Running on Empty

So, I broke down and downloaded the new Super Mario Run game from Nintendo the other day. I've been putting it off, even though I was on the wait list, because I'm a little apprehensive about a game with a tag line of 'You can play it with only one finger' .  Having caved and downloaded it, though, I then had to play it.

The first comment I've got is that the game is a lot more polished than I expected. I was afraid these were throwaway titles Nintendo was banking on stealing a part of the nuclear wasteland that is most of mobile gaming, so I also thought we'd get half-thought graphics as well. I was wrong. This game looks as good as any download for the Wii U or 3DS.

Also, the interface works really smooth. I've played a lot of mobile games where the interface was obviously an afterthought, but this isn't one of them. Every button is well placed to be easily accessed on your phone. Heck, even my 8.1" tablet is easily navigable with this game.

And pricing: as is the way of mobile gaming these days, this is a freemium game, but as far in as I've gotten, there is no real reason to drop a ton of money into this game to get full enjoyment out of it.

But now we hit the snag. Is it fun? Not really. As a platformer-on-rails, this game feels more like you're watching another person play a play-through, and you just get to interact a little. And the frustration you feel at not being able to back up and grab something you've missed kills most of the enjoyment you might have gotten.

So, to conclude, the idea of a Mario game on tablets is cool, and I really did hope it would be some thing I could like, but if any game, even a Mario game, doesn't really grab you in the first 15-20 minutes, its probably not worth your time.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team

So, for Christmas I finally decided to ask for an upgrade to my DS system and move to a 3DS.  The options that Ms. Clause (my wife), had were a special edition Dream Team 3DS, or the 2DS bundled with either Pokemon X or Y.

She wanted to know which I wanted, and as tempting as the new Pokemon has been, I went with the M&L Dream Team.  And I couldn't have made a better choice.

As one of the off-shoots of Super Mario RPG, the M&L series has grown with its odd sense of sometimes subtle humor, and it's unique cast among the Mario Bros. franchise.   I  found myself getting sucked in to the usually ridiculous storyline and caught up in ancient war of the Pi'llo  people.

I have to say that over all, I really enjoyed M&L Dream Team, but the end was rather weak.  The final area is huge, but there are few amenities, and the grind is exhausting.

I would have to give the game four out of five arbitrary and meaningless stars.