Topic: Mario Galaxy

[ReverendNoahWhateley]

Honestly, if Galaxy looks disappointing to you thus far, I would suggest not picking up a Wii.  Liking the Wii but disliking what's been revealed about Galaxy is roughly analogous to being an N64 owner that doesn't like Super Mario 64.

[couchmonkey]

Yes, Mr. Jack is right on: everyone who plays this game is really positive about it.  Moreso than Super Mario Sunshine as far as I can remember.  

As for not liking Mario in Space: (a) I wish people would stop worrying about the setting, it's just a backdrop for the action, and (b) It's Mario IN SPACE.  Have you no soul?

[Bill Aurion]

I'm really excited for the variety that will come out of this...Like in the E3 footage, Mario goes from a grass-covered planet to a smaller one with castle ruins on it, and then off to a pirate ship!  The randomness of it was incredibly awesome...

[Hostile Creation]

The one thing I dislike about Wii is how every game for it has to be some great showcase for its capabilities.  We can't be excited for a game just because it's an incredible game, like we were for Super Mario 64 and games like that, back in the day.  I want Super Mario Galaxy because it looks like the best Mario game since, I dunno.  Super Mario 64 or maybe Super Mario World.  I just get that impression.  It's got nothing to do with how it controls on the Wii, it's because it's Mario and I love how it looks and I want to play it a lot.

[Bill Aurion]

Well from all the previews I've read about Mario Galaxy, it's not that the game showcases the Wii's full capabilities, but that it makes use of what it has in a very comfortable and satisfying manner...

[MaryJane]

I think games like Zelda, Mario, and Metroid would be just as good without motion control (or showcasing the controllers abilities) but then the trade off would be that the Wii would be an HD system making it un-unique, more expensive, and quite possibly a failure.

So, I say hooray to every game talking about it's controls rather than worrying about how many copies it will sell, and if Nintendo is going to still make consoles.

[NWR_pap64]

I am too lazy to read everything...

What's the issue with Mario Galaxy again?

[Artimus]

Quote
Originally posted by: pap64
I am too lazy to read everything...

What's the issue with Mario Galaxy again?

It's not out yet, basically. Everything else is just drivel.

[Ceric]

Quote
Originally posted by: ReverendNoahWhateley
Honestly, if Galaxy looks disappointing to you thus far, I would suggest not picking up a Wii.  Liking the Wii but disliking what's been revealed about Galaxy is roughly analogous to being an N64 owner that doesn't like Super Mario 64.

Hey I take offense to that. ;P

[wandering]

Just so there are no misunderstandings or hurt feelings because of what I said about hating kairon and smoke earlier, I'd just like to make it clear that I don't actually hate kairon.

[IceCold]

But I still do.

Honestly guys, as I have said before, it isn't meant to be revolutionary! I'll have to post my thoughts from around E3 AGAIN!

----
Firstly, how much more can you do with the Mario platformer formula while keeping it intuitive? Even with the jump to SM64, it was, at its core, the same basic game. Analogue control perfected platforming motion in the 3D world, and now, even with the new controller, not much can be improved on. This is exactly why, even though the development team tried many different things with the controller, Miyamoto overruled it since they didn't make controlling Mario any more intuitive. In fact, it was the opposite. Thinking about it, this is really the first console Nintendo has ever made whose control scheme is not tailored for a Mario game. The NES, well, we all know about Mario's escapades on it. The SNES was an extension. Mario 64 was a pioneer in analogue control, with the 64 controller. Then the GameCube, another extension, was the best controller ever for platformers, bar none. The Wii, on the other hand, is not designed specifically for a game like Mario, but instead opens the door to many other genres. So you want a "radically different" Mario? Well, now that would be a disaster..

And even with these limitations, Galaxy still uses the controller beautifully while staying true to its roots. It's the perfect balance of traditional platforming and new, innovative use of the controller without overusing it just for the novelty.

Mario Galaxy is my most anticipated game. I haven't felt this longing for a game since the 64 era. It does everything I expected and more, with some awesome additions.

Quote
Originally posted by: Svevan
Hey guys. I've played SMG. It rocks.

Oh yeah? I thought you didn't like it, especially the cursor part..

[Smoke39]

Space is boring compared to the setting in previous Mario games.  It's a giant black blob with some dots in it.  It doesn't appeal to me.

Also, it seems like there's less complex platforming since the planetoids are so small there's hardly any room to construct anything on them.  It just looks like all you do is run around in circles on a tiny rock, then blast off to the next rock.

The game just looks boring to me.  So what?  I bet plenty of you would be bored with some of the games I like.

[Kairon]

Quote
Originally posted by: wandering
Thirded. Kairon may think he's a Miyamoto fanboi, but he has demonstrated today that he is anything but.

BUT MIYAMOTO'S EAD ISN'T MAKING IT! NINTENDO TOKYO'S JUNGLE BEAT TEAM IS!

JUNGLE BEAT ROCKS BUT IT ISN'T EAD'S MARIO!!!!!!!

Seriously, I can understand that the game will be good, but there' been very little shown objectively to make this game anything more than a well done sequel with better ideas than Sunshine.

Don't get me wrong, I'm totally buying Mario Galaxy. But I'm not buying the excessive hype.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com  

[Kairon]

Quote
Originally posted by: wandering
Just so there are no misunderstandings or hurt feelings because of what I said about hating kairon and smoke earlier, I'd just like to make it clear that I don't actually hate kairon.

I see what you did there.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[wandering]

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BUT MIYAMOTO'S EAD ISN'T MAKING IT! NINTENDO TOKYO'S JUNGLE BEAT TEAM IS!

Nice try.

Quote
Takashi Tezuka: Mr. Miyamoto had done experiments with Mario on a round playing surface in the past, so that married up to this idea of taking him somewhere new.

Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
I don't understand the hype because I don't get what's so great about running upside down on a planetoid

That's right. You just said you don't get what's so great about an idea Miyamoto himself came up with.  

[Hostile Creation]

I am unaffected by hype.  I don't listen to what anyone says about how good a game is going to be.  I see a game, and I develop my personal hype depending on how much I want it.
Super Mario Galaxy is possibly my most anticipated Wii title (it's hard to decide with Metroid and Zelda in the mix), totally independently of what everyone else has said.  I've only seen the videos.  I haven't even read impressions.

[Kairon]

Quote
Originally posted by: wandering

Quote
BUT MIYAMOTO'S EAD ISN'T MAKING IT! NINTENDO TOKYO'S JUNGLE BEAT TEAM IS!

Nice try.

Quote
Takashi Tezuka: Mr. Miyamoto had done experiments with Mario on a round playing surface in the past, so that married up to this idea of taking him somewhere new.

Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
I don't understand the hype because I don't get what's so great about running upside down on a planetoid

That's right. You just said you don't get what's so great about an idea Miyamoto himself came up with.

I... I... *cracks*

I REPENT! MARIO AM HYPE TOTAL! HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE!

... to be truthful, even Miyamoto isn't infallible. *gasp* But now that I know that Miyamoto's been thinking of Mario running on spheres for awhile now, I am soooooooooo relieved.

HYPE TOTAL! HYPE HYP HYPE HYPE HYPE HYPE TOTALLLLL!

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

[MaryJane]

I don't understand why the setting of Mario in space scares people. Isn't it still mario?
Do you honestly believe the platform (genius) fundamentals of Mario are going to get sucked into a black whole and we're left with a little plumber dodging asteroids while waving at aliens?

Nope.

We're going to have one expansive platform. Don't be scared just because it's new. That's the thinking of racists. Oh no a black guy is president? He's going to ruin everything? Why? Because he's black? Is he not a man? Did he not fulfill the same requirements of past presidents? His philosophy's may be different but most everything will be the same.

My advice: take a breather, wait till the game releases and then come back and tell me that space was a bad idea. At the same time, I'm not here to say space was a great idea. I'm just saying it's platformer with Mario, the basics will be there, they have just been expanded on.

[NWR_pap64]

So basically, the big issue here is that Super Mario galaxy isn't using the Wiimote and people fear it might be more of an expansion pack rather than a true, NEW Mario game?

If this is the issue, I can sum this up in 7 words...

WAIT

TILL

THE

DAMN

GAME

IS

RELEASED!

Seriously as I stated back during the TP debacle all we have is a short E3 demo of the game. The game won't be released till 2007, which means that Nintendo will likely go back to the game, fix some of the issues and add in some new elements in order to make it better.

How can you pass judgment on a game that not only very few have played, is it still in its development stages? Now this is what I call bitching for the hell of it...

[Smoke39]

Quote
Originally posted by: pap64
So basically, the big issue here is that Super Mario galaxy isn't using the Wiimote and people fear it might be more of an expansion pack rather than a true, NEW Mario game?

No.  Not for me, anyway.  It just looks boring to me from what I've seen.

Quote
Originally posted by: pap64
How can you pass judgment on a game that not only very few have played, is it still in its development stages? Now this is what I call bitching for the hell of it...

I haven't passed judgement on the game.  I've passed judgement on what I've seen of the demo.  Two completely different things, and for all I know the game could catch more of my interest once it's matured.  It's okay to hold an opinion on the current state of an unfinished product.

[IceCold]

Quote
BUT MIYAMOTO'S EAD ISN'T MAKING IT! NINTENDO TOKYO'S JUNGLE BEAT TEAM IS!

JUNGLE BEAT ROCKS BUT IT ISN'T EAD'S MARIO!!!!!!!

I was concerned about this too. However, Bill told me that after the Mario team was done Sunshine, they all moved to EAD Tokyo. That should alleviate your worries..

[Svevan]

Quote
Originally posted by: IceCold

Quote
Originally posted by: Svevan
Hey guys. I've played SMG. It rocks.

Oh yeah? I thought you didn't like it, especially the cursor part..

I did comment on the very premise - is it revolutionary? Innovative? Etc. I think overall yes, but I don't like the idea of controlling Mario via cursor. That is, unless the game takes a new stance on perspective.

TANGENT THAT CLARIFIES MY OPINIONS: Every game has us play as someone, but some have us go further in terms of identification and emotional involvement than others. Mario doesn't talk a lot, but he does talk. Link on the other hand is always silent, because Link is an extension of us as players more than Mario is. Another example: the cinema scenes in MGS help us realize that we are supposed to be a sort of spectator to Snake's actions, even when we're actively controlling him. Snake is an extension of us only insofar as we get to guide him on a path through a highly linear story. Now, Nintendo never asks us to sympathize with Link, but Konami does expect us to sympathize with Snake. (Oddly, we are expected to BE Link but not Snake - notice we can't change Snake's name.) Somewhere in the middle we are expected to sympathize to some degree with Mario while actively controlling him at all times. We get to be Mario, but Mario is an extension of ourselves more than Snake is (since half of Snake's actions are uncontrollable and he makes decisions without our help). (Further examples are first-person gameplay vs. third peson - Half-Life tells a story about a person, but expects us to identify fully with him. King Kong is similar.)

Anyways, that's a lot of talk simply to say that the control in Galaxy throws me for a loop - who am I controlling? Who am I supposed to be? By giving us control of a cursor that is independent of Mario, we surely are playing as someone other than Mario while at the same time controlling Mario. Perhaps this "third" person is us, the player, or perhaps it is a character in the game. I don't know. I suppose it's supposed to be one of Mario's magical powers, but it feels too disembodied for that. Until Nintendo gets this straight, I think people will be confused by the Direct Pointing functionality and find it tacked on without being justified.

In terms of game design, this game is . It's excitingly linear without being narrow - each planet must be explored to a certain degree, but you can only go from one planet to the next. I expect we'll see some very large planets, but so far we've only seen moderately small ones. Also, there are hints (in one of our E3 interviews) that this is only a portion of the game, and the premise is more far reaching. If so, that's great! I can't wait to see what else is happening. Personally, a fully realized 3-d Mushroom Kingdom would be awesome, but that's more of an RPG style thing and not very Mario.

[Smoke39]

I agree with Svev that the cursor seems weirdly disjointed.  If, for example, it were where Mario was aiming a grappling hook or something, it wouldn't seem so odd.  As it is it's like your left hand is Mario and your right is you or something.  Or, do you still use A to make Mario jump?  'Cause that mixes everything up even more.

Maybe when we learn more about the premise of the story it'll be explained?

[The Traveller]

Miyamoto apparently hand picked the people to work on Galaxy. Is Miyamoto directing?

[Bill Aurion]

From what I recall, Yoshiaki Koizumi is directing the game...He directed Mario Sunshine and Jungle Beat...In the past he did the script for Link's Awakening, and also worked on Yoshi's Island, Mario 64, and Ocarina of Time...He is obviously a force to be reckoned with...

(And yes, A makes Mario jump...Those who actually played the game say that the controls are fantastic, and there is no disjointment at all...)