they shoulda just stopped at this one ngl. Not because this game is bad or anything, far from it. More just because this was a great little return to formula of mario at the time, with it being the first original mario game since like mario land 2. However, this did kind of start a really bland and derivative series from nintendo, which kinda retroactively spoils this game by association. It is still good and worth getting if you have a DS, and I can give it the benefit of the doubt since it is the first game and the bosses are actually really interesting at the very least, but yeesh this game pretty much began the homogenized mario aesthetic that is too clean and bland for my tastes compared to what previous games looked and sounded like.
This one is hard to pinpoint a "score" for. The single player aspect is totally fine. If anything, I think the "New" SMB games are actually a downgrade vs. Super Mario Bros 3 and World, at least aesthetically. They also feel a bit more "floaty" which is not something I like platformers to feel like.
BUT - those minigames, man. Those are what make this game special. I spent a ton of time playing them with friends and family.
BUT - those minigames, man. Those are what make this game special. I spent a ton of time playing them with friends and family.
I forgot to review this one. Played in close proximity to Mario land 2, I'm able to compare and contrast the two. While I think Mario land 2 is objectively a bit better, there's emphasis on "a bit." I may have had more fun with this one.
The biggest advantage this has over that is the controls. In my eyes, the NSMB series is 2D Mario controlling at its finest. It's super fun just to run through the levels, triple jumping, wall jumping and ground pounding the whole way through. The levels are really well designed, and can actually be a little challenging. There's some creative concepts, particularly in world 8. The bosses are a massive upgrade too, which is saying a lot since they're still pretty easy. The pixely 3D models give it a unique charm compared to the other games in it's series, and the soundtrack is fantastic. I still think the castle theme from this game is the best in any Mario game, competing with Dark Road from 64.
It's nowhere near perfect though. It's pretty easy, it's still short, and it's still an NSMB game. It's pretty generic, even if that's understandable since it was the first really modern platformer. It may not be as unique, but it's a solid entryin a fantastic series. It definitely is an NSMB game. Those are repetitive together, but really fun on their own. It's a tough game to hate, so yeah. Easy recommendation.
The biggest advantage this has over that is the controls. In my eyes, the NSMB series is 2D Mario controlling at its finest. It's super fun just to run through the levels, triple jumping, wall jumping and ground pounding the whole way through. The levels are really well designed, and can actually be a little challenging. There's some creative concepts, particularly in world 8. The bosses are a massive upgrade too, which is saying a lot since they're still pretty easy. The pixely 3D models give it a unique charm compared to the other games in it's series, and the soundtrack is fantastic. I still think the castle theme from this game is the best in any Mario game, competing with Dark Road from 64.
It's nowhere near perfect though. It's pretty easy, it's still short, and it's still an NSMB game. It's pretty generic, even if that's understandable since it was the first really modern platformer. It may not be as unique, but it's a solid entryin a fantastic series. It definitely is an NSMB game. Those are repetitive together, but really fun on their own. It's a tough game to hate, so yeah. Easy recommendation.