Tuesday 29 September 2015

"Imagine a world where everyone is really a change maker."


It's 23ish years ago, I'm around 12 years old and ridiculously excited about the release of Super Mario bros 3 on the Super Nintendo. Ever since my mom bought me and my sisters a NES when it was released and I first picked up that grey rectangle game pad I was hooked. Nintendo quickly became a huge part of my life and around that time my gaming experience was amazing. My mom was a big Tetris and Dr Mario fan and really embraced the whole gaming thing by taking us to our local toy store to buy us a game most months if me and my sisters had been good.


Its been an ongoing thing for many many years and the only Nintendo console we've not owned yet is the New 3ds (but Ive got my eye on an XL and there is plenty of time to sort that out). Back to the current day and in 2015 not a lot has changed. Despite being 35, I still adore Nintendo, they shaped a huge chunk of my development. What has changed though is the two miniature versions of myself that I had molded over the years are now the ones anticipating the release of a Mario game and there excitement really puts a huge smile on my face as it takes me right back.


For months now Seth and Opeie have been talking about Super Mario Maker, they have watched Youtube video's and live reviews and were both desperate to get stuck in. I didn't tell Seth last week that it had arrived, so when he came home from school and saw the game sent by Nintendo to review the excitement nearly brought him to tears (this was me, many years ago).


From the moment the Super Mario Maker title screen came up we were all hooked, the game is amazing on so many levels. For an aging Nintendo enthusiast such as myself, being able to remake the original Super Mario Bros, which was my first ever Nintendo game (on a joint cartridge with Duck hunt) is like a dream come true, but to be able to flip the level you are making to a Super Mario Bros 3 style or Mario world with just one click is truly a triumph.


With a huge range of accessories that span over the Super Mario back catalogue to add in to each of your creations, all you need to do to unlock them all is keep creating and eventually you are rewarded with more fun items to include in your ever growing custom levels. The great thing about Super Mario Maker is that it appeals to literally any age group which makes it the perfect family game. You can make the levels as easy or as difficult as you like. When it comes to my boys, they love creating ridiculously difficult levels with lots of bosses and awkward bad guys (piled up on top of each other), jumps that you can only just make and moving platforms that don't quite go as far as they are supposed to.



Not in a creative mood? then there's no need to worry because after you have created a course you can save it and upload it for other gamers to play worldwide in the 'Course World' section of the game and there are an endless amount of levels available to play created by fans, some of them are truly amazing. This is a game unlike any other I have played, we've only been playing three days and we cant wait to have unlocked all the extras. The only thing holding you back on this game would be your imagination.


If you are feeling up to a challenge there is the 100 Mario Challenge or if thats too easy the 10 Mario challenge where you have to complete a number of custom levels with limited lives.


 This game really has something for everyone and I can see Super Mario Maker being huge over Christmas as its the perfect game for sitting home with your family. 

If the game isn't exciting enough, its that mustachioed super plumbers 30th birthday and to celebrate Nintendo have made this awesome Amiibo. The game is really exciting as it is, but being able to add in new characters with the Amiibo's really adds to the fun. 

Super Mario Maker gets a HUGE thumbs up from us but there's no surprise there, For us, Nintendo continue to be the dominating force in the gaming world.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARIO!!!!



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