Retro|Spective on Retro|Spective 150: Super Mario 3D

[ZipZap]

I already touched on this in the Switch thread, but as a (kind of) newbie I'm really enjoying Mario 64. I've started the game a few times over the years, but never went much beyond the first Bowser battle. This time I have around 85 stars and will probably go for all 120. I love the wide-range of moves and the freedom it gives you to complete the stars in a variety of ways.

The one I'm struggling with a bit is Galaxy. It never clicked with me on the Wii, but then the Wii never really clicked with me in general. I thought on the Switch using the Pro Controller I'd love it, but whilst it looks and sounds great and I can see there's some hugely imaginitive design, it feels like it's lost a lot of the freedom the other 3D Mario games have with lots of short stages that aren't very challenging.

[JazzFunk]

I'm loving everybody's different feelings on each game!

Myself, I loved how 64 and Galaxy felt...but wasn't sure about Sunshine on the GC. Main thing I liked was the analog spray with the R Trigger.

The remaster thing on Switch looks BEAUTIFUL in widescreen but I hear it can't do the analog spray thing (which makes the game fun in the first place, tbh, and this is one of the least pure fun Marios, it's ROCK at many points!!!)

I don't know much about the Switch but SURELY there must be an R Trigger, 'subtle' method of firing that extinguisher on the Switch????!!!!

[Dogg Thang]

Well I played through to more than 50 shines and never once missed the analogue control on that spray. Which is kind of weird because I do have memories of using it a lot back in the day.

I have since switched to Galaxy and, for me personally, the difference in these games is night and day. It's a joy. It avoids every single janky crime of Sunshine. I have no need to wrestle the camera, Mario jumps where I point him, he doesn't skip off the edge of platforms and everything just works. I do wish they had done more to tackle the issue of not having the Wii pointer but, in terms of the game itself, it's fantastic. Yes, I've died a bunch of times but, unlike Sunshine, I've never felt it was because the game was broken, unfair or annoying.