The only Mario game I've ever played that I consider actually bad is Lost Levels. People talk about NSMB2 like it stands along side it as the lowest of the low Mario games. After replaying it after like 11 years, this is one of the best games ever made of course. It's a Mario game, only Lost Levels is bad. 2.9 average Score? Seriously? This is just more Mario levels, and that is all I need in life.
I want to get it's biggest flaw out of the way, It is very derivative to a fault. Probably the most unoriginal Mario game ever made. This is why people rate this so low, and it's definitely not a good thing, but it does have its own fair share of new level mechanics as well, not to mention the main coin mechanic.
The Levels are what makes these games so great. Even if these games are so derivative, the Levels are designed so well and are made specifically for you to have fun. The star coins are well placed in the levels as well. Nintendo just does 2D Level design so well.
Music is what I found to be the most unoriginal. I swear the OST is just straight up from NSMB Wii. Note for Note, I swear it's the same. It still slaps but damn, can't you make it at least a little different?
World Maps were also derivative as hell. Just same old NSMB stuff. They still looked great, just felt like I had seen them before, just in a different font.
I love the art style of this game, and the NSMB games in general. Though I believe NSMB2 has the worst background art of all the other games, It all still looks great.
This game was so unbelievably easy. The coin mechanic allows you to easily get hundreds of lives, and with the tanuki suit, you'll rarely die as it is. The Mini Bosses and Main Bosses were also very easy. I wish it was harder, as that would be a way to separate it from the others, though I know Nintendo was marketing towards a younger and more casual audience with these games.
I wanna mention the Bosses again, the Mini castle bosses are very mediocre. Just so easy to beat, and it's literally the same thing every time, just slightly harder with each world. The Main Castles actually had some pretty cool mechanics involved in the Boss fights, and I've always really liked the Koopalings anyway. The Final Boss, Bowser, was pretty awesome, and my 2nd Favorite in the NSMB series, besides NSMB Wii. He was fairly easy, but very cinematic and a nice conclusion. I also really loved the Credits after beating Bowser, I thought they were pretty damn cool.
To touch on the Coin Mechanic one last time, it is pretty cool, but I feel they could have done it so much better. Maybe don't make it so 100 coins give you 1 life, make it like 300. Probably should've had Wario as the main villain, that would have been pretty awesome. Just felt like they could've done a lot more, though it was still a lot of fun.
Though It is so very derivative and unoriginal, often to a fault, this is a 2D Mario game, so It's just a great fun time. I've always loved these games, and I will continue to do so. If you want a fun platformer, or you like playing games in general, I recommend NSMB2.
Score: 4.1/5
Letter Grade: A-
I want to get it's biggest flaw out of the way, It is very derivative to a fault. Probably the most unoriginal Mario game ever made. This is why people rate this so low, and it's definitely not a good thing, but it does have its own fair share of new level mechanics as well, not to mention the main coin mechanic.
The Levels are what makes these games so great. Even if these games are so derivative, the Levels are designed so well and are made specifically for you to have fun. The star coins are well placed in the levels as well. Nintendo just does 2D Level design so well.
Music is what I found to be the most unoriginal. I swear the OST is just straight up from NSMB Wii. Note for Note, I swear it's the same. It still slaps but damn, can't you make it at least a little different?
World Maps were also derivative as hell. Just same old NSMB stuff. They still looked great, just felt like I had seen them before, just in a different font.
I love the art style of this game, and the NSMB games in general. Though I believe NSMB2 has the worst background art of all the other games, It all still looks great.
This game was so unbelievably easy. The coin mechanic allows you to easily get hundreds of lives, and with the tanuki suit, you'll rarely die as it is. The Mini Bosses and Main Bosses were also very easy. I wish it was harder, as that would be a way to separate it from the others, though I know Nintendo was marketing towards a younger and more casual audience with these games.
I wanna mention the Bosses again, the Mini castle bosses are very mediocre. Just so easy to beat, and it's literally the same thing every time, just slightly harder with each world. The Main Castles actually had some pretty cool mechanics involved in the Boss fights, and I've always really liked the Koopalings anyway. The Final Boss, Bowser, was pretty awesome, and my 2nd Favorite in the NSMB series, besides NSMB Wii. He was fairly easy, but very cinematic and a nice conclusion. I also really loved the Credits after beating Bowser, I thought they were pretty damn cool.
To touch on the Coin Mechanic one last time, it is pretty cool, but I feel they could have done it so much better. Maybe don't make it so 100 coins give you 1 life, make it like 300. Probably should've had Wario as the main villain, that would have been pretty awesome. Just felt like they could've done a lot more, though it was still a lot of fun.
Though It is so very derivative and unoriginal, often to a fault, this is a 2D Mario game, so It's just a great fun time. I've always loved these games, and I will continue to do so. If you want a fun platformer, or you like playing games in general, I recommend NSMB2.
Score: 4.1/5
Letter Grade: A-