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Jan 27th, 2007 at 21:58:41 - Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) |
Gamelog on Super Mario Bros. 3 from classics list due 1/31/07 session 2
Start Time: 3:00
End Time: 4:00
After playing a second time I began to question the game-world that Mario comes from and I realized the whole setting is rather strange. Mario is a jumping plumber, Peach keeps getting kidnapped by a dinosaur, toad is a mushroom head character, and who knows about the rest of the enemies. It made me wonder why this game is so good and critically acclaimed and the only why I could reason with it is that the mix between perfect game design and a completely fictional (that no one can question or relate to) makes a great game. The fact that nothing is believable makes the game more enjoyable then playing as a solider fighting real enemies. The fact that a fat plumber is the hero just makes the game more enjoyable. Also, the game is designed really well and counts on very few rules which makes for a game of emergence. Each player can get a different experience from playing the game because there are different routes , jumps, abilities and actions that take place even with the linear travel across the level. I like to jump on the guys with the turtle shells even if it doesn’t help me because it’s a strangely fun action. Someone else may go for all the coins where most levels I don’t go at all out of my way for them. Easy to play but definitely hard to master.
As I mentioned Mario 3 doesn’t seem to have a strong story involved because there are few “cutscenes” in the game and you aren’t really giving goals or objectives. Though this is normally a bad element in the game, in Mario’s case its just a new way of proceeding using spatial segmentation rather than narrative, but the game value is still present.
Overall I was able to get a reasonable ways through the game but it was still hard for me even though there is only two bottoms needing to be pushed. I got mildly frustrated with slipping off moving platforms but it didn’t stop me from trying a few more times until I got through the level and then there is a sense of accomplishment. That is the second most rewarding part in Mario, the feeling of delayed gratification which is right behind jumping on a goomba.
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Jan 27th, 2007 at 17:22:24 - Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) |
Gamelog on Super Mario Bros. 3 from classics list due 1/31/07
Start Time: 1:40
End Time: 2:35
I decided to play Mario Bros. 3 because it is considered by many to be the best game of all time and after only fifteen to twenty minutes I can see why it is so often praised. I have played Super Mario 3 when I was young but coming back after many years I realized there is a lot I have forgot. Like most NES games Super Mario 3 is very unforgiving. I spent a few minutes on the first level just trying to get a grasp on the feel of the controls and how you can make longer jumps by holding the run botton and jumoing but you have a better chance of sliding off the edge. I found that the fear of slipping off the platforms was so great that I didn't explore the levels much but instead proceeded to the end as quickly as possible.
Mario 3 is very reliant on gameplay rather than story since I only found out that the king lost his wand and returning it to him returned him to his natural form. Even without a serious story to drive the player on it still keeps the player very interested throughout play. I fdound that the challenged offered by each new platform is very addicting to try to master. For example, the third level starts the moving platforms that if you run too fast to jump on the you usually go right off the edge and it took me a few times to get it. The design of reasonable but yet substantial challenges is excellently created by this game that is more than fifteen years old. The level design is perfect in the combo of flow of levels working in the strange Mario world and the difficult but do-able challenges made by platformer placement and enemy occurance. The game keeps the player interest because even when I was frustrated from falling off the edge I was still very satisfied by jumping on a goomba and having it flatten under Mario. The whole experience is enjoyable.
The sound is also very well placed in that the perfect little tune comes on when you fall off the edge or the suspense music in the castle. The music is very good but it is a bit short sided in the way that its not always presentd or noticeable. I wouldn't normally draw attension to the music but after playing super mario world and mario 64 I can tell that it was greatly improved in later games by adding more dynamic music and sound effects.
The character Mario is as loveable and random as ever. I'm quite confused why there is a plummer jumping around everywhere, but his ability to get bigger and /or throw fire or grow a tail is quite fun. I think Mario is a very enjoyable character even in his early days of Mario 3. The way he jumps around very bounce and has a smile all the time makes the character dsomeone you can get attached to. His abilities are great too, I found that once I got his tail to make him float I was much more careful not to get hurt because the ability makes jumping to platforms much easier.
I'm going to continue with my next session the report back.
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Jan 14th, 2007 at 21:06:12 - Kirby's Adventure (NES) |
Gamelog #2 Session #2 for CS 80K
Start Time: 5:20
End Time: 6:15
Assignment due 1/19/07
After taking a second look a Kirby I considered some different properties of the game as I advanced from stage 2 to stage 4. I began to understand the context the story is in a bit more though having not beat the game the player wouldn't know at all about the story since it is reliant on the end of the game. Its all about a dreamland which makes since that there are strange rooms that are purple or walking bombs or polarbears in trees. It all has to do with Kirby saving dreamland. Even though a player just starting out doesn't know the context, he/she can still gain an attachment with Kirby the main character. Everything about the character is lovable. The way he looks and the little arm movements when he's flying, the whole combination makes the player get attached to Kirby. I found myself looking for or desperatly trying to keep the freeze ability because I like the way Kirby looks in his blue color. I became attached to the progression of Kirby rather than the story that only unfolds in the end. It is unusual to have a game where the character prgresses without having levels but the unvealing of new monsters to suck up makes for progression anyhow. This keeps the player interested in the game even if the colorful level design doesn't.
The boss fights are surprisingly innovative considering that there is little AI that involves reaction to the player. The bosses stick to patterns of providing Kirby with some sort of weapon by attacking him with a suckable item. This happens in each fight but the changes in the appearance, pattern and level make each fight surprisingly innovative. My favorite is the fight with Meta-knight where you both fight with swords, but the more innovative would have to be the Sun/Moon boss. The sun and moon fight you but take separate turns in the sky. If Kirby has a range ability to shoot them with then battle is not too bad but if he has to get up close then there's trouble since both bosses can't be touched and they charge you. The boss in the sky sends down either stars or ultra-vilolate rays (I guess). This is where the right planning by going into the fight with a good ability and knowing which strategies work makes things easy. For example, if you have super jump then when each boss goes to jump on you then you can jump up into them and they take damage. The problem is if they charge you straight on, your ability is worthless. This is how the game is complex, by adding the different ways to victory.
Overall the game is rather easy. I got to stage 4 and I was trying to play around with everything in Kirby's world. I think there is about 8 stages which means a long sitting and a good player would equal game completion. I plan on using a lot of the elements in this game in my game maker game. The levels are colorful and strange but still appropriate which is what I would like to go for. I like the design of the levels where it never feels like your going in a line from left to right but sometimes going up or changing areas part way. All these level design factors are what I want to happen in my game.
Kirby is an excellent game that pushes the NES to the limit.
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Jan 14th, 2007 at 19:39:09 - Kirby's Adventure (NES) |
Gamelog #2 for CDS 80k
Start Time: 4:00
End Time: 4:55
Kirby's Adventure n the classics list for assignment due 1/19/07
Kirby's Adventure is a very unique experience even for a platformer on the NES. Kirby is a very colorful game that displays a very dreamland feeling, which has to do with the story. The game doesn't have much odf a story but it really doesn't need one since the gameplay is the highlight. You don't seem to care what sort of strange thing (i.e a polarbear in a tree) your defeating as long as you get new abilities by sucking up enemies. The level design is very well done and through the levels don't make since in general they do flow together. For example, your in a strange tropical level with water and palm trees and you come across a warp star that takes you to a cloud area where everything is different. It makes it fluid because of the stars and the make-believe but still realistic nature. When your in the main "lobby" choosing your level you can see the background behind the entrance what sort of level it is. Also, if its a cloud level the stage is higher to enter. All these things together make the abtract levels blend.
I enjoy playing the game because I get a since of emergence from the different strategies that are avalible from Kirby's many abilities. Kirby gains abilities from sucking up monsters and using their abilities which also changes his appreance. Since their are many different monsters you get to choose what ability works best for you. I found that using the rock ability is very effective when fighting the alarm-clock subboss. Usually I shoot at him with the beam ability or somthing like that back floating above his head and turing into a rock works perfectly and you can't get hurt while in this form. Sometimes abilities don't work so well against certain monsters. For instance, the backdrop subboss can't be hurt by the wheel abilty because as you speed towards him he just pickds you up and back-slams you. So using certain abilties against the right foe can create a good sense of emergence in a platform game.
The fighting, abilities, and very cheerful/original premise makes Kirby very enjoyable. I'm going to do my second session now.
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Garr has been with GameLog for 17 years, 10 months, and 13 days |
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