Nintendo have been releasing Mario games for a while now, but the magic somehow seemed to stop after Mario Sunshine. Well, I am not saying Galaxy and whatever came after it were bad, just that they didn't have the magic that made its predecessors fun.
My favorite game in the series is Mario 64, so let's base our comparison on this game as the model.
Mario 64 has a very simple story and quite the empty world, pretty much stuff which are frowned upon in modern games, yet it was so successful. Bowser locked up ~ 115 stars in paintings (which actually are the stages), and you have to get into each painting (a total of 15) and get the stars in that level. Mario Galaxy had a similar premise too, except that you don't really walk and jump into the paintings, but navigate your spaceship to where the next stage is; doesn't make a difference.
Mario 64 has lots of powerups. A cap with mini wings that lets you soar the skies, a metal cap that makes you go metal (heavy and invincible) and an invisible cap which makes you go invisible. Mario Galaxy had even more power ups; a red star that literally gives you superman's flying ability, a ghostshroom that makes you become a ghost who can pass through walls, a beeshroom that makes you become a bee that can cling into honey, a springshroom that lets you be a bouncy spring, a rockshroom that makes you a rolling rock and much much more! Mario Galaxy clearly has the advantage here! Onwards!
Mario 64 stages usually have more than a single objective of reaching the power star from a difficult place. Sometimes you'd have to collect the total 8 red coins in the stage to get the star, other times you will have to win a race or beat a boss who has acquired the star's power. There were also times where you'd have to search for a lost baby or something and return it to its mother/owner for a star. Mario Galaxy has quite adopted the few first objectives, but failed miserably in having any objectives involving exploration. Now why is that? Was it just because they didn't want to do that? I believe it was mainly because they couldn't.
Mario Galaxy's level design is too linear for getting exploration into the formula. Seldom would you find yourself in a place where you get to choose either one of two paths. Mario 64 levels, on the other hand, were always flat and open. You could tackle the stage's stars in multiple orders if you like to, and most of the areas in the stage were amazing connected to teach other in a way. Once I've unlocked the cannon in the first course, I could just shoot myself on to the top of the king's hill. Or maybe just fly there with my newly acquired winged cap powerup. Every stage felt like a world by itself with its own unique setting. I believe this is what the Mario fans are looking for right now. Don't get me wrong, the last 2 installments on the WiiU and the 3DS are pretty fun, but just for some casual play before lunch.
My favorite game in the series is Mario 64, so let's base our comparison on this game as the model.
Mario 64 has a very simple story and quite the empty world, pretty much stuff which are frowned upon in modern games, yet it was so successful. Bowser locked up ~ 115 stars in paintings (which actually are the stages), and you have to get into each painting (a total of 15) and get the stars in that level. Mario Galaxy had a similar premise too, except that you don't really walk and jump into the paintings, but navigate your spaceship to where the next stage is; doesn't make a difference.
Mario 64 has lots of powerups. A cap with mini wings that lets you soar the skies, a metal cap that makes you go metal (heavy and invincible) and an invisible cap which makes you go invisible. Mario Galaxy had even more power ups; a red star that literally gives you superman's flying ability, a ghostshroom that makes you become a ghost who can pass through walls, a beeshroom that makes you become a bee that can cling into honey, a springshroom that lets you be a bouncy spring, a rockshroom that makes you a rolling rock and much much more! Mario Galaxy clearly has the advantage here! Onwards!
Mario 64 stages usually have more than a single objective of reaching the power star from a difficult place. Sometimes you'd have to collect the total 8 red coins in the stage to get the star, other times you will have to win a race or beat a boss who has acquired the star's power. There were also times where you'd have to search for a lost baby or something and return it to its mother/owner for a star. Mario Galaxy has quite adopted the few first objectives, but failed miserably in having any objectives involving exploration. Now why is that? Was it just because they didn't want to do that? I believe it was mainly because they couldn't.
Mario Galaxy's level design is too linear for getting exploration into the formula. Seldom would you find yourself in a place where you get to choose either one of two paths. Mario 64 levels, on the other hand, were always flat and open. You could tackle the stage's stars in multiple orders if you like to, and most of the areas in the stage were amazing connected to teach other in a way. Once I've unlocked the cannon in the first course, I could just shoot myself on to the top of the king's hill. Or maybe just fly there with my newly acquired winged cap powerup. Every stage felt like a world by itself with its own unique setting. I believe this is what the Mario fans are looking for right now. Don't get me wrong, the last 2 installments on the WiiU and the 3DS are pretty fun, but just for some casual play before lunch.
