Review scoopings 5/5 · Mar 6, 2024
Had A Lot Of Fun!
Preliminary: Well, I thought this game would be quite redundant since I played SMB2 a lot as a kid at my grandma's and this seemed like the fundament of it without a lot of its features. Indeed, it lacked the Mario niceties, but it is literally the same level designs isn't it? I didn't realize you play through the game …
Preliminary: Well, I thought this game would be quite redundant since I played SMB2 a lot as a kid at my grandma's and this seemed like the fundament of it without a lot of its features. Indeed, it lacked the Mario niceties, but it is literally the same level designs isn't it? I didn't realize you play through the game as one character, unlike in SMB2 though, and started with Toad and stuck with him (oh wait, turns out to be the equivalent to Mario). Too bad cuz I usually play as Peach :-p I got further in my first play session than I ever did in SMB2 as a kid lol. And I was finding it intuitive and fun, even if not spectacular.
Play: 9/10 So turns out you can change characters between levels/worlds. Nice. But you have to go through the whole game as each character for the final ending. I'm liking it but not that much. I like that I don't have to look to the StrategyWiki, just straightforward fun. And I love that there's no time limit. Some clunky collision masks especially with the walls/ledges, a bit peculiar with some of the jumps after landing, and other quirks but for the most part the great controls you'd expect from an FDS/FC game.
I'm excited to see how things get slightly improved in SMB2 and more boss variety comes up. Still, this is an excellent standalone game. They must've seen the quality and decided to put it in such a huge franchise like Mario for the localization for that reason. Nice gameplay, meaningfully different characters, healthy amount of challenge.
Sound: 8/10 I dig the Character Change tune. For the most part, I would just think this is SMB music?! Catchy but nothing sentimental or spectacular. I love the sound effect when you defeat the egg-throwing minibosses :-p (well, apparently all bosses?) Still all the way at the end of World 6 I was loving that scream/cry they make :-p
Look: 8/10
I kept thinking I got further than I'd ever seen, and then recognize something. But when I got to this, a Shy Guy or whatever they're called on an ostrich, I knew I was further than I'd ever gotten. 
I like how much it uses purple. Some of the backgrounds had that purple sky look, and also these purple bricks 
Feel: 9/10 That feel when you get a Heart through one of the made doors <3 (I wish those carried over between levels tho). In general, this was just outright fun. Ironic, because SMB2 was traditionally my least favorite of the early Marios. It was just too different from the others. Maybe it's because this is out of the context of the SMB world so it makes sense to be different? Or just because it's been long enough and I'm more open-minded about games now. Either way, I'm having fun!
Lol World 4 with the Rocket. Cute touch.
Attachment: 9/10 In the first night I was at Chapter 4-3 and still having fun even tho the difficulty is definitely on the rise (as it goes). I hope I continue to enjoy it this much tomorrow!
The differences between SMB2 and the FDS Doki Doki Panic game are explained here. I like how Luigi stemmed from the mother who jumped high, that you could say Princess Peach's float jump that I've loved since a kid stems from the daughter, and how you can save in Doki Doki Panic. That rationalizes the having to play through it as each character factor and, honestly, encourages replayability more imo. It's a catch 22: I liked the switching of characters in SMB2, but I also like the save function and related forced replaying aspect. Both are valid, and I think both will deserve their own thorough playthroughs and reviews indeed!
Even tho I did really enjoy the game, I didn't love it THAT much to replay it as all characters. Indeed, I only did the first level as "Princess Peach" (the sister). However, I had finished the game as "Mario" (Imajin), beat the bowser esque final boss ha. Could have used more enemy and boss variety, but I somehow still liked the level design throughout the game even if a bit repetitive. Plus, I knew I'd be playing the game again as SMB2 so didn't feel like I had to replay it. Still, the fact you have to beat it as all characters is a way to encourage replayability, and I am curious how the game plays differently with the different characters (and how it's designed to be possible for all their different quirky mechanics to be able to get past any level, like I used to think certain characters were the only ones who could finish certain levels but clearly there must be a way to finish every level as every character). Anyway, all that says a lot about attachment and replayability.
Completion: All 7 Worlds As Imajin. 1-1 as Lina Playtime: 2h 25m