rebelyell : Thank you for the feedback. I am glad you decided to give the game another chance. It is a really fun title for any NES library.

   Super Mario RPG. The ultimate mix up of Mario characters and Final Fantasy RPG game play and  turn based combat. But what makes this game one of the greatest games of the NES era. If you stick around I will be able to tell you. So without further delay lets get this review under way.

   The year is 1996. At this point the NES has been discontinued by Nintendo of America. The Nintendo 64 wouldn't reach the American market for another six months. So what was a gamer to do. Well in the month of march Square and Nintendo decided to team up to bring avid gamers an amazing RPG experience which has not been seen since. But how did the graphics of this late NES library exclusive compare to the other games of this console.   

   Graphics: For a game on a 16 bit system, the graphics of this game are unbelievable. At this point a good bit of the NES library use 2-D pixelated  graphics. However this game looks stunning using 3-D character models and backgrounds which truly makes this game look like a early or prime Nintendo 64 title. The characters look beautiful. The characters look there best especially Mario and Bowser which really shine in the early parts of the game. The colors jump out at the gamer giving the bright and joyful feel of the previous Mario games but  with the added bonus of a 3-D environment. That reminds me. The backgrounds of this game stay true to the roots of the Mario games. It plays to the strengths of strong colors and amazing processing to completely bring the feel of the Mushroom Kingdom and surrounding areas to life. The graphics really add  to the experience of the game and really appeal to the gamer the second the games title screen flashes across the television screen. This is why the graphics of this game deserve the 10 out of 10 that they are given. The little flaws the graphics have really do not effect the game play. Even with the flaws, the graphics still outshine most of the other visuals of other prominent games on the system.  Even with these amazing graphics the game wouldn't be as good without the sounds that accompany it. 

   Sound: For a franchise with many installments of this game rank really high among them. All of the original music that is used in this game fit perfectly with the situation they appear with and the point in the story the player is currently at. For example the track that plays during the battle with bowser at the beginning of the game fits the boss fight mentality that is usually associated with the big green king. Even the songs that drop the ball a tiny bit still fit perfectly with the scenario that they are placed with which increases the draw in to the story that the player experiences. Even the sound effects that play when you jump or even just run around bring the classic Mario vibe. The coin collecting sound and jumping sound both sound like they where ripped straight from the original Super Mario Bros which really help bring a nostalgic aspect to  this new take on the Mario formula. Which is why the sound for this game get a 7 out of 10. Even with the spot placement of sound effects and music some of the songs to drop the ball just a bit. The great graphics and sounds help the game excel at this point but does the game keep the gamer interested? 

   Addictiveness: The story of this game really helps keep the game interesting. The different enemies that are meet along the way and the allies which are made really make the game feel alive. But we will cover more of that later. The real addicting aspect of this colorful RPG is the side quests. There are tons of side quests that take place during the course of our plumber's adventure which always seems to side track the best story followers. An example of this is the Culex sidequest. After the player uses a special stone on a specific door in the town of Monstro to reveal Culex which combines a bunch of different elements from the Final Fantasy series. This includes the original victory pose from Final Fantasy I and The Final Fantasy IV boss music which is a terrific nod to the series. Yet there are even more in depth side quest which begin to take more and more time to complete making the player want  to keep playing for extremely long time frames. Which is why the Addictiveness of this game gets a 9 out of 10. It really keeps the gamer involved even if they have completed the main quest line. Speaking of which. 

   Story. One sunny afternoon in the Mushroom kingdom the princess is once again captured by the evil Bowser. However instead of getting away with the evil deed, Bowser is actually kicked out of his own castle and must team up with Mario and friends to try and gather the 7 stars so he and Mario can try to take his castle back. Also so Mario can save princess Toadstool. This story really takes the original concept of the Mario games and kicks it up to eleven. It actually makes Bowser, the main villain, a chance to join Mario for the first time to actually try and help save the Kingdom for a change. Just for this reason alone the story gets a 9 out of 10. It really changes the generic formula that the franchise is known for and turns it completely on to its head.  This story will definitely help the player stay with the plot and keep them in the Mario universe a little bit longer. But even with the good story, what does this game actually offer.

   Depth. The tons of side quests, the couple of easter eggs, the amazing story, etc, this game really provides a lot for the gamer to do. Like previously mentioned, the side quest are very time consuming, using mini games and side characters to keep the gamer involved. This along with the amazing and exciting storyline alone can take up a ton of gameplay hours. However, this game also involves a lot of different characters to the mix as well.  Examples include the Square owned Geno and Mallow which only appearance was this amazing RPG. There also a ton of different enemies in this game that also only appear in this game including Belome and Smithy which is the main villain. Even the normal enemies that appear in most titles provide a bit of a challenge from time to time that causes the player to have to form different game plans for even the most easiest looking enemy. That is why the depth of this game gets a 8 out of 10. It really gives a ton of content to be explored and succeeds at making the game want to stay in this amazing world. But with depth there is challenge. Right?

   Difficulty. This game is actually one of the easier RPGs that I have ever played. Once you figure out the game plan for the enemies and learn the timings for strikes the games battles really fly by. Even with this in mind some of the bosses still take more than a good timed swing which does give the game some difficulty. That is the only reason the game gets the 5 out of 10 that it is given. The bosses are so spread that the difficulty they bring is only a slight rise compared to the normal enemies in which are fought only bringing the difficulty up slightly.

   So there you have it. The amazing one time combination of Mario platforming and character with the Final Fantasy battle style and story. Compared to other games of the year Super Mario 64 (a Nintendo 64 title 9.5) and Pokémon Red or Blue (9.4) This game should be lower rated because of the 16 bit graphics. But because the graphics compete with the 32 bit graphics of the 64, the terrific story, sounds, depth, and storyline, this game really deserves the praise it was given today.  I would recommend this game to anybody that likes RPGs, Mario, or the combination of turn based combat with a little platforming from the Mario games.
 

rebelyell : Thank you for the feedback. I was just wondering do you know any other good games in the Retro Game Room?

   Hello Vizzed.com. My name is Chubby2211 and I am back with another Retro Game Room review. Now last time I wrote a review it was over  Super Mario Bros for the NES. So staying on the NES I am going to review a little less known title for the NES. Known as Dig Dug II Trouble in Paradise, this little known sequel deserves to be talked about. So lets get this review underway.

   After the success of the original Dig Dug in arcades all over the United States in 1982, this sequel was released to try and keep the fans of the game flocking to the arcades. However this game completely flipped the formula of the original and cranked up the difficulty. This lead to the Arcade version of this title to being redesigned to be easier for gamers which became more common even getting released into the home console market for the NES. So how does this easier version of a arcade hardship hold up to other NES games.

   Graphics: The graphics for this game where pretty good for a port of an Arcade game considering the time in the NES's life it was ported. The enemies are beautifully colored and help create a nice gaming feel.  The background colors of the island and its background sky also help create this feel by creating the setting of isolated islands filled of amazing creatures. Even the fault lines that are created by your jackhammer look really good for the NES. That is why the graphics of this amazing port a 7 out of 10. However does the sounds the game produces help create the feeling of being on an island?

   Sound: The music really don't feel like what you would find exploring an island. Sounds more like music for a happy adventure game. However the monsters that lurk on this island do the exact opposite. They actually make a sound one would expect to hear from enemies of this era which really help bring the game some life. Also the music that you hear each time you are dropped into a stage just constantly repeats for every level. Same length and Same sounds. Depending on how much or how long you play the game this can get very annoying. However all the other noises made from the other areas of the game help save the game from the repeating song. Which is why the sound of this port get a 5 out of 10. But what go do sounds do if the game doesn't keep you engaged.

   Addictiveness and Story : This game does get very old very fast. First off the story of this game is very limited. Dragons and red circles with goggles must die. That's it. No extra detail or story plot. This could have been passed if the levels could have been entertaining but instead they windup providing nothing to the game. The levels in this game always start the same. Same number of enemies, same number of holes to create fault lines in, and same number of lines to start with. The only different in levels come from what you do inside of them which is a bit of a plus. But with the same objective for each level just gets boring over time. This is why the addictiveness and story elements of this game get a 3 out of 10. However these aspects of this game can be overlooked if the game provided some depth to its gameplay.

   Depth: The game does have some decent elements like the destroying of islands to destroy enemies. This feature is used very well to help create a feeling of strategy to this arcade sequel. However thats the only kind of depth the game gives to  the gamer. Like previously stated the games levels are always the same and so are the enemies and sounds. Unlike other games of this era that had market success ( Super Mario Bros) on this console, it didn't try to create a deep experience with aspects like different enemies, different level types, the use of collectibles, or even different ways to defeat a level.  If some of these things where added to the game it may have helped the fans of the original game flock to this port. However the fans of the arcade version had no incentive to leave the quarters in their pockets and stay home and play the game in the comfort of their own home. That is why the depth of the game gets a 4 out of 10.  Even without a really deep game how hard was it.

   Difficulty: Like most arcade games, this port does increase the difficulty as the game progresses. However before this title was ported from the arcades, it was made easier. Many of the early levels where made easier for the gamers first experiencing the game on a home system but it slowly becomes harder and harder. Its actually one of the better things that Bandai, the company that ported it in North America, did with the game. However the game is not very hard for the first five to six levels which kinda hurts the experience of the game. That is why the difficulty gets a 5 out of 10. It is easy in the beginning but hard at the end which is a decent balance. 

   So there you have it. A sequel that had a harder time succeeding in arcades but is a fun game to play at home. Its repetitive music may be trouble for gamers but the constant difficulty rise and good graphics can keep a gamer entertained for a couple of hours. Compared to other games of the same year Kid Icarus (9.2) and the true Super Mario Bros 2 (9.8) It takes it place as a good game for any NES library. However it wont be a game that stays with you for a lifetime.

18mlivingston : Thank you for the welcome.

Thank you guys. I love playing games from all different genes. I am going to try some of these games right now. 

Beastmode64 : Thank you for the feedback. I hope to keep these great reviews coming. Do you know any other games that would be worth a play? 

falcon1216 : Thank you for the nice welcome. 

   Hello Vizzed.com. My name is Chubby2211 and  I am here with a Retro Game room review. Just keep in mind this is the very first of many reviews in which I will write for the site so please feel free to give feedback below the review. But without wasting more of your time lets get this review underway.

   The year is 1985. The North American game crash of 1983 had just taken place two years before and the game industry is still in shambles. But suddenly Nintendo releases a  brand new game which would go on to become the savior of the gaming industry. The mentioned game would end up being Super Mario Bros which was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System which helped lead the gaming history out of the dark times of 1983. But what makes this game so great? Well that is why I am here.  

   Graphics: 9. The graphics used in this game where terrific for its era. Even compared to end NES era games, Super Mario Bros boast the best 8 Bit graphics of the system. The beautiful and colorful backgrounds in the over world  segments and the dark and damp looking background in underground levels really bring the environment to life. Also the enemies are excellently crafted with different colors, styles of attack, and movement speed really make each enemy type fell unique compared to each other. This mixed with the previously mentioned backgrounds really help create the world we enter feel full of life. However what are graphics with out good music to go along with it?

   Sound: 9. The classic melody of World 1-1. The catchy tune in which gamers of both the 80's and now can enjoy. All of the music that is played through out the game really help create the mood in which makes this game so great. The different songs that play as you travel world to world  the songs are varied enough to keep the player from getting annoyed while also being good enough to stick the mind of the gamer as they continue to help our plumber find his princess. Even with these amazing 8 bit tunes, how does the actually story that you play through compare.

   Story: 5. Its a now commonly known tale. Plumber must save the captured princess from the evil bowser. So boring. However there is another side to this tale. King bowser has kidnapped the princess and has turned all of the citizens of the Mushroom kingdom into blocks, stones and other objects in a attempt to take it over. Now its up to our heroic plumbers must traverse the large kingdom combating the magic of the evil Bowser to take back the princess and kingdom. Now that makes the game sound amazing doesn't it. Even with this terrific intro which comes from the instruction book, the tale told just by game play alone is very over used plot and could throw some gamers for a loop. However what the game lacks in story it makes up for in Depth.

   Depth: 9. For a old style NES game this game contains a lot of content. There are the previously mentioned enemies but there are also a lot of different power ups and other objects to be collected. First of are the 1-UP mushrooms. As the name implies, when grabbed, the player will gain a extra life which can be very useful against some of the bosses in this game. Another of the many power ups that were placed in this game is the fire flower. After one of our two plumbers grab this mystical flower, they will gain the power to shoot fireballs out of there hands. However these two power ups only scratch the surface of the collectibles

   Coins also fill the platforms, lands, and skies of the kingdom on your amazing journey. These coins help you increase your high score and if you collect enough of them, give you a 1-UP mushroom. This makes them one of the most important objects inside of this crazy world our plumbers must explore. Even with all of these different items filling the screen, does the game keep you entertained and is it difficult.

   Addictiveness: 10 and Difficulty: 8. This game uses all kind of different traps, enemies, and projectiles to keep the game difficult. These enemies grow in difficulty as the game progresses which can cause you to die more and more quickly. Usually in my experience, the third level of each world where the hardest and caused me to restart the most. Mentioning this fact, this NES staple, does not use the save system that we take for granite today. This means if you where to lose your final life on the very last level you would have to back to World 1-1 and be forced to completely restart the game. This however helps make the game more addictive. With the very vague story shown through only game play, it allows the player to create a little mental story to help them understand the over all arc. Also the wide verity of collectibles keep each session unique. It helps the players feel the need to explore a level instead of just rushing straight through it. 

  So there you have it. The game that single handily resurrected the gaming industry. Compared to other games of the same year like Legend of Zelda (Another awesome game 9.6) and Tertris (9.4) Mario really helped create the platforming game type which is still quite popular to this day. Without this game, the creation of many other incredible games became a reality and helped keep the gaming tradition alive for decades to come.

  

My name is Chubby2211 or you can call me Chris. I have always had a interest in gaming and this site seems like it will fill this need. My favorite systems growing up include the PS1, PS2, and GBA.