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[BowieZ]

I must admit that one thing that puzzles me about the "Super Guide" is the fact that Nintendo decided to use it in a platform game that's (if it's anything like the previous Mario games) mostly skill-based. Sure, I know how to get to the end of most levels in SMB3, but I still get eaten by that huge fish or ganged up on by Cheep-Cheeps on my way there because my platforming skills have become rusty.

So why would I need a guide if the objective on most levels is going to the right while trying not to die? Of course the fortress levels that require you to figure out what doors to go through or solve small puzzles are a different story but in previous Mario games, those always made up a very small portion of the game.

"Guide" can also be meant in the sense of "guiding you through a challenging series of platforms".

 

[Maron]

And for those that don't know/haven't seen, here are the unused boss sprites of the Koopa Kids from Super Princess Peach. I would have been pushed over the edge to buy the game for sure had they been in:

This is the only one available for Ludwig:

If you want details on their attacks before they were removed, click here:

http://randomhoohaas.flyingomelette.com/OtherGames/OtherGames-superpeach.htm

Wait, the Koopa Kids were originally slated to be featured in Super Princess Peach, of all titles?

 

[batbeg]

I must admit that one thing that puzzles me about the "Super Guide" is the fact that Nintendo decided to use it in a platform game that's (if it's anything like the previous Mario games) mostly skill-based. Sure, I know how to get to the end of most levels in SMB3, but I still get eaten by that huge fish or ganged up on by Cheep-Cheeps on my way there because my platforming skills have become rusty.

So why would I need a guide if the objective on most levels is going to the right while trying not to die? Of course the fortress levels that require you to figure out what doors to go through or solve small puzzles are a different story but in previous Mario games, those always made up a very small portion of the game.

You basically just described yourself as a perfect candidate for the super guide option then questioned why it exists. I'm... confused. You realize it literally takes over for you until you choose to jump back in, right? It doesn't just have Luigi show you the way through; Luigi does it for you.

 

[Ydahs]

I must admit that one thing that puzzles me about the "Super Guide" is the fact that Nintendo decided to use it in a platform game that's (if it's anything like the previous Mario games) mostly skill-based. Sure, I know how to get to the end of most levels in SMB3, but I still get eaten by that huge fish or ganged up on by Cheep-Cheeps on my way there because my platforming skills have become rusty.

So why would I need a guide if the objective on most levels is going to the right while trying not to die? Of course the fortress levels that require you to figure out what doors to go through or solve small puzzles are a different story but in previous Mario games, those always made up a very small portion of the game.

If there's a part which is really difficult, you can let the "super guide" play it for you and resume after the difficult area. So you can basically use it to skip areas which you can't do instead of just giving up.

 

[Why would you do that?]

Yeah. The Super Guide isn't like looking in the back of the textbook for the answers. It's letting the back of the book do the test for you and everything.

One thing that I don't understand, though... The Super Guide is activated once you die 8 times... but at the start of the game, don't you only have 5 lives or so? Not only that, but what if you suck so bad at the game, you need to Super Guide your way through more than one level? You'll likely run out of lives, and still never finish the game.

 

[magicalsoundshower]

Huh, for some reason I thought the game showed you how to beat a difficult part and didn't actually beat it for you. Thanks for clearing that up. I can see myself actually using this during a replay of the game when I stumble upon as level that I dislike for some reason.

 

[swerve]

One thing that I don't understand, though... The Super Guide is activated once you die 8 times... but at the start of the game, don't you only have 5 lives or so? Not only that, but what if you suck so bad at the game, you need to Super Guide your way through more than one level? You'll likely run out of lives, and still never finish the game.

It's not a free pass to let players clear the game in one go. It's to stop people giving up in frustration if they're really bad at a certain level.

Players need to try, but if their attempts fail, Luigi will help them to see a bit more of the game.

 

[BikoBiko]

That would be great and even give Bowser more people to play with on his team.

Does anyone else plan on running through this game and not using the super guide mode? I want to see what it unlocks for beating the game.

Yeah I'm pretty curious about that too. Maybe it'll unlock some extra levels or challenges.

 

[Maron]

+1

Koopalings are my favorite Mario characters, PERIOD. (Well, Lemmy especially, then Iggy, Ludwig and Wendy...)

I even wrote a theme for them: "Tango With The Koopalings", obviously heavily inspired by the Galaxy music. (HD Zshare link: http://www.zshare.net/audio/6777838665c8ac8a/ )



I think most people plan to avoid Super Guide mode completely. I know I will.

Also, I'm pretty sure there will be unlockable playable characters. I'm not getting my hopes up to play as the Koopalings but... come onnnn, Nintendo!

Go the extra mile for once!

Sorry man, but there ain't any unlockable playable characters.

 

[BowieZ]

Sorry man, but there ain't any unlockable playable characters.

How do you know?

 

[BowieZ]

One thing that I don't understand, though... The Super Guide is activated once you die 8 times... but at the start of the game, don't you only have 5 lives or so? Not only that, but what if you suck so bad at the game, you need to Super Guide your way through more than one level? You'll likely run out of lives, and still never finish the game.

I think there's a difference between one character using up its lives, and ALL characters dying thus having to start again.

and/or, there *is* no Super Guide for multi-player.

EDIT: Sorry, double post ;_;

 

[EatChildren]

How do you know?

The Q&A with ONM or whoever said there were no extra characters.

 

[BowieZ]

The Q&A with ONM or whoever said there were no extra characters.

Do you mind linking me? TBH I actually originally tried to go on spoiler blackout but now I'm reading more into it.

Was it made explicit? Could it belong to this category you quoted:

- Still secrets and surprises that are unknown. One is 'fantastic' and will be appreciated by experts.

 

[BGBW]

Do you mind linking me? TBH I actually originally tried to go on spoiler blackout but now I'm reading more into it.

Was it made explicit? Could it belong to this category you quoted:

Appreciated by experts most likely means a throw back to older Mario games. Could be a second quest where goombas are replaced by buzzy beetles.

 

[EatChildren]

Do you mind linking me? TBH I actually originally tried to go on spoiler blackout but now I'm reading more into it.

Was it made explicit? Could it belong to this category you quoted:

Sure. The answer I found was in the first Q&A found here;

Is there any playable characters other than Mario, Luigi and the two Toads? I was kind of hoping for a wide variety.

No.

 

[ace harding: private eye]

Appreciated by experts most likely means a throw back to older Mario games. Could be a second quest where goombas are replaced by buzzy beetles.

Or the heads of Japanese radio show hosts.

Sure. The answer I found was in the first Q&A found here;

It would be nice if they added DLC to play as the Princess. Nothing beats the float mechanic from SMB2. I don't know why it was never used again.

 

[upandaway]

It would be nice if they added DLC to play as the Princess. Nothing beats the float mechanic from SMB2. I don't know why it was never used again.

You only have to do one out of every 2 platforming sections.

Not that I disagree, I mean, I even think it's smarter to put in the float mechanic. That way people who have trouble with the game can play more easily without letting the game play itself (or go into a bubble), and still have fun doing it. But it's easy to see how Miyamoto or whatever would think that it breaks the game and therefore remove it (kinda like how the warp zones "broke" SMB, huh?).

 

[Maron]

How do you know?

Yeah, that ONM article was what I was gonna link you to. Personally, I'm glad someone asked the question and the guy just bluntly answered it. It keeps me from getting my hopes up too high and just enjoying the game and looking forward to the other secrets. I sorta wish we could play as Luigi in single player though, but whatever.

 

[ace harding: private eye]

You only have to do one out of every 2 platforming sections.

Not that I disagree, I mean, I even think it's smarter to put in the float mechanic. That way people who have trouble with the game can play more easily without letting the game play itself (or go into a bubble), and still have fun doing it. But it's easy to see how Miyamoto or whatever would think that it breaks the game and therefore remove it (kinda like how the warp zones "broke" SMB, huh?).

It can make the game easier, but hardly breaks the game. Figuring out how far to float over obstacles or onto enemies just creates a different dimension to the gameplay, similar to Luigi's weird jump.
A variety in character skills is an easy way to add replay value to a game.

 

[Agent Unknown]

1UP.com's Retronaughts recently had a two part feature titled "Know Your Koopa Kids" detailing the pop culture origins of their names (which were obviously the result of some young NOA employees having fun back in the day but I was surprised to learn they were unnamed in the Japanese release, maybe that will change now?) and some humorous speculation on who their mother might be. Larry (probably) and Morton (definitely) were named after the talk show hosts. I was suprised Lemmy was a reference to Motorhead but that's because I know almost nothing about Motorhead. Anyways, it's a fun read. Click and enjoy:

http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9008213&publicUserId=5631527

http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9008302&publicUserId=5631527

Oh my goodness... After all these years, finally, in 3D... *blinks back tears*

And now maybe they'll start filling out the rosters of Kart, Tennis, Golf, et al.

I hope so too. Especially after Mario Kart Wii's anemic alternate character lineup.

Wait, the Koopa Kids were originally slated to be featured in Super Princess Peach, of all titles?

Yep. Just google "Koopa Kids Super Princess Peach" and you'll find some other sources backing this up.

 

[Why would you do that?]

I was surprised to learn they were unnamed in the Japanese release, maybe that will change now?

That's interesting, didn't know that either. Bowser is also not named int he Japanese release, being just "Koopa".

I wonder what the Japanese Super Mario World credits looks like, specifically the part where all the Koopa Kids are named.

 

[Maron]

Ohwell, here it is anyway, the best I could do considering the amount of noise on top of it.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/676985175b572aa3/

So beautiful. Thanks for that, man.

 

[BGBW]

That's interesting, didn't know that either. Bowser is also not named int he Japanese release, being just "Koopa".

I wonder what the Japanese Super Mario World credits looks like, specifically the part where all the Koopa Kids are named.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA_wvWK9KxU#t=5m3s
They use the American names.

 

[Agent Unknown]

^^^

Glad to see that, thanks.

 

[DDayton]

The Q&A with ONM or whoever said there were no extra characters.

...although it SHOULD be noted that the reviewer who said this ALSO said he hadn't gotten all the star coins yet.

Not that that will necessarily change, mind you, but it's not quite the same as "official confirmation."

 

[BowieZ]

...although it SHOULD be noted that the reviewer who said this ALSO said he hadn't gotten all the star coins yet.

Not that that will necessarily change, mind you, but it's not quite the same as "official confirmation."

That's what I'm uncertain about. There's obviously a "fantastic" bonus for collecting all the star coins, and they've gone to the trouble of making 3D models for Peach, the Koopalings and co., why not just go the extra mile in terms of multi-player character selection and allow you to play as whoever (hopefully Luigi, too, in single-player) once you've already finished the game. I don't see how that would "break the game" if you've already finished it and it's just a bonus.

Although, yes, I too do not wish to get my hopes up, and also, ONM's denial was surely approved by Nintendo themselves?

However, if I recall, there was something ambiguous about the very first press release given about the different characters in the game. Something about "you'll meet other characters along the way" but I remember thinking it was worded very carefully... hmm...

 

[Why would you do that?]

I wouldn't be surprised if the fantastic bonus was old levels, or whole versions of old games.

I certainly hope it is, simply because I would love to play Mario 3 co-op. It's all too epic, with huge airship and tank armadas.

Edit: I'm going to move this discussion to the Official Thread.

 

[DDayton]

Although, yes, I too do not wish to get my hopes up, and also, ONM's denial was surely approved by Nintendo themselves?

I think you're giving too much credit to someone here...

 

[Burai]

Wait, the Koopa Kids were originally slated to be featured in Super Princess Peach, of all titles?

This is the generation where Nintendo piss on the dreams of their most loyal, hardcore following so, yes, the Koopa Kids make perfect sense in their casual platformer for girls.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see StarFox 64 II as an unlockable in Style Boutique either. That's just how Nintendo rolls these days.

 

[GrotesqueBeauty]

This is the generation where Nintendo piss on the dreams of their most loyal, hardcore following so, yes, the Koopa Kids make perfect sense in their casual platformer for girls.

Super Princess Peach was a better platformer than NSMB. I'm sorry that you're too macho to enjoy it. As we all know, Mario games are esteemed for their steely eyed manliness.

 

[EatChildren]

...although it SHOULD be noted that the reviewer who said this ALSO said he hadn't gotten all the star coins yet.

Not that that will necessarily change, mind you, but it's not quite the same as "official confirmation."

True, but he did also say that there were cool unlockables so I assume he has some insight into what is and is not in the game. He works for ONM too, so I wouldn't be surprised if (for the review) he was suppied with information on the game such as what is unlocked and what-not.

I personally don't care for character unlockables unless they're really early on. I'm sure replay value will be awesome, but by the time I've collected a wealth of Star Coins I'm not going to care about being able to play as some new avatar, especially when as 1P you can only play as Mario.

I'm suprised they didn't add in playable Mii's to be honest, though it probably ranks up their with the no-Peach excuse.

Either way, I figure unlockables will take on other forms. Locking an avatar until very far into coin collection seems pretty pointless.

 

[El-Suave]

I wanted to wait to get the game till Christmas but now I've stumbled upon this Limited Tin Edition at Game.co.uk. Don't know if it's in the thread already, but I like it:

 

[goomba]

Any hidden messages in the game like SMG?

 

[batbeg]

Guys, stop bumping this thread, DancingJesus made a proper one...

 

[Alcahest]

I absolutely fucking hate holding the wiimote sideways for mario; there, I said it.
I was so looking forward to playing it with the super famicom classic controller, MUCH SADNESS.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

This is in response to a couple of posts on another forum, but it pretty much sums up my opinions on the game. I want to say that below is simply what bothers me with the game. There's only so many times I can say "OMG great level design!!1" etc.

Speaking of which, I really wish you could appreciate the level design in multiplayer as much as you could in single player. I kept telling my friends last night how great World 7's level design was, World 7 is so awesome, and so on, and then we got there and it really wasn't nearly as wowing as it was in single player, because you can't even focus on it. Right now, we're up to the World 7 Castle. Can't wait to see how painful World 8 becomes with four players!
~~~~~~~~~~

It relates to the balance of the game, I'm sure. If Yoshi could be used on ANY stage it would potentially break the challenge, since some of the best challenges offered by the game come from the star coins. The level design just wasn't made to allow for Yoshi to be used everywhere.

Which goes to show you how far they went with the gameplay design in this game compared to Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3. I love this game, but they just BARELY didn't make it, as a complete package, to where Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3 were for me.

Besides not going through the effort to tweak each level for Yoshi's use, there's the still pretty straight forward map design, which fails to eclipse Super Mario Bros. 3, let alone Super Mario World in greatness. SMB3 not only had branching paths, but secret paths that could only be found using rare items, Rare Mushroom houses that gave you items like the Whistle, Tanooki Suit, etc. instead of just the frankly useless stars, and secret areas that were completely off the map. What's more, the Hammer Bros. would move around the entire map, forcing you to alter your course to avoid (for what at least at the time, for me) was a much deadlier enemy. The airships would also move around the map, often forcing you to play levels that you hadn't played the first time in order to reach it as a type of a balance feature, or more importantly, levels that you HAD beat, but got a Game Over on afterward, something that I never came close to having happen in this game. This also comes as an argument against removing Game Overs in games such as these. Yeah, difficulty might still be good in level design, but it's no big fricking deal if I die at all in this game, and frankly, I didn't very often until World 8.

Now lets go to Super Mario World, where the map was completely interconnected into Dinosaur Land. Not only could you find secrets within a World (that didn't consist of uninspired rectangular maps, mind you), but you could find a secret in one World that lead you somewhere on the map to another World. Not to mention the step above and beyond the Warp Zone/Cannon that was Star Road. Or how about levels like Secret Area 1? Or elements such as the Switch Palaces? Or that the map dynamically changes as you go through levels? Or secrets that don't rely almost entirely upon false walls to discover? That are instead rewards for excellent gaming skills? Or for both World and 3, a WHOLE ENTIRE SOUNDTRACK that is good? Not just somewhat half the songs?

While in the later levels, New Super Mario Bros. Wii excels in its level design, it is a completely false statement to me to say that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is on the same level as Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Elements such as the rigidly structured world maps and the music that leaves much to be desired takes New Super Mario Bros. Wii down from being that 10 for me to a solid 9-8.5.

 

[theluma]

Man took me like 5 minutes to realise this wasn't the NSMBWii thread, thought everyone had gone mad :lol

 

[Davey Cakes]

And, Mr. Wonderful, I'll counter your post by reiterating my post from that other forum.

You've fallen into the same trap as so many others in saying that the soundtrack is only half good. In fact, the soundtrack is quite strong. It is catchy. It is memorable. And, in some ways, it does stand right there with SMB3 and World.

Criticisms of the soundtrack are, to me, the same as criticisms of the physics. They are not completely unfounded, I guess, but they are also completely and nearly-unreasonably subjective in terms of an overall critique and even seem to be driven by nostalgia in some particular cases.

 

[ryan-ts]

Man took me like 5 minutes to realise this wasn't the NSMBWii thread, thought everyone had gone mad :lol

Me too:lol

 

[Kai Dracon]

While in the later levels, New Super Mario Bros. Wii excels in its level design, it is a completely false statement to me to say that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is on the same level as Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Elements such as the rigidly structured world maps and the music that leaves much to be desired takes New Super Mario Bros. Wii down from being that 10 for me to a solid 9-8.5.

To be fair, most of the people I've seen praising NSMBWii have been praising it on the grounds that its level design is, in MOST (not every single) stages, equal or superior to SMB3 and SMW. Most of the failings you point out involve the world map - not the meat of the game, the stages themselves.

And it's true. The NSMBWii world maps do not display the same degree of cunning and design that SMB3 and SMW do. However, something I do see people fail to understand quite frequently is that NSMBWii for better or worse is the way it is because the DS game sold like 20 million copies. There's your answer; the limitations in its world map, as with the aesthetic and overall style of the game, are quite on purpose so as to appeal directly to not just the hardcore of today, and the 2D platform specialist / fetishist, but the expanded audience who bought NSMB DS.

Some people will cry and moan about this more than others (I'm not saying you, personally, are actually whining), and use it as an excuse to harp on "those f**king casuals destroying OUR games", as if these games really belong to just "us". Just like people who can't seem to shake a controller without putting it through their own forehead piss and moan about the "waggle" in the game. But at a certain point, talking about how the world map in NSMBWii is inferior becomes pointless, as if suggesting Nintendo made it that way because they're lazy. It just is what it is.

My own criticism of their direction isn't that they used the DS game as a template, I've long since accepted and gotten over that, but merely that they were still just a tiny bit too conservative with game content and wasted world 9's potential.

Now, Nintendo COULD very easily make a game even better and more polished than NSMB Wii that directly competes with and outdoes SMB3 and SMW, and if they continue down their reorganized and altered track, they may very well do it. I believe the chances are good. NSMB Wii exists for a specific purpose and now that job is done.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

To be fair, most of the people I've seen praising NSMBWii have been praising it on the grounds that its level design is, in MOST (not every single) stages, equal or superior to SMB3 and SMW. Most of the failings you point out involve the world map - not the meat of the game, the stages themselves.

And it's true. The NSMBWii world maps do not display the same degree of cunning and design that SMB3 and SMW do. However, something I do see people fail to understand quite frequently is that NSMBWii for better or worse is the way it is because the DS game sold like 20 million copies. There's your answer; the limitations in its world map, as with the aesthetic and overall style of the game, are quite on purpose so as to appeal directly to not just the hardcore of today, and the 2D platform specialist / fetishist, but the expanded audience who bought NSMB DS.

Some people will cry and moan about this more than others (I'm not saying you, personally, are actually whining), and use it as an excuse to harp on "those f**king casuals destroying OUR games", as if these games really belong to just "us". Just like people who can't seem to shake a controller without putting it through their own forehead piss and moan about the "waggle" in the game. But at a certain point, talking about how the world map in NSMBWii is inferior becomes pointless, as if suggesting Nintendo made it that way because they're lazy. It just is what it is.

My own criticism of their direction isn't that they used the DS game as a template, I've long since accepted and gotten over that, but merely that they were still just a tiny bit too conservative with game content and wasted world 9's potential.

Now, Nintendo COULD very easily make a game even better and more polished than NSMB Wii that directly competes with and outdoes SMB3 and SMW, and if they continue down their reorganized and altered track, they may very well do it. I believe the chances are good. NSMB Wii exists for a specific purpose and now that job is done.

The World Map was just a single example I chose to focus on because it demonstrated my point the strongest.

And, Mr. Wonderful, I'll counter your post by reiterating my post from that other forum.

You've fallen into the same trap as so many others in saying that the soundtrack is only half good. In fact, the soundtrack is quite strong. It is catchy. It is memorable. And, in some ways, it does stand right there with SMB3 and World.

Criticisms of the soundtrack are, to me, the same as criticisms of the physics. They are not completely unfounded, I guess, but they are also completely and nearly-unreasonably subjective in terms of an overall critique and even seem to be driven by nostalgia in some particular cases.

I don't know how you can say the whole entire soundtrack is good when half the soundtrack is only a step above elevator music.

 

[Cheez-It]

The World Map was just a single example I chose to focus on because it demonstrated my point the strongest.

I don't know how you can say the whole entire soundtrack is good when half the soundtrack is only a step above elevator music.

Seriously? As if you couldn't do the same damn thing with nearly every other Mario game?