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Feb 9th, 2008 at 01:29:34 - Mario Kart DS (DS) |
Entry #2
GAMEPLAY
For my second hour of playing this game, I decided to play 2 player against my friend using the wireless mode. This was a lot more fun than playing alone because it was more of a social interaction than being just a race against the clock alone. We played various courses in game under the 100cc section, which is harder than the easy 50cc I usually play in. The level of intensity rose, but there was not any difference in the way the courses and levels were set up.
DESIGN
The elements of the game are typical to that of any Mario Kart game: the courses, the obstructive elements, such as gophers and snowmen, and the Item Boxes which are very helpful in achieving the main goal of the game. The levels of the game in each circuit get harder each race, with the inclusion of more moving objects (ie: cars and gophers) and also no boundaries on the sides of the road, such in the race Rainbow Road, which you can fall off of and lose your spot in the game.
The different missions and battles in the game are what keeps it interesting after losing interest in the racing aspect of it. The 2-player mode is definitely more fun to play than one player, it creates competition which would make winning more desirable. The game made usage of space in the gameworld by placing bushes and adding hills in the course. The general tone of the game is whimsical, but the whimsicality of it varies by the course, such as the desert course and Peach’s garden.
One thing I wish this game would have been the ability to have the karts move at a faster pace. The slow movement of the karts is the main reason why I stop playing the game after a certain amount of time.
The games reward structure is made up by the top 4 racers receiving points according to what place they finish in.
Overall, Mario Kart is one of my favorite games because every time I play it, I am able to have fun and play for a couple of hours without getting bored. I really hope that Nintendo releases a new version of this game with newer elements to keep it interesting.
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Feb 9th, 2008 at 01:28:45 - Mario Kart DS (DS) |
Entry #1
Summary
Mario Kart is a 1-8 player racing game for the Nintendo DS. The main goal of game is to basically win races against the computer or other players using the wireless multiplayer mode. During the various races, there are Item Boxes placed throughout the course which are the available way to gain an advantage over the other players depending on which item you get. There are assorted themed races and also many different types of games and battles that the play is based on time or collecting coins.
GAMEPLAY
I have played Mario Kart for N64 numerous times and Mario Kart for the DS was able to live up to the reputation of its parent game. You are still given a selection of characters to choose from, and also a variety of karts that vary in speed, acceleration, handling, drifting, etc. There are also different Cups to choose from, which are yielded from the Nitro Grand Prix and Retro Grand Prix groups.
My emotional state during this game was the same with any other type of racing game: the want and excitement of winning by going fast. The characters during the race do not interact verbally: there is no trash talk or anything (as in the new Mario Party 8 for the Wii). This game is definitely fun to play: I have played this game for well over 2 hours at a time, and the replay of this game is very high due to the different types of classes available to race in, such as the 50cc, 100cc, 150cc, and the 150cc Mirror course.
While in single player mode, I don’t really have interactions with others about the game because I am too engrossed in the game to talk about it, but I am still able to respond to questions that don’t require much thought. The flow of the game is typical to that of any other racing game, the higher class you choose, the harder the course gets.
One thing I really wished that Mario Kart had was a story behind it, but I think that is why its replay value is so high, because it lacks one.
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Jan 25th, 2008 at 22:58:21 - Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) |
ENTRY #2
GAMEPLAY
My second time playing Super Mario Galaxy was more enticing than the first. I was able to collect Star Bits at a faster rate and do them automatically. Playing the game is a lot of fun: there are numerous obstacles that Mario has to overcome, such as beating bosses in order to receive a star. The bosses are beaten when Mario adapts a new characteristic to help him reach his goal (ie: he is given the ability to put on a bee suit and fly around).
During my second 45-min period of playtime, I noticed that the game was getting more and more difficult by each level and would need me to think outside of the box in order to defeat the enemy. Mario’s new skills such as wall-jumping and power stomping increased my engagement in the game.
DESIGN
I really enjoyed the fact that Super Mario Galaxy was the first single player game of the Mario series to be released on the Wii. It gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “interactive play.” Controlling Mario with the nunchuck attachment to the Wiimote was reminiscent of the old N64 console. The new aspect of the game was being able to wave the Wiimote around collect Star Bits by just touching them with the cursor shaped like a star. I also liked how Nintendo switched the controls: for example, the Z button is hit with the left hand instead of the right, etc. This didn’t really have a negative effect on the gameplay of this game, if anything, the newer controls made it more interesting to play.
The design elements in the game were very impressive; the astronomical “universe” aspect of it took into account the “planets” and “meteoroids” in the game. The graphics in this game are almost near perfect for a Mario game. They consist of bright colors and the characters are very modernized. Color is also used as a depiction of space in the gameworld. The vast black sky gives the impression of more exploration being needed in order to find out what lies beyond the galaxy you are in. As for the space that Mario can physically move in, it is virtually unlimited (within the galaxy, of course). Mario is able to jump on whatever he wants, swing on branches and climb up trees and vines. Of course, he is limited by the aspects of gravity and timers (such as the one for the bee suit).
One thing I would change though would be the rate that Mario moves. Sometimes on the meteoroids, I would not be able to move fast enough out of the way and I would end up getting hit and losing a life. It just seemed that at some points Mario moved a little bit slower than in other parts (both were non-water areas). I guess that’s just a factor that I’ll have to live with, but it still does not change the fact that I would continue to play the game. Overall, I really cannot say anything bad about the game Super Mario Galaxy as a whole. It seems as if Nintendo gave much attention to it to make sure that it would be a game that would have a high appeal to the general audience of gamers, and they were able to achieve that goal.
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Jan 24th, 2008 at 14:15:23 - Super Mario Galaxy (Wii) |
ENTRY #1
SUMMARY
Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii is a one player game where the main goal is to save Princess Peach from the wrath of Browser, who kidnaps her. The object of the game is to go through the many different levels, which are represented by numerous galaxies, and collect stars in order to unlock different galaxies and find Princess Peach. Mario games that Nintendo has released all have the same core goal, and this one is no different. It still holds Mario as the Hero, and gives the player the feeling of accomplishment while playing, which I think is the major attraction of this game, or at least to me it is.
GAMEPLAY
Super Mario Galaxy not only looks like a fun game to play, it is a fun game to play. As usual, the main character is Mario, and nothing really changes about him except the way that the player can control him. The innovative usage of the Wiimote for this game was very surprising. And the fact that instructions on how to use the Wiimote to control Mario were given throughout the game, and instead of having to read a booklet or memorize all the controls at the front screen, is a plus.
My emotional state while playing the game was excited and amazed. As for the characters in the game, there was an abundance of Toad in the first level, which was sort of annoying, since they didn’t really have a function except to tell me random information that I have no use for (ie: their emotional state). Other than Toad, so far, the only other characters I have come in contact with are Luma (the chubby stars that you go to for help for the galaxy you are currently in) and Rosalina (who tries to keep order and peace in the universe). Interactions with these characters helped me gain a broader understanding of the plot of the game and what my goals were and how I would be able to achieve them (like collecting as many stars as I could and going to other galaxies).
The one player component of this game limits interactions with other people experiencing the game, but while I was playing, my friends were in the room doing their own things and they would often turn around to respond to my reaction of frustration (from losing a life) or joy (from gaining a star or beating the boss of that level). I would definitely have to say that this game was fun to play. It was able to keep me engaged for well over an hour, and I can't wait to play again.
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galatasaraygirl has been with GameLog for 16 years, 10 months, and 24 days |
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