Retro|Spective 075R: Super Mario

[Dogg Thang]

No version of Smash has ever clicked for me. I love the idea of it, hence buying a couple of versions over the years. But the second it zooms out and my character and all the others become tiny specks, it loses me. I’m just smashing buttons in the hope that my flying pixel beats the other flying pixels, set to music from games I like. I love seeing the characters but don’t think I have ever actually enjoyed a match.

For me, Power Stone is the game Smash should have been.

Edit: I see QC has the exact same issue.

[Neon Ignition]

I don't know why but the N64 release largely passed me by even though I was still an active N64 gamer at the time. On paper it should have appealed but I think it was a mixture of things like how it was a fairly ugly game even back then and it wasn't a more traditional fighter. I did eventually spend time with it but it didn't click even then, it would take the sequel for Smash to finally get a hold

[Asura]

I think the Smash series is fantastic, conversely, even if I see it as something very different to conventional fighters.

That being said, I only played the first one after Melee and it was hard to get into.

[QualityChimp]

Again, I'm glad others have enjoyed it, but I've tried it and it's not for me.

Over the years, we've had games nights with stuff like MD Mortal Kombat, SNES SFII, PS1 WWF, PS2 Tekken Tag, Dreamcast Soul Calibre/Edge, PS2 Marvel Vs. Capcom 2, 360 Dead or Alive, etc. and all of those have felt pretty intuitive to play right from the start, knowing there are deeper ways to play.
On a games night, you're not just going to sit around whilst each person takes their time to learn all the moves before the next person has their slot.
I can see how two players who have had time to learn a character's moveset might have fun, but a game that's aimed as a multiplayer experience is a bit limiting to people just jumping in.

With Smash Bros, it's just this frenetic explosion of characters doing their special moves and everyone trying to work out what is happening, who won and why.

I totally accept that there's a deeper game and if you attempt to engage with the game, you'll get more from it.

I don't accept that Tekken is a "button masher", however, except for Eddie.

Finally, each to their own, not every game is for everybody and I'm glad you've had fun. My lack of enjoyment with the series should in no way impact that.

[dataDave]

I’ve never actually enjoyed them as single player games, even when unlocking everything. You need more people to see where the fun lies.

[dataDave]

Tekken absolutely is a game where mashing punch and kick and nothing else leads to a scenario where the player character advances forwards with a string of low, mid, and high attacks. Against another player doing the exact same this will lead to success around 50% of the time.

[dataDave]

Honestly, if there was a Bordersdown games night the Smash corner would be the most popular corner, mainly due to the intense levels of mixed laughter and rage. Nothing else would get a peep in. There would also be a large number of converts.

[QualityChimp]

There would just be you and Speedlolita playing it as nobody else would know any moves and get bored at constantly losing to you knowing all the specials.


Again, I'm normally positive about games, but this is one I've had to accept I'll probably never get into.
That's not a slight against the game or you and I know what it's like trying to evangelise about a game you love to gamers apathetic about it.

[dataDave]

Yeah but, when you start a Judo class the last thing they do is throw you into a 1 vs. 5 randori with five seasoned black belts. That's going to guarantee that you never go back. Plus, specials don't require any complicated inputs like all other fighters. They're literally just B button, or B button paired with up, left/right, or down. Back on the evenings with the non-gamers you could teach them a spammy-type special after a second or two and they'd be instantly on their way to dishing out tons of rage.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 40 - Game & Watch Gallery 3
Whilst the console games were diversifying in styles, the Game Boy powered on with another collection. This new installment mixed together revisualised versions of Donkey Kong Jr, Egg, Green House, Turtle Bridge and Mario Bros. The updated visuals were well received but by now reviewers were growing weary of these regular limited collections.







Where you still watching these releases?

[Asura]

There would just be you and Speedlolita playing it as nobody else would know any moves and get bored at constantly losing to you knowing all the specials.

I'm not sure I follow you here, QC.

All fighting games have this problem, but Smash is more like Power Stone - it only has a relatively small number of functions per-character and they're all performed with the same inputs, so a right-facing smash move is the same for every character.

Then again, I treat Smash like Mario Party in that I don't really get invested in trying to win when things like powerups etc. are turned on. You absolutely can just be very unlucky in it.

[Mayhem]

If you think Smash is solely a button masher, yeah you haven't completely got it. Nothing more satisfying with me playing Kirby in the Wii version from unleashing what I dubbed "the ban hammer" and "death from above" to send someone out the stage. But it's a completely different fighter to SF or Tekken or most others.

[wakka]

I loved Melée, really bloody loved it. Played it loads in both local multi and single player, earning all those trophies. But then the game never clicked for me again. I've repeatedly bought them and it's just never quite worked for me as a format.

Honestly it's a failing on my part rather than the game's.

[Neon Ignition]

Game 41 - Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
This Game Boy title added an overworld and challenge mode to the game whilst also adding in 8 more worlds largely based on the Japanese Mario Bros 2. The end result was an expanded port that proved to be very well received.






A deluxe experience?

[speedlolita]

I loved Melée, really bloody loved it. Played it loads in both local multi and single player, earning all those trophies. But then the game never clicked for me again. I've repeatedly bought them and it's just never quite worked for me as a format.

Honestly it's a failing on my part rather than the game's.

Since Melee I've bought each game, unlocked all the characters and never played it again.