SUPAH MAREO THREE DEE ESS

[-Mark-]

Even the Galaxy games suffer from this, seeing as they started to blur the line between 2D and 3D Mario gameplay (with more, yet less memorable, stages).

EDIT:

I will also say that I'm not overly keen on the 'hold Y to run' mechanic being implemented in a 3D game, either. It just feels awkward and unnecessary, given that I thought the whole point of analogue sticks was to be able to control walk/ run with a single input.

Also, does anyone feel like Mario's momentum is a little bit off in this game? I swear, sometimes I die in the stupidest ways because Mario seems to struggle at making even fairly small jumps sometimes. Also, he doesn't seem to be able to jump very far, high or well, either. It's not a problem often, but still. Or is it just me? D:

Edited November 23, 2011 by -Mark-

[Your Vest Friend]

Haven't played much of the Galaxy games (the first galaxy in SMG, don't own SMG2), lost interest in it very quickly for similar reasons.

This is also probably why I like Sunshine miles better than any of them. I could spend hours in Pinna Park...

[Sean]

I tried a demo of this at Gamestop today.

Controls a metric fuckton better than SM64DS and I can see myself getting this somewhere down the line if I ever got a 3DS. By the time that ever happens though there'll (hopefully) be other games that are higher priority.

[JezMM]

Oh god. S7-4. THE PAIN. All the reviews who said the game is too easy can fuck right off. RIGHT OFF.

[SuperStingray]

I would say this game was difficult if it weren't for the fact the Tanooki suit exists. It really feels included for nostalgia's sake rather than adding something to the level design.

This is also probably why I like Sunshine miles better than any of them. I could spend hours in Pinna Park...

I like Super Mario Sunshine, but in terms of levels alone, I can't even say Sunshine's best level is better than Mario 64's worst. Okay, it's a close call between Ricco Harbor and Jolly Roger Bay, but at least Jolly Roger Bay doesn't use the exact same boss for two of its missions. But the problem I have with Sunshine as a whole is that its levels are tediously huge- far too much empty space and repeating structures. Mario 64 generally put one at least one item of interest within ten square feet of each other, and when it didn't, it was usually for a unique environmental or platforming experience like the red coin room and gas cavern in Hazy Maze Cave or the large feel of Tiny-Huge Island's huge area. Most of Sunshine is empty for the sake of realistic scale. Yes, Gelato Beach looks like a beach, but it's fucking boring platforming-wise, with nothing but sand and those annoying duck things. Yes, there are those 'bonus' levels in the sand castle and bird egg, but if you have to separate the platforming challenge from the level itself, you're doing it wrong. Even Tick-Tock Clock, a completely straightforward platforming centric level, was large and wide enough to include different turns, challenges, missions and secrets. 64's course catalog had incredible range, including not only open levels, but vertical levels, platforming-centric levels, exploration-centric levels, deep levels, dynamic levels, sometimes even combinations of them. Plus, was 64 kind enough to always put the starting location at a place that makes it possible to get to your destination from multiple directions (something that's important if you're going to play the same level several times starting at the same spot) maybe putting you next to a cannon, branching hallway or even a hidden shortcut. Sunshine generally dropped you in a desolate corner, creating a single strip that you need to cross every time you start the level. I'll give it credit for the Hotel level and Ricco Harbor, but other than that, it just doesn't feel like what a 3D Mario platformer should be.

[Thigolf]

Question: One of the five stars requirments is

"beating all levels with mario and luigi" So do I have to finish the level with both by just running to the flagpole or by getting all the medals and golden flagpoles again?

[JezMM]

While I love Mario Sunshine too, I agree it was very "off". The biggest insult is how many shines were taken up by the blue coins (which were fiendishly hard to find in a time of no super guides or even clue-based hint system).

I will say one thing - Mario Sunshine's greatest feat was really capturing that vacation spirit. Both the aesthetics AND all the weirder-than-usual design choices did make for a great "different" game, even if "different" wasn't always good and certainly not what I waited for in the sequel to Mario 64.

I don't mind the Tanooki Suit being sort of a game breaker in this. If you can keep hold of it by not getting hit you deserve the shortcuts it provides, as well as the gauranteed 1up at the goal post at the end assuming you don't screw up the jump to epic proportions.

[Blue Blood]

I got it today and I'm up to world 3 so far. It's simple fun, nothing particularly new and exciting though. It honestly feels like just another Mario game. And whoever said the controls were stiff was right. They are much, much stiffer than I'd expect from any game. And they work bloody well as a result. It's the first thing I noticed. Mario controls an absolute dream.

EDIT: Also, next time there's a new Mario game I don't want it to drown me in extra lives. The newer games are piss-easy enough without them.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Blue Blood

[TrueBlue]

I think Sunshine is the worst out of the 3D Mario titles thus far. That's not harsh criticism, because Sunshine is still a great entry, fantastic even. I just feel that there wasn't really enough variety in levels, bosses, or objectives to fill up those huge worlds they created. I also had a personal pet peeve with how little some of the stages varied. I know that was the point considering it's a vacation and all, but it didn't really have that Mario feeling in my eyes.

Still, I played through it to 70 Shines recently and enjoyed it a lot, to it can't be all that bad.

Getting this tomorrow, along with Skyward Sword. Totally psyched.

[speedfreak]

Question: One of the five stars requirments is

"beating all levels with mario and luigi" So do I have to finish the level with both by just running to the flagpole or by getting all the medals and golden flagpoles again?

You only have to get the star coins and gold flag with one brother (doesn't matter which) and just finish the stage with the other.

[Blue Blood]

I've got to Special World 2 in "Tanooki Suit: The Game" now. It's stupidly fun, but the length and difficulty of it shouldn't make it a system seller on it's own. Couple it with another stellar title (OoT, MK7, a number of existing DS games) and it's a winner.

Edited November 25, 2011 by Blue Blood

[-Mark-]

Okay, so I've noticed something.

On my brother's copy (he's quite a lot ahead of me), it has small 'M' and 'L' icons in the bottom-right corner of the top screen, to the left of the golden flag icon. Basically, keeping track of and telling him if he's finished a stage as Mario, Lugi or both.

Except... those icons aren't appearing on mine. Have I done something wrong? Or do the icons only appear after you finish the Special Worlds as well? I'm just at world S8-2.

Does anyone else have/ not have these icons yet, and whereabouts in the game are you?

[Thigolf]

You got to beat the special worlds before they appear.

[JezMM]

Just got my 5 sparkly stars. Good lord:

S8-Crown is BRUTAL. I can't imagine doing it without the Tanooki suit. Man.

Edited November 28, 2011 by JezMM

[Cola]

I'm so sad because I know this game is in my stocking, but I have to wait until Christmas for it. ;A;

[#EndyGate]

I'm so sad because I know this game is in my stocking, but I have to wait until Christmas for it. ;A;

[Kuzu]

I'm so sad because I know this game is in my stocking, but I have to wait until Christmas for it. ;A;

[Blue Blood]

I completed the special worlds today. They added a decent amount of extra bulk to the game and were a fair amount more difficult than the cake walk normal ones. I wish so many of them weren't Cosmic Mario levels though.

Also, what's the point of Small Mario and Mushrooms in this game? When you die you come back as Super Mario, meaning if you're small you're better off killing yourself at the start of a level/after a checkpoint. And if you don't have enough lives to just throw away you must really suck at the game.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Blue Blood

[JezMM]

Also, what's the point of Small Mario and Mushrooms in this game? When you die you come back as Super Mario, meaning if you're small you're better off killing yourself at the start of a level/after a checkpoint. And if you don't have enough lives to just throw away you must really suck at the game.

This is true, they should have topped you back up to Super Mario after each level.

I also hate that, even though I've 100% completed the game now, the Toad houses never re-appear. 8C I was hoping a final bonus would be to unlock the ability to just grab a power-up whenever I like as in New Super Mario Bros.

[Old dead account]

After my obsession with generations multiplayer, I'm back on this game entering S5. For the 5th star You have to beat each world with each bro AND get the golden flagpoles with each? I also heard there was a bonus for not dying more than 5 times in a level too...

[JezMM]

After my obsession with generations multiplayer, I'm back on this game entering S5. For the 5th star You have to beat each world with each bro AND get the golden flagpoles with each? I also heard there was a bonus for not dying more than 5 times in a level too...

You have to beat each level with both brothers, but you only have to get the star coins/golden flagpoles with one or the other. Their victories in these departments are shared.

Dying 5 times on a non-special world level makes the white tanooki suit appear to allow you to play the level with permanent invincibility and flight, thus making your only concern bottomless pits and the timer. However, this bonus makes it so the stars on your file do not sparkle. That is to say, not dying 5 times on any non-special level will earn you sparkles on your file.

[TrueBlue]

Eh, I ain't gonna get me some sparkles, died too many times on a few levels.. Oh well. Going through Special-6 at the moment. Starting to get my ass kicked...and I love it.

Still wanted playable Peach though.

[JezMM]

To clarify, the 5 death rule only applies to the main levels. The special worlds you can go nuts with jumping off cliffs and you still get sparklies.

[Blue Blood]

So, dying five times automatically removes the sparkles? That's rather lame. I spend lots of time trying to pull of crazy tricks and often end up dying. I didn't use any of the pity power-ups.

[Toby]

I wonder though. If you go back and play levles AFTER you get the sparkles and lose five lives, do you lose those sparkles you've already earned?