failed in some regards. However, on the brighter side, I do believe that this split was one that made each character feel distinct, aside from the aforementioned Wario. Yoshi has a significantly better grab and has the flutter kick which can leap across larger gaps, Mario has the wall kicking and much less floatier controls, while Luigi has a superior backflip and a slower descent when falling, allowing for better mid-air course correction. Each of these different movesets makes each character feel different and fun, even if you do just want to run through the whole game as Mario.
Finally, we come to the new content, which is really what's advertised as the big new features for the game and it varies in quality. The graphical overhaul is greatly appreciated and still holds up well today. Comparing this game to its Nintendo 64 original, the two look like they were created decades apart. Other than that, it's mostly all the same game you remember. Music is the same, with a few variations in the way themes sound, however the sound design, especially voices, sounds so bad, as though everything was recorded underwater. In terms of actual substance, there's one star removed from every level and two in its place, most of which are switch stars or silver star collecting and get old pretty fast. Six new areas were added but they are fairly small and only contain secret stars and linear platforming sections. Along with all of this in the main game, there's a collection of minigames and multiplayer mode included. The minigames give a lot of extra weight to the game and there are a few that are fun to play over and over, trying to get a new high score. The multiplayer is absolutely fun with friends as complete chaos will break out as everybody tries to beat each other for stars, even if the levels aren't original and the mode does lack depth. All of this is completely avoidable from the main game, aside from collecting all the bunnies required to unlock the minigames, so do not worry. Overall, it meets the requirement for new content without taking too much away from the original. Obviously, storage was a concern as all of the previous game, along with the new content had to fit onto a DS cartridge in 2004.
Now, for the questions I proposed at the beginning of this review: does the remake expand upon the original? Yes, and no. There was plenty of new content, however, most of it was monotonous and repetitive but it does give the player more to do. Does this game hold up well as it's own experience? Absolutely and if someone wants to give this version a shot and has no way to play the original, this is absolutely worth it. All of this extra content and the feel of the original given new life deserves to be held up next to the original as games that launched their new systems in a way that seemed technologically infeasible.
This game really puts the 'Ultimate' in the Super Smash Bros. franchise. This game has just about everything you could ever want out of a fighting game. The battles are able to be freely customized to fit whatever type of game you want to play, along with the silly modes that have become a Smash Bros. staple. There's tournament modes, challenge modes, stage builders and a full fledged Adventure mode that's almost as good as fighting games get. The gameplay finds a nice balance between the slower styles of Smash 4 and Brawl, while still keeping that action-packed pace that everyone loves from Melee. The Adventure mode is lacking in some major content and is fairly stale but is better than any other games Adventure mode, aside from the obvious Subspace Emissary. Many will say that it does not quite live up to Melee but when you consider Melee as a full fledged game, this does everything that game did and more. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is easily the best entry in the franchise, no questions asked.