Super Mario Series

talonmalon333 · April 22, 2013, 09:47:41 PM

Quote from: Spark Of Spirit on April 22, 2013, 07:57:01 PM
I could go either way on those. But the platforming in SPM suffers because Mario's jump has always been terrible in those games.

I actually don't mind the order you put those two in. I was referring to how low you listed them both.

Kiddington · April 23, 2013, 01:27:09 AM

PM: TTYD
SMRPG
M&L: BIS
PM
PM: SS
SPM
M&L: SS
M&L: PIT

Superstar Saga is a great game for the most part, but the final boss kinda kills for it me; it's just way too long and exhausting. Otherwise, I'd probably have it much higher.

Humor wise, Super Paper Mario is #1 without a doubt. Gameplay definitely suffers though, and it felt like quite a step down from TTYD.

...and I still don't get all the hate for Sticker Star. I liked it (although I still haven't beaten it, tbh).

talonmalon333 · April 23, 2013, 01:29:50 AM

Quote from: Kiddington on April 23, 2013, 01:27:09 AM

Superstar Saga is a great game for the most part, but the final boss kinda kills for it me; it's just way too long and exhausting. Otherwise, I'd probably have it much higher.

That fight is actually my favorite part. It's the one time in any Mario RPG where you fight a boss that's really hard, and not just by Mario RPG standards.

Spark Of Spirit · April 23, 2013, 05:46:45 PM

Superstar and Partners In Time's final bosses are a slog. The only difference was that I forced myself through PiT's since I borrowed it from a friend.

Thankfully they changed it in BIS to be a bunch of bosses in a row instead.

talonmalon333 · April 23, 2013, 06:06:28 PM

Quote from: Spark Of Spirit on April 23, 2013, 05:46:45 PM
Superstar and Partners In Time's final bosses are a slog. The only difference was that I forced myself through PiT's since I borrowed it from a friend.

... But they are some of my favorite Mario RPG fights ever.

Especially PiT's final boss. Love that atmosphere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DWzLMC9KiM

Kiddington · April 23, 2013, 07:14:34 PM

The final boss themes are great tracks in both cases, but the fights themselves are just too daunting. To this day, I still haven't brought myself to beat Cackletta's final form in SS; it's just way too damn long. Either I'm not doing something right, or it really is that hard, but whatever the case I still have yet to beat it. I probably never will, either (haven't even touched that game in years).

...and music is about the only thing Partners in Time has going for it. Really, really weak game IMO.

Spark Of Spirit · April 23, 2013, 07:22:30 PM

Quote from: Kiddington on April 23, 2013, 07:14:34 PM
The final boss themes are great tracks in both cases, but the fights themselves are just too daunting. To this day, I still haven't brought myself to beat Cackletta's final form in SS; it's just way too damn long. Either I'm not doing something right, or it really is that hard, but whatever the case I still have yet to beat it. I probably never will, either (haven't even touched that game in years).

...and music is about the only thing Partners in Time has going for it. Really, really weak game IMO.

Apparently NOA doubled the HP count for the final boss battles in the first two M&L games which explains a LOT. The biggest issue is that there's no indication that you're progressing or doing well so when you die after 20 minutes of mindless battling you have no idea how to add strategy when you fight it again. This is why some games usually add health bars to boss fights with no visual clues. The player has to actually feel like they're doing something right.

Nel_Annette · April 23, 2013, 07:28:29 PM

I really don't get what the point of the time-traveling was in Partners In Time when you never even visited the present versions of the various areas. Felt like such a wasted opportunity.

There are parts of the game I like (Hammer Bros speaking in 7331-speak ftw), but the plot as a whole is just kind of boring. And the Shroobs are the most boring villains in the Mario universe to me. And what was with the random Christmas themed town in the beginning? The area was a grass land connected to a giant mushroom connected to a snow town. The hell was with that design? And Petey Piranha's random appearance?

Spark Of Spirit · April 23, 2013, 07:35:59 PM

I had a few issues with PiT that really dragged it down. The battle system relies too heavily on items that aren't fun to use, the babies are just plain superfluous, the story is boring, the art style is drab and completely unmemorable, the map is tiny, and... the game isn't really very funny. The villains are completely lame, too. And like Nel said, the time travel concept is barely used.

Really, every single other Mario RPG outclasses it in every way. It was the only Mario RPG where I can say that I didn't find much of anything memorable or redeeming about it.

Kiddington · April 23, 2013, 07:40:44 PM

As I said, I like the soundtrack. Some pretty good stuff here, although, I guess it goes without saying; other than maybe Sunshine, I can't think of a single Mario game with a soundtrack that left me completely underwhelmed. Music is usually never a problem for this series (RPG or otherwise).

Everything else, though... yeah, you pretty much nailed it. Just a really boring, unmemorable experience.

Foggle · April 23, 2013, 07:43:16 PM

I actually like the soundtrack in Sunshine. Very sunny and tropical. Quite a nice listen!

talonmalon333 · April 23, 2013, 08:27:50 PM

Quote from: Foggle on April 23, 2013, 07:43:16 PM
I actually like the soundtrack in Sunshine. Very sunny and tropical. Quite a nice listen!

I really liked the tropical theme of the soundtrack, too. This song in particular catches the sunny mood and atmosphere perfectly.

Spark Of Spirit · April 23, 2013, 08:29:29 PM

Sunshine's soundtrack is great (Ricco Harbor is great), just that it being all the same style of music it starts to get boring after a while.

talonmalon333 · April 23, 2013, 08:31:22 PM

Quote from: Spark Of Spirit on April 23, 2013, 08:29:29 PM
Sunshine's soundtrack is great (Ricco Harbor is great), just that it being all the same style of music it starts to get boring after a while.

That's fair. I'm just kind of a sucker for the style, particularly for the song I posted. I see what you mean though.

Still, this one was pretty different for that game, and I quite like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvZWxiUfrNo

Nel_Annette · April 23, 2013, 08:35:50 PM

An odd thought occurs to me while I'm playing NSMB2: I'm really sick of the world structure they've been using for these (grass, desert, ocean, jungle, ice, canyon, sky, lava) and thought it might be interesting if they took a few cues from Sonic for the next one. Like, a world that takes place entirely in a modern city, or an ocean palace, or a space station (make the final world a Bowser-themed space station! Rip off Galaxy if you have to.). Heck, take something from the Paper Mario games. A world based on Boggle Woods, or Twilight Town. Something. The way they keep repeating this formula has made the "New" in the title feel completely redundant.

News:

Super Mario Series