A few days ago, one Super Mario 64 speedrunner was on pace for a world record that could've stood for years - until he went for one legendary trick that ended up dooming the run.
02.01.2024 - 19:28 / screenrant.com / Flower Kingdom
is already the most mind-bending and chaotic example of any game, yet it could be even more so with one tech-enhanced feature. The game brings Mario and his friends to the Flower Kingdom, where they witness Bowser take control of the magical Wonder Flower and transform not just Prince Florian's castle, but the entire kingdom, into a weirdly dark and sinister land. Naturally, Mario's crew eagerly jumps in to help defeat Bowser. Along the way, they get to see just how weird things can get with the Wonder Flower's mystical magic, which is somewhat more of a psychedelic, drug-induced episode than any traditional ideas of witchcraft.
Wonder Effects are the main feature of and happen whenever the characters collect a Wonder Flower in the levels. They can transform the entire level, causing a variety of new game mechanics or even transforming the characters themselves. These are in addition to other power-ups such as the infamous new Elephant power-up that was introduced in, and the special character abilities that can be added with Prince Florian's badges. All these things put together mean that this game is an experience that is full of wacky, chaotic fun, and yet it could have been even better if set in an even more mind-bending technological space.
's Wonder Effects are perfect for a VR setting, with the near-hallucinogenic colors and patterns mixed with the constant barrage of transformations. Whether facing a situation with Super Star showers, Bulrush stampedes, or having the sparkly Dark Mario chasing the player through a level, it would feel a bit like a variety of minigames but with all having the same general focus and cohesion. The music and swirling colors already serve to create a bit of a mind-bending feature, and when a player is placed in the center of this expressive setting, it would be hard not to feel immersed in the sensations.
Aside from the world-changing effects that the Wonder Flower can cause, has many opportunities for the main character to transform. Whether Mario and his friends have grabbed a power-up that changes them into an elephant, or the triggered Wonder Effect makes them become a Spike Ball or Goomba, experiencing the change from a virtual reality perspective would be a unique feeling that could be much more impressive than simply watching it happen on a 2D screen. Seeing an elephant's trunk appear in front of the player's sightline and being able to use it to strike objects could be a challenge to control correctly and adapt to the VR, yet if handled correctly, it would be truly wondrous.
The less transformative power-ups would also benefit from being used in a VR space, such as the Bubble Flower. A player being able to throw a bubble out in front of them to either aim
A few days ago, one Super Mario 64 speedrunner was on pace for a world record that could've stood for years - until he went for one legendary trick that ended up dooming the run.
A Minecraft Redstone expert has made a working version of Guitar Hero in the game. Except for Fortnite Festival, Guitar Hero-style games have been largely lost to time, but Redstone can provide Minecraft fans with a way of playing songs in the Mojang game.
The original Super Mario RPG, released for Super Nintendo in 1996, felt like it was meant to be your first RPG. In an era when Final Fantasy tried its best to tell mature stories within the medium's limitations and Dragon Quest demanded hours and hours of your time, Mario’s adventure felt much brighter and more manageable. Familiar characters, a lighthearted story, a reasonable length, and timed button-pressing during combat made it stand out against the competition. Revisiting the game more than 25 years later in this new remade shape shows the original formula did not need much tweaking to deliver an engaging and enjoyable journey. Super Mario RPG is not entirely innocent of the sins of video games past, but old fans will relish the chance to see the game in a new light, and I’m confident newcomers will find something to love.
I've been playing a ton of Super Mario Bros. Wonder over the last couple of weeks (in addition to the hands-on I had as a part of our current cover story), and the review embargo has officially lifted. However, due to restrictive embargo guidelines that don't allow us to discuss large portions of the game, we have opted to hold our final review until the game is available for purchase. With that said, I did want to share some brief thoughts within the confines of the embargo.
As a series that has been around for nearly four decades, Super Mario Bros. should have shown signs of slowing down years ago. But continuous thoughtful reinvention has helped the franchise remain a genre leader. Super Mario Bros. Wonder represents the next step of evolution, delivering the tight, tried-and-true gameplay in the context of the most creative 2D entry in nearly 30 years.
Famitsu has released its combined two-week sales data for hardware and physical software sales in Japan for the period from December 18 to December 31, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder has taken the top spot in the final charts for the year. The 2D platformer sold over 221,000 units over the course of the two-week period, and is followed in second place by Konami’s Momotaro Dentetsu World: Chikyuu wa Kibou de Mawatteru!, which sold over 192,000 units.
Because we’re in a “waiting period” for Nintendo to hurry up and announce its next system, we’re going to be hearing all sorts of rumors and speculation about any and all video games that may be coming to the system at launch and close to it. This speculation has already affected The Big N as their stock prices have risen in anticipation of all that’s coming. But we’re talking about all this today because of a rumor concerning the follow-up to Super Mario Odyssey. Most agree it will likely be the launch title for the Switch successor, and one “insider” says it’s way bigger than you think.
On the surface, it would appear that Nintendo didn't have too bad of a year in 2023. Many great games were released over the months, including and, yet there was one glaring omission in Nintendo's lineup of games. One that could have been easily corrected and broke a decades-long streak that the company might not have even given enough attention to for them to know what they had done.
On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… a return to work, and some grey sky to look at wistfully. It’s Friday the 5th, so if you’ve not taken your Christmas decorations down, you have to do it today but if you’ve been well prepared like me, you’ll have all that extra time for playing games.
In the video game world, the idea of someone making a name for themselves in the trade and then leaving is almost unheard of. After all, if you “love what you do,” you’re not going to be one to leave it willingly. Just look at Shigeru Miyamoto as an example of that, as he wants to keep doing this until he “falls over.” But for Masahiro Sakurai, the man who helped make Super Smash Bros the great franchise that it is, he has a more nuanced take on things. Albeit, one that ends with him saying he’s still making games.
You might not realize it, but Mario had quite the year in 2023. Not only did he have multiple games released, both of which were successes in one form or another, but he also had a hit movie that was released in theaters, made over a billion dollars, and has been nominated for several awards. Then, on top of all of that, Mario’s official voice changed over the course of that year. For decades, Charles Martinet was the voice of Mario. But then, starting with Super Mario Bros Wonder, a new voice actor was put into the role after Martinet “retired” from it.
Jack Black is playing Steve in the live-action Minecraft movie – and we're not kidding.