GuffNFluff
2007
Super Mario Galaxy is the third of the 3D Mario titles, and it is stellar, well and truly. This one hits all of the marks. The gameplay is fluid and fun, with the motion controls complementing the gameplay and being used in a way that is not overly gimmicky or invasive and annoying. The gravity system is fascinating, unique, and used in a lot of fun. The story, while still at its core typical, is also unique. The game looks amazing as well. The music of this game is nothing short of incredible and is easily the best in the series. I cannot praise it enough. A must play, doubtless.
This one is identical to the PlayStation 2 version, so check it for the core of the review. The only difference is the controls. Since this one is on the Wii, the motion controls are forced into the game. Personally, I preferred it without the motion controls.
Here we have another Spongebob game from Heavy Iron Studios. While made by the same people, this game is still noticeably different from the other two: Battle for Bikini Bottom and the Movie videogame. This one has a different engine, gameplay styles, and mechanics. The game was quite enjoyable, but certainly nowhere near as good as Battle for Bikini Bottom. Worth a go either way.
Here we have the second entry in the New Super Mario series. That's right, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is not the second of them. Like Kingdom Hearts, do not presume. This one was the last of the New Super Mario Bros. games that I actually enjoyed. The new power-ups are fun, the motion controls are minimal, there is four-player co-op, and it was nice to see the Koopalings make a return. I haven't played it in a while. Maybe it's due for a replay.
2012
This one I did not like. It made changes to the formula for gameplay, which is nice to see in Mario Party, but it is not in a way which is actually that good. Having everyone share the same space by riding in a car thing and taking turns rolling dice is an interesting one, but not a very fun one. I don't have much to say as I generally try to avoid playing it. Take of that what you will.
2007
I found Mario Party 8 to be very enjoyable. This is a Wii game, so of course it has to has motion controls injected into it. These work well for Mario Party 8. As stated before, there usually isn't much that makes the Mario Party games different from each other due to recycled mechanics, the same formula for gameplay, and so on. Mario Party 8 does have some distinct differences from those that came before. First and most obvious is the motion controls. From rolling dice to the minigames themselves, the motion controls are used a lot. Secondly, and it has been a while, but there are unique board mechanics I believe for every board. And I don't just mean the way the boards are structured, but even win conditions as well. There are unique game modes and a system similar to 7 where you use some sort of point/credit system to unlock things like stages, minigames, game modes, characters, taunts, and countless other things. I had so much fun with this one. It's a shame my disc is buggered and the game crashes very frequently.
2008
Mario Kart Wii was a fun one, but I still enjoyed Double Dash more. My first experience of the game was when a friend brought it over to play. The implementation of the motion controls was pretty cool and it was fun to use the wheel peripheral. Nowadays I just use the GameCube controller, and it made me realise how weirdly stiff the controls are compared to something like Double Dash. The courses are a lot of fun and including older tracks from older Mario Karts was a cool thing. The game works well overall and looks really nice. The music is good as well.
This review contains spoilers
Well, here we are. 4 to 5 god damn months later after setting out to replay and re-review the game. I have been very busy lately and not willing to update things here since the review process takes a while for me and I dread a set of reviews that I need to write coming up. Well, I don't NEED to do it, but I want to remain consistent in reviewing games I've completed. I just haven't had the energy for it. it tends to wear on me quick. A mutual asked what my backlog was like so I came back for reference and decided "Fuck it, imma continue with it". I finished my second playthrough a few weeks after I initially set out to do it. Now I can try to write up an updated review if I can correctly parse and remember my thoughts and feelings. Alright, so my feelings about the game have changed in different ways in a few areas. Let's start with the big thing: the controls. The gimmick of using motion controls with items I had a bit more respect for this time around, appreciating how intuitive SOME of them were. However, the novelty wore off really quick and it just started to piss me off after a while. I'm not entirely sure why, but I struggled with the combat much more in my second playthrough. I think somehow it became harder for me to wrap my head around trying to play the game left-handed when the game was not designed with any consideration for left-handedness AT ALL. I had to switch to my right hand to clumsily work my way through the Demise fight. Even so, it was just as easy as I remember it being. I didn't mind some of the dungeons in this game this time around compared to the first time. Upgrading adventure pouch inventory was a bit annoying. The upgrade system in general was an interesting one. I would've preferred not to have it but it's fine for what it is. The durability system for the shields was also alright and got only a little annoying. I don't think I hated it, but having the indestructible Hylian Shield was nice. Holy fuck, Fi. We've GOT to talk about Fi and the tutorial. It's been told to hell and back, but Fi is quite annoying, which I noticed on my first playthrough but felt even more on my second. I didn't notice it first time around, but the game really treats the game like it's baby's first Zelda with the tutorials and how it tells the story. Just as an example, Link was tutorialised early on how to perform a certain action, I don't remember what it was, I think it was throwing bombs. A bit later, a Mogma asks Link if he knows how to do said mechanic, and the player is prompted to answer with a yes or a no. Even if the player makes Link say yes, he knows how to do the mechanic and doesn't need to be told, the Mogma will tell him anyway. In hindsight, this may have been idiot proofing in case someone accidentally picked yes instead of no, since the controls are less than phenomenal, but in the moment it seemed really idiotic and weird. But yeah, with the way the story is told, Link is instructed where to go or what to do, and the player is taught how to play, I never had my hand held so much before, even when I was a barely sentient toddler incapable of forming thoughts or doing anything on my own. The game had solid art direction and the music was great, as always. Overall, I still did not enjoy the game a whole lot. That's not to say that the game is a horrid load of old rubbish, there Certainly are ones that shoulDn't exIst out there that don't even come close to the level of quality that Skyward Sword does have going for it. It's not abject hatred, just a general dislike.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Well Skyward Sword. What can I say about this one? Let me start by saying it has been a long while since I played Skyward Sword and I need to revisit it to get my feelings re-evaluated and properly in order like I did with the others. As you can probably see, I am currently in the middle of my second run-through and will add my updated feelings about it once Demise takes his final breath. I will then tack on this review as "First Impressions" at the end of the updated review.
I will say, I didn't really care for it. I wouldn't say I found it egregious, but I did not like it. The motion controls were very gimmicky but were fun at times. It had a lot of cool ideas, some executed better than others. The main complaint that I have, which still holds on my second playthrough, is that the gameplay is detrimental to left-handed individuals such as myself. This is the first Zelda game in which Link is right-handed unless you want to count the Wii version of Twilight Princess. It is easy to understand why. It needs to be playable for right-handed individuals, but there NEEDS to be some sort of accommodation for left-handed individuals. All they had to do was include a mirrored version of the game that worls for left-handed people. Twilight Princess on the Wii had a mirror mode (which I think was Hero Mode NG+, don't hold me to that. I have the GameCube version of Twilight Princess where that doesn't exist) and the default version was itself mirrored from the GameCube original so that Link was right-handed, so there is no excuse to not have something like that in Skyward Sword. It wasn't really that much of a problem until the Demise fight. I had to use my right hand just to defeat the bastard 'cos the nature of the fight made it impossible to do left-handed. Maybe I can put a mirror up in front of my CRT or something, put the sensor bar on the mirror, and try to play it that way? It will be mega-fucked, but maybe it can work. I'll give it a go.
Anyway, the game is not that great, and I probably would never have revisited it had I not felt the need for story and reassessment. It does look great, though.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS:
Well Skyward Sword. What can I say about this one? Let me start by saying it has been a long while since I played Skyward Sword and I need to revisit it to get my feelings re-evaluated and properly in order like I did with the others. As you can probably see, I am currently in the middle of my second run-through and will add my updated feelings about it once Demise takes his final breath. I will then tack on this review as "First Impressions" at the end of the updated review.
I will say, I didn't really care for it. I wouldn't say I found it egregious, but I did not like it. The motion controls were very gimmicky but were fun at times. It had a lot of cool ideas, some executed better than others. The main complaint that I have, which still holds on my second playthrough, is that the gameplay is detrimental to left-handed individuals such as myself. This is the first Zelda game in which Link is right-handed unless you want to count the Wii version of Twilight Princess. It is easy to understand why. It needs to be playable for right-handed individuals, but there NEEDS to be some sort of accommodation for left-handed individuals. All they had to do was include a mirrored version of the game that worls for left-handed people. Twilight Princess on the Wii had a mirror mode (which I think was Hero Mode NG+, don't hold me to that. I have the GameCube version of Twilight Princess where that doesn't exist) and the default version was itself mirrored from the GameCube original so that Link was right-handed, so there is no excuse to not have something like that in Skyward Sword. It wasn't really that much of a problem until the Demise fight. I had to use my right hand just to defeat the bastard 'cos the nature of the fight made it impossible to do left-handed. Maybe I can put a mirror up in front of my CRT or something, put the sensor bar on the mirror, and try to play it that way? It will be mega-fucked, but maybe it can work. I'll give it a go.
Anyway, the game is not that great, and I probably would never have revisited it had I not felt the need for story and reassessment. It does look great, though.
2009
Have we have a remake of an already existing I Spy game for the PC. This one added newer areas, 3D environments to search, and minigames that use the motion controls. While I did not enjoy this as much as the PC I Spy games, I think it still holds its own as an I Spy game and is decent.
2010
It's been long enough that I do not remember enough about the game to give a proper review, so apologies for that. I enjoyed it and thought it was great, that much I can tell you. Due for a revisit that's for sure.
Melee is the Smash that I had the longest and have the most nostalgia for. It was my favourite (Yes, I'm one of THOSE Smash players) until Ultimate. This was my first Smash game and is another of the games that I played with my cousin when I was younger. I didn't understand how the game worked at the time, but I still enjoyed playing it. For a while it was the only one I had and played, so much so that it explains why I was so terrible at the game starting out. I did not know Smash attacks were a thing until I was told about them when playing Smash 4 with friends. The c-stick only performed Smash attacks when playing multiplayer with other people, something I did not get to do pretty much ever. I also did not know Ness (and therefore Lucas) could recover with PK Thunder until I watched another person play as Lucas in 4 since the Ness CPU never attempted to recover with PK Thunder when offstage when I played Melee. Samus and Luigi were my mains in Melee, carrying into the later Smash games. The core reason I mained them in Melee was 'cos I could wavedash as them easily. I gained actual skill and proper use out of them in the later ones. I do play as Ness in Melee now in addition to Luigi and Samus as he is my official main. Aces all around, I'd say.
2002
Next in line for the 3D Mario titles is Super Mario Sunshine. This may be my favourite of them, or at least closely tied with the Galaxy games. This is the first and only Mario game that has extensive voice acting from multiple characters. Not sure why they did it or why it never came back, but it was cool while it was there. The F.L.U.D.D mechanics the game was built around are a lot of fun and added many interesting aspects to the gameplay. When they take it away, the game doesn't control the best. however. It was also cool to have Yoshi around, which we wouldn't see again until Galaxy 2. There are many hidden shines to collect, and as a result I have not 100% it yet, but I do want to at some point. The music is great and quite memorable, but Galaxy still has the better music. A lot of fun and worth your time.
You know that feeling when you're wiping your arse with cheap bog roll and your finger pokes through the paper so you end up fingering yourself? Unless you are into that sort of thing, it's an awful experience. That's what playing this game is like. Now, the game isn't a glitchy, broken, unplayable mess like Enter the Dragonfly was, but a part of me wishes it was that way I could get some form of entertainment or enjoyment from watching it fall apart. The game is just...really bad. The models are ugly and their animations are unusual-looking and weird. Looking at the script, it feels like they made Spongebob a bit dumber and Patrick is weirdly dickish sometimes? Thinking about it, many characters just seem to be really annoyed at Spongebob's presence at all times. I don't know. It just feels off. They actually did manage to get all of the VAs. At least, the ones they need for the core characters that aren't the weird throwaway ones that do not exist outside of the game.
I'm going to discuss the voices a bit more, and there is one aspect of these voices that makes me so unbelievably angry. It irritates me to no goddamn end. I NEED an explanation to how they could fuck this up so badly. First, I'm going to ask that all who are unfamiliar with how the French Narrator in the Spongebob series sounds listens to the voice. Then, I need everyone to hear what the French Narrator sounds like in this game. You'll notice that they sound nothing alike. Remember that I said they have all of the VAs here. In case you cannot tell, the French Narrator in the show is voiced by Tom Kenny, who voices Spongebob, Gary, and assorted secondary characters and unnamed fish. It is quite clear that Tom Kenny is not voicing the French Narrator in the game, but remember that they have all of the VAs in the game, meaning they got Tom Kenny to voice Spongebob and Gary. WHY. THE. FUCK. ISN'T HE THE FUCKING VOICE OF THE GODDAMN FRENCH NARRATOR? THERE IS NO GODDAMN EXCUSE FOR THAT UNLESS IT IS A LEVEL OF INCOMPETENCY TO RIVAL THAT OF SONIC TEAM. Maybe I'm too worked up over it, but it just pisses me off at an ungodly level. No excuse. Tom Kenny is RIGHT. FUCKING. THERE. FUCKING USE HIM. YOU ALREADY PAID FOR HIM. Maybe there is the off chance I am wrong and it is Tom Kenny, but it does not sound like him, nor is he credited as the voice of the French Narrator, at least in the manual. I don't remember if anyone is. Alright, rant over. Let's get back to the review now that that little tirade is over.
The gameplay is somewhere between meh and bad. It does work and there are interesting ideas, but a lot of it is just unenjoyable and not fun. It has a lot of platforming but also other weird gameplay things as well. None of it fun. Here's a thing: there are tiles you have to collect and when you find them all in a level, they form a picture that reveals the location of a hidden treasure, but that's not all. They take the form of everyone's favourite puzzle type: those goddamn sliding puzzles that are the bane of everyone's existence. Granted, there are only 9 tiles (technically 8 with the blank space) and the puzzles are piss easy, but still. They're slide puzzles.
The story is kind of typical and also a bit stupid. Spongebob finds a chest that held the Flying Dutchman's treasure and a bottle that had The Dutchman imprisoned within it, 'cos he's a jinn now, I guess. As punishment, he enslaves Spongebob's friends as part of his crew. You have to collect The Dutchman's hidden treasures to defeat him, kinda like collecting Dracula's body parts in Simon's Quest or some of the Igavanias, but unlike in those games it is not explained how these things are used to defeat The Dutchman from what I recall, but that may be incorrect.
The music is alright, if you're okay with only 4 songs, 6 with the two situational costumes. They change with the costumes, which is kinda cool, but they are all that you hear when you use them. From what I recall, none of them change with the levels except maybe the default Squarepants costume. MAYBE. I'd rather not play this game if it can be avoided, so I'm not going to double check. Take it with a grain of salt, I guess. The game can be beaten in a day, which is all the more better as it is less time that you have to spend with this horseshit. I'd say play it and decide for yourself, but it is best to avoid it like the plague.
I'm going to discuss the voices a bit more, and there is one aspect of these voices that makes me so unbelievably angry. It irritates me to no goddamn end. I NEED an explanation to how they could fuck this up so badly. First, I'm going to ask that all who are unfamiliar with how the French Narrator in the Spongebob series sounds listens to the voice. Then, I need everyone to hear what the French Narrator sounds like in this game. You'll notice that they sound nothing alike. Remember that I said they have all of the VAs here. In case you cannot tell, the French Narrator in the show is voiced by Tom Kenny, who voices Spongebob, Gary, and assorted secondary characters and unnamed fish. It is quite clear that Tom Kenny is not voicing the French Narrator in the game, but remember that they have all of the VAs in the game, meaning they got Tom Kenny to voice Spongebob and Gary. WHY. THE. FUCK. ISN'T HE THE FUCKING VOICE OF THE GODDAMN FRENCH NARRATOR? THERE IS NO GODDAMN EXCUSE FOR THAT UNLESS IT IS A LEVEL OF INCOMPETENCY TO RIVAL THAT OF SONIC TEAM. Maybe I'm too worked up over it, but it just pisses me off at an ungodly level. No excuse. Tom Kenny is RIGHT. FUCKING. THERE. FUCKING USE HIM. YOU ALREADY PAID FOR HIM. Maybe there is the off chance I am wrong and it is Tom Kenny, but it does not sound like him, nor is he credited as the voice of the French Narrator, at least in the manual. I don't remember if anyone is. Alright, rant over. Let's get back to the review now that that little tirade is over.
The gameplay is somewhere between meh and bad. It does work and there are interesting ideas, but a lot of it is just unenjoyable and not fun. It has a lot of platforming but also other weird gameplay things as well. None of it fun. Here's a thing: there are tiles you have to collect and when you find them all in a level, they form a picture that reveals the location of a hidden treasure, but that's not all. They take the form of everyone's favourite puzzle type: those goddamn sliding puzzles that are the bane of everyone's existence. Granted, there are only 9 tiles (technically 8 with the blank space) and the puzzles are piss easy, but still. They're slide puzzles.
The story is kind of typical and also a bit stupid. Spongebob finds a chest that held the Flying Dutchman's treasure and a bottle that had The Dutchman imprisoned within it, 'cos he's a jinn now, I guess. As punishment, he enslaves Spongebob's friends as part of his crew. You have to collect The Dutchman's hidden treasures to defeat him, kinda like collecting Dracula's body parts in Simon's Quest or some of the Igavanias, but unlike in those games it is not explained how these things are used to defeat The Dutchman from what I recall, but that may be incorrect.
The music is alright, if you're okay with only 4 songs, 6 with the two situational costumes. They change with the costumes, which is kinda cool, but they are all that you hear when you use them. From what I recall, none of them change with the levels except maybe the default Squarepants costume. MAYBE. I'd rather not play this game if it can be avoided, so I'm not going to double check. Take it with a grain of salt, I guess. The game can be beaten in a day, which is all the more better as it is less time that you have to spend with this horseshit. I'd say play it and decide for yourself, but it is best to avoid it like the plague.
Here we have another Spongebob game that is quite enjoyable. The game is made by all of the same people behind Battle for Bikini Bottom, so it does have quite a bit of quality behind it. As far as the gameplay goes, since it is made by the same people who made Battle for Bikini Bottom and uses the same engine, the core of the gameplay is the same. The only things that really change are the story (which doesn't need clarifying, but there it is), some animations, some moves either cosmetically or mechanically, new gameplay styles, and an upgrade system for the abilities and health of Spongebob and Patrick. While I do think Battle for Bikini Bottom is better, this one is still good. Hearing that cover parody thing of I Want To Rock during the final boss fight is great also.
Following the trend of Simpsons games parodying many gameplay styles, this one parodies GTA. Not in the same sense as in things like weapons being present or true open world, but in freedom to travel each stage with a vehicle or on foot, collectibles to find, side quests, and story missions.
Yes, I did say stages. It isn't truly open world. There are three stages that are different parts of Springfield, each one basically one long track that loops back to connect with itself: The residential areas and the power plant, Downtown Springfield, and a part of Springfield I'm not sure how to classify, like the docks, Springfield Dam, the observatory, the Duff Brewery, Kamp Krusty, places like that. The game alternates between these three stages for 7 levels, alternating time of day, the characters you play as, and in some cases adding new paths, changing others, and opening new places to look at.
Overall it is a wonderful game. The humour is on-point and there are gags and references aplenty. I will say, and this is something I think many who have played this game can relate to, the final missions of the game are ball-bustingly hard. I to date have never finished the last mission and regardless of how many times I revisit the game and attempt it I may never will. It is insanely difficult. Aside from that, the game is great and certainly worth your time.
Yes, I did say stages. It isn't truly open world. There are three stages that are different parts of Springfield, each one basically one long track that loops back to connect with itself: The residential areas and the power plant, Downtown Springfield, and a part of Springfield I'm not sure how to classify, like the docks, Springfield Dam, the observatory, the Duff Brewery, Kamp Krusty, places like that. The game alternates between these three stages for 7 levels, alternating time of day, the characters you play as, and in some cases adding new paths, changing others, and opening new places to look at.
Overall it is a wonderful game. The humour is on-point and there are gags and references aplenty. I will say, and this is something I think many who have played this game can relate to, the final missions of the game are ball-bustingly hard. I to date have never finished the last mission and regardless of how many times I revisit the game and attempt it I may never will. It is insanely difficult. Aside from that, the game is great and certainly worth your time.