Super Mario Series

[Spark Of Spirit]

That screen was too small. I can't go back and play it.

[talonmalon333]

There's two completely different opinions back to back.

Loved it! That one was my second video game ever.

What was your first?

[Foggle]

What was your first?

This piece of shit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O2fMjgOnLE

[Nel_Annette]

Yeah, I distinctly remember renting Yoshi's Story back in the day from BlockBuster, because the N64 was the first system that was mine and not my sister's, and I wanted to play as many games on it as possible. I even had my parents buy me the official Nintendo Player's Guide when I did. First player's guide I ever owned, and that is obvious because it's the only one I have that's beat up beyond belief, while most of my other one's are in pretty good condition.

I remember... not liking the game very much? I can't remember why. I think I made it to the mid-bosses in World (Book?) 4 when it was time to take it back, and I never re-rented it after that. Even though I was about 8 at the time, I still knew that it was a sort-of sequel to Yoshi's Island, which my best friend had played many times on his SNES whenever I visited his house. As I said, Super Mario Advance 3 was the first time I got to play the game for myself. And, in an unpopular opinion... I don't like it that much. I don't know what it is, the baby, the egg-aiming mechanic, the level design, the music... there's something about Yoshi's games that never really click with me. But I acknowledge that they're well made and can see why you guys praise them so highly.

I did own Super Mario Bros. Deluxe, and I sucked at it as I always have with the original NES version. But the little add-ons are nice. And strangely, my mother was hooked on that game after I was done with it. She took my sister's GBC (since my sis never used it that much) and played the holy hell out of that game. She loved collecting the red coins. I think the only other time I've seen my mother love a video game that much was the crappy free-to-play games that have plagued the market recently.

Still though, she loved it so much that to this day, whenever a New Super Mario Bros. game comes out, she likes to try it out in my room at least once and say "Eh, it's not the original. Have fun, Nel." and walk back downstairs. My mother, who mostly hates video games, still sees fit to give every one of the plumber's 2D adventures a chance. 

[talonmalon333]

I remember playing Yoshi's Story casually one day, many many years ago... and just kind of beating it. I didn't really intent to beat the game that day. I was, like, 10-11 years old, it was a summer day, and I didn't have anything better to do.

As for Yoshi's Island, I don't like it as much as SMB3 or SMW. But it's on the next level. My top favorite Mario games would be...

1. Super Mario Galaxy 2
2. Super Mario Galaxy
3. Super Mario Bros. 3
4. Super Mario World
5. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Unless YI doesn't count. In which case, #5 would probably be Super Mario 64. I just don't want to pick that game because I honestly don't see myself ever returning to it as long as Galaxy exists.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I rented Yoshi Story once with my friend (who was a MEGA Yoshi's Island fan) and we literally sat there the whole time playing it and asking out loud what happened to this game. How you can go from Yoshi's Island, one of the tightest, most creative, and downright enjoyable games ever made to this game made no sense to us. After all, we had been playing Nintendo games since the NES, we knew Nintendo knew how to make these games in their sleep. We just couldn't understand why Yoshi Story was the way it was.

So the outright lameness of Yoshi Story was more puzzling than offensive, but I could see enjoying it if you hadn't ever played Yoshi's Island on the SNES. If you had played it, I don't see how it could be anything other than a letdown.

[gunswordfist]

i remember playing it over a friend's house and it just seemed...flat.

[Speedy]

I know IGN is often derided (sometimes with good reason), but this review of Yoshi's Story pretty much sums up why I dislike the game:  http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/19/yoshis-story-review

[talonmalon333]

Yoshi's Story is the type of game that goes for replay value, with its branching paths and how you have to play through it multiple times to see all the levels. But I didn't find it fun enough to want to play it a second time.

Maybe they ought to try making a 3D Yoshi platformer. It would be a new direction for him instead of constantly trying and failing to make worthy successors to Yoshi's Island.

[gunswordfist]

screw that. they should and get 2d right again first.

[Speedy]

While it's not perfect, I think Yoshi's New Island is the closest the series has come to matching SMW2.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm very eager for Yoshi's Wooly World for this reason. Good Feel makes some great platformers centered on challenge being to 100% the game, which is where the fun of Yoshi's Island comes from. That and everything I've seen and heard about the game looks awesome.

Hopefully it has an awesome soundtrack like Wario Land and Epic Yarn did, too. Yoshi's about due for another game with a great soundtrack. He hasn't had one since his first solo outing.

[Foggle]

Hopefully it has an awesome soundtrack like Wario Land

Thank you for reminding me that I still need to pick up Shake It! Speaking of which, is Wario World any good?

[talonmalon333]

The thing about Kirby's Epic Yarn was, while I admire the game for what it tried to do, I just didn't have much fun with it. From the moment I started it, I felt like I had to force my way through it. I can't even remember if I beat it, to be honest. The yarn art style was phenomenal, though, and I will agree that the music was very nice. But overall, I can't say I'm looking forward to its Yoshi successor.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Hopefully it has an awesome soundtrack like Wario Land

Thank you for reminding me that I still need to pick up Shake It! Speaking of which, is Wario World any good?

I never got around to it. I haven't heard much good about it, though.