Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Platform: Nintendo DS

Price: $40 CDN

Release Date: Sept. 14, 2009

When I played the first Superstar Saga game for the GBA I was impressed. Nice graphics, tight gameplay, excellent use of RPG elements, and a comical story all added up to a fun and fulfilling gaming experience. The subsequent release Partners in Time continued with that tradition while further exploring the DS’s capabilities. Bowser’s inside story nicely continues on this trend, adding some new elements, but mostly using the tried and true formula that has made the series a hit worldwide.

The story goes like this: Fawful (veterans of the series will remember him) wants to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. He tricks Bowser into eating a vacuum mushroom, and Bowser, in turn, vacuums up our heroes into his belly. Fawful takes over Bowser’s castle and now the trio must work together to defeat this new villain.

You control either Bowser or Mario and Luigi (game shifts during the story) and each has a unique control scheme. The controls are great, with one exception. There is quite a bit of mandatory touch screen action that is imperfect and annoying (I was eating a giant carrot for a long time). I don’t mind the touch screen when it works, but every time you use the touch screen it could be done easier, faster, and better with a button combo.

That aside, the game is a solid, solid title and will keep you busy for at least 20 hours. That works out to a very reasonable $2 per hour of entertainment. Mario and Luigi is a must have for any RPG fan, but others will enjoy it as well. If you have ever liked a Mario game you should give this a try.

Retro Review: Super Mario RPG

Title: Super Mario RPG

Cost: $8

System: Wii Virtual Console

I remember being quite sceptical back in 1996 when I heard that Nintendo was working on a RPG staring everyone's favourite turtle stomping plumber. It wasn't that I didn't like role playing games, but I am always wary of the mixing of genres as it can result in some of the greatest pop culture disasters of all time (think about how many awful "Dramedys" Hollywood produces). My fears were alleviated slightly when I heard that Nintendo was not going at this alone but would be partnering with RPG powerhouse Square (they hadn't merged with Enix yet). How would the creative minds behind goombas and chocobos give Mario a new genre to conquer?

My fears were groundless, as the game was a critical success that kept RPG purists happy and introduced the genre to gamers who previously only cared about platform jumping. Now it has been ported to the Virtual Console on the Wii and this week I am looking at how the game stands up after 12 years.

The game tells the story of Mario saving the world from the Smithy Gang. To achieve this goal he must team up with Peach, Bowser, and two new characters: Geno and Mallow. The title was released only months before the launch of the N64 and as a result the graphics are some of the best that the SNES has to offer (indeed, the graphics are easily better than many of the early PS1 games as well). The gameplay is easy to learn with a simple, but effective, control scheme. This game introduces some RPG gameplay elements that would be picked up for later Final Fantasy games, such as the additional button pressing timed perfectly for extra damage (Squall uses it often in FFVIII).

I do have a minor quibble with the pseudo-3D backgrounds: they make the jumping levels (admittedly, there are only a few) tedious and aggravating. I don't have the patience to continually fall into lava again and again.

The difficulty level is perfect for all gamers. Those new to the RPG genre will find the learning curve just right, while those RPG veterans will find enough in terms of hidden bosses and side quests that boredom will not be an issue. However, the optional best weapon and armour in the game are pretty easy to get and make the remainder of the game almost too simple at times. This might put off even the greenest of gamers if they appreciate a challenge.

So should you pick this up? Well video games, and especially RPGs, are some of the cheapest per hour entertainment out there. The game costs $8 (I know that the console cost you something, but bear with me) and will take 15-20 hours to finish. You will definitely get your 50 cents per hour of entertainment out of the game. Super Mario RPG was overlooked by many during its initial release (people were excited about the N64) and many gamers missed out on a true gem. Now that the game is back I would recommend it to anyone. It is a must have for your virtual console.