Category Archives: 7 Star Games

Sonic Dream Team Review

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When this game came out there were some massive waves among the gaming community. After all the game would be Apple exclusive and it’s crazy to see Sonic stuck on the mobile market since he’s usually on all of the big consoles. It’s a sign of how things are changing though and hopefully a port comes out at some point. In the meantime I figured this was the time to break out the 3 month free trial offer that Apple has. The game’s fairly short so it’s definitely beatable within that time.

The basic plot is that Eggman gets in a little over his head with a dream device but somehow puts up the ultimate comeback effort and takes over the dream world. I have to say that I was quite impressed with that since usually he would have lost. The guardian over the dream world is forced to ask Sonic and friends for help after they fell for Eggman’s trap and land inside the dream as well. Sonic and friends are always ready for a challenge and so they accept but will they really have what it takes to win this?

There are 4 worlds and each world has 3 levels and then a boss stage. Each level has 8 mini levels inside of them so that’s a fairly good amount. Beating each stage grants you an orb and you need orbs to unlock future levels. You will find that you need to clear most of the levels in order to reach the end but they tend to be bite sized so it’s not a huge undertaking. The first level is always the longest one and then they branch out from there.

The game steadily ramps up the difficulty level as the worlds go on though so you’ll notice yourself moving a bit slower after a while. The game has an infinite respawn mechanic so don’t worry about game overs or anything like that. The only kind of level you may have to restart are the time trials but otherwise you can die as often as you need to in order to understand and master the level. Once that has happened then you will be all set.

The boss battles are all handled pretty well. I appreciate that the game has unique bosses and they all fight differently. The final boss is the most different as you don’t actually fight him. It’s more of a chase scene type of level as you have to keep on running and dodging until you make it to the end. It’s definitely a very climactic way to end things off but it does come across as a little on the easy side. The rest of the bosses were all more difficult.

The graphics here are very good. This definitely looks like a full AAA Sonic game even though it’s for mobile and it shows just how far the market has gone over the years. Gone are the days where a mobile game looked like a last gen title. I also have to give a special shoutout to the soundtrack which is excellent. A lot of very catchy tunes here. They’re going for a very electronic vibe for just about the whole soundtrack and it works really well.

I’m also really glad that there’s a real story here. It would have been so easy for the game to have just skipped that and called it a day but that wasn’t the case here. The cutscenes may not have traditional movement but there are a lot of slides to get the feeling across. Also the opening is definitely very high budget. Hopefully the new character returns and I want them to keep on making more Sonic games with full stories like this. Sonic Dream Team keeps the light tone of the old games while having a full story like the Adventure titles which should keep both sides of the fanbase pretty happy. (Well most of them anyway)

The mobile controls do get a little tricky but of course I would say that’s not a big thing to be upset about since you can pair your PS4 controller to it. I didn’t bother in this case, I would have if this was a 50 hour RPG or something but I’m used to the phone pretty well as it is. I’ve been mobile gaming for several years at this point even if I’m still more of a console gamer overall. Now while I did enjoy the game, I do hope they really limit how many games are exclusive to Arcade because once this free trial is gone I doubt I’ll be able to get another.

For some closing notes, it’s nice how you can play as several different characters. It uses a system like Adventure 2 Battle where there are different classes and then each character in that class has the same abilities. So in this game that means there are 3 pairs: Sonic/Amy, Tails/Cream, and Rouge/Knuckles. Having 3 different gameplay styles is pretty fun and being able to change during a level is also cool. The game’s really trying out some interesting ideas here. I mainly stuck as Sonic when I was given a choice but there are many times you are forced to play as someone else so I recommend you to be as familiar with all of them as possible.

Overall, Sonic Dream Team is definitely a pretty good game. It’s not really as short as you would expect, I want to say that I put in around 4 hours so it’s about Sonic Forces level. There is some replay value as well although not a ton so I don’t want to trick you on that one. The levels are just big enough where getting all of the collectibles will likely take some work but also short enough where they are easy to replay and also just a lot of fun. I think that’s the biggest thing the game gets right, it’s just a lot of fun the whole time with colorful levels and high speed gameplay. Longtime Sonic fans will probably have fun 100% completing the game. Hey if you have Apple Arcade then you should absolutely play this game. I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to play it if I didn’t have the free trial but I’m sure it is the best game on the whole Arcade system so you don’t want to miss out on it.

Overall 7/10

Mario Party Review

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It’s time to look at the game that really started one of the most iconic series of all time. Mario Party is a tried and true tradition in the hearts of many and has been for decades. Not just because of how chaotic the games are but because it showed just how fun a party game can be. It’s also been a difficult genre for any other franchise to pull off despite many games trying to do so. This one has a lot of the fun elements that you are used to in the series while at the same time also lacks some of the polished quality of life features you would be thinking about later on down the road. So it’s pretty fun, but not quite as elite as Mario Party 4.

There is a basic story here as well with all of the heroes fighting among themselves and generally being a little on the petty side. Each one wants to prove that they are the true superstar around here. It’s a noble goal to be sure….heh. Well maybe not that noble but I get why they would really want to appear to be the best. It just makes a lot of sense. Still, there can only be one champion and so they all decide to fight in various party games to prove it. Along the way each world is transformed by your actions which is a nice touch. Can they conquer all of the maps?

The character roster is rather small here. It’s crazy to think that even Daisy wasn’t around yet although that would change soon. There is a decent amount of minigames here but not as much as in later games of course. Fortunately the games here are all rather solid. For example the minigame where you try to bump your opponents off the field while on your ball is a true classic. I really had a blast there and it’s aged incredibly well. I tend to enjoy all of the platformer ones as well and for the most part the games are all pretty good.

There are some that don’t feel very balanced though, particularly the 1 vs 3 games. Either the solo player is incredibly overpowered or has no realistic chance to win. There is rarely a real middleground there. I’m guessing it’s probably the hardest type of game to develop though so I feel for the developers there. One interesting kind of game that you don’t see in the newer ones is the 4 player team up game. There are a few games here where you all actually have to team up and when you win, everyone gets their 10 coins. If one person loses then you all lose.

It’s an interesting idea but I can see why it was scrapped since you’re usually in it for yourself so that would have been a bit of an odd segway. One thing I wouldn’t mind if they had kept is how if you lose a minigame here, you actually lose 5 coins as opposed to not changing. Perhaps they thought it was a bit too harsh but it certainly meant that you did not want to lose. Let me tell you, I lost a lot of the minigames when starting out because it takes a little time to get used to them. The controls are simple enough but it’s the mechanics that get tricky. Like knowing when to time your jump and how far you go.

Mario Party is the master of really quick minigames and so by the time you’ve gotten the controls down, the minigame is over. Definitely not too forgiving in that sense but I think it’s the right move. If a minigame was too long then that would be a true problem. Much more of one than if the minigame was too short after all. Particularly since the shortest amount of turns you can set the games for is 20 instead of 15 here. So even the shortest game can feel rather long by the end of its run.

Where the game shows its age a little is in some of the smaller ways like how you can’t skip the computer’s turn. You have to watch them slowly play the minigames and walk around the board. It’s another reason why it’s good that the minigames are short but even so this slows down the pacing quite a lot. You should not have to sit there and wait while the computer does their thing because there are so many event spaces and extra minigames that they add up considerably. It just feels like too long before you get back to your turn. I was actually able to catch Pokemon and do other stuff while waiting which is always a bad sign.

Meanwhile the graphics are definitely pretty solid though. This is definitely on the higher end for the Nintendo 64 titles. Additionally the soundtrack is definitely on point here as well. A lot of classic tunes to be found here at all times. The level designs are also very distinct which I appreciate. Each stage has their own gimmicks so they feel completely different. Sometimes it can be in annoying ways like the Bob Omb level but you can’t win them all as they say. You know that at least the game was never lazy in the slightest.

Overall, Mario Party is a pretty fun title. The games are on point and it has a very nice feeling to it. Even when you lose you’ll be having a good time here. You’ll probably be a little salted when the RNG goes against you but that’s just how it goes. I do think it’s a little iffy when the computer targets you for a star instead of the guy in 1st….but just play as if all of the computers are against you and you’ll be fine. The game could do with a little less distractions and adding in some of those quality of life features I mentioned but for Nintendo’s first journey into this genre I definitely have to say that they did a good job. They were really creative in thinking up all of these fun minigame ideas.

Overall 7/10

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Review

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It’s been a while since I’ve played a TMNT game so this was fun to check out. It’s definitely a very retro title really putting the beat em up genre back on the map. It’s got a good amount of levels to it too. As a whole the beat em up genre tends to be fairly short but I would say this game was definitely longer than the average one I’ve played like this. The collectibles also help to give it some replay value although I couldn’t figure out how the score matters. I know that helping side characters get their mementos increased it but there was nothing to spend the score on. I did get a trophy out of that though.

The basic plot is that the Shredder is back in action and he’s getting ready to take over New York. The Ninja Turtles have to unite and fight but Shredder has a ton of powerful lackeys at his beck and call. If the main characters are not extremely careful then they are about to get absolutely destroyed here. Do they have what it takes to win or are they completely doomed here? Only time will tell.

There are illustrations at the beginning of each level with a little narration so that’s how you get the plot moving. I would have liked a little more animation in these cutscenes since the game is fairly new even though it’s going for the retro vibe. Still, it works out well enough and I had a good time playing through this one. The gameplay is fast paced and really rewards your creativity in how you approach your opponents. You have a lot of options for how you attack and move around and have to have quick reaction times because most of the enemies really try to rush you right out of the gate.

One thing I highly recommend is grabbing a bunch of your enemies. You grab automatically by going close to them so the trick is to toss them at the screen. It’s an automatic one hit KO for any minion that you are able to throw. So please note that this will not work on enemies in the latter levels as they start to resist everything you throw at them but the early ones? Yeah they don’t stand a chance against this attack. It also helps you not be in a position where you will get hit a lot.

If it’s not possible though, throw a few attacks and then quickly dash. When you dash it cancels out your lag so you can attack right away again. It really works and is a tremendous way to take the advantage in every fight. Trust me when I say that the enemies won’t see it coming. As much as possible you should save your super attacks for the bosses because of how much damage it does. You will be wiping significant amounts of their health with a single hit and your can store up more and more super attacks as you level up. Try not to waste it for when they are in an invincible state though. Just be patient and attack when the enemy is attacking you or something like that.

The graphics are definitely really solid here. Everything is super clear and there is a lot of detail on the screen at all times. There is no real lag at all and so the stage transitions are really smooth. The soundtrack is pretty catchy as well so the game definitely put in a good effort on both of these fields. As mentioned there is a decent length here and also a good amount of replay value. Getting the Platinum Trophy will not be easy by any stretch because some of those trophies are really hard. So just keep that in mind but it’s still a good way to get a lot more content out of this one.

I’d definitely be down with more beat em up style games like this in the future. There’s just a lot of potential here and I feel like they should be easy to develop. You don’t want to rush too hard and make the games feel like cash-ins though so you have to tread very carefully. Still, imagine this with DBZ characters, the Justice League, etc. They don’t make too many beat em up style games like this anymore so it was a fun blast down memory lane. Fans of the TMNT franchise will definitely appreciate all of the nostalgia here as well.

Overall, This was a pretty fun game. You really got to see the Ninja Turtles crushing everyone in their way and the gameplay is just a lot of fun. Who doesn’t like just shredding into all of your opponents right? I would also say that 2D beat em ups like this can actually be fairly difficult. You can’t just run in and attack like in the 3D games or you will end up being defeated. Here you want to do a lot of jumping, weaving in and out, etc. Only after you’ve done all of that can you beat a level safely. I didn’t get any game overs but I did lose a life or two on occasion to be sure. Just fight in a smart way and you’ll be okay.

Overall 7/10

Goldeneye 007 Review

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All right it’s time for one of the more iconic Nintendo games. Everyone knows about Goldeneye from back in the day after all. It’s won many awards and everything. A lot of its acclaim comes from the multiplayer mode though so what happens when you go into the single player campaign? Well I would say that it doesn’t age quite as well as some of the other shooters with all of the bonus objectives you have to accomplish but props to the folks who managed to conquer this game. It gets deceptively hard by the end and without a guide some of the puzzles would have really had you stumped for quite a while.

The game follows the story of the movie with Bond having to save a girl and stop an enemy threat. You know, classic Bond stuff. But is he really ready to take on this new terrorist organization that has a seemingly endless amount of fighters at the ready to put an end to him? He will have to definitely harness all of his skills and experience with a gun in order to end this. If he can’t pull off the win…then it’s quite possible that nobody can.

Right away you can tell that the graphics here are pretty solid. The characters are a little blocky but the fact that the game has massive environments and lots of variations of guns and ammo is really impressive. The soundtrack also has the classic 007 theme among others so that gets a thumbs up as well. They went all out with the technical aspects of the game and you will not be disappointed at any point. The quality of the actual gameplay is also really good. I’m glad that the gun auto locks on to an extent but that you also have the ability to manually select your targets too.

It’s really the best of both worlds here and doesn’t force you to make a big decision either way until you are ready. I mostly stuck to the classic lock on but it did have a weakness for targets that were high up like the auto gunners so you will have to switch styles there. Your machine gun is the best bet for taking out enemies but at the same time it does use your ammo up very quickly so just be careful about that. Don’t overextend yourself or you will really be in trouble.

I did die a number of times in the gunfights but the really tough part in my opinion are the puzzles. Some of them I just really didn’t understand from the vague mission requirements. Whether it was taking a picture of a satellite that was nowhere to be found or having to access a bunch of computers you are often left in a really dicey position. Definitely not one to be underestimated and the game loses a bit of steam there. I guarantee you that it would have been a lot more fun if you could have just plunged ahead and had a blast dealing devastating damage to everyone in your path. Just make it a classic shoot your way to the finish. Instead the objectives mean you sometimes have to backtrack and the endless stream of regenerating minions will eventually take you down.

The length of the game is fairly decent. There are around 17 levels here and some can be short while others are pretty long. The difficulty also varies a lot so you are really on your toes the whole time. Just be careful because one slip up can result in your losing the level like if you break the object you were supposed to take a picture of or if your teammate end up getting shot. That last one is particularly difficult since she will often run in front of you so make sure you have terrific aim or start running immediately to stay in front.

There seems to be some replay value in playing on a higher difficulty which unlocks further levels but additionally the multiplayer aspect gives unlimited replay value. There is always something to do in that part after all. Multiplayer is the kind of content that keeps on giving which is why more and more game should strive to copy that approach. It’s definitely the way to go. Make no mistake either, the multiplayer is what really saves the game because if it was single player only then it would be good but not very good. It certainly wouldn’t be put on the pedestal that you can often find it nowadays.

Overall, Goldeneye is a pretty good game. I had my issues with it like the vague objectives but on the whole the gameplay is fun which is the important part. The story may not have been the strongest as I didn’t love the way it was told through long mission briefings as opposed to more cutscenes but the game is on the older side so I’ll cut it some slack. I would say that despite the reputation, this game is surpassed by the Gamecube ones. The Gamecube titles are top tier though so there’s really no shame in that. Sometimes that’s just the way that the cookie crumbles.

Overall 7/10

Mario Kart 64 Review

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It’s time to check out a very retro Nintendo title but one that certainly made a whole lot of waves back in the day. Who could have guessed that this would end up being one of the most iconic video game series of all time right? It’s definitely a game that has aged really well. It may be a little more basic than some of the other Mario Karts as this is a series which has continued to get better and better but there’s no denying that it is still very solid in every area.

There are 4 tournaments to conquer in this game and each one has 4 levels to it. Not only do the stages get tougher as you go through the game but this also makes it feel as if the A.I. scales up with them since they master the turns while you will have some trouble with them. I was breezing through the first two tournaments but saw a big jump in the third tournament. Finally in the last one I actually took home the bronze instead of the gold which was real interesting. It’s kind of fun to be playing a Mario Kart game that’s really tricky like this.

In part this is due to some rubber banding though. I can’t prove it but it did seem like the computer’s would get way faster when I was ahead of them. Most of it is just me not mastering the turns though. It could be really hard to get used to the drifting here after playing Double Dash for so long. The more I play, the more I would get the timing down though, it’s really just about that repetition. I had fun switching up the characters a lot too although I couldn’t tell if they played differently or not here. I’d need to pay more attention to that.

The graphics are definitely pretty solid here. Interestingly it’s much less blocky than Mario Tennis so you can already see Mario transitioning into his more modern design here. Same with the rest of the characters so either this came out after Mario Tennis or it had a bigger budget. I’m not really sure which one is the case here but regardless the colors are on point and all of the characters look really good so big props all around.

The soundtrack is also timeless and you should recognize quite a few of the tunes since they tend to return in future titles. Mario certainly does a great job with variety and the soundtrack really helps to make the stages stand out even more. The composer did a superb job all the way through. So on every technical element the game succeeds and of course the gameplay is really smooth too. On 150CC I’d even say you move at a pretty impressive speed that is comparable to the newer games. It’s really just not able to compete with the sequels in terms of overall content which makes a lot of sense considering how long ago this one came out.

There isn’t a whole lot to say about the game beyond this since there isn’t a story mode so the gameplay is really the full package. There is endless replay value due to the multiplayer and this is high quality racing. You would likely not be able to find a better racing game on the N64 and the fundamentals are good enough where you can seamlessly play this in 2023. That’s how you know that Nintendo really spared no expense for this one.

At the end of the day you want to play a game that is fun and this one is really fun all the way around. The levels are short enough where they all really fly by and so that helps make it easier to replay the levels over and over again as needed. Even if you’re playing the game by yourself you’ll have a lot of fun although I’d say it’s barely even debatable that you will have the superior experience when playing with friends. That is the point of pretty much any sports game after all right?

Overall, Mario Kart 64 is definitely a pretty fun game. It’s certainly a racer that you won’t be forgetting any time soon. The amount of content may not be a ton next to the newer titles but it still has a lot to do. Of course there’s also the obvious perk of the multiplayer which is mainly why people play the series anyway. You can have a blast just racing over and over as you enjoy the fun competitive nature of the game. One wrong crash can take you from first to last in a heartbeat. If you happen to fall into a very unlucky area you may find that it takes almost 30 seconds to get back to the track which is pretty much fatal in this kind of game. So learn the stages well and you will really be all set for action here!

Overall 7/10

Mario Tennis Review

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It’s time to take a look as a really retro Nintendo title. Who doesn’t remember the classic Mario Tennis title right? Mario Power Tennis is still one of my all time favorite sport games even counting the non Mario ones and so I have a lot of nostalgia for these. The original Mario Tennis isn’t operating at quite the same level as Mario Power Tennis but it’s still a really solid one all things considered. It’s fairly basic and doesn’t have a lot of the annoying gimmicks that newer games tend to add.

The opening cutscene is also a blast as we get to see some real story mixed in there. Outside of that there isn’t a central story though. There are 3 tournament cups to conquer and when you complete each of them you get an ending cutscene for the character you play as. The cutscene is the same for all 3 so you could always just beat the first cup with everyone if you want to see all of their endings. Each cup gradually gets longer and tougher as you play through them so you will want to keep that in mind as well.

It’s actually not a walk in the park to defeat the final cup. The computers really step up their game and can be hard to predict. They really know how to answer the shots and the low/lob hits aren’t as refined as they were in the Gamecube days so you just have to try and outplay your opponent. Some rallies can take quite a while as a result but in the end it always feels good when you manage to pull off the win. I found it easiest to always aim for the corners, trying to “trick” the computer by shooting it at them and hoping they would move doesn’t tend to work. Ironically they do that to me a whole lot but what can you do….

The graphics are really solid here. I really enjoy all of the character models. Aside from being super nostalgic, they’ve just aged really well thanks to the artstyle. It’s why going for a bright, cartoony look like this tends to work well because it’s pretty ageless. Whether it’s 2002, 2022, or 2042 it will always look really good. The stages are on point and you can tell a lot of effort was put into this. The soundtrack is also good with a lot of energetic tunes to listen to as you blast your way through the stages.

There are also other modes outside of the tournaments like playing special minigames. There aren’t a lot of them but you have the classic rings and also playing a long volley against piranha plants. I don’t imagine you will spend a whole lot of time here but more content is always good. The character roster is at a decent size too so you should find a character who fits your playstyle rather easily. They all play pretty much the same anyway though so it’s more about style points.

As for the difficulty level, you’ll get used to it the more that you play. I really only got back into the basics of the game and wasn’t exactly an expert at actually mastering the controls like that. Like I never got the low shot to work so either the A.I. was just that perfect or I wasn’t using it in the right circumstances. Also it would be really hard to return shots when I was too close to the net so I have to work on that. In the end your reaction times often won’t be enough so you have to just pick a direction and run there. If the ball is hit on the other side? Well you tried, that’s the best that you could do at that point.

Personally as one game tip, I would recommend constantly holding down A and B. This lets you do a smash when the ball is high up but a pretty solid hit even if it’s a normal shot. This seemed to be the only shot that would pretty much always work when you were up close. So double tap A when you are far away but hold down both when you are close. Do this and you should be winning more matches. Of course the main thing is to have fun though. That’s why this game is so solid, it’s just really enjoyable to go through. It captures the game of tennis without being too overly technical or worried about the small stuff. It’s why I tend to love Mario sport games like this sometimes even more than the regular ones.

Overall, I would definitely recommend checking this game out. It’s really a part of history at this point and is just solid all around the board. The graphics are good, the soundtrack is a lot of fun, and there is a whole lot of content here. The amount of replay value is incredible and it has to be one of the best values on the Switch Online. Ultimately the only thing holding it back is that the sequels are simply better and that’s really not something it can help right? All it could do is be the best game it could be and it succeeded at that.

Overall 7/10

Dr. Mario 64 Review

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My Nintendo marathon continues with the classic Dr Mario title! This one definitely goes way back to the point where I can’t say that I really knew anything about it. Well, I’m proud to say that the game surpassed my expectations all the way through as it had a real story to help enhance the overall gameplay. It’s definitely a tough game so get ready to have to react very quickly. The blocks definitely don’t wait around and you need to get rid of all the viruses ASAP!

Basically the story involves an evil scientist deciding to spread a disease to everyone and he has an army of monsters protecting him. You get to choose at the start of the game who you want to play as, Wario or Dr. Mario. Naturally I went with the Doctor and from there on your adventure continues. Can you stop the scientist in his mad quest for power or is it all over for humanity? One thing’s for sure, without Bowser here this should be a little easier for the heroes compared to usual.

The gameplay is your classic Dr. Mario style but if you’re not familiar with it, I’ll explain. Basically blocks fall down from the sky and you have to carefully organize them so that they land on the virus of the same color. Once you have 3 blocks connected to the virus for a total of 4, all of them will be destroyed. You win the level when all of the viruses are destroyed but if the opponent does this first then you lose. Another thing to watch out for here is that when your opponent makes matches of his own, it causes extra blocks to fall on your side. That can mess up your strategy so be ready to adapt on the fly. Ultimately it doesn’t change your objective but if there’s a lot of debris on the top you may have to clear out some normal blocks from the bottom to shift things around.

Speed is absolutely your best asset here so move as fast as you can and you should be good. Always try to be a few steps ahead of your opponent and you’ll be fine. Obviously this is easier said than done though which is why I say that the game is very difficult. The more levels you go through, the faster the blocks start falling down and by the end it’s seriously hard to focus. Without access points you will probably have to replay the levels a whole lot of times. The worst part is when you make an error because that can sabotage a whole run. The game is very unforgiving in that area and of course there is still some RNG in the mix too as it all rides on how quickly your opponent moves. Underestimate him at your own peril.

The graphics are definitely pretty solid here. I won’t say they’re at the highest grade or anything like that but you always know what’s going on and the character models are on point. The soundtrack is a little more on the forgettable side but they work well enough to keep you calm while moving the blocks around. Would I prefer rock music? Yes, most definitely but it’s okay. I wouldn’t say the soundtrack is bad or anything like that.

The game’s overall length is fairly quick. It won’t take you long to beat the game and I couldn’t tell if there was any real replay value to be found here. I guess maybe in increasing your score and multiplayer but I do think the game could stand to have more content. With how easy the gameplay is from a development point of view, they really could have made dozens of levels here. I don’t get why more games don’t just make a super long story mode. Maybe they’re worried it would drag on? I figure having more content is almost always a good thing though.

Overall, Dr. Mario 64 is definitely a fun game. It’s one that is absolutely enhanced by the fact that it has a real story mode which is why more games should do that. It just makes the whole experience more memorable and it will stand out against other games in the same genre. The fact that it has more dialogue than the average Mario game is just an extra bonus. This is a game that really got forgotten by most so I recommend checking it out and seeing this little gem in Mario’s history. You just don’t want to miss it and I loved the Dr. Mario mobile game so this shows that the franchise still has a ton of untapped potential. Lets see Nintendo bring this one back into the spotlight already!

Overall 7/10

Pokemon Snap Review

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Pokemon Snap is one of those games I was heavily aware of but never really got to try playing back in the day. It looked like fun but at the same time I wasn’t about to shell out the big bucks back in the day just to take pictures of Pokemon. Well now with the Switch Online I can finally give it a shot and it is a lot of fun. It’s a little on the short side but it did take me two batches to complete it so maybe 4-5 hours total. There are 7 worlds where you get to go around and catch a bunch of Pokemon although the final world only has one as a final boss fight so maybe I should really say that there are 6 worlds.

Basically Todd is hired by Professor Oak to take a lot of pictures of each Pokemon to fill up the dex and this is really a top priority mission. When taking a picture you want to get the maximum amount of points and so there are a few criteria for this. First is the size of the Pokemon, the larger it is in your picture, the more points you get. Then you get points if you got the Pokemon in a cool pose. If the Pokemon is in the center of your photo then you get a X2 bonus. Finally if you got more than one of the same Pokemon in your shot then you get even more points.

Points are extremely important here because that’s how you unlock new powers and new worlds. The other factor is how many species you have taken a picture of so even if you don’t have a great shot, make sure you snap a picture of every Pokemon. You will keep on replaying the levels in order to get better shots until you’ve unlocked the next area and even then you can go back. In fact it’s not even that you can go back but that you must. See, there will always be some Pokemon you can’t get initially until you have their power up. For example you will unlock the apples to lure Pokemon to you, the Pester Ball to wake them up, and the whistle to make them dance and use their special abilities.

You will even be able to accelerate your car later on to bump into Pokemon and cause them to turn around. Note that you can’t control the car to move in any direction or anything like that but just speeding up is handy. Of course the car is already fast at some points which makes snapping the photos tricky so you want to keep that in mind. You need to have quick reaction times at all times in order to stay ahead or you will be putting yourself in a rather tricky predicament. Just try, try again until you’ve perfected your craft.

At the end of each level you choose one of each photo of a unique Pokemon that you’ve taken to give to Oak. If it’s your first time then there’s nothing to compare it to and it will be accepted right away but if you’ve already taken a photo before it will be compared and you can keep the better photo. Sometimes a photo that you think is better will end up having a lower score due to some of the criteria I mentioned earlier. It’s all very seamless though and I have to give the game massive credit for how clear the menus are. It never feels like a hassle to hand in the photos. All of the menus are very intuitive.

There are a ton of quality of life features within the game that make this feel like a AAA title. The levels are bite sized so they go over fast and the music is very calming. The soundtrack is really quiet solid all the way through and the graphics are nice too. This is definitely one of the higher end Nintendo 64 titles in those regards. Then the replay value is also considerable because there are so many ways you can try and tackle each level. Do you focus on apples or pester balls? Learning the reactions to each Pokemon will take time and then there’s RNG involved so sometimes a Pokemon will appear and other times it won’t. You have to memorize different chains of events for some while just waiting for others.

There’s just a whole lot of content here even if the main story isn’t very long. Also the decision to make the final photo with Mew an actual boss battle was brilliant. That was a lot of fun and just really stuck out next to the catches. It was a pretty fun way to end the game. Having a proper final boss is always a great idea after all and even once I beat the game there were plenty of secrets that I did not explore.

Overall, Pokemon Snap is a game that was developed very well. I had a lot of fun with this one. I still would have hesitated to buy this game at full price without a doubt but playing it now I can really appreciate the effort into it. I’ll definitely buy the new Pokemon Snap at some point although I would definitely like to wait for a true sale because again, as long as it’s around $50 or so it’s just not tempting enough to purchase. Granted, I’m sure the new one is longer with more Pokemon so maybe I should research just how long it is. In the meantime I recommend checking this one out.

Overall 7/10

Sonic Superstars Review

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It’s time we had a talk about the latest Sonic game. I’ve always been more of a 3D Sonic fan to be honest and tend to mention that at every opportunity but the 2D games are fun enough. It just feels like they go against the nature of Sonic which is to run really fast. Ironically you are allowed to blast through stages at full speed much more often in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, another example of Mario just dominating in the 2D space. Sonic needs to stick to 3D and this game has all the issues the 2D titles tend to have. That said, it is still a pretty good game but I don’t think it will remain in most peoples’ memories for very long.

The general plot is that Fang and Trip are working for a mad genius known as Dr. Eggman. Eggman wants to destroy a blue speedster known as Sonic The Hedgehog and by utilizing the powers of the chaos emerald and time reversal technology, he may actually have a chance this time. Fortunately Sonic has his friends at the ready. Tails, Amy, and Knuckles are around to do their part and back Sonic up. Together there is no foe that can overcome this force for good!

There is barely a plot in the game though so you are really playing for the gameplay. I don’t really get why Sega refuses to let the 2D games have their own big stories. Sure you want to keep it distinct from the 3D titles but you could absolutely have fun plots with voice acting and everything in the 2D days. Just look at how top tier titles like Shantae handle this. You can interpret the general story from the animations we get of course but it won’t end up feeling quite as grand that way.

For the gameplay I don’t really have any issues. It’s very classic with how you can jump, run really fast, and spin dash. You maneuver through the levels by activating different devices and defeating enemies. At the end of the level naturally you will end up going against a giant boss as well. There is a lot of variety with the bosses and they’re all solid except for the final boss where I had issues with the sheer length. Difficulty isn’t a problem, it’s good when a final boss is tough but having to replay long segments can always be annoying. That final battle took me quite a few tries.

One thing I would recommend is using your chaos emerald powers as much as possible. They make a massive difference in combat. Fortunately the chaos emeralds are all in spots that are easy to find. I managed to gather them all during a normal playthrough which was nice since it meant I wouldn’t have to try and search them out later on. Now that’s really nice since usually they can be super hard to find. It can just be tough to get in the habit of using the powers since you’re so used to just using the normal platforming tricks but trust me when I say that it’s highly worth it. In particular summoning an army of mini Sonics does a lot of damage during boss battles.

The graphics are really great. The game feels like its in true HD the whole time and the character models are on point. It’s one of the clearest games I’ve played in some time. I would say the retro art style actually does a lot to support the game’s graphics there since there is less to load up and it can all be processed really quickly. The soundtrack is less memorable though as there are no real standout tracks here. You’ll forget them as soon as they have ended which is definitely not ideal. I suppose it’s better than having a bad soundtrack though.

The actual story is fairly short so you should beat it in 4-5 hours or so. There is some replay value though as you can play through the game again as Trip. Then there is also the journey of trying to get the Platinum trophy for this game which should also be a fairly long task at least. It doesn’t look particularly difficult but I’m betting it will add another 6-8 hours of playtime which is always cool. There is also a multiplayer mode here and while I didn’t get to try it yet, it looks like they really did put a good amount of effort into i.

If you’ve enjoyed the previous Sonic 2D games then you will enjoy this one. It’s really as simple as that. That said, it just feels like the devs could have pushed this a lot harder. Give us more true cutscenes during the story, incorporate more characters, and also just make the game longer. I wouldn’t blame someone for waiting until there is a price drop to pick this one up because it really is over in the blink of an eye. It doesn’t feel like the $60 experience even if it is polished. Also for all the marketing about Fang returning he pretty much played 0 role in this game. There wasn’t much point to his inclusion particularly as he doesn’t get a 1 on 1 boss fight where you have to deal with his gun. He’s always in a mech for some reason but I suppose Sonic The Fighters spoiled me on that one.

Overall, Sonic Superstars is definitely a fun game. The experience doesn’t last as long as you’d like but the technical elements are really up to par. The game looks really great and while the soundtrack isn’t the best, you’ll still enjoy the tunes while you play through the game. It’s why I would say this embodies what it means to be a very good game. It’s not great or anything but there’s never a moment where you’re wishing that it would be over already.

Overall 7/10

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Review

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I knew that this game was going to be a winner the instant it was announced. It still took me a little while to buy it but hey…better late than never right? It does feel a little barebones though which is why you wanted to wait for a discount because at full price this would really not be worth it at all. There is no story mode so you will just be playing arcade mode over and over again for the single player content. The multiplayer is the main hook of the game of course but I wouldn’t say that it is a very strong hook to be honest compared to the competitors. If you look at the game on its own though then it does well enough.

So you’ve got a decent amount of characters here. I’m pretty sure it’s over 20. All the classics like Spongebob and Danny Phantom. Admittedly I did not watch a lot of Nick as a kid so the character roster is definitely not as nostalgic as it would be to someone who grew up with the characters. That being said, I still know most of the characters through reputation so that’s something. I feel like the Ninja Turtles have the best movesets here. The weapons really help them have a solid range.

That said, I played way too casually to really be giving any serious tier list advice here. Try all of the characters and see what you think. There is definitely a lot to absorb here. The gameplay is the same as the Super Smash Bros experience. You have normal moves, specials, a third jump, and power attacks. Use these to knock the opponent off of the platform so they can lose a life. Repeat the process until time is up or all stocks have been removed. Then at that point you will have won the match.

There aren’t many unlockables to be had here but you can alter the rules so that the matches are all different. You can also jump online and fight other players. As mentioned that is a pretty big draw since you can fully test just how good you are. It’s easy to style on the computers of course but the real test is going up against other people who have put in a lot of time. The online servers will probably be pretty dead once the sequel comes out so you should keep that in mind. Of course there is still local multiplayer mode as well and some trophies will require you to be on there for quite a while.

There is a lot of replay value here thanks to the multiplayer options. So while the single player is rather limited, that is really just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the total experience. So keep that in mind, particularly since the price for this game is relatively cheap right now. It’s really not bad value for your dollar and in general I just love fighting games. So getting to play one is always a real treat even if there isn’t much to it. A fighting game is a great genre in that you don’t need much. As long as the gameplay is smooth and implemented carefully then you should really be all set.

The graphics are pretty good here. Perhaps not top of the line or anything like that but they are modern with no obvious issues. The soundtrack is more on the really underwhelming side. There weren’t any tunes that really stood out to me. There also aren’t a lot of stages so you will really be hearing all of the tunes over and over again as you try to beat arcade mode with everyone. Yes for the review as well as to get some more trophies I went ahead and completed the game with every character. Let me tell you, that was not easy! Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that it was easy but a little tedious.

Overall, Nick has a solid fighting game on their hands. It isn’t ruined by any random mechanic like the PS All Stars game either. So this one gets to really stand the test of time. It’s just a shame that there couldn’t have been a few more modes, features, and other stuff to make it stand out. Would have been so much fun! Instead it just fades away compared to the competition. It stands up to the test of time on its own but will always be seen as the B product instead of the A one. As long as Super Smash Bros exists that will be true for pretty much 99% of platform fighters but I still like to think that some day someone will come up with a rival so high budget and stuffed with features that even Smash can’t scare it away.

Overall 7/10