Retro|Spective 075R: Super Mario

[Neon Ignition]

Game 88 - Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games
Released for the Wii and DS, this tie in game brought Nintendo and Sega's mascots together to compete in events mirroring those of the 2008 Olympic Games. 24 events to play through with the multiplayer of the Wii version proving a hit compared to the limitations the DS provided for the handheld version. Yet again, this would spawn another arm for Mario to dominate in within game types.



A podium finish title?

[Mayhem]

Mario Galaxy was the most fun I'd had with almost any Mario title since Mario 64. Galaxy 2 was ace, but not quite as special. I still think iirc I went through both games twice, doing it as Luigi afterwards.

[fuse]

Big shout out for [MENTION=5490]wakka[/MENTION]'s Boom St love-in. I've always been aware that it's meant to be a great multiplayer game, and I do have it on my shelf (along with other versions of it), but having solid first-hand experience of it in 4p to share like this is top-value posting.

Also agree completely with everyone saying that Mario Galaxy is pure magic. Much as it was No More Heroes that got me to import a Wii, I remember when I first put Mario Galaxy on that I basically played all weekend and only left the flat to get new batteries for the Wiimote all in a panic. 3D World is also top-tier gaming at large, but even still does not hold a candle to Galaxy. Shamefully I've never played Galaxy 2, which I've probably said about ten times before on here that I should rectify. I will make good on that some day.

[Asura]

Game 88 - Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games
Released for the Wii and DS, this tie in game brought Nintendo and Sega's mascots together to compete in events mirroring those of the 2008 Olympic Games. 24 events to play through with the multiplayer of the Wii version proving a hit compared to the limitations the DS provided for the handheld version. Yet again, this would spawn another arm for Mario to dominate in within game types

A podium finish title?

I've already talked about these extensively, so I'll just summarise here.

I really liked this first one, but largely due to the novelty. I think if you haven't played many of these sorts of games (and this one, for many people, would've been their first), you would take to them better, but those of us who have played the prior greats (like Decathlete or even the Konami PS1 titles) might judge them a bit harshly. And, given, some of the waggle-y events didn't control so well (not sure if it was in the first one, but I remember a Dressage event which was just utter balls).

But regardless, had plenty of 4-player sessions on the first one and I really enjoyed it.

[wakka]

Big shout out for @wakka's Boom St love-in. I've always been aware that it's meant to be a great multiplayer game, and I do have it on my shelf (along with other versions of it), but having solid first-hand experience of it in 4p to share like this is top-value posting.

Also agree completely with everyone saying that Mario Galaxy is pure magic. Much as it was No More Heroes that got me to import a Wii, I remember when I first put Mario Galaxy on that I basically played all weekend and only left the flat to get new batteries for the Wiimote all in a panic. 3D World is also top-tier gaming at large, but even still does not hold a candle to Galaxy. Shamefully I've never played Galaxy 2, which I've probably said about ten times before on here that I should rectify. I will make good on that some day.

Thanks man! I'm glad my post was useful!

It really is a fun game. To this day there are long simmering feuds in my IRL friendship group about the double dealing that used to go on when we used to play it 12+ years ago

The Wii was the perfect format for it, too, since the remote was ideal for lazing controlling it with one hand while sprawled on the sofa eating snacks (had to keep the energy levels up).

[Atticus]

Super Mario Galaxy was a thoroughly nice surprise when it came out. The magic returned. I liked the Wii but it did lack something that Galaxy eventually brought. I remember Edge Mag including a wall calendar featuring a Galaxy level artwork (one of the floating, see-through capsule areas) and it just made you want to jump in every time you looked at it. I don't know why but I never finished the sequel ... I must go back (I have it purchased on my WiiU so there's no excuse).

[Neon Ignition]

Game 89 - Mario Party DS
The series returned with 74 minigames and a real focus on multiplayer despite the handheld form it had taken for the second time. Another very typical entry, it once again scored mixed reviews but strong sales.




Suited to the DS?

[DeathAdder]

I really like the Mario and Sonic games. The only one I didn't care for was Rio Olympics, where the games were too brief.

Mario Galaxy - count me as another for whom Mario peaked with that game. Still plenty of other high points, but that was the best.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 90 - Super Smash Bros Brawl
After the huge popularity of the second game, the third arrived for the Wii with some characters cut from the roster but third party additions made for the first time. Single player content was expanded for this entry with the fighter roster hitting 39 in total. The game was a critical and commercial hit cementing the games as one of Nintendo's premier series. Melee remained the most enduring for some however.





Was Brawl better than Melee?

[wakka]

For some reason, this didn't click for me. I played tons of Melee and loved it. I grabbed this as soon as it came out in the US on import. But I never put that much time into it, and I've never bothered with a Smash since.

Not really sure why that is, but, yeah. Not for me.

[Neon Ignition]

I'm exactly the same. I poured a solid amount of hours into Melee, a few years passed and I looked forward to Brawl and its greater fan service but once it landed something just didn't connect the same and I couldn't tell you why. TBH, the franchise never really has clicked the same.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Unless I'm remembering wrongly, wasn't it nicknamed "Super Lag Brothers Crawl" at one point because it was that unplayable online?

[Neon Ignition]

I could easily imagine so given the time and how little Nintendo puts into online

[Neon Ignition]

Game 91 - Dr Mario Online Rx
Released as a Wiiware title on Wii, this online version of the series included some puzzles from the Brain Age games and used the Wiimotes as pointers to control the game as players went head to head online.




A cure for your online thirst?

[Nu-Eclipse]

Let's be honest: If you've played one Dr. Mario game, you've played them all!