Renesto101
Bio
you're a games player? you wanna be a pro? then you're gonna need this, sucka
you're a games player? you wanna be a pro? then you're gonna need this, sucka
Favorite Games
053
Total Games Played
000
Played in 2024
018
Games Backloggd
Recently Reviewed See More
Credit must be given where due: this game, along with the NES, saved the videogame industry from certain death.
With Super Mario Bros., we have the birth of the plumber as we know him. The world he travels in, the mission he must follow, the hazards and challenges he must overcome. Fourty years on, we're still talking about Goombas, Koopas, Question Mark Blocks, Bowser, Peach, Luigi, and the Mushroom Kingdom. It's a testament to the fact this is really what started it all.
The philosophy which was adopted in its design is nothing short of art; it is strongly based on a thorough study of the human psyche. With no tutorials or dialogue boxes, but with a simple and instantly understandable design, Nintendo managed to teach everyone, with this game, how to play a videogame, and more in general, how a videogame should be played.
After understanding its historical importance, when getting into the gameplay, I feel like it's useless to not adopt a contemporary point of view. SMB1 was none other than one of the first stepping stones for gaming; saying this manages to hold a candle to a game like Elden Ring would be a complete lie. In my opinion, however, it still has a solid, fun replay value.
When it comes to an old game like this, you have to readjust your optics. The physics are wonky for today's standards, and you inevitably will have to get used to them. There are quirks to how you move, how you stomp on enemies, how you collect items, which you eventually learn while you play. It's a bit of a journey of discovery to the past, really. But there is something oddly comforting to this old perspective. Something about the simplicity and solidity of the gameplay, the linearity of the difficulty curve, the levels which still manage to explore original ideas, the different enemies you encounter and progressively learn the patterns of. It's a direct, to the point, no frills experience, which puts you right into the action and gives you all the time to enjoy it.
Super Mario Bros. is still a worthwhile game today. It's worth your time if you've never played it, and it's worth the sacrifice of beating World 8 to complete it. It is an unforgettable monument to videogames that, in its simple enjoyableness, stands the test of time.
With Super Mario Bros., we have the birth of the plumber as we know him. The world he travels in, the mission he must follow, the hazards and challenges he must overcome. Fourty years on, we're still talking about Goombas, Koopas, Question Mark Blocks, Bowser, Peach, Luigi, and the Mushroom Kingdom. It's a testament to the fact this is really what started it all.
The philosophy which was adopted in its design is nothing short of art; it is strongly based on a thorough study of the human psyche. With no tutorials or dialogue boxes, but with a simple and instantly understandable design, Nintendo managed to teach everyone, with this game, how to play a videogame, and more in general, how a videogame should be played.
After understanding its historical importance, when getting into the gameplay, I feel like it's useless to not adopt a contemporary point of view. SMB1 was none other than one of the first stepping stones for gaming; saying this manages to hold a candle to a game like Elden Ring would be a complete lie. In my opinion, however, it still has a solid, fun replay value.
When it comes to an old game like this, you have to readjust your optics. The physics are wonky for today's standards, and you inevitably will have to get used to them. There are quirks to how you move, how you stomp on enemies, how you collect items, which you eventually learn while you play. It's a bit of a journey of discovery to the past, really. But there is something oddly comforting to this old perspective. Something about the simplicity and solidity of the gameplay, the linearity of the difficulty curve, the levels which still manage to explore original ideas, the different enemies you encounter and progressively learn the patterns of. It's a direct, to the point, no frills experience, which puts you right into the action and gives you all the time to enjoy it.
Super Mario Bros. is still a worthwhile game today. It's worth your time if you've never played it, and it's worth the sacrifice of beating World 8 to complete it. It is an unforgettable monument to videogames that, in its simple enjoyableness, stands the test of time.
11 years after the last original 2D Mario platformer. 15 years since the release of New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS. 28 years since Super Mario World.
The New Super Mario Bros. series, in its near decade of activity, 4 games, and 1 DLC, brought an unseen level of stagnation for the Super Mario franchise. The forerunner of the multi-million dollar franchise and face of Nintendo corporation, the 2D platformer series of Super Mario games, had been reduced, through a series of conscious choices, into a bland, cookie cutter, inoffensive, monotonous, repetitive, unoriginal and utterly dull series of unremarkable titles being pumped out one after the other, with seemingly no criteria for actual innovation. Peculiar, for a company which has an "innovation requirement" for every single game it releases, to forcefully impose such dreadful monotony from above.
It seems that it was clear then, not just to public opinion, but also to Nintendo themselves, that Super Mario needed something truly new, and not just in the title. It needed justice to be brought back to its main platforming series. It needed the same sense of discovery, creativity and originality that the first 4 classic games of the series had. This game set out to do exactly that, and in my opinion, largely succeeded.
The gameplay breathes fresh air into the traditional form of the Mario platformer. While not revolutionizing upon it, the Wonder flower is an addition of incredible importance: it has allowed the developers to come up with an unique scenario for every single level, being able to unleash every single idea's potential at its fullest, be it a powerup, an enemy, a scenario in which the level takes place. Every level you're playing feels distinctly different from one another, and this is masterfully maintained throughout the whole game. The artstyle, also, simply looks gorgeous: it renovated the one of the New Super games in every right way. All the characters and environments feel tremendously expressive and popping with life, and reward the player when interacting with them with cute animations. For gameplay's sake, the removal of the time limit and points, relics of four decades past, was the right thing to do. It leaves to the player the freedom to explore the level as much as they want, therefore interacting with the game and its levels for more time. What's not to love?
The change of setting from the Mushroom Kingdom to the Flower Kingdom was much needed and appreciated. Bowser and Bowser Jr. as the main villains are fine, but it's a shame they are the only ones. With so many original enemies and ideas, the game could've used a few original bosses, in the same way NSMB for DS did. And of course, they could definitely use a higher level of challenge. The formula of jumping on an enemy three times feels very, very tired at this point.
On the topic of difficulty, while many critique this and other modern Mario games for being easy, I feel like Nintendo has taken the right approach. Let's face it: we've all started playing Nintendo games, if not videogames in general, when we were young. As such, it's important Nintendo realizes how important the young demographic is: it's pretty much the moment when they get us all hooked. This is why having a relatively simple and not punishing difficulty curve for the main game makes sense, in order to let as many people as possible get through the game, while still maintaining a necessary upwards spiral of difficulty as you get through the game. The challenges come at the post-game, which is usually something only more experienced players are interested in. The final level of the game is proper tough, and I have yet to finish the game 100%. Of course, it's not a full on kaizo, nor is it The Lost Levels, but let's remember for a moment how that game ended up for its exaggerated difficulty.
All in all, what a beautiful game. It is exactly what the Mario series in general has been needing for quite a few years now. I sincerely hope that Nintendo will continue the trend of originality and creativity re-ignited with this game, perhaps being a bit more bold in the future with storyline and bossfights. We're truly living in a Super Mario resurgence, and man am I here for it.
The New Super Mario Bros. series, in its near decade of activity, 4 games, and 1 DLC, brought an unseen level of stagnation for the Super Mario franchise. The forerunner of the multi-million dollar franchise and face of Nintendo corporation, the 2D platformer series of Super Mario games, had been reduced, through a series of conscious choices, into a bland, cookie cutter, inoffensive, monotonous, repetitive, unoriginal and utterly dull series of unremarkable titles being pumped out one after the other, with seemingly no criteria for actual innovation. Peculiar, for a company which has an "innovation requirement" for every single game it releases, to forcefully impose such dreadful monotony from above.
It seems that it was clear then, not just to public opinion, but also to Nintendo themselves, that Super Mario needed something truly new, and not just in the title. It needed justice to be brought back to its main platforming series. It needed the same sense of discovery, creativity and originality that the first 4 classic games of the series had. This game set out to do exactly that, and in my opinion, largely succeeded.
The gameplay breathes fresh air into the traditional form of the Mario platformer. While not revolutionizing upon it, the Wonder flower is an addition of incredible importance: it has allowed the developers to come up with an unique scenario for every single level, being able to unleash every single idea's potential at its fullest, be it a powerup, an enemy, a scenario in which the level takes place. Every level you're playing feels distinctly different from one another, and this is masterfully maintained throughout the whole game. The artstyle, also, simply looks gorgeous: it renovated the one of the New Super games in every right way. All the characters and environments feel tremendously expressive and popping with life, and reward the player when interacting with them with cute animations. For gameplay's sake, the removal of the time limit and points, relics of four decades past, was the right thing to do. It leaves to the player the freedom to explore the level as much as they want, therefore interacting with the game and its levels for more time. What's not to love?
The change of setting from the Mushroom Kingdom to the Flower Kingdom was much needed and appreciated. Bowser and Bowser Jr. as the main villains are fine, but it's a shame they are the only ones. With so many original enemies and ideas, the game could've used a few original bosses, in the same way NSMB for DS did. And of course, they could definitely use a higher level of challenge. The formula of jumping on an enemy three times feels very, very tired at this point.
On the topic of difficulty, while many critique this and other modern Mario games for being easy, I feel like Nintendo has taken the right approach. Let's face it: we've all started playing Nintendo games, if not videogames in general, when we were young. As such, it's important Nintendo realizes how important the young demographic is: it's pretty much the moment when they get us all hooked. This is why having a relatively simple and not punishing difficulty curve for the main game makes sense, in order to let as many people as possible get through the game, while still maintaining a necessary upwards spiral of difficulty as you get through the game. The challenges come at the post-game, which is usually something only more experienced players are interested in. The final level of the game is proper tough, and I have yet to finish the game 100%. Of course, it's not a full on kaizo, nor is it The Lost Levels, but let's remember for a moment how that game ended up for its exaggerated difficulty.
All in all, what a beautiful game. It is exactly what the Mario series in general has been needing for quite a few years now. I sincerely hope that Nintendo will continue the trend of originality and creativity re-ignited with this game, perhaps being a bit more bold in the future with storyline and bossfights. We're truly living in a Super Mario resurgence, and man am I here for it.
This review contains spoilers
Throughout the history of mankind, and in particular the history of literature, great stories have been written. From the feats of Achilles and Ulysses in Homer's great poems, to the epic of Beowulf, to the universal story of redemption and salvation of Dante's Divine Comedy, to Torquato Tasso's unbeatable Jerusalem Delivered. These feats of man have shaped history as we know it, and in particular the history of literature, of how we write stories, of fantasy, of our imagination.
When it comes to videogame series focused on storytelling, the Super Mario series isn't the one that comes to mind. Its design philosophy has been based, since its very inception, on a solid and captivating gameplay experience, as reliable as time itself. Miyamoto himself has often commented on how a story in a videogame, and a Mario game in particular, might as well be completely pointless. However, I am proud to say that this videogame stands as the complete and utter disproval and dismantling of the opinion of Miyamoto.
Coming from two successful and critically acclaimed games, the Paper Mario series was on the path to become one of Nintendo's regular spin-offs based off of the Super Mario franchise. For this title, however, the RPG formula was scrapped in favour of an action-adventure platformer. The gameplay of the game is average: though it never feels like a chore to play through the game, it isn't particularly challenging in its main sections, it can feel monotonous at times, and the 3D mechanic does end up feeling like a bit of a gimmick, in particular because of its time limit. Where this game absolutely kicks any Super Mario game out of the park, however, is its story. For what has ended up being remembered as the last "great" game of the Paper Mario series, Intelligent Systems went above and beyond in their storytelling creativity. The story of Super Paper Mario, much like the story of Dante, in its telling of love, death, and compassion, becomes somewhat of a reflection of the universal experience of Mankind. It does not shy from passionately talking about hatred, betrayal, rejection, and at the same time, reconciliation and unity. Its characters have a touching evolution throughout the story, with Count Bleck and Dimentio being two of the most memorable villains the Mario series ever created. It is, without a single doubt, gripping from beginning to end. it is the greatest story that Super Mario has ever given to the world.
It is in my humble opinion that this is the direction that the games of this series, not just the Paper Mario one, should be heading towards. After 40 years of existence, the time has come for Mario to reedem himself, to reject the old, outdated, uselessly conservative philosophy of the aberration of all storyline. It is time for this series to give itself a solid lore structure, and for its games to be more bold and daring in their narrative. When it comes to a videogame, a gameplay surely comes first; it's the reason why, despite how important this game is to me, I cannot give it 5 stars, for it is lacking in that regard. But, if anything else, a story which manages to keep you on the edge of your seat comes second.
Nothing would be of novels, if it wasn't for story.
Nothing would be of poetry, if it wasn't for story.
Nothing would be of any artistic form, if there wasn't some form of reference to a temporal arch, an evolution, a message that was being sent.
Super Paper Mario's message is an eternal one, of compassion for our neighbours, of the chance to redeem ourselves, of the possibility, in our lives, to find true love. It is the solemn and almost melancholy reminder that, when it comes to art, artistic liberty is the highest and most noble thing that can possibly be granted, and must be hailed and protected.
When it comes to videogame series focused on storytelling, the Super Mario series isn't the one that comes to mind. Its design philosophy has been based, since its very inception, on a solid and captivating gameplay experience, as reliable as time itself. Miyamoto himself has often commented on how a story in a videogame, and a Mario game in particular, might as well be completely pointless. However, I am proud to say that this videogame stands as the complete and utter disproval and dismantling of the opinion of Miyamoto.
Coming from two successful and critically acclaimed games, the Paper Mario series was on the path to become one of Nintendo's regular spin-offs based off of the Super Mario franchise. For this title, however, the RPG formula was scrapped in favour of an action-adventure platformer. The gameplay of the game is average: though it never feels like a chore to play through the game, it isn't particularly challenging in its main sections, it can feel monotonous at times, and the 3D mechanic does end up feeling like a bit of a gimmick, in particular because of its time limit. Where this game absolutely kicks any Super Mario game out of the park, however, is its story. For what has ended up being remembered as the last "great" game of the Paper Mario series, Intelligent Systems went above and beyond in their storytelling creativity. The story of Super Paper Mario, much like the story of Dante, in its telling of love, death, and compassion, becomes somewhat of a reflection of the universal experience of Mankind. It does not shy from passionately talking about hatred, betrayal, rejection, and at the same time, reconciliation and unity. Its characters have a touching evolution throughout the story, with Count Bleck and Dimentio being two of the most memorable villains the Mario series ever created. It is, without a single doubt, gripping from beginning to end. it is the greatest story that Super Mario has ever given to the world.
It is in my humble opinion that this is the direction that the games of this series, not just the Paper Mario one, should be heading towards. After 40 years of existence, the time has come for Mario to reedem himself, to reject the old, outdated, uselessly conservative philosophy of the aberration of all storyline. It is time for this series to give itself a solid lore structure, and for its games to be more bold and daring in their narrative. When it comes to a videogame, a gameplay surely comes first; it's the reason why, despite how important this game is to me, I cannot give it 5 stars, for it is lacking in that regard. But, if anything else, a story which manages to keep you on the edge of your seat comes second.
Nothing would be of novels, if it wasn't for story.
Nothing would be of poetry, if it wasn't for story.
Nothing would be of any artistic form, if there wasn't some form of reference to a temporal arch, an evolution, a message that was being sent.
Super Paper Mario's message is an eternal one, of compassion for our neighbours, of the chance to redeem ourselves, of the possibility, in our lives, to find true love. It is the solemn and almost melancholy reminder that, when it comes to art, artistic liberty is the highest and most noble thing that can possibly be granted, and must be hailed and protected.