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.

Super Mario Odyssey is still one of my favorite games of all time so be aware of my bias when going into this review obviously but I have my reasons for loving this game. I have now played through the game around 5 times and each time I have played it, I loved it and yearn for the days when I experienced this game blind for the first time.

Super Mario Odyssey returns to the various small sandboxes that were beloved in both Super Mario 64 and Sunshine. While 64 failed to truly capture what was possible with those sandboxes as it effectively invented them and Sunshine could not quite capture the magic of 64's better levels, Super Mario Odyssey does its best to combine the two, as well as elements of every other Mario game before it. Taking the Sand Kingdom as an example, as I believe it's one of the best in the game, and allows me to analyze these levels without spoiling anything. The Sand Kingdom drops you off as it's being placed under attack by Bowser and it's up to you to figure out why the Kingdom has frozen over. To your right is a small pond area which you can explore freely with few enemies and a few platforms, also allowing you to get used to the ice mechanics, the flower springs, and even a few secrets to discover. To the left, is a vast wasteland filled with hills to run and jump over, and a few secrets to discover. But immediately in front of you and where most players will look and move towards a small, yet vibrant town, where villagers can explain the main conflict, how to get there and what you may face. This gives new players a direction to go and a framing as to what they should do while allowing experienced players to really go wherever, as the pool of poison or large structure in the background may already have the mind of an experienced player racing. The platforming is simple, yet open which lets experienced players make their own fun, while funneling new players so they do not feel lost. This seems to be a lesson that Super Mario 3D World had taught the devs, with its very linear platforming that left experienced players feeling alienated in certain levels. Finally, there are multiple challenges and even a boss beyond the main boss which leaves the world feeling fresh and explorable, and leaves more to do for completionists without alienating standard players.

Movement is literally heaven in this game and when it combines with the platforming. Mario moves at just the right pace, and with the variety of movement options at your disposal, it becomes hard to remember they even exist. Fortunately, there is a movement guide and Cappy reminds you of each move between kingdoms, which while it can be annoying for experienced players, it can be very helpful for newcomers and even intermediate players alike.

Of course, the new capture mechanic is one of the most important aspects of this game, and honestly, it's hard to miss the old Mario power-ups with these around. They offer so much variety to the already diverse moveset in the game that the movement never gets boring. Capturing something new will always see you have a fun new way to solve puzzles or cross the sandboxes. It does add probably the only negative part of this game, which is the motion controls, which start to get invasive when playing in handheld mode. Moving as fast as possible requires shaking the entire console in handheld mode, and making a save could have you throwing your remote around like an Uncle playing Wii Sports for the first time. While it's hard to say this ruins the game, it certainly brings down what was advertised of the Switch, which was an accessible console where you can play all the games you would play at home, on the go with no restrictions.

The presentation in this game has finally been mastered, as we are officially out of the period where Mario looks like a toy and more like a real person exploring real worlds. The environments are beautiful, the soundtrack is addicting, effects look so lifelike and it has never been more fun to watch Mario get hit by a cactus and get needles caught on his nose as it produces accurate jiggle physics.

This game is all-around beautiful and while I believe the new Bowser's Kingdom mode in the Super Mario 3D World port has topped it in terms of a fun sandbox Mario experience, I will always have good memories with this game. It will always be my immediate recommendation for a must-need Switch game.

----------------------------------Old Review Below--------------------------
What can I say about this game that has not been said before? This is quite literally the ultimate Mario experience, with so much content and quirks that it makes the game hard to hate at all. The gameplay is easily the best in the series, with solid fluid movement that makes the game fun to just run around in, which is good for a game with so much to do. You can run right to the end in the blink of an eye or you can stop and truly enjoy the world and it's environments. Each environment is filled with different content, characters and charm that it is an absolute blast to play this game. The collectibles are great fun to find and the amount you have to find is about 1/8 of the actual amount of collectibles in the game. Nothing feels restrictive, however some paths such as how you make your way through each area of the game can feel linear but rarely detracts from the overall experience. I completed and did everything this game has to offer about two years ago and I still return to it just to play around with the physics. The story is limited but good for a Mario game, while just barely missing the mark as the grand plot of Galaxy. Overall, this is an absolutely amazing game with some blemishes here and there but it's nothing that detracts from the overall experience.

This game is an odd one to me. I originally played this game as I played it fondly as a kid but see it for it's flaws now. The game is nothing extraordinary, especially compared to older and newer 3D Mario games. That being said, this is still a game that saved the 3DS as it began to flop in it's early years. The gameplay is obviously the meat of a Mario game and in this entry it plays fine but lacks any real excitement or precision. I often find myself wishing a move like a true version of the long jump or triple jump were in this game as along with the speed that Mario and Luigi run at makes the game slow to play. The difficulty in the gameplay is less so about actual difficulty and more so limitations that are arbitrarily put in place, such as the collectibles that make the game just that much more tedious to play as a portion of them are required. The story is incredibly lackluster and just makes you question what the point of it is but the way it's told is fairly nice. Most of the post game content is really unnecessary and just there to pad out an already short experience. This game is good if you like Galaxy or the New Super Mario Bros. series but if you are someone looking for a good 3D platformer, this is about as generic as they come.

A classic game that has, in all honesty, held up fairly well. Quite possibly the most influential game of all time, Super Mario 64 has so much to offer in such an old and small package. The main gameplay of the game is great, even for the Nintendo 64's awful controller but this game was basically made around that controller. The movement can be odd somtimes, as there can be dropped inputs all over the place, moves just not working right and times when you just question the game design. The game can be plagued with invisible walls and broken set pieces that just do not move as intended. However, it has so much charm in every corner, from the dialogue of toads, to the secret rooms, to the random characters you meet in your adventures. This game's main collections, the famous Mario stars, are incredibly fun to collect and almost each challenge can be completed while having fun. The story is bare bones but the lore contained within some of the castle walls is so deep that it makes up for it. Overall, a charming game to introduce Nintendo into the world of 3D and has captured the hearts and minds of player for decades. Give this one a try if you get a chance, it's an incredibly great piece of videogame history.

This is quite literally, the ultimate Mario Kart experience. It's no surprise this game was rereleased on Switch as it was effectively perfect on Wii U, just needed a few tweaks. It's a great experience, whether online with friends or on your own completing the different cups. The driving is great and never feels clunky or awkward. The items always make for good fun and add plenty of strategy into the game and there's not that one that makes the experience too hectic. However, that's also my biggest problem with this game, it's focus on skill. Skill has always been a big factor in Mario Kart, no matter what entry you play but this one focuses so much on it that once you've mastered the game, it becomes almost impossible to be beaten which can detract from the fun occasionally. The older entries are a lot more chaotic and are typically better party games but as the best portable entry, it does well. A great time though, and will be playing this one with friends for quite some time.

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.

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.

Link's Awakening is a game I have really enjoyed in the past, so when I found out that there was going to be a remake of the game coming to the Switch, I was excited to find out what it would be like. Turns out, it's not exactly the game I remember, especially with an upres and an art style change, it made this game feel much more cheap. The gameplay is overall fine but as the game goes on, it becomes incredibly cryptic as to what you are supposed to do. I found myself painstakingly going through puzzles or desperately searching for another item because I HAD to in order to do the things I actually wanted to do, and not because I wanted to actually do the tasks. This game just feels like fetch quest after fetch quest to solve puzzles that would be fun if they weren't designed by a master locksmith. Not to mention, compared to the puzzles, the actual action is a breeze. Most bosses are easy to defeat and take no real time at all to understand. This is not inheritley a bad thing but I would love for the bosses to be more challenging, so the puzzles would not feel like the bulk of this game. Not to mention, the way this game feigns an open world. Most of the world is open to you from the beginning of the game, but it is very limited on what you can do until you actually complete the dungeons in linear order. The art style is my last gripe with this game has while it has some original quality to it, the toy art style always feels like when Nintendo does not really care. They did it with Super Mario 3D World, they did it here and it just feels gross. Obviously, there are some good parts to the game, the story is good, characters are okay for the most part, Link's movement and attacks feel natural and it's a fun game to run around in. This game should have really been changed in a lot of ways because the game feels outdated in many ways, which is a great appeal for some, but I would personally call it bad game design.

What an absolutely fantastic game! I could not give this game the praise it deserves if I spent all day. The visuals and art style are so aesthetically pleasing that I could just look at scenery and enjoy myself. The gameplay does everything to make for a fun experience, from climbing up mountains to surfing down cliffsides, fighting monsters and discovering new items, this game is just constantly a blast to play. The puzzles are challenging yet never impossible. Collectibles are abundant and always make you feel worthwhile for getting them which says a lot for a game with literally thousands of items. The biggest problem with the gameplay is the items occasionally breaking but if anything, I feel this keeps the game fresh and makes it so you really have to pick and choose what you want. Music is always pleasant on the ears and never interrupts the game experience, only adding to it. The storytelling is masterfully crafted so you never have to feel like it's a burden but you can keep discovering more and more, from memories to old relics. Some of the lore leaves more to be desired which is upsetting but gives further room to expand on the lore in the future. All around a perfect gaming experience and will even get someone who doesn't like Adventure-RPGs to beat this game.

I've had a complicated history with 3D World, it was the last console 3D Mario I owned, I started it and never 100% beat it in the summer of '19 because I could not get past Champion's Road for the life of me. Come Summer of '20 I sit down and decide I'm gonna grind through it and I beat it, unceremoniously. I think it is important to contextualize what it is that made 3D World not live up to the hype.

Super Mario 3D World follows a similar level design idea to that of Super Mario 3D Land. The game is set in a 3D isometric world that makes it look like a 3D Mario and play like a 2D one. It makes the levels a good baseline for anyone who wants to jump into the series. That being said, World differs from Land by being a bit more open. Each of Land's levels are a bit tighter and Mario has restricted movement to make the levels flow much more naturally. Super Mario 3D World has sporadic level design, with the game often shifting what you are doing constantly. Some of them introduce their levels well. They introduce an idea, expand upon that idea and then challenge a player's understanding of that idea. Levels that come to mind are Double Cherry Pass or Switch Scramble Circus. Then you take a look at levels like Champion's Road which has the player introduced to new elements presented in new ideas constantly. Or if you want to use the excuse that Champion's road is the ultimate Act 3 or a Mario level then consider the Boo houses in the game or the ninja house levels. How many levels in 3D World can you remember that even have that three-act pattern? When people say 3D World has good game design, they are cherry-picking to the extreme.

Although I will admit there was a lot of good in this game. The green stars are very well implemented and as long as I sat back looking for them, I usually found them on my first try. In some instances, they were even placed in really nice spots that make the player feel accomplished for searching around, such as in an invisible maze where there's a glowing spot for the player to ground pound and when they do, a hidden path appears to the star. On that note, completion is a rough thorn on the rose of the 3D World. I love completing 3D Mario's. Seeing that max star count in Super Mario 64 is what I live for. So when I look at 3D World in comparison I groan. Super Mario Odyssey has a lot to do but that whole lot is paced so well, with so many tips as to where you need to go and it all flows into the next so well that I never feel booted from the action. 3D World is very different because of the 2D Mario style. If you miss a green star, you have to go back and play through the whole level to find it. Three hundred and eighty stars, along with a collection of stamps and hitting the top of every flagpole with a character makes this game a pain in the ass to get through. I think this could have easily been toned down without removing the collectibles entirely. Get rid of the stamp houses and the mushroom and flower worlds. Each little thing the game forces me to do for completion makes me feel like the game is padding out its runtime. There is no need for a captain Toad level in every world that acts as a complete pace breaker, even though I do like the Captain Toad levels. There's no need for a stamp house or twenty different secret bosses blocking my path. Half of the stars that you get in 3D World are not even from finding things in levels, most of them are just end-of-level completion which does not give the player any gratification when they complete other levels and get nothing. I like this game, I really do but they need to tone things down with the collectibles

Finally, we come to the minor issues and praises for this game. Firstly, this moveset does nothing for me. The multiple characters really felt like a way to make the movement "interesting" because there are hints where I really like a character but it fades and I always switch back to Luigi because he's objectively the best and even he feels bland at times. The power-ups are what helps in this regard because this is the most power-up heavy Mario game and it works. While the cat bell does take center stage, I found myself often wanting a Tanooki Leaf or a fire flower just because of how well-balanced everything is in terms of enhancing the player's abilities. I do wish they had brought back the pocket system here because I do find myself looking for an item constantly only to realize I have none.

All in all, Super Mario 3D World is an incredible game that feels like a true translation of the 2D Mario formula into a digestible 2.5D format without being entirely uninteresting the way that Super Mario 3D Land was. Although I do just wish that the game wasn't effectively made with 4 casual players in mind because single-player experiences are more my pace.

When starting this review, I would like to preface that this is my first entry in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. With that being said, this game is an absolute masterpiece from start to end. I had already dabbled in the GTA Online mode for quite some time before playing the game so I knew what I was getting into going into this but I wasn't expecting the campaign to offer this much in terms of content, personality and story. The focus on the three main characters and your ability to swap between them changes up both gameplay and how the story feels. Each character plays different and has different ways about going through missions with some leniency to allow for the player's own unique experience. Somoe plot details are hidden from characters which really builds tension in the game's story. Speaking of the story, it is absolutely perfect for the way this game presents itself. It never takes itself too seriously while still hitting some important emotional beats that will leave you satisfied in the end. Apart from the main gameplay, there is so much side content to be done that the game never truly feels empty, even after completing the campaign. Rockstar does an amazing job of worldbuilding here just as they do in every one of their games. Minor nitpicks I have would be about the general driving experience. Cars can control really weird sometimes with one slight bump to the control stick, then suddenly you've spun out completely, and the AI in this game can make some odd decisions while driving. Overall, an absolutely amazing story and gameplay experience that runs on for just the right length and never tires the player out.

During E3 2006, Reggie Fils-Aime of Nintendo called this game "The first worthy successor of Super Mario 64" and he was right on the money with that one. This game takes everything done in previous 3D Mario titles and just makes it the best it can be. More levels, more characters, more story, more platforming, more exploration; everything in this game is dialed to an 11 which culminates in the ultimate Mario experience. The story in the game is the same Mario tale seen again and again but this time Nintendo added some flair to everything which makes the story feel incredibly dramatic. Rosalina brings some much needed lore to the world in small dialogue bits that flesh out the world without making you feel like you have to know everything and it is perfect. One thing that I harshly disagree on with most criticisms of this game is that it lacks the exploration of Mario 64. Most Mario 64 levels are not nearly as big, nor nearly as open as Galaxy and nothing highlights this more than the Purple Coin comets which replace the 100 Coin stars of Super Mario 64 and Sunshine. These stars allow you to explore everything these worlds have without hiding too many collectibles in tucked away areas that the player would never visit otherwise. Speaking of those stars, how are they in this game? Fantastic. Every challenge in this game is incredibly fun to play and nothing ever feels like you're going to the same place to grab basically the same star twice like in 64. The progression is set up perfectly so that you have plenty of time to fully understand the environment and challenges, making the beginning stars an absolute breeze (in a good way). Some challenges are a little more tedious than others but none so incredibly hard that it makes you want to throw your controller. Finally, we come to easily the grandest point in this game's favor, the soundtrack. If you have heard anything of Galaxy, automatically people will say "the soundtrack is the best in Mario history" and they are always right. Every song in this soundtrack is nothing less than a beautiful orchestrated piece that fits the tone of the game just right. Some repeat here and there but with how beautiful this game's soundtrack is, you would not mind hearing it another go around. If I had to criticize this game for anything, it would be the overreliance on motion controls and the camera going a little wonky every now and then but it's nothing too crazy distracting to where it can really bog the game down. All in all, Super Mario Galaxy is an absolute blast of a good time and even if you just want to play it through to the 60 star finish, I would give it a go, but if you really enjoy it, get all 120. This game was amazing to play and astronautical to complete.

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.

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.

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.