Friday 23 February, 2007

What keeps the players interested is the level design. Each world is unique. Each world has its own theme and practically everything in it, except Mario, is designed to fit that theme. For example, in Shifting Sand Land, a desert themed level, the landscape includes sand, palm trees, quick sand, dust devils, a tiny oasis, and a pyramid. Along with landscape, the music, enemies, and challenges are all made to fit the theme of the level as well. For example, in Cool, Cool Mountain, the music is very cheery and snowy mountain village like; in Big Boo’s Hunt, the enemies include boos, big eyes, spiders, haunted books and possessed books, flying chairs, and monster piano; and in Jolly Roger Bay, the challenges incorporate a giant eel, a sunken ship, many treasure chests, and swimming.

The only thing that is frustrating is how you work so hard to gain lives and try so hard not to loose them all, just to find out that every single time you turn the game on you have four lives no matter what. Since you get thrown out of the level and have to start over every time you die, I think the game would be more rewarding when you get a star if the game kept track of how many lives you have. It sucks when you end with 25 lives and go to play again for many hours and see that you only have 4 lives again.

As far as the story goes, you know from the beginning what the main story is and you learn more details by talking to characters and reading notes from the princess as you progress through levels and open new areas of the castle. I’m up to 59 stars now and I won’t give up until I have saved Peach (Princess Toadstool) and her beloved castle.

Hi,

Yeah, I totally agree with you on the four lives thing. It sort of takes away any incentive to try that little bit harder to get the extra coins you need for another life, or whatever. I've always wondered why they did that, in particular since the DS version does the same!