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75 Things: Beat Super Mario Bros. 2 (S(NES)

Sep 11

admingames, retrospective Mario, nintendo, SMB2, Super Mario 2 3 Comments

I’m continuing along with my quest to beat every Mario in order. I’ve reached my 3rd installment in the series – Super Mario Bros. 2. Technically, this is the third game in the series, but it was the second game released in the United States. This little gem of a game was released on October 10, 1988 in America. For the sake of entertainment value, I played this game on the All-Stars package. Like the lost levels, the game feels much less dated when playing it in all of its 16-bit goodness.

This game is less like any other game in the Mario series because it originally wasn’t even a Mario game. It was a game called Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic (DDP). in Japan. Those clever executives at Nintendo thought us Americans couldnt handle the challenge of the lost levels.  They were probably right, seeing as the true sequel was a pain in the ass, but this game became a classic in it’s own right.

Unlike the other games in the series, before each level you get to choose one of four characters.  You get to play as either Mario, Luigi, Toad, or Princess.  Each character has their own individual strengths and weaknesses depending on what level you’re playing.

The premise of the game, and excuse for the variation, is that Mario has entered a ‘dream world.’ and is under a curse from the evil toad king Wart.  In order to wake up, Mario (or the other three characters) must play through the seven different worlds.  

Overall, this is a pretty fun game, but gets repetitive fairly quickly.  It was reminiscent to play through this game one final time.  I enjoyed the ice levels, hated the desert levels, and was pretty indifferent about the other levels.  

Playing through this game brought back a lot of childhood memories, specifically when I reached Mouser.  I remember watching the cartoons as a kid and hating this character more than anything.  It was nice, though brief, to relive kicking his ass one more time. 

I say one more time because although playing through this game was relatively enjoyable, I don’t really see myself taking the plunge into this particular adventure again.  It was always my least favorite game in the franchise and so far.

I’ve finally gotten past my least favorite games in the series.  I have a feeling things are about to start speeding up on this here blog!

Should Mario Retire?

Aug 26

admingames Mario, nintendo, retirement No Comments

My response to an article on MSNBC

While I’m in the middle of my journey through the past stories of Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom, I find it funny to read a this new story suggesting it is time for Mario to retire.  Yes, Mario has been around forever and is by far the best known face in conjunction with gaming. It is true that he has been in countless other games including Mario Party 1 through 1,000,000, and God knows how many other spin-offs.  But at it’s core, every single MARIO game (even super mario sunshine) has become a classic.  Each adventure primarily based around this hero has been a piece of art, created and handled with the utmost attention and care.

I may agree that Mario should stop the spin offs, in order to keep the brand from becoming diluted, but the idea of completely retiring Mario all together is completely ridiculous… on one condition.  The games continue to innovate and push the envelope.  If all Nintendo can do in the future is re-hash old mario adventures, then maybe it will be time to retire the red hat.  But for now, I think the plumber has enough in the take for a few more adventures.

There is nothing more i’d love than to be able to play a brand new Mario adventure with one of my kids.  I hope that will be an option.

75 Things: Beat Super Mario Bros: Lost Levels ((S)NES)

Aug 26

admingames, retrospective Lost Levels, Mario, SMB 5 Comments

I beat the first mario, but it was a pain in the butt.  The graphics were dated and it was over all just a miserable experience.  But seeing as I put it on the 75 things i need to do before I die, I had to continue. 

Here’s my experience with The Lost Levels

I never knew playing through every mario would already be so difficult.. and I’m only through the second one.  I need to start off by saying that playing The Lost Levels via Super Mario All-Stars was a great idea.  Granted, I don’t have the original cartridge, but the updated graphics relative to my play through Super Mario Bros. was huge.  I may go back and try to play the original via All-Stars just because it is so much more enjoyable.  the 16-bit era truly did usher in a new era of videogame development.  In Fact, I will play the rest of the games through All-Stars that are available (SMB2 and SMB3).

Back to the game, The Lost Levelsis a freaking difficult game.  It is much harder than the original, dont let anyone tell you otherwise.  From the wind on the clifftops, to the poison mushrooms, and REVERSE WARPS, this game took the original and amped up the pain in your ass difficulty.  But, I had a lot of fun.  I don’t know why I had such a better time with this mario than the original.  Was it the updated graphics alone?  I don’t think so.  I think the game was just too damn difficult for me in my youth.  I would die quickly and lose patience and interest. Now that I am older and wiser, I think I have more tolerance for the monstrosity that is The Lost Levels. 

Touching on my ‘memories’ of playing this game as a kid, the only memory I really have of this game is what a bitch it really was.  I hated this game more than anything, so it was nice to come back and give it a big F-U.

I really am glad I stuck with this idea and went back and took the time to appreciate this very difficult, yet satisfying game in the lore of the Mario Universe.

Two down!!

75 Things: Beat Super Mario Bros (NES)

Aug 19

admingames, retrospective games, Mario, retro 3 Comments

As part of my blog, I am coming up with 75 things that I want to do before I die. I think everyone should try doing this. It’s a good tool to help you find out what you really want to do with the little time we all have on this blue planet. I know its lame, but one of the things I wanted to do is beat every Mario game in order.  I assumed it would be a lot of fun and would also trigger some childhood memories I had while playing these games years before. 

Obviously, I had to start at the beginning, Super Mario Bros. (Super Mario Bros. Wiki). 

Now a little about this game.  It came out in the United States on October 18th, 1985.  I was three years old.  I am now 26!  To say that this game is dated is an understatement.  I know some Fanboys will still argue that the original Super Mario Bros.is the best game of all time.  I have to disagree wholeheartedly.  While I understand the impact the original Mario game had on the entire video game industry, the evolution past the original is pleasant and necessary.  Don’t get me wrong.  When I first booted up the game and stomped my first goomba, I felt a little piece of my childhood come to the forefront of my emotions, but the nostalgia soon faded and the primitive aspects of the game were all I could focus on.

I suppose if I had played the game through Super Mario All-Stars (SNES).  It may have been more bearable, I may try it out for a few minutes tonight and see if it can keep my interest. 

I did play through the game, but the only fond memories I had were during level 1-1 and 1-2.  I wanted to attempt to get through the game without using any of the warps, but by the end of 1-2 I was ready to speed my way through the rest of the game.  By the time I reached the warp zone in 4-2, I was having to convince myself not to just turn off the game.  I really was truly sad that the game that brought me so much joy as a child had dated so bad.  I guess playing through New Super Mario Bros. (DS) last year didn’t help the aging of this classic game.

While I am glad I took the time to play through the original on my journey through the mushroom kingdom, I am glad that I finally passed the most primitive game in the series.  The future looks bright as I continue my adventure through these Classic Mario games.

One down!

75 things to do before you die – 8 – Beat every Mario in order

Aug 14

admin75 things, games 75 things, Mario, video games 1 Comment

8.  Beat every Mario video game in order.

Mario is the quintessential Video Game of all time.  There were games before him, but when the plump little plumber with a red hat jumped on his first goomba, the video game world changed.  Mario is the video game industry.  Anyone who knows what a video game is will undoubtedly reference Mario. 

Now, dont get me wrong, I have played every Mario game already.  I’ve beaten most of them too.  But I think it would be an interesting to go through each MAJORMario game and beat them in order.  Each level or situation has always jogged memories of my childhood in different ways.  Whether its a memory of a friend I use to know, or playing the sky level in Super Mario 3 at my Grandparents house, I think it will be interesting to experience to use these video games as a tool to reminisce on my life.

It will also be interesting to experience the changes in graphics and the engines first hand one after the other.

If I’m not too lazy, after beating each game I will post a little blog with some of my  memories from my childhood that I thought about while playing.

My plan is to play through every major Super Mario release (not including the Gameboy games).  I will go in chronological order based on intended release.

Here’s the list:

• Super Mario Brothers (NES)
• Super Mario Brothers – Lost Levels ((S)NES)
• Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)
• Super Mario Brothers 3 (NES)
• Super Mario World (SNES)
• Super Mario World 2 (SNES)
• Super Mario 64 (N64)
• Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube)
• New Super Mario Brothers (DS)
• Super Mario Galaxy

The reason i’m leaving the Gameboy games off is because the first one IMHO really sucked, and I never played any of the later ones.  As a retrospective it would be pointless to think about games I dont remember.

Who really knows how this is going to go?  I just think it will be fun to play the games again and maybe get to know myself a little better.

I plan to start playing through the Mario games this weekend. Hell I may play Super Mario Brothers tonight.

75 things I want to do before I die – 3 – Get a tattoo

Jul 26

admin75 things 75 things, Mario, Tattoo No Comments

3.  Get a tattoo

I’ve always wanted a tattoo.  Originally I wanted to get a tattoo that represented my fraternity Kappa Sigma.  I’m not really involved in the frat anymore, but I still want a tattoo.  I’ve been thinking long and hard about what I want.  Right now i’m thinking about getting a Mario Tat.  I think it would be pretty sweet and would reflect my obsession with video games.  I found a picture of a mario tattoo online, its a little more complex than what I want, but you get the idea. 

Mario Tattoo