Useless Mario Trivia #1- Mario Originally Had a Gun

It seems hard to believe now, but the fat, loveable and almost harmless Mario was once planned to have a beam gun and rocket pack. Not very harmless then, eh? This trivia was found in the original developer's notes for Super Mario Bros. which turned up online about two years ago. Luckily, Nintendo soon realised that people thought they were more skilful when jumping on Goomba heads instead of blowing them up.

Image from http://www.wiiplaygames.com/2010/12/28/mario-had-a-gun/

Of course, this all brings up the question- Would you still like Mario if he had a gun and blew things up?

I definitely wouldn't, as that would mean that Mario games would probably now have evolved into First Person Shooters instead of racing, sport and platforming games.

The Mini Mario Party 9 Review

Yeah, you heard it right. I actually invested in a brand new Mario Party game. Before you shout out "Mario fanatic" let me tell you something- this isn't just any Mario Party game, rather the BEST Mario Party game since the Nintendo 64 titles.

How is it better than those other Gamecube and Wii titles? Definitely not by sticking to the old formula. The usual developer Hudson Soft has recently become part of Konami, meaning that Nintendo has had to find a different developer for the project. So, they chose Wii Play Motion developer Nd Cube. Nd Cube decided to not include the complex board game part of the game. Instead they replaced it with a new linear board system where all the players ride in the same car, with each player taking a turn at driving the car in alternation. This system works great, and means Mario Party games could take as little as half an hour. The mini games have also being improved, with most of them actually being enjoyable.

 Graphics have also been improved, with Mario Party finally being converted into a widescreen game. There may only be 12 characters this time around, but they look great! Sound seems to be the only thing which hasn't been improved, with tunes that really just aren't memorable, yet they still sound slightly Mario-ish. Theres also one thing you need to enjoy this game- friends! This game is pretty much unenjoyable when you play by yourself. Let me tell you, it is much more enjoyable taking stars off your best friend!

So, to summarise it- This is the best Mario Party game to be released within the past ten years and has changed the game's usual formula to be faster and to have a focus on the mini games. If you enjoy having fun and have people to play it with, you'll love this game. So I'm giving it a-

8/10

The Mini Mario Kart 7 Review!

I received Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS last Tuesday and have since been hard at work completing 100cc on Grand Prix mode. So now, I'm a toughened veteran of the new "gliding" business and am ready to write a mini-review of this game.

First, may I note that Mario Kart 7 is the most FUN Mario Kart game I have EVER played! Don't get fooled by the simplistic menus, this game is jam-packed full of new features. For example, your Kart now has a glider, meaning it is possible to glide places! Also, you can now customise the Kart's wheels and glider attachment, each altering the speed, acceleration, handling and weight of your character's kart. It doesn't end there though- The new tracks are some of the best the series has offered so far, with a truly confusing Rainbow Road track. And the online features are also better than ever! Unlike some other 3DS games, the fact that it is in 3D is almost lost in the jungle of all the other improvements that have been made in this game. 

These features may have what it takes to make the game fun, but does it last? Well, there may be plenty of kart and wheel options in this game, but there are only 16 characters to play as in the whole game! Also, the eight unlockable characters are all unlocked by playing in the 150cc mode, meaning it is pointless playing the game in 50cc or 100cc. There are only 6 courses in battle mode too, which is a disappointment.

Luckily for Mario fans everywhere that is where Mario Kart 7's bad points end, with the rest of the game being composed of pure awesomeness. In fact, if you don't have a 3DS and this is only game on it you want, buy a 3DS just for this! IT IS THAT GOOD!

I rate it-                                                               9.5/10

Also, don't forget to join my MK7 community called Glide Crazy!