I should note two points: one, one of these is a cheat, but I’m including it anyway. And two, there’ll be light spoilers for these games. Anyway, let’s get started!
My pandemic began with Super Mario Maker 2 in March. This game isn’t exactly new, I got it months earlier, but I’m including it because the pandemic’s when I really got into it. And get into it I did, with sessions taking hours and viewings of my levels on Twitch sending me into aggressively late nights. I’m talking “up until 4:00 in the morning” levels here.
Super Mario Maker 2 has a really simple objective: what if you got to design Mario levels? Using 5 Mario templates-Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, New Super Mario Bros. Wii U and Super Mario 3D World-you can let your imagination run wild. Once your creation is finished and tested, you can upload it for strangers to play and give feedback. It sounds weird, but it’s incredible how much longevity the game has. Especially for a sequel to a Wii U game.
This is the perfect pandemic time-waster, and I’ve gone back to it frequently in the months since. A level could take up to several hours to design, beta test and correct in order to be ready, giving you lots of familiarity with its mechanics. My favourite is the Super Mario Bros. 3 template, if largely because I’m biased, as it has the best optics and takes the most-advantage of the concept. However, I’ve designed with all the modes, getting a feel for each.
But the real strength is in the online community. Ignoring how crappy Nintendo Online is, because Nintendo doesn’t get the internet, playing levels from strangers is a blast. Doubly-so watching them play my 25 levels and give feedback. And I’ve taken it to heart, enough that I was willing to up my game with each course I made. (Speaking of, I’ve yet to work with the most-recent update. I should get on that…)
If you need a break and want to play an actual game, Super Mario Maker 2 also has a Story Mode involving Princess Peach’s castle. It begins with it being completely demolished, forcing you to collect coins for building costs from NPCs. This means playing pre-set levels, some with conditions, and reaping rewards. It’s a great way to become familiarized with the mechanics, even if it’s not the meat and potatoes of the game proper. It also allows for unlockable items, which is a plus.
It wouldn’t take long before I’d move on to something more conventional. To that end, Super Paper Mario was the path to go. The third entry in the Paper Mario sub-genre, it was also the first to deviate from tradition and go for a linear platforming approach. Not that I’m faulting it, as I quite like this game. In some ways I even love it!
The story’s standard Paper Mario fare initially, Mario uncovers 8 Pure Hearts and saves all dimensions from being torn apart, but there’s more at stake than meets the eye. Specifically, there’s a subplot about the primary companion, Tippi, and the villain, Count Bleck, that feels ripped from Romeo & Juliet. It ends on a bittersweet note, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Intelligent Systems had been cribbing notes from the Shakespeare tragedy. I still cried at the end, though.
It’s a shame I got so invested in the story, because it often dragged me away from the gameplay. Which was…fine. I mean, it’s fun, and I’m glad I played it, but given how special those first two Paper Mario games were, it feels like a step down. It’s basically, when it boils down to it, another Mario platformer. Except that, this time, it has RPG elements. Yay Nintendo!
That was mean. Super Paper Mario is still lots of fun. Whether it’s the side-scrolling levels, or the puzzles that involve flipping perspectives or using the Wiimote in unique ways, there’s lots to enjoy. The game’s even funny, retaining much of the humour that made the Paper Mario games special. I especially like how many of the puzzles can be solved by switching from 2D to 3D. Though did the flipping mechanic need a health bar that drains so quickly?
I like Super Paper Mario. Is it a great game? Not really. But it does what it sets out to, letting you traverse a platforming RPG world. Plus, you can play as Peach, Bowser and Luigi. That alone sells me on it.
I like Super Paper Mario. Is it a great game? Not really. But it does what it sets out to, letting you traverse a platforming RPG world. Plus, you can play as Peach, Bowser and Luigi. That alone sells me on it.
Moving on from there, I made good on an old promise and started up Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure. I’d beaten this game before many years ago, but I’d been hesitant to do it again because of its difficulty. And when I say that, I mean “chained to a walkthrough for most of it” levels of difficulty. Sufficed to say, I still got stuck constantly. So it was like playing another Zelda game, except it’s a point-and-click game.
The game follows Zack, an adventurous pirate, and Wiki, a magical monkey, as they travel with their group of rabbits. During an encounter with Captain Rose, who blasts them from the sky, the two of discover the head of Captain Barbaros. He promises them riches in exchange for finding his body parts, which have been scattered throughout four worlds. With fame on their minds, Zack and Wiki take on this naïve quest.
The game uses a repetitive formula: Zack and Wiki traverse a level, solve puzzles and collect the pieces of Captain Barbaros. The game, however, is unbelievably hard, so much so that, like I said, I was chained to a walkthrough for much of it. Even then, I died a lot. Sometimes it was funny, but others it could be frustrating to see myself make the same mistake over and over. Especially with that accordion music playing each time I died.
Fortunately, the puzzles never feel unfair. Even when they’re outlandish in concept-the animals turn into sodas that you bathe in in one level-they follow a pre-set logic that make them palatable. That’s already a leg up considering how I’ve yet to complete any other puzzle game, of which this qualifies. Yay me!
As a final note, the game looks breathtaking. It might be a 13 year-old game, but its cell-shaded aesthetic makes it look like it could’ve come out today. It feels cartoony too, with a Saturday morning vibe that compliments how silly it can be. That doesn’t mean it can’t be dark, it can be, but that contrast helps make moments of tension or seriousness palatable. Not that it matters, because Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure is really fun! It’s the only point-and-click puzzle game I’ve beaten, and it’s a shame that it never received the sequel its ending teased. (I blame the bad marketing.)
As the Summer months creeped up, I decided to go for a Virtual Console game on my Wii. Initially, I wasn’t sure which to choose. But I wanted something short, something I could beat in an afternoon. Then I remembered that I hadn’t played Pokémon Snap in a while, and my nostalgia funny-bone began tingling. After all, with a sequel coming next year, what better time to replay it?
Pokémon Snap centres around Todd Snap, a photographer who’s commissioned by Professor Oak-yes, that Professor Oak-to photograph Pokémon in their natural habitat on a tropical island. Armed with a camera, a trolley and, later, a series of items to make the experience smoother, you’re tasked with taking pictures of all 63 Pokémon, as well as the 6 Pokémon Signs scattered in the first 6 courses. Though why it’s only 63 Pokémon, I’m unsure. Maybe if they cut down on the number of Pikachus…
Despite being breezy compared to other rail shooters, Pokémon Snap has the one element most games in the genre lack: leisure. This isn’t a game involving zombies, nor is it a survival experience. The levels of violence are actually pretty toned-down. All you do is take pictures of Pokémon. That’s it.
Surprisingly, that’s all it really needs! Considering that HAL Laboratory, developers of Super Smash Bros., made such a fun concept around photography, I’m amazed more games haven’t tried it. It’s really relaxing, too! So why not capitalize on that? Are developers that scared to make a game centred around photographs?
Either way, this game’s a breeze in the best way. The only downside? Its length. That, and it took over 2 decades to get a sequel. It’d better be worth it, or I’m suing! (Not really, but you can see my frustration.)
As you’re no doubt aware, I participated in a novel writing course this Spring and Summer. To celebrate finishing it, I played a game I personally was excited for: Paper Mario: The Origami King. I knew it wouldn’t be on-par with the classic entries, but I was anxious to play it anyway. And was it good? Yes.
Paper Mario: The Origami King starts with Mario and Luigi being invited to The Mushroom Kingdom for an origami festival, only to discover a ghost town. The kingdom has been hijacked by King Ollie, who’s kidnapped Princess Peach, turned everyone into origami creations and has trapped the castle in streamers. It’s now up to Mario, together with Ollie’s sister Olivia, to fix everything. Along the way, they interact with various regions and inhabitants, as well as liberate Toads from origami prisons. So yeah, it’s the most-Japanese Paper Mario game ever.
That’s not necessarily “bad”. If you can get past the bizarre concept, it’s actually quite fun. It’s especially satisfying to fill in holes with loose confetti or liberate Toads from origami prisons with your hammer. It’s especially satisfying if you’re persnickety, though that can also be a curse, maybe? I don’t know, it sometimes was a chore trying to 100% clear the game. (And I never did.)
That aside, the game has a really charming aesthetic that makes it worth traversing, even if only for a little while. I like taking side-routes and seeing what I could find, making this the first non-Pokémon RPG to do that for me. It didn’t matter if it was hammering trees or breaking blocks, the game’s overworld wasn’t boring. Neither were the NPCs, who felt distinct and fascinating in their own rights. And let’s not forget that one Bob-omb’s sacrifice, shall we? I’m still traumatized over that!
If I have any complaints, it’d be the combat and grid puzzles. The former wasn’t bad, but it got repetitive and often dragged on. And the latter was infuriating, since I hate those kinds of puzzles. Neither aspect ruined the game, the former kept battles exciting, but it’s no Paper Mario or Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. (It’s not even on-par with Super Paper Mario, but I won’t fault it.)
However, if you desire a traditional, Paper Mario-like game, look no further than Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling, which debuted on the Switch in the Summer of this year. I didn’t purchase to it until mid-Fall, as I was getting one of my Joycons fixed, but it’s still an absolute joy. It’s not flawless, and I’ll cover that eventually, but it fills the void left by what it’s emulating. And yes, it’s equally cute.
You play as Kabbu, a Hercules beetle, and Vi, a honey bee, as they fulfill Queen Elizant’s dreams of finding the Everlasting Sapling. You also find a moth named Leif, who joins your party after you save him. From here, you traverse the insect kingdoms in your quest to find different artifacts, as well as fight the various baddies along the way. It’s a pretty straightforward “go on a quest, travel to a new village, roam the land, fight the boss, rinse and repeat” formula, but, like the Paper Mario games, it works. It’s more repetitive, but it works.
For those unfamiliar, Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling’s a storybook-style, turn-based RPG with items and puzzle platforming. The combat’s also incredibly straightforward, almost a beginner’s RPG. Even the enemy battles are foreshadowed by making them visible in the overworld, though you can avoid them if you choose. It’s an example of one franchise stealing from another one, to the point of plagiarism. However, if it worked for the first two Paper Mario entries, then it works here too.
I have some complaints, though. Ignoring how some of the features from the Paper Mario games that I don’t like, like figuring out your enemy’s HP, make a return, I don’t appreciate how underpowered your party is. It seems like the developers weren’t happy with the system in the Paper Mario games and wanted to break it, and it shows. Far too frequently, I’d be up against an overpowered enemy, yet my party’s HP wouldn’t come close to matching it. And your EXP growth’s so slow and tedious that it doesn’t make it worth it. Not since Gen 2 of Pokémon have I felt this cheated by such an unbalanced levelling system, to the point where I’d be stuck on the same boss for hours and pray they didn’t pull a fast one on me. I know some gamers weren’t thrilled by how easy the Paper Mario games were, but it doesn’t make Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling feel as newcomer-friendly.
But I digress. The game has flaws that hold it back from being 5-stars, but I still enjoyed it. Sure, some latter sections had me chained to a walkthrough, which is disappointing for a straightforward game, but that’s a minor quibble. Even then, I frequently got lost in the artistry and beauty of this game’s world. It has lots of life and personality, which is nice. That alone makes it a worthwhile recommendation.
Finally, we arrive at a game that I can’t help but love: LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. I’ve enjoyed the LEGO Star Wars games since the first one in 2005, and this could well be the best. It might even, if we’re being honest, be the best Star Wars media ever. And yes, that includes the movies, some of which have been excellent. I’ll let that speak for itself.
The game’s pretty much a LEGO-ified retelling of the first 6 movies, which are all connected via an overworld hub meant to mimic The Mos Eisley Catina. There’s not much to summarize in terms of story, other than seeing the 36 main levels retell the films through the eyes of LEGO characters. It’s not only funny to see Eidos’s renditions of these stories, but it sometimes even surpasses the films. I don’t say that lightly either, considering how the films weren’t always known for their stellar acting.
It’s worth noting that the levels incentivize you to come back in Free Play Mode to unlock everything, be it getting your Stud Meter to 100% or finding all 10 Brick Canisters. In fact, it’s actually mandatory. Some sections can only be accessed with specific characters that are either unlocked by beating other levels, or by purchasing them with Studs. It’s a persnickety player’s dream come true, and there are side-missions and objectives that extend the playtime beyond the main game. Sadly, by the time I’m done the main campaign my patience wears thin, so I lack the urge to press onwards. But that’s a personal issue.
For those willing to play with a buddy, the game becomes more enjoyable in Free Play Mode. Whether it’s the Bounty Hunter Missions that are only accessible if you purchase all of the bounty hunters, or the Bonus Missions that add a variety of new objectives, there’s enough content here to last a month. Which is great, because there’s lots of charm to these characters that make experimenting with them worth your time. That, and having them fight one-another in the overworld hub is worth a laugh or two. (I won’t tell you how to enjoy yourself, though.)
Like I said, this is easily my favourite piece of Star Wars media. It’s not without flaws-the fixed camera’s both a blessing and a curse, and it’s definitely on the easy side-but that doesn’t detract from its strengths. LEGO’s always been known for childlike wonder, and LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga doesn’t disappoint. I mean, it’s LEGO tackling one of cinema’s most-enduring franchises of the last 40-odd years. What’s not to love?
That about does it for now. I’d mention my recent rounds of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with my brother, but I beat that game years ago. Regardless, have a safe and healthy New Year’s, and I’ll see you in 2021!
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