Retro|Spective 075R: Super Mario

[Asura]

Game 96 - Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
The first Winter games based incarnation of this sporting crossover franchise, it launched for the Wii and DS and was very much more of the same but with the mini-games focused on the events of the winter sports. As such it proved to be another big success for the franchise racking up millions of sales.





A worthy addition or a reskinned rehash?

Starting to wonder if I'm the only one who cares about these

Of the two home-console Winter games, this was the best one - better than the WiiU version, for one important reason - it supports the balance board. I think you can even connect two of them. This makes the skiing and snowboarding events for the balance board a fantastic laugh, and very easy to play. It's a shame they didn't carry this to the WiiU version, but then the WiiU doesn't officially support the balance board (only WiiFit+ used it).

Great fun - do the bobsled in the manner it demonstrates in the diagrams. Instead of sitting on the couch with the controller in your hands, sit with all four of you in a row on the floor, facing the TV, and hold the controller against your sternum, and lean left/right. It's a laugh riot either with the family & kids or a room of drunk people.

[wakka]

I don't know why I never played these back in the day! They seem like ideal four player fodder.

The balance board action sounds particularly fun, I had no idea that was a thing! Although, we didn't own one of those (we weren't a group of people who were tremendously, uh, fitness focused).

[Neon Ignition]

With the sports games, for me, it's just that they exist within the entire sub-genre that such games do. With the exception of Decathalete I've never held much interest in them because they revolve around basic, button mashing gameplay usually so given the already often light nature of Wii games I skipped the entire arm of games with those ones.


With New Super Mario Bros Wii, the general blandness of the sub-franchise makes it hard to fully recall the right memories but I seem to remember thinking this one was competent but one of the most forgettable entries.

[Asura]

I don't know why I never played these back in the day! They seem like ideal four player fodder.

They're fantastic in their own way, but the best way to describe them is "variable", or perhaps "inconsistent".

There are some events which are fantastic. But for every Bobsled in the Winter games, there's an event like the Equestrian in the summer games which are, frankly, utterly useless, involving directional Wiimote waggles which barely register, and it's more of a battle to see who screws up the least.

The main problem with them (as I think I've said even in this very thread) is that they're by Sega (they were originally going to be Sega-only), so it's weird they didn't just plagiarise Decathlete for the events that match. But they're relics of the high-Wii-era where it isn't really about the game, but more about the experience in the room when you play it. So with 4 people, it doesn't matter that the controls for Equestrian are terrible; everybody performs badly and it's just fun regardless.

[wakka]

Yeah I can completely see that.

One thing I would say, reflecting back on the Wii, is that I'm glad I was able to play as much four player on the machine as I was. It really was a console that benefitted from that. Every Nintendo home console is to greater and lesser extents I guess, but I think they went particularly hard on that type of software in the Wii era.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 98 - Super Mario Galaxy 2
Three years on from the previous release and Nintendo launched a rare direct sequel to a mainline Mario game. The second Galaxy game increased the prominence of Yoshi and largely stripped out the hub, storyline and sweeping scale of the first game with Miyamoto preferring a leaner approach closer to the earlier entries. Many lauded it as superior to the prior entry whilst some were less keen on the increased difficulty and pared back scale of the game but in either case it is considered to also be one of the greatest games ever made.




The brightest hour of Mario?

[Nu-Eclipse]

The brightest hour of Mario?

Basically Super Mario Galaxy DLC, but that is definitely no bad thing at all.

Will never ever understand how it "only" sold 6 million copies globally. Let's be crystal-clear: Both Galaxy games are right up there with the very best of anything you can name from that seventh generation of consoles overall.

Even by Nintendo's standards, not including SMG2 on Super Mario 3D All-Stars is absolutely criminal.

[Neon Ignition]

If it weren't for the first game eeking it out this would be my No.1 of all Mario titles ever. Agreed on All-Stars, I still keep meaning to get round to a replay on the WiiU

[QualityChimp]

I do like the Galaxy games, but I didn't really click with it introducing a new idea for each small planet then never used again.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 99 - Mario vs Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
The fourth game in the series remained on DS and very much continued where the prior entry left off with players building platforms on the fly to direct mini's to the goal of the level. The game spans eight worlds with a six second time limit kicking in once the first mini reaches the goal. The game scored solid reviews with the biggest issue raised being how similar it was to the prior game.




Hearts in your eyes for this latest entry?

[Neon Ignition]

Game 100 - Mario Sports Mix
The 100th title must be an epic one!... err, no. The next entry is the Wii title Mario Sports Mix developed by Square that finally proved a dilution too far in terms of Mario spin-offs. Already having multiple sports sub-franchises, Sports Mix covered four sports and had Mario, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy characters to select from. The game hit muddy waters in reviews with a lack of gameplay depth being a concern and whilst it broke 1m copies sold it wasn't enough to justify the game.




Mix'd Feelings?

[Neon Ignition]

Game 101 - Super Mario 3D Land
The 3DS was out and presented a whole new platform in need of a flood of Mario games. The system was fortunate though to not only lead with its own platformer but to also have the power to deliver a 3D powered entry and one to make use of the systems glassesless 3D. The gameplay is typical of Mario titles with the perspective being the main unique focus of the title. Designed specifically to feel like a game that bridged the gap between the Galaxy games and the 2D games, it was critically acclaimed and a big success.




The best dedicated handheld Mario platformer ever?

[Nu-Eclipse]

The best dedicated handheld Mario platformer ever?

From a technical perspective? It's hard to argue against it.

From a sales perspective? Nope. SM3DL "only" sold roughly 13m copies. The original NSMB on DS sold roughly 31m copies.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 102 - Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
The third entry on the Wii, the game followed exactly the same structure as the previous entries with more mini-games based on Olympic events. It once again sold well but this time reviews were more critical of the game due it offering little new over the prior entries.




A mini-game title too far?

[Neon Ignition]

Game 103 - Mario Kart 7
The 3DS was getting into full swing and as was once tradition, it was due its own Mario Kart entry. The seventh entry tightened the courses, added handgliders and underwater sections as well as vehicle customisation. With a wide range of Mario themed courses and two from Wuhu Island, the game was a joint venture between Nintendo and Retro Studios and resulted in a highly praised entry that went on to sell 19m units.




Seventh Heaven?