Second Run Around for the Mario's
This is another one of my favorite games for the NES and video games of all time. It's true this is an unusual entry as it's rather different from its previous entry and many more afterward that followed. There is a story as to why they chose for this to be the secondary entry but that's for another time and another review. You must realize this game came out at a time before sequels to video games, movies and just about anything else had no specific rules, whenever there was that next entry, you had the freedom to simply go any direction you wanted with it. Yeah, the direction they went with this entry was different but personally I felt the right direction, also despite the differences the elements from the old game were still intact, it goes with the old saying the more things change the more they stay the same.
There is a lot I love about the game, I really like the locations you're in that mainly have to do with a hot climate, from tropical to desert locations. This contributes to the Arabian adventure feel which is cool as I really like Arabian fantasies/mythology. It also really adds more to the fantasy world of the Mushroom Kingdom showing how much vaster it is and even after all these years there is still so much to see and explore.
The gameplay is solid as you still go from point A to B, but this time it's not just a simple straight shot because as you go forward you might also have to go different directions at some point to get to B. This made the levels even more interesting than before because it gave them some depth. Like certain secrets and bonus areas, but also the levels and challenge had more variety and a slight unpredictability as you went along where when you pass one section you go to another but it's not like the previous challenge. This will make you have to do some quick adjustments before you can pass.
I really like that this time before and after each level, you get to pick as one of the four characters in the group, each have their strengths and weaknesses. This gives the game a bit of a strategy element where you choice which character works best for you on which levels. It's the bunch we know and love which mainly consist of Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool (or Daisy as recently known), and Toad. I like to play as Mario as he's the most balanced of the bunch but also like playing as Luigi as he has a slightly higher jump, has a good offence but his defense is weak as his anaerobic strength isn't on the same level as Mario's.
Your method of attack is unique and more plausible as this time you don't jump and land on heads but you just pull out and up whatever is laying around you. From medium to giant turnups (man who'd of thought turnups could be deadly weapons), mushroom shaped platforms and others. This function isn't just for attack but is a useful tool in helping to uncover and carry items like keys, or even to place platform where you need them. One other think I like is to ride and control a magic carpet which I thought was cool, I really like those stages where your get to man something and be in constant motion, this only happens a little bit in the game but it's still worth it.
Even like the colorful variety of enemy, which consist of Shy Guys who are you could say like the Jawas from "Star Wars" only they have these masks on which make them both cute and slightly creepy at the same time. Some of them are different like one Shy Guy who has a Gas Mask that can shoot bullets at you with it's nozzle, how the heck it can do that is anyone guess. There are snakes, bugs, black starfish mutant creatures, other mutants and other things all trying to kill you.
The boss battles are solid their really timing games by their nature and each of them are different in some form, like the battles against the subordinate villain Mouser whom has sunglasses which makes sense as he's the most devious and tricky one, he's armed with bombs. And the final main head honcho boss King Wart who is this giant frog whom kind of looks like Jabba the Hutt from "Star Wars" which makes sense, he's even more tricky to beat so be careful.
I even like the music score, which is memorable, I really like there are even more music tracks than in the first game. The music has a different feel because it has that upbeat zippy adventure feel but at the same time a bit of a relaxed beat at the same time, where it feels your on an interesting adventure but also can afford to relax a bit.
Even like the boss battle music which has that dreaded suspenseful feel of it, where it's no time to screw around but to get down to business and nail the big bad boss before he nails you.
The Mario Bros are still super second run around.
Rating: 4 stars.
There is a lot I love about the game, I really like the locations you're in that mainly have to do with a hot climate, from tropical to desert locations. This contributes to the Arabian adventure feel which is cool as I really like Arabian fantasies/mythology. It also really adds more to the fantasy world of the Mushroom Kingdom showing how much vaster it is and even after all these years there is still so much to see and explore.
The gameplay is solid as you still go from point A to B, but this time it's not just a simple straight shot because as you go forward you might also have to go different directions at some point to get to B. This made the levels even more interesting than before because it gave them some depth. Like certain secrets and bonus areas, but also the levels and challenge had more variety and a slight unpredictability as you went along where when you pass one section you go to another but it's not like the previous challenge. This will make you have to do some quick adjustments before you can pass.
I really like that this time before and after each level, you get to pick as one of the four characters in the group, each have their strengths and weaknesses. This gives the game a bit of a strategy element where you choice which character works best for you on which levels. It's the bunch we know and love which mainly consist of Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool (or Daisy as recently known), and Toad. I like to play as Mario as he's the most balanced of the bunch but also like playing as Luigi as he has a slightly higher jump, has a good offence but his defense is weak as his anaerobic strength isn't on the same level as Mario's.
Your method of attack is unique and more plausible as this time you don't jump and land on heads but you just pull out and up whatever is laying around you. From medium to giant turnups (man who'd of thought turnups could be deadly weapons), mushroom shaped platforms and others. This function isn't just for attack but is a useful tool in helping to uncover and carry items like keys, or even to place platform where you need them. One other think I like is to ride and control a magic carpet which I thought was cool, I really like those stages where your get to man something and be in constant motion, this only happens a little bit in the game but it's still worth it.
Even like the colorful variety of enemy, which consist of Shy Guys who are you could say like the Jawas from "Star Wars" only they have these masks on which make them both cute and slightly creepy at the same time. Some of them are different like one Shy Guy who has a Gas Mask that can shoot bullets at you with it's nozzle, how the heck it can do that is anyone guess. There are snakes, bugs, black starfish mutant creatures, other mutants and other things all trying to kill you.
The boss battles are solid their really timing games by their nature and each of them are different in some form, like the battles against the subordinate villain Mouser whom has sunglasses which makes sense as he's the most devious and tricky one, he's armed with bombs. And the final main head honcho boss King Wart who is this giant frog whom kind of looks like Jabba the Hutt from "Star Wars" which makes sense, he's even more tricky to beat so be careful.
I even like the music score, which is memorable, I really like there are even more music tracks than in the first game. The music has a different feel because it has that upbeat zippy adventure feel but at the same time a bit of a relaxed beat at the same time, where it feels your on an interesting adventure but also can afford to relax a bit.
Even like the boss battle music which has that dreaded suspenseful feel of it, where it's no time to screw around but to get down to business and nail the big bad boss before he nails you.
The Mario Bros are still super second run around.
Rating: 4 stars.