Pipe-tastic!Hi, today I'm reviewing a hack of Super Mario 64 (of course! :P) called Super Mario Warp Zone. I made a review for the "Secret Star Zone" version of this hack, but now that I have better skills at reviewing I wanted to make a better review of the original version of it, this game!
Super Mario Warp Zone is a short hack. It contains 15 main courses, each containing only 1 star, and a Bowser level. *puts Mario cap on and draws mustache on face* Let's get started!
Graphics: 4/10This hack's graphics are dull. Many levels, such as Cursed Ruins, have glitchy graphics that look ugly. Also, many levels have no graphic variety, such as Battle Land. All the walls are the same and all the ground is the same. The only levels that made me impressed at their graphics are the first overworld and Retro Zone. The overworld looks so cool. (It looks different in 1964 than it does in Mupen64Plus. I'm talking about the way it's supposed to be in Mupen64Plus)
Fortunately, the graphics are fitting for the levels they're in, so they don't get such a low rating.
Sound (effects): 9/10The sound effects are the same as Super Mario 64, but some of them aren't in this hack. For example, the saving or quitting sound effect isn't used because you can't save in this game. I find that pointless since you have 50 lives and there are 1-ups in the first overworld. XD
Sound (music): 7/10Some of the music is too loud and sounds horrible. The Warp Zone Central (first overworld and 2nd overworld) music makes me angry when I hear it and it makes me want to get into the levels as fast as possible. That's useful in a speedrun :P Overall it stinks though.
Also, some of the music is overused. The same song plays in Battle Land, The Secret Base, and Bowser's Airship Attack. It fits all 3 of those levels, but I feel like different music could fit Battle Land and Bowser's Airship Attack better.
However, some of the music isn't overused and it sounds very nice. For example, I'm impressed when I hear Green Garden's theme. It's quiet and peaceful. The Dark Cavern's theme is catchy and it makes me very happy to be in that level. :D Sky Land's theme is perfect for the final level before the Bowser level.
Addictiveness: 6/10People like me who speedrun Super Mario 64 and hacks of it should get addicted to this game pretty quickly. It's very easy to speedrun. The only thing that could make it non-speedrun friendly is the lag due to too many objects on the screen at once. I'm addicted to this hack because of it being easy to speedrun, and because this hack is pretty easy in general. I'll say more about that later.
Story: 9/10Unlike most other Super Mario 64 hacks, this one has its own cool story! To find out the story, you talk to the Toad located in the first overworld. He's close to the pipe in the middle of the world.
The story is this, paraphrased, and some taken directly, from what the Toad says: Bowser sent the Toads and Mario to a warp zone in another dimension. Bowser stole the Grand Star, and the power stars began to spread. When he opened the forceful portal, the power stars deviated from the random spreading they did, and entered the portal. 15 power stars can open portals that go to different dimensions.
"When someone enters a warp zone from another dimension, mystical star doors appear covering the room with the portal that lead back to the original dimension this someone came from!" Only the 15 power stars can return Mario and the Toads to their dimension and their planet. Find the 15 power stars so you can save them!
I've always known the creator of this hack, Fares242, to be creative with his hack's stories. This hack proves it.
Depth: 2/10Each of the 15 main courses have only 1 star in them, and the Bowser course has no star, only a Bowser battle. The first time I beat this hack, it only took me about a half-hour. If it wasn't for some well-hidden red coins and Sky Land being a difficulty spike, I would've beaten this hack even quicker than that. This hack doesn't have much to offer. There aren't any interesting things to discover either.
Difficulty: 6/10For Super Mario 64 pros like me, this hack is very easy. For someone who isn't that skilled at Super Mario 64, this hack should be a nice challenge to them. It shouldn't be too hard for them, except for a couple of the jumps in Sky Land and avoiding the Lakitus and Shy Guys there. They kick me off the level if I'm not careful. XD
With only 15 stars and the levels having one way to reach their stars, this hack shouldn't be that difficult. :)
Overall: 6/10This hack isn't nice compared to many other Super Mario 64 hacks, but it isn't bad. It's decent in my opinion. It's perfect for people who like to speedrun Super Mario 64 and hacks of it. It's also perfect for people who want a little challenge after beating Super Mario 64. :)
Thank you for reading my review and please don't be shy to tell me what you think of my review! I'm always looking for ways to improve my reviews and your feedback would be greatly appreciated :D
*takes off Mario cap and washes off the drawn mustache* and this review is done!
Graphics
4 Sound
8 Addictive
6 Depth
2 Story
9 Difficulty
6