Here´s the first batch of videos and reviews, hope you guys find them useful:
Sure. Here is my newest one: 133B-0000-00B8-DCE0
Video:
https://youtu.be/S_4Pv3_Fh-0
The title is a bit misleading: Castles & Koopas. The castle part is allright, but I expected much more focus on Koopas as a main mechanic; they are just another type of enemy amongst others.
That said, I didn´t finish this level. It´s the one in which I spent more time as you´ll see in the video (more than 30 minutes!). The ideas behind this level are very good, but I feel the level would work much better if divided into 3 different levels where they have more time to shine and be developed.
The first of this ideas is Goombas on Monty Moles, I thought that was great and was a bit disappointed that it was never used again after the first encounters. This first part is based on action and fast reactions, with lots of enemies and some tricky parts. The last obstacle (fire bars) are tricky because you can´t see them before jumping down and they leave really little safe spaces, I think that part should be toned down a bit. Also, a power up before taking the pipe would be nice, as it´s really easy to loose it before taking it and you have a very long challenge after that. In fact, I missed more powerups through the whole level, as it being so long it´s easy to make a mistake and die, being then forced to repeat a lot of things to get back to where you were. Another good idea was the stationary Hammer Bro, first time I´ve seen this enemy used in a way I liked. Also, the setup with 3 Fire Piranha Plants was very tricky, but in a good way, even though it felt a bit out of place.
I liked a lot how the level had many "mini"-alternate paths to help in some challenges, like vines to avoid the Moles or the alternate path over the Fire Piranha Plants which made passing them much easier. This first part could be expanded a bit and made into it´s own level.
The second part has some nice ideas, but I think there´s a big flaw which seriously harms it: it´s a metroidvania challenge based around powerups with lots of tricky enemies and obstacles. With so many different and tricky challenges it´s easy to take a hit, thus forcing you to backtrack again and again to recover the lost powerup and be able to advance. In the end, this causes a lot of frustration in the player, who will start rushing and making dumb mistakes (as you´ll see in the video). To be honest, if I wasn´t recording the level I would have given up much earlier after so many repetitions. Exploration and high risk is a mix that doesn´t go well together.
The first arrow underneath the Thwomp misleaded me the first time, as usually arrows are used to indicate the player where he must go, but here it was pointing at a hazard. I think it would be better to add some breakable blocks that stop the Thwomp the first time and get rid of the arrow.
One time I killed another Thwomp who was supposed to open a path to a door and that left me stuck, you should redo that part. Also, an arrow here pointing at the door would´ve been great help to not skip the door, though I understand that could be considered part of the puzzle.
There´s a door you have to take which puts you where the first Thwomp is. There´s also a fire bar close and it´s easy to get hit by it after getting out of the door, so you´ll loose the shoe and have to backtrack to get it back. You should just remove it.
This second part could be another level on it´s own. Anyway, the level should have finished after this.
Then, the level went downhill, 2 Mega Bowser Jrs. with moving platforms, moving and flying Fire Piranha Plants, Fire Bars and Moles all at once, then a moving Mega MagiKoopa and Bowser...it felt too much, specially at that point in the level. I tried to take on the challenge but got overwhelmed pretty fast, so then I tried to damage boost through it which only took me so far. Up until this point the whole level was difficult but more or less fair and well designed, but this last part was overkill...you should remove it, seriously. After all the effort I put inot getting through the puzzle part I felt like the designer wasn´t giving it any value and was punishing me instead of giving me a nice reward. All satisfaction turned to frustration in a moment, it´s a huge opportunity lost.
Overall I enjoyed the level, if not I wouldn´t have spent 30 minutes on it, but I think you could reorganize what you´ve done and come up with 2 different and better levels.
DE92-0000-00BF-D586 ("Airship invasion"), third level of a friend of mine
Video:
https://youtu.be/bCAY6tPr-wk
This was a nice level, though it felt a bit too simple and even a bit repetitive, I think there are two ships that are almost identical, it even made me doubt if I had warped back somehow. It does nothing wrong, but nothing exceptionally good either, it feels like a "correct" level. I would star it if I found it in 100 Mario challenge because it´s clearly designed with good intentions behind it, but it falls a bit short to be memorable. However, I think it will work really good as an introductory level to the Airship theme.
There was one thing I didn´t like: the first powerup is located right next to a Bill Blaster. That seemed like a way to get the player to die cheaply. But apart from this, the level does nothing wrong.
Simple, correct level that works good as an introduction to the Airship theme, but lacks something to be memorable.
Yeah, exactly! Haha, so I did it again =]
Wow, major overview on my part. Thanks!
I'd love some feedback for Super Dude Bros. II 1-2- (C3E8-0000-00BF-6CD9), thank you (I believe you've already played 1-1, didn't you?).
Video (1-2):
https://youtu.be/dZVhBOyiY64
Video (1-1):
https://youtu.be/yIf2dIw0T_E
I played Super Dude Bros. II 1-2 and liked it so much that I had to record the first one too
The first is simpler than the second but it´s still a great level. However the second one is a gorgeous, awesome level! I didn´t understand what was going on for half the level but it was a magnificient chaos. Loved the concept of cannons on Goombas and all the different challenges, really nice mix of puzzles and action. This course gave me huge Contra vibes, is it based on that by any chance?
The level is really good, but it has on top of everything some small details that show all the work and attention to detail that´s behind it. One, the trick with the pipes so you don´t have to backtrack after getting the trampoline, I was dreading I had to repeat that whole part back with the spring and when I saw the pipes sending me through a different way it was really rewarding. Another nice detail is the ending when Mario gets into the chopper after you reach the goal, this is not gameplay related but put a nice ending to an awesome level, very good feeling of closure. The checkpoint right before the boss fight is another nice thing thrown in for the player. The whole level demosntrates time after time that it´s been designed with the player in mind, so he can have as much fun as he can and not have to suffer through any inconvenience. Note that this has nothing to do with making the level easy, impossible to die or removing the challenge; this course does none of these things.
There were some nice secrets and I´m aware Ive left out a lot of secret areas, but I want to give this level some time before replaying it so it can surprise me again instead of having everything fresh in mi mind. And I think that´s the best compliment you can get, that I really want to replay it again.
GREAT work and very recommended.
That´s all for today, I will review more tomorrow. but in the meantime, why don´t you give a look at my 2 newest levels?
RtDL6: Goomba´s Quantic Prison (new version, just uploaded): E7A1-0000-00C2-7E62
RtDL6: Goomba´s Quantic Prison said:
Oh no! Yoshi´s been captured! The evil Dr. Goomba has taken him to his Quantic Prison, a misterious place located between time and space that no one has escaped yet.
Will Mario be able to save Yoshi? Or will he also get trapped in this mindboggling prison...FoReVeR???
RtDL5: Bomb Battle in Sky Bridge (new version, uploaded some hours ago): AF79-0000-00C1-E338
Mario is taking back Dinosaur Land! However, Bowser is not going to allow this to continue. He´s sent Koopa the Crazy Bomber to Sky Bridge to protect this important location from Mario. But this plan might backfire, as Koopa just wants to blow everything up! Once he finishes there may not even be a Sky Bridge to protect...
Careful mario, don´t fall in Koopa´s traps!
