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Well Mario is back. But unfortunately, the game just doesn't live up to expectations. Mind you, I guess it never could. The main problem with this game is that it just feels rushed, and as if the makers have slapped together the last half of the game because they needed a quick release.The game starts off really well, offering fun and enjoyment. The idea is that there is a mysterious figure posing as Mario while spreading graffiti about the place. Mario is then falsely arrested, and forced to go and clean up the mess he has been thought to have made, armed with a water cannon strapped to his back, which you can also use to attack enemies. Original, I'll give it that! But then, this is Nintendo.
The layout of the game is similar to Mario 64. If you haven't played that, then basically this means going through levels, each of which are divided into a number of stages, each of those containing a Shine Sprite (in Mario 64 it was a Star).
The game starts off a joy to play, with the levels highly original, and basically good, easy playing fun. The problems come when the levels never seem to change. For example, for arguments sake, the 6th stage on each level is always chasing Shadow Mario about the level, shooting water at him, until he falls over so you can finish him off. While you might think this doesn't sound too bad; it is. It always involves doing exactly the same thing, and requires no more, or less, effort than the last time you did it. And not only that, stage 7 on each level might be collecting 8 red coins. While this in itself isn't so bad, as it's different each time due to the level, when it's coupled with the fact that each other stage is usually similar to the same stage on another level (such as racing this guy across the level to a flag, which will take you at most 2 attempts to win, or fighting the same boss, which requires the exact same technique to kill him, with no more difficulty required), it's a bit of a joke.
There are also the very very tedious "assault course" stages (again, there are one of these stages per level), where you have to negotiate Mario through a stage of moving platforms and the like, in order to get to the Shine at the other end. While this in itself might be more fun if it were not for the almost impossibleness of the camera view you are provided with at times. Yes, you can change the view at will, but it doesn't make much difference at crucial moments. And this doesn't only effect these sort of levels, it can infuriate you in the normal game too.
Things are made a little different when you find you can get add-ons to your water gun. These involve a sort of turbo boost pack (the best way I can describe it in a few words), and a rocket pack which sends you flying high into the air. As well as the standard add on of the hover pack which you get from the start.
While these sound interesting, the speed boost pack you will only use about twice, as it is only really needed for secrets, making it seemingly pointless.
The main problem with these add-ons is the seemingly rushed way in which you are introduced to them. To get them in the main square (the place you access all the levels from), the impostor Mario appears when you get around 40 Shines, and then you just have to chase him until you finally spray him with enough water, and then you get one of the add-ons from him. Why is he carrying the add-ons about with him? I have no idea. Then it happens yet again when you next visit the main square (no more Shines required it seems). And the same happens to access the eggs required to enable you to ride a Yoshi. Again, no more Shines required. The word "rushed" sums it up.
The other vital flaw is that the game is just too easy. And when you take into account the fact that you are continuously doing the same thing over and over again, due to the level's stages having the same objectives on an alarmingly regular basis, it's a bit of an even bigger joke.
The game quickly degenerates into average country, and then gets tedious and boring. Perhaps the reason behind all this is because of Nintendo's recent pledge to make games shorter and easier, but if this is the result, then I think it's a bad move.
It's one thing making a game shorter and easier, but if the game is only shorter and easier because you keep doing the same thing over and over again, except in different trousers, then you can call me old fashioned all you want, but I preferred the old way of doing things, such as the way things were done in Mario 64.
To add to that, the final boss is a joke. Bowser in a bath tub, that poses no challenge and all you have to do is buttstomp the corners three times to win? Rubbish.
