Super Smash Brothers Brawl: The Breakdown

Out of all the games that have come out in the past couple months or so, the most hyped game out of all of them seems to be the brand new Super Smash Brothers Brawl, a game my friends are obsessing over and demanding I buy. I just played it today, and this is my opinion: it’s just like the other Smash Bro.s games, except it has new characters, different arenas, and a new tool to design your own arena. And that pretty much is all that they can do to keep all the fans happy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really fun, it just doesn’t revolutionize gaming as we know it, as some people may have been thinking. But still, it’s tons of fun. For those of you who don’t know what this game is, let me sum it up for you: All the most famous nintendo characters gather in one game, and fight in different game themed arenas in an onslaught of cartoonish violence; aka, it’s hella fun. Favorites from previous games return, like Mario, Samus, Kirby, and Donkey Kong, but a whole new slew of characters is at your disposal this go-round. These characters do the same things most of the time, but it’s still enjoyable to have them. One new character you can unlock is Sonic, answering the age old question: would Mario or Sonic beat the other in a fight?  All the arenas you could ask for are here: floating castles, mushroom kingdoms, jungle treehouses, Pokemon stadiums, and such. It all combines for what truly is a kick-ass nintendo title. 9 pixels out of ten. 

Supertux: Teej’s Review

Here’s another game that I’m into right now. Think of it as an old 2 dimensional Mario game, except instead of the Italian plumber character, you have a little penguin. This penguin, Supertux, has to fight the evil forces of snowballs and ice cubes and more in order to keep his Antarctic home safe. Now I know exactly what you’re thinking right now: that’s the stupidest game idea ever. But seriously, it gets addicting. I mean it. It’s incredibly difficult to beat, and you’ll develop a tendency to play for hours without stopping. It has the same basic Mario style controls, including jumping up to hit hovering blocks, jumping on enemy’s heads to kill them, etc. But it adds more to the game. Secret passages are everywhere, as well as many chances to boost your coin count (you collect coins in this game too, just like the old Mario). In a way, it is a Mario rip-off. But still, there is an originality to the game that shines through all the accusations. But that doesn’t mean the game’s perfect. There’s a tendency that the game has to keep Supertux moving for just a little bit after you make him stop running. The costs include falling off ledges and getting hit by enemies you thought you could avoid. This “glitch” is one that is hard to ignore, but isn’t always that major of a problem. Other features of the game include a strange techno-like music and the ability to get a flower that gives you fire powers, like in Mario. Overall, Supertux is a game that is fun to play, yet frustrating to lose at. And despite its heart and creativity, there always is the feeling it’s a direct clone of the Mario franchise’s game engine. I give Supertux 7 pixels out of 10. Now although it may be frustrating, I still highly recommend it. The game is downloadable at apple.com, and may only work on a mac (never did the research; sorry PC users). 

Super Mario Galaxy: Teej’s Review

Right now I’m totally hooked on one of the best games to come out this year, the Wii game Super Mario Galaxy, the continuation of Mario’s brave, perilous, and gomba ass-kicking adventures. In it, our cute little Toad people are once again attacked by the evil Bowser, the massive lizard man who’s out to kidnap Princess Peach. As our truly helpless princess is taken away once again, we know there’s only one hero that we can rely on. Mario! So, along with the help of the cute star people known as “lumas,” Mario sets out on a mission across the universe to save her. The game’s setting is on tiny planets that form together to become galaxies, which are actually quite small to be real, but it’s Mario, so nobody really will care. With these galaxies comes the odd-ball creativity that often comes from Nintendo (An entire galaxy inhabited by penguins? Who knew?), and it often comes with a charm that nobody can shrug off. In addition to penguin galaxies, you’ll find a honey bee galaxy, a ghost galaxy, a surfing galaxy, and even a garbage dump galaxy. The different themes for galaxies within this game are completely endless. Since your “H.Q.” is a flying observatory, different areas of it have to be unlocked, each usually consisting of 4 regular galaxies to beat, and one or two bonus galaxies for extra stars. But whether you do the bonus galaxies or not, you’re guaranteed a full playing experience from the game.The game also utilizes the fact that there’s no perception in space to allow you to walk upside down on floating structures. It also has stars that make you “fly” across space to get to different planets. These are some cool little features that show Nintendo’s great attention to atmosphere and detail. But there are several problems to be found with the game. First of all, there are points where you get lost and have no idea what to do to continue the game. Second, you sometimes get so into the game that when you can’t beat a boss or a challenge level, you get really, really frustrated (Believe me, I had my share of grunts and yells).  So, overall, Super Mario Galaxy is a really good game. It may be frustrating to beat challenges at times, but the game’s charm and pure ability to cause excitement make the major cussing worth it. I give Super Mario Galaxy 9 pixels out of 10. And as an added bonus, here’s a video for the trailer. Man, I love that music!