Score: 8

"Snake with more bite"

submission: Mega Snake

date: April 7, 2005

Haha I have to say, this is one of the most original versions of snake I have ever seen! I it when users take an old game and crank it up to be newer and more updated, and I think I can say that this game has certainly succeeded in doing that! It has a few tweaks and improvements that could be made, but not bad at all…..
First off, graphics. There really isn’t much to complain about here at all, on the whole I liked the looks of the game graphically, it seemed much more new and updated than the old version of Snake. I loved the whole look and layout of the levels, you managed to create the game to look very much 3D, even though when you look closely you se it is not. But you managed to create that illusion, and that’s what impresses me because the game looks graphically good and in some ways supplies us with ‘eye-candy’. I also that you had used what looked like a ‘rayman’ style for the graphics of the game – you collected balls and the snake consisted of a head and a number of spheres, with the spheres decreasing in size as the snake went along for that extra realism. This made the game a little less ‘intense’ like its predecessor and gave it a more happy and enjoyable mood, the looks of the snake and your surroundings gave me a chuckle a few times because the game had very much a ‘slapstick’ feel to it. However, I feel that the squares were a little too plain. Granted, you varied in the colour of squares and added in a few hazards in each level; but the basic template was still the same and I felt that each level was still in some way similar to the last. For example, how about including different environments for the game? Such as a snowy one where you travel around on ice. You could also take away the squares for an extra challenge on some levels; but I do appreciate that they help an awful lot in whether you win or lose this game, which is why you could have different surfaces but still faint squares underneath them.
Next, sounds. Nothing much to suggest here really. I loved the different music for each level, each tune had a very happy feel to it and gives off the impression that this is a game that can be enjoyed by all. I also loved the crowd sounds for when you lost or won, and also the various noises of hazards and so on.
Finally, game-play. Definitely the main cake of the game. I anticipated good game-play from this form the minute I pressed that ‘play button’ – and that’s exactly what you gave me. I was surprised to see that the game-play seemed at times a far cry from that old classic we all know; instead of that familiar ‘birds-eye’ play, you had adopted an entirely different one of travelling around a grid. This may be drawing the game closer away from it’s ancestor, but I felt that It gave the game a whole new challenge of its own and just gives that dusty old version more excitement. The controls weren’t exactly easy, but they also weren’t entirely difficult either. I like this method of moving around because it adds originality to the game, and if you took that away you would be taking away the challenge. Speaking of challenge, this game definitely has a lot of it. I was surprised at how hard the levels were, and even on the first level collecting the balls on time was hard, and also the different hazards on each level added to the replay value. I am impressed at how much you have given snake a well-needed update and yet still keeping the main game-play feel to it. I was a little disappointed that the snake did not grow after each blob collected though, and I feel you should do this just to add to the extra excitement, and the passwords were hard to remember since they were in numbers. Perhaps letters spelling out a word for each level password would be better?
Overall, a version of ‘Snake’ with more bite, originality and challenge than ever before. It’s amazing how much a game can change for the better, yet still resemble its original roots. Well done, and I hope you found my suggestions helpful :)

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~T_C

Score: 7

"Intense, but at the same time docile."

submission: Frustration++

date: April 7, 2005

Wow I have to say, this is probably one of the most original puzzle games I’ve seen on the NG so far! I really like the fact that you have to use skill and logic for this, and that you have used Mario for a whole new purpose. Has some improvements that could be made, but not bad at all…..
First off, graphics. Not bad, I liked the menu screen and the way you had put the words “frustration” in a detailed font, it made the game LOOK exciting and therefore this leads us to feeling it as physically intense. It raised my expectations that this would be an enjoyable and fun game – and in most ways you succeeded on this. The little screen congratulating you if you beat the game was also a nice little addition. For the main graphics on-screen though, they were god, mostly bog-standard and I think it’s fair to say that graphically the game did nothing amazing. But then again, why would it need to? This is mainly a game that focuses on concentration and logic, if we are focusing on where the Marios are we aren’t going to be paying attention to whether or not this game has a fancy background or special effects. Nevertheless, if you wanted to improve graphics if you made a sequel or another version, there is always room for improvement. Apart form the many Marios all the graphics really consisted of were a few pipes and a green background – not exactly eye candy is it? Like I have said before this is not completely important but I suggest that if you want to satisfy the player just that little bit more you make the graphics a little more interesting; combined with game-play how you go about presenting your game helps to give it a mood and let the player FEEL your work more. For example, how about including a red detailed background with an ‘aggressive’ pattern on it or a picture of a brain, rather than just a bog-standard green one? This will really give the game tone and will help to emphasise the intense style of the game and to really bring out that “frustration” that the game is named after. Giving the game a more dramatic atmosphere will help put your player under pressure, and in a game like this that is a good thing to do. Perhaps though, you could give the Marios some sort of animation when they pop up and drop down the pipes?
Next, sounds. Pretty average really, I liked the Mario tune although it loops very quickly and gets repetitive after a while, so you might want to include a selection of tunes or a longer one. However, I would like to see some sound effects such as when you click a pipe and the Marios pop up or drop down, and when you win or lose the game.
Finally, game-play. Definitely the best aspect about “Frustration”, it is original and I love the way this focuses on patience and logic rather than just violence and gore. The other interesting thing is that this game is both intense, but at the same time incredibly docile. This is a lovely puzzler to sit down to, but there is that little hint of frustration that this game is named after. I feel that you could emphasise the perseverance you need by perhaps making the Marios comment in some way when you drop them down a pipe, or when they pop back up again. Emphasise the frustration of this game, TAUNT the player if they are losing, just to put them on edge and to really feel the style of this game. All-in-all though, effective game-play that has no plot and therefore has great replay value – I can enjoy this game over and over again without tiring from it, and the challenge of it made my mind physically boggle! I also like the way you type in your name and you are congratulated when you win, this makes the game feel a little more personal and satisfying when you are patient and finally get it right.
Overall, probably one of the most original Mario games I’ve seen. You could make this game a little more exciting, but it’s the subtle challenge that makes this game what it is, and reducing its difficulty would diminish that. You’re going to need patience for this one! Well done :)

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~T_C

Score: 6

"Feels restrained due to some letdowns"

submission: ng mario

date: April 7, 2005

For a first flash this is not bad! It’s nice to see someone has refrained from using the typical sprites and actually created their own game using Mario and used him for their own style. Has the potential to go further though and needs some improvements, because it is a real shame that a few silly bugs and glitches let this down….
First off, graphics. Only bog-standard I feel. I liked the fact that you didn’t use a sprite for Mario, he looked good and I liked the cutesy way he scuttled along and jumped. This gave the flash a very cutesy feel to it through the way the game looked graphically, but I mean this in a good way because it gives off the impression that it is a game that can be enjoyed by all. Backgrounds looked nice and typically Mario and it was good to see you used a variety of different backgrounds to create a different ‘environment’ – each setting had its own objects to jump over and therefore each had individual characteristics. However, in some ways I really felt as if this game was presented in a rather sloppy manner, whilst I liked the backgrounds I did not like the way it seemed to move away from you when you moved at some points during the game, this pretty much meant on some levels the lack of graphics was even more apparent. I also seemed to think there was a rather large lack of graphics on our screen. One thing that stood out in a negative way was that pipes and platforms were just suspended in the air with no ground, and this seemed a little silly to me, also about the fact that some of the graphics looked a little ‘cut-out’ such as the blocks had white around their rims. You really need to breathe LIFE into the environment and give us more of a setting, a platform suspended in mid-air does not make sense. Try to make the platforms connect to the ground, and instead of just jumping around in the air make it so we can run along the ground, vary the movements.
Next, sounds. Very good I thought here, I liked that you included animations when Mario jumped and ran, they felt happy and nice. The main thing I liked though was the music, the fact that you had taken the original “Mario” tune and changed it a bit. It felt liken a sort of funky remix and got me near to dancing a few times as I was writing this! I would like to see some more sound effects such as if you collect coins and also different tunes for different levels – as much as I love it the music does get repetitive after a while.
Finally, game-play. As usual, I feel this is really the heart of “NG Mario”. The plat forming style not only feels fun but really grows on me, since it feels typically Mario. I have to say, this was pretty challenging at times and felt a little unlike Mario in some parts, there was a lot more plat forming to be had which I was pleased about – the different platforms for each level made the game interesting. However, I would like to see more action in this game such as coins to collect or enemies that can kill you, this fells a little boring in some aspects because once you’ve played one level you’ve played them all. It’s also a big shame about the bugs in the game, I found myself getting stuck on platforms and walking through them many times – this really makes the game feel more frustrating and ugly and diminished the challenge of the game. You obviously need to fix this, and also the fact that when you die Mario just yells and you don’t seem to move at all, then are suddenly dropped onto the level again. This does not make a lot of sense and so Mario should yell and try to fly or something, then drop off of the screen.
Overall, an above-average Mario game, but it’s just a shame that the sloppy presentation at times and bugs let this down. Whilst I enjoy the frantic plat forming style you seem to have adopted here; it just needs a tad more excitement to make it more enjoyable and entertaining. Well done though, and I hope you found my suggestions helpful :)

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~T_C

Score: 8

"Rock on!"

submission: FireStorm

date: November 22, 2004

Nothing very original to say here really, the Typical insane guitar use. Nevertheless a good combination of the guitar (Man I thought you were having a seizure with that thing! and the drums, which really did give it that 'Firestorm' effect with the flames almost represented through the guitar and the burning and viscious nature of fire through the drums.
Well, that's it sounded like to me anyway, well done! =D

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~T_C