Wrecking Crew ’98 Review

One of the few Mario games that never saw release outside of Japan was Wrecking Crew ’98, the third (and so far, final) entry in the Wrecking Crew sub-series, and the last Mario game released on the Super Nintendo in Japan (in the west, Super Mario RPG holds that distinction). As the title implies, the game was released in 1998, and by that point, the Nintendo 64 had been on store shelves for two years, thus Wrecking Crew ’98 missed out on a western release (Japanese gamers seem to better appreciate the joys of the games themselves, no matter the hardware, whereas western gamers have a tendency to only care about what’s new and has the best graphics). That all changed in April of 2024, when Nintendo finally released Wrecking Crew ’98 to the western world via the Nintendo Switch Online service (though all of the game’s text remains untranslated). It’s a shame it took so long for Wrecking Crew ’98 to see a release in the west, because it’s a joy to play, and one of the SNES’s best puzzle games.

That’s right, Wrecking Crew ’98 is a puzzle game, in contrast to the more arcade-style gameplay of its more famous NES predecessor. But that’s kind of what makes Wrecking Crew ’98 so brilliant, it takes the blueprint from the NES game, and shifts it into another genre. In doing so, it makes the Wrecking Crew series’ gameplay deeper and more fun.

The basic gameplay of the NES Wrecking crew title remains intact: you control Mario (or one of a number of other familiar and obscure characters) around a single screen, climb ladders, and break objects with a hammer. Whereas in the previous game Mario simply had to destroy every breakable object to complete a stage, here the player is up against an opponent, giving things a competitive edge. Clearing a stage of breakable objects isn’t good enough, now you need to chain combos together to empty your playing field, while bombarding your opponent’s with more blocks and enemies. If one row of objects reaches the top of the screen, the player (or opponent) has five seconds to start breaking it down, otherwise the game ends.

That may sound like typical falling block puzzler fair, but as stated, combining it with the Wrecking Crew formula makes for a uniquely engaging experience. The fact that the player moves a character around the board (as opposed to simply flipping the blocks) already makes it one of the more distinct puzzle games of its time.

Colored blocks replace the breakable walls from the NES game, with the player being able to destroy the blocks by simply hitting them, or by strategically lining up three to five blocks of the same color to start flooding their opponent’s board. Along with running and jumping, the player can use an action button to hit the block the character is standing in front of or use the same button to pull the switches on the left side of the board, which moves the corresponding row of blocks. There are also “brick blocks” that hide one of the color blocks inside (whack it once to reveal the color block, and a second time to destroy it if need be). The player also has access to what I call the “Drop Button” (the X button on the basic setup on a Switch controller). The drop button will drop a few extra blocks on the player’s own board. That may sound counterproductive, but it’s actually a clever mechanic for two reasons: the first is that, if you’ve cleared your board, you can press the drop button to add more blocks in hopes of building more combos. The second reason is that more difficult levels will feature iron blocks (both by default and sent by the opponent) which the hammer can’t break, and can only be broken by bomb blocks, which only appear via the drop button. Adding another creative layer to that, a single bomb block will appear only every other time the drop button is pressed, meaning the player shouldn’t be using the drop button too liberally.

“If you happen to feel nostalgic for the NES game, Wrecking Crew ’98 also includes its predecessor in its entirety right out the gate.”

These simple mechanics all come together to form a puzzle game that’s easy to learn, but difficult to master. Which are the best kind of puzzle games, really. My only real complaint with the gameplay is that, when your opponent starts sending enemies to your screen, it can be tedious to eliminate them. You can’t hit them with the hammer (remember the blocks you hit are technically in the background, the enemies share the same space as the character), and bomb blocks don’t destroy them. The only way to get rid of enemies is for them to make their way to the bottom of the screen. You can speed up the process by jumping on their heads, but the jumps have to be a bit more accurate than in most Mario games, and if you don’t hit the enemies just right, they hit you, which leaves your character bouncing out of control for maybe a few seconds too long.

Honestly though, that’s a small complaint for what is otherwise a wildly engaging, competitive puzzle game. The game is so deceptively complex, that you may find some rounds can go on for much longer than you’re used to in falling block puzzle games (my longest game, set on one of the higher difficulties, lasted over a half hour).

“The areas marked with numbers are the standard story mode stages, the ones marked with letters house the secret characters.”

Wrecking Crew ’98 features a story mode which – from what I can tell – revolves around Bowser constructing a large building for the simple reason of denying a bunch of cute flowers the sun, thus preventing them from growing. So Mario sets off to best Bowser as to knock down the building and feed the flowers some much needed sunshine. It’s a simple and cute plot, and it stands out in the Mario series.

Before he can face Bowser though, Mario has to defeat a Koopa Troopa, and returning Wrecking Crew characters Eggplant Man, Gotchawrench and Foreman Spike. Defeating each opponent also unlocks them as playable characters in the game’s other modes, and defeating Bowser not only unlocks the Koopa king, but Luigi and Princess Peach as well. There are four additional characters hidden away in the story mode, three of which are fought by beating the second, third and fourth stages within a few short minutes (easier said than done). The hidden characters are also playable once defeated, and besting the first three reveals the final secret character.

At the expense of spoiling the surprises (for a decades-old game), the four secret characters are arguably the most bizarre lineup of characters in Mario history (which is saying something). The first is simply “Onigiri.” As in a literally onigiri, the Japanese rice ball that Pokémon’s Brock so affectionately referred to as ‘doughnuts.’ Not an anthropomorphic onigiri with a cartoon face, mind you. Onigiri the character is simply an onigiri that can move and talk. The next two secret characters are relatively less weird, one is the ghost of a girl named Onnanoko, and the other a middle-aged construction worker wearing traditional Japanese garb named Oyazi. The final secret character is Dogu, a Japanese clay doll that comes from another world.

Honestly, the unlockable characters may be the most out-of-left-field character roster in Super Mario history (and that’s including those weird human characters from Mario Golf). I’m not complaining though, I actually think it’s pretty unique that the secret characters are kind of their own thing, without prior ties to the Super Mario or Wrecking Crew series. It gives the game a bit of its own personality, while the presence of Mario, Bowser and Princess Peach keep it connected to the greater Mario franchise (essentially doing the same thing Super Mario RPG did with characters like Mallow and Geno). And being able to play as them – along with the familiar faces – in the versus and tournament modes is pretty cool.

Being released so late in the SNES lifecycle means that Wrecking Crew ’98 looks great. Though it uses lighter colors and more “kiddy” character designs than most Mario games (looking closest to Mario & Wario, another Japanese-exclusive on the console), it all looks really impressive and is more proof that the SNES is the most visually timeless console. The music may not be anything special, but it’s fun and bouncy and does what it needs to.

“Onigiri for Smash! Hey, it makes more sense than Dark Pit.”

Wrecking Crew ’98’s release on Nintendo Switch Online is one of the best examples of “better late than never” gaming has seen in quite some time. It may be a bummer that many of us didn’t get the chance to properly appreciate it in its day, but it sure is great to experience it today.

Add Wrecking Crew to the lineup of Nintendo series that desperately needs a revival.

8

My Favorite Game(s) of 2023 (and 2021 and 2022)

Boy, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? It’s been a little over two months since my last post, which once upon a time would have been an unheard-of dry spell for the Dojo, where once the posts grew and flourished by the multitudes every week, like the flowers of springtime. What now?

Sadly, the last few years things have been less consistent here at Wizard Dojo. Oftentimes finding myself not posting anything for weeks and (as is the case now) even months.

The reason for this is largely due to life simply getting really busy, and on a heavier, sadder note, because of my depression and OCD. I don’t want to turn this into a post of sad-sackery, so I won’t go into specifics, but these past few years haven’t been the easiest for me in these regards. These issues and my increasingly busy schedule have seemingly grown to feed off each other and create a cycle of making it difficult for me to find the time to write, with my falling behind in writing further feeding into my issues. So my apologies for the slow updates. I am trying my best to work towards getting back to where I was back in the day, with multiple posts every week. And I’ve kept a list of the video game and movie reviews I need to catch up on (as great as it would have been to write these while the iron was hot, as the site’s paraphrasing of Gandalf reads, “A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He reviews stuff precisely when he means to.”).

With that out of the way, let’s get on to the point of this post: My (not at all overdue) Game of the Year for 2023! As well as mentions to my Game of the Years for 2021 and 2022. Because, believe it or not, I actually haven’t done my annual Game of the Year Awards since 2020 (in which I named Animal Crossing: New Horizons Game of the Year. Because it was the best game of that year).

2023 was one hell of a year for video games (2024 will really have to fire on all cylinders in its second half if it has any hopes of catching up). There were a lot of great original games, as well as plenty of stellar remakes and remasters. In fact, if it counts, my absolute favorite game of 2023 was a remake…

Game of the Year 2023: Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)

Yes, this is the ‘cheating’ choice. Because Super Mario RPG on Switch is an honest-to-goodness, loving recreation of Square-Enix’s SNES masterpiece, which I’ve often touted as my personal favorite game ever (though there’s a small handful of other contenders). I’ve never been more hyped for a video game than I was for a remake of a title from 1996. From the second that June Nintendo Direct kicked off that beautiful, sexy trailer, up until the game’s November 17th release, the Super Mario RPG remake was like a beautiful dream (in fact, it often felt surreal even when playing it). Just ask my Instagram followers, they’ll tell you I reminded them of the game’s impending release every single day from the announcement onward.

“My honest-to-goodness reaction of the Super Mario RPG remake announcement. Pardon the hair. Wearing headsets always messes with my glorious locks.”

It wasn’t just the hype though. The Super Mario RPG remake was everything I could have hoped for, and more. The gameplay was as fun as ever (with a few new tweaks and modernizations that improve the experience), it’s one of the best-looking games on Switch, and the music – stunningly recreated by Yoko Shimomura – is my favorite of any game that doesn’t have the words “Donkey Kong Country” in the title (I would award the remake “Best Music” if I were doing my full awards right here).

The game is simultaneously a faithful remake of the original 1996 masterpiece, and a loving tribute to it and its fans (who have waited ever so patiently for Nintendo to acknowledge it again after almost thirty years). It was only the second game I gave a standing ovation to as the credits rolled (Super Mario Odyssey was the first). Yes, I know it doesn’t make sense to give a standing ovation to a video game in your living room. But that’s how sublime it was.

A 10/10 remake to a 10/10 game. So good I finally made an exception to my unwritten rule and named a remake my Game of the Year.

But if that’s cheating…

Best ORIGINAL Game of 2023: Pikmin 4

It truly breaks my heart that Pikmin 4 is among the game’s whose review I’ve backlogged for so long, because it was one of the most joyous games I’ve ever played.

While every other gamer couldn’t stop gushing over The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (a game I’ll probably rate an 8/10 when I get around to reviewing it) and Baldur’s Gate 3 (a title I felt was more of a technical achievement than a great game), and Super Mario Bros. Wonder ended the year on a high note, Pikmin 4 was the 2023 game I had the most fun with, that brought me the most joy, and best expressed the ‘magic’ only video games can provide. Like the Super Mario RPG remake, it rewarded its impossibly patient fanbase (it was released ten years after Pikmin 3) with an experience that brought the best of everything the series has to offer. It took the best bits of the first three Pikmin titles, trimmed some of the fat, and introduced new ideas of its own (the ‘Space Dog’ Oatchi, Ice Pikmin, night stages). It’s a Pikmin fan’s dream, and quite possibly the “that moment” that the series has been looking for. The title that will (hopefully) move it to the upper echelon on Nintendo franchises like Mario and Zelda, where it has always deserved to be.

Zelda and Baldur’s Gate are cool and all, but they ain’t got nothing on Pikmin 4. I was never once bored with it, it was constantly throwing something new at me, it celebrated its franchise by embracing the best aspects of each entry. Pikmin 4 was the peak Nintendo release of 2023, and the best Switch game since Super Mario Odyssey.

Just please don’t make us wait a decade for Pikmin 5, Nintendo!

Alright, so I finally managed to write my Game(s) of the Year for 2023, both my choice for an original game made for that year, and my admittedly cheating choice of a remake (hey, if it ain’t broke…make it better). And now is a good time to finally reveal what my Game of the Years would have been for the preceding two years.

Admittedly, 2021 is a bit of a harder choice, and I may have to go back and replay some of that year’s games to be more definitive. But as of now, there are two games from 2021 that stand out in my memory (both from Nintendo again. The 2020s have been very kind to the Big N’s output): New Pokémon Snap and Metroid Dread. Part of me is tempted to go with the Pokémon Snap sequel, because it’s a more original choice, was another sequel fans had to wait waaay too long for, and it would actually be the first Pokémon game in my life I’d award Game of the Year to if I went with it. But, at least for now, I’m going to go with the more obvious choice.

Game of the Year 2021: Metroid Dread

Although I don’t think Metroid Dread is as much of a through-and-through brilliant experience as Pikmin 4 (the “Emmi” sections, ironically the most marketed aspect of the game, could have used a lot more work to make them feel more like a horror aspect and less like a chore, in my book), the title is nonetheless one of the best games on the Switch, and one of the best in the revered Metroid series.

Dread was yet another Nintendo game fans waited years and years for (I’m sensing a theme here). Originally planned as a Nintendo DS follow-up to Metroid Fusion back in the 2000s, the game saw a start/stop development that lasted well over a decade before becoming the acclaimed Switch title that served as a kind of ending to the series’ story up to this point.

Metroid Dread was a return to the series’ roots, a 2D Metroidvania that put an emphasis on exploration and atmosphere. In this day and age, when more and more games can be summed up as “move the character and listen to the story,” the deep gameplay of Metroid Dread felt like a godsend. Metroid Dread may not be perfect, but it was a perfect return for the series after the 2010s had been rather unkind to Samus (*Insert comment on my disdain for Metroid: Other M here*).

Who knows where the Metroid series goes from here, but fans should at least be happy that Metroid Dread gave the series another classic that it had been starved of for much too long.

Game of the Year 2022: Elden Ring

Now this one wasn’t even a contest. Though I loved Kirby and the Forgotten Land, 2022 belonged to Elden Ring (and before you ask “what about God of War Ragnarok?” I direct you to my above remark regarding “move the character and listen to the story” type of games. I am not a fan).

Elden Ring – like the Super Mario RPG remake – is a definite 10/10 game. It takes the best bits of every previous Soulsborne entry, removes (most of) the jank, and drops it into an open-world. A real open-world, mind you. Not like all those western games where the game keeps telling you exactly where to go “because story.” It’s an actual open-world the player can explore as they see fit.

And what a world it is. The Lands Between create one of the great video game worlds. A sometimes beautiful, usually horrifying land of warring gods, mad beasts, and those damn Rune Bears. The story and lore is there for the players who want to seek it out, but it’s never a burden on the gameplay (thank God). And those who do wish to seek out the story details are rewarded with the kind of unique worldbuilding that can only exist in a video game, as opposed to something desperately trying to be a movie (like God of War Ragnarok…and basically every Sony exclusive these days, come to think of it).

The gameplay is a refinement of every Souls game that came before, with one of the best (the best?) boss lineups in video game history. A number of Elden Ring’s boss encounters would have been fitting final bosses in any other game. But in Elden Ring, the hits keep on coming (quite literally, unless you’re one of those Soulslike savants, you will get hit a lot!). That Elden Ring is currently my only Game of the Year of the 2020s that isn’t a Switch exclusive is a testament that FromSoftware is one of the few developers left that knows how to make a classic video game. Not a mo-cap movie on the PS5 where the player pushes forward and watches cinematics. An honest-to-goodness, full-fledged, tough-as-nails, fun-as-hell video game.

A masterpiece.

Well hey, it looks like I’ve finally caught up on naming my Game of the Years! Ain’t that dandy?! Please, no applause, just throw money. Now here’s hoping I can begin chipping away at my review backlog.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. And even if you didn’t, you read the whole thing if you’re reading this last bit so the joke’s on you!

*Ahem!*

I’m happy to have finally caught up with my Game of the Years (or, at the very least, acknowledged them in short bits). Here’s hoping that I can continue to push forward in the coming months. And here’s hoping 2024 gives these brilliant games a worthy GotY successor.

“Elden Ring also had a Turtle Pope. So yeah, easy win.”

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs Review

*Review based on Battletoads in Battlemaniacs release as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Service*

Few names are as infamous in the world of video games as Battletoads. Rare’s riff on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles provided a game that was not only considered the most difficult in the NES library, but even today many people will point to it as the most difficult video game ever made (and not always for the right reasons). Despite its ludicrous difficulty, Battletoads was popular enough to warrant a franchise for a time (even being rebooted in 2020 by Dlala Studios). The series made the jump to the Super Nintendo in 1993 with Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, which serves as kind of a sequel to, and kind of a remake of the NES game. Strangely, while the original Battletoads has seen numerous re-releases over the years (even Battletoads Arcade made it into Rare Replay), Battlemaniacs didn’t see any form of re-release until it launched on the Nintendo Switch Online Service in late February 2024. Though I have to admit, we weren’t missing much in its absence. While Battlemaniacs definitely looks better and has (relatively) smoother controls than its predecessor, it still suffers from the same callously unfair difficulty of the original.

Battlemaniacs sees two of our disgustingly named heroes, Rash and Pimple, travel to a virtual reality world called “the Gamescape” in order to save the third Battletoad, Zits (the Battletoads aren’t cool enough to ever have all three available for the adventure, as Pimple was kidnapped in the original). The Battletoads’ nemesis, the Dark Queen, has teamed up with another baddie named Silas Volkmire in order to take over the Gamescape and the real world (they also kidnapped some CEO’s daughter. Though why that was necessary to the story, I’m not sure). So Rash and Pimple have to fight their way through six stages in order to defeat the Dark Queen and Volkmire, and save their friends.

I have to say, Rare really got the look, feel and tone of the Saturday morning cartoons of the time down pat. The anthropomorphic animal heroes, the “extreme” attitude, outlandish baddies, and even more outlandish character names all feel ripped straight out of the kind of cartoons that were airing at the time. They even had the gross-out humor of the 90s checked off with the names of the Battletoads. The 16-bit overhaul means that the Saturday morning cartoon mentality of the series even shines through in the game’s visuals this time around. And the music (partly composed by David Wise) includes some real bangers that help liven things up.

Sadly, that same attention to detail was not applied to fine-tuning the game. On the surface Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, despite having half the stages of the NES game, features a good deal of variety, with each stage playing differently than the last. The first level is a straight-up beat-em-up, while the second combines that with descending down a giant tree and avoiding hazards. The third, meanwhile, is the infamous Turbo Tunnel, where the toads ride on speeders while avoiding oncoming obstacles.

“Aw damn…”

Wait a minute! These are the same stages as the NES game!

Yes, despite being the big 16-bit sequel to Battletoads, Battlemaniacs ultimately feels more like a remake. Its six stages recycle the framework of half of those from the original, albeit expanded upon and with more visual splendor. Though lacking in originality they may be, at least every stage is distinct from one another. It’s a shame more developers can’t squeeze in as much variety in the lengthy games of today as Rare could in just six levels on the Super Nintendo.

Battlemaniacs can also be played with two players in two different modes. One of which, like the first game, allows the players to injure each other, while the other mode (the only sane option) turns that feature off. At least this time Rare gave players an option, but given how insanely difficult the game already is, it shouldn’t even have the team attack option at all. It makes the game unplayable.

That difficulty is the game’s great flaw. I’m all for difficult games, being a fan of titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring and what have you. But there’s a distinct difference between a game that’s difficult because of how it was designed, and a game that just feels unfair and comes across like none of its developers ever playtested it. Considering I keep bringing up the difficulty of Battletoads, I think you know which category I think Battlemaniacs falls into.

The Battletoads series is one of the few instances where a game’s difficulty doesn’t simply seem hard, but feels like the developers were playing some kind of sick, cruel prank on the player. While one would hope Rare would learn from their mistakes when making the sequels, sadly, Battlemaniacs feels like it’s pulling the same pranks as its predecessor, only now in 16-bits! The six stages of Battletoads in Battlemaniacs all have the potential to be something great, but each of them ultimately stumbles because, rather than design these stages carefully so players can gradually learn from their mistakes, here the mistakes are all on Rare, as their idea of difficulty when designing this series seemed to be to throw everything and the kitchen sink at players (often at a split second’s notice) and then faulting the player for not knowing what was going to happen ahead of time.

“The fourth stage, where the player hops across and climbs giant snakes, is my personal favorite.”

Take for example, the second stage. There’s a moment where fans try to blow the player into spiky logs as they descend, with the player having to push the character forward to fight the gust of the fans. Then all of a sudden, one of the fans pulls the player into the spikes, with no visual distinction between this fan and any of the others. It’s one thing to change things up, it’s another to outright give the player the middle finger by changing the rules the game itself established without any indication.

Then we have that damned third level, which requires absolutely perfect reflexes and complete memorization of the stage’s obstacles. That may sound standard for games at the time, except that the level drags on and on for so long – and with so few checkpoint – that asking players to memorize it, let alone have perfect precision every time, is just ridiculous. Oh, and you only get three lives and three continues to beat the whole game. If those run out, it’s back to the beginning of the whole game for you (because why not punish the player for the game’s own poor design?). There is a cheat code you can enter at the title screen (hold down, A and B and press start), but all that does is increase the lives and continues to five. It helps a little, but so little it just feels like another means for the game to mock you.

A couple of bonus stages are played after the second and fifth levels, in which the player has the chance to win extra lives, but of course the game uses this as another opportunity to mess with the player. As the toads ride a giant hockey puck and collect points (100 points for an extra life), enemies and obstacles litter the field – again often showing up at a split seconds’ notice – and take your points away upon contact. By the time these bonus stages are done, you’ll likely only get one or two extra lives, which will probably vanish within seconds of the next stage anyway.

“On the plus side, the bonus stages LOOK great.”

Admittedly, Battlemaniacs may not be quite as difficult as the original Battletoads, if only because it has fewer levels and because the SNES allowed for more precise movements (which the NES game demanded, but the hardware couldn’t allow). And playing it on Switch Online means you can create save states, which I highly recommend after every frustrating moment (so about every 5 seconds). But being slightly easier than the original Battletoads is like saying walking on hot coals with socks on is slightly more tolerable than walking on hot coals barefoot.

For some reason, people from my generation often look back fondly at Battletoads. I’m assuming it’s probably because the characters reminded us of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which were all the rage at the time. But actually going back to play this series again is a reminder that some things are best left in the past. Rare would later reach new heights with games like Donkey Kong Country, Goldeneye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie (before they eventually fell into one niche after another when Microsoft bought them out). But Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is not one of those Rare classics. It could have been – it still looks and sounds great, and the tongue-in-cheek nature of the series shines through – if only it weren’t so needlessly vindictive with its difficulty.

Games like Dark Souls are difficult in such a way they make you want to see the challenge through. Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is difficult in a way it makes you just want to play something else instead. And with plenty of other, infinitely better games made by Rare out there, you should do just that.

“Shut the hell up.”

4

The Wind Rises’ Tenth US Anniversary!

Hayao Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises was released in US cinemas ten years ago today. On February 21st 2014, what was then to be the legendary animator’s final film made its way to the US, being the last Studio Ghibli film released under Disney (similarly being one of the last films to be released under the ‘Touchstone’ banner before Disney retired the label).

The Wind Rises was sort of a quasi-biopic, telling a (largely fictionalized) story about the life of Jiro Horikoshi, a Japanese WWII airplane designer, and how the looming war would curse Jiro’s pure dreams of wanting to design beautiful flying machines. The film was a unique entry into Miyazaki’s catalogue, as it was the director’s first film since Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro to not feature any fantasy or sci-fi elements (though such elements were incredibly scarce in Porco Rosso, with the obvious exception of the main character’s face being magically transformed to that of a pig). But given the more serious subject matter of The Wind Rises, none of the characters perform physics-defying feats as those featured in Cagliostro or Porco Rosso.

That’s not to say that The Wind Rises didn’t feature any of Miyazaki’s fantastic animated wizardry, however. Miyazaki uses the literal idea of Jiro Horikoshi’s dreams to still give the film some surreal elements, as Jiro comes face-to-face with his future inventions and the man who inspired him, Giovanni Battista Caproni.

Like all of Miyazaki’s films, The Wind Rises is nothing short of a visual feast, featuring some of the most captivating hand-drawn animation you will ever see. The hauntingly beautiful images of the film (and the emotional musical score, courtesy of course by the one and only Joe Hisaishi) compliment the underlying melancholy throughout the film. The Wind Rises is a film about love, loss, and how the purity of our dreams can themselves be corrupted.

Miyazaki had previously attempted retirement with Princess Mononoke, before being inspired to create Spirited Away (itself going to be a “one-time return” before Miyazaki stepped back into retirement). Howl’s Moving Castle and Ponyo would follow after that, but with The Wind Rises, Miyazaki seemed to be ready to retire once again. Thankfully for the rest of us, even that retirement didn’t stick (though it did last longer than the director’s previous attempts), as in 2023 Hayao Miyazaki released his latest masterpiece, The Boy and the Heron (known by the more appropriate title ‘How do you Live?’ in its native Japan). Though The Wind Rises didn’t end up being the master filmmaker’s swansong, it would have been a fitting way to wrap up an unparalleled career. It is a most beautiful film.

Happy 10th (US) Anniversary, The Wind Rises!

Mario vs. Donkey Kong Review

Mario vs. Donkey Kong on Switch is a remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance game of the same name, itself a spiritual sequel to the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong (unofficially referred to as “Donkey Kong GB” or “Donkey Kong ’94”) from ten years prior. Mario vs. Donkey Kong utilized gameplay inspired by its Game Boy predecessor (and, in turn, Mario and Donkey Kong’s arcade origins) that lead to a sub-series of its own. Though the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series would gain numerous entries over time, the focus of the games would shift away from its iconic titular characters and onto the “Mini-Mario” toy characters found in the series (later entries would even trade the ‘vs‘ in the title for ‘and,’ further deviating from its origins). So a remake of the 2004 game seems to be a nice reset for the series, and the upgrade to the Nintendo Switch means the game looks and sounds far better than ever. Though fans of the original who were hoping for something a little more may be a little disappointed to know that this remake doesn’t feature a whole lot that the original GBA release didn’t already boast.

The core structure of the game remains the same: Mario still travels across levels that are comprised of two single-screen sections that combine puzzles and platforming. The first half of a stage requires Mario to get a hold of a key and take it to the door to the second half, in which Mario completes the stage by collecting a Mini-Mario toy (Donkey Kong wants a toy for himself, but being a gorilla who doesn’t know how consumerism works, has stolen the entire batch of toys).

Mario is equipped with a different set of acrobatics than normal. In addition to his regular jump, Mario can do a handstand which can lead into a higher jump, with an even higher jump able to be performed after that. Mario’s jump doesn’t hurt enemies here but he can pick up foes when standing on top of them Super Mario Bros. 2-style. Stages will usually feature red, blue and yellow switches, which will operate different mechanics depending on the level, with only one switch being active at a time. Three similarly colored presents are scattered about each stage as well, and players who want one-hundred percent completion will want to grab them all.

“He can handstand, when he needs to…”

The game now boasts eight worlds, as opposed to the original release’s six, with a new toy themed world 4 and ice themed world six joining the original building, jungle, volcano, haunted house, forest and city themed worlds. Each world consists of six standard levels and ends with a Mini-Mario level and a boss fight against DK himself. The Mini-Mario levels change up the structure, with Mario needing to guide the Mini-Marios collected from that world’s previous stages safely to a toybox. Depending on how many Mini-Marios make it to the toybox, Mario will have more health in the boss battle (up to six hit points).

“Kazooie? Is that you?!”

Although the mechanics of the game harken back to the simplistic arcade days of Mario and Donkey Kong’s beginnings, the variety of ideas Nintendo came up with for the puzzles keeps things fresh and interesting throughout. And once all eight worlds have been completed, a second, more difficult campaign opens up in which each world has six new levels which once again mix things up (these stages ditch the two-part levels in favor of singular stages in which Mario has to solve the puzzles with the aid of a single Mini-Mario, who now holds the key to the levels’ exits). It’s a unique idea to fundamentally change how the game works midway through, but it ultimately pays off in giving the game more variety and an overall more fun experience. If only more games would take such a risk.

“The game’s ‘second campaign’ – in which Mario guides a Mini-Mario toy to the exit – brings out the game’s best puzzles.”

The game has, of course, never looked better. The vibrant, cartoony look of the characters and stages look beautiful on the Switch. And the soundtrack, re-recorded with real instruments, is a delight (the game even has the option to listen to its soundtrack right out of the gate, no unlocking required). The Switch may be getting on a bit in years, but you’d never know it based on Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

Aside from the audiovisual overhaul and two additional worlds, another welcome addition to the remake comes in the form of a two-player option, with a second player joining in as Toad. A new ‘casual’ option eliminates the time limit for stages, for those wanting to play the game more leisurely. Though these additions are all welcome (especially the new levels), they may not be enough for those who were hoping for a little more out of the game. Mario vs. Donkey Kong always had a lot of content for a Game Boy Advance title, but for a Nintendo Switch game, you can’t help but feel a few more bells and whistles could have been added.

It’s also worth pointing out that, despite featuring sixteen worlds between the game’s two campaigns, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is still over pretty quickly. While there’s nothing wrong with shorter games (in fact, they can feel like a blessing in this day and age when so many games feel padded to high heaven), the fact that the game doesn’t really get challenging until the last couple of worlds in the second campaign means you’ll breeze through the majority of it. Again, a short and easy game is no unforgiveable sin, but there’s something about this Switch upgrade of Mario vs. Donkey Kong that leaves you wanting more out of it. It’s a loving recreation of a cult favorite GBA title, and a fitting return to form for the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, but it still doesn’t feel much bigger than the GBA original. Considering Mario vs. Donkey Kong is now a fully priced Switch release, this stings all the more.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong remains a competent and engaging puzzle-platformer that pays homage to the roots of Nintendo’s original hero and villain. It’s the kind of game that’s best enjoyed in small bursts. Though that very nature may have made it ideal for the GBA, it still serves as a fun ‘secondary’ Mario title on the Nintendo Switch.

7

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Turns 10!!

Today, February 13th 2024, marks the ten-year anniversary of the release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on the Wii U in Japan. Ten years later, and it’s still one of Nintendo’s greatest achievements, one of the best platformers of all time, the best Wii U game, and one of my all-time favorites. It’s also probably the most underrated Nintendo game ever made.

I was elated at E3 2013 when it was announced that Retro Studios were working on a second Donkey Kong Country game. Donkey Kong Country Returns was a brilliant, well, return for the DKC series. Donkey Kong Country has always had a strong place in my heart, and Retro Studios proved they could handle the series just as well as Rare did back in the 1990s. A second DKC from Retro Studios was something I wasn’t expecting but couldn’t have been happier with. Too bad I was in the minority at the time, as most people were upset that Retro Studios wasn’t working on another Metroid game (despite having made three already by that point) or a new Star Fox (which was just a baseless rumor anyway). So yes, the ‘controversy’ around Tropical Freeze could be summed up as “it wasn’t Metroid.” That has to be the dumbest video game controversy of all time (okay, maybe the “Bayonetta dresses differently in Bayonetta 2 so is she even Bayonetta anymore?” controversy is probably a little more dumb). Though going back to 2013, the most recent Metroid game was Other M, one of the worst Nintendo games of all time. Between that or more of what Donkey Kong Country Returns gave us, well, it was a no brainer which one I wanted to see more of.

This non-troversy got so bad that at least one reviewer on a “professional” gaming site gave Tropical Freeze a mixed-to-negative review, seemingly still throwing a tantrum that the game wasn’t Metroid (thankfully, this same site would rectify the sin of this reviewer when Tropical Freeze was re-released on the Switch in 2018, giving it a much more glowing review). Suffice to say, this backlash, combined with the fact the game was released on the ill-fated Wii U, did not work in Tropical Freeze’s favor.

Well, it was their loss. Because Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze surpassed Returns in every way, becoming one of the best platformers of all time in the process. The level design is god-tier, the additional characters in Dixie and Cranky add a new layer to the gameplay, the bosses are among the best in genre history, it was the toughest Nintendo game in decades, and David Wise – the composer of the original SNES DKC trilogy – returned to score a soundtrack that sits comfortably alongside the first two entries in the series as an all-time great. If Returns proved Retro Studios could handle Donkey Kong Country, then Tropical Freeze proved that they’d mastered the series.

On the downside, we haven’t had a new Donkey Kong game since Tropical Freeze. In these past ten years, Tropical Freeze was ported over to the Nintendo Switch, but no follow-ups (or even spinoffs) to Retro Studio’s Donkey Kong series have been released. There have been on-and-off rumors for years now that the team behind Super Mario Odyssey were making a brand new 3D platformer in the Donkey Kong series, but rumors are all they’ve been. A 3D platformer from the team behind Odyssey is a very promising prospect, but I still think another sidescrolling Donkey Kong Country is overdue at this point. After all, the classic DKC series was comprised of a trilogy on the SNES. It seems fitting that Retro Studio’s take on the series get the same treatment (unlikely at this time, seeing as Retro is working on Metroid Prime 4. We’ve come full circle). Though after ten years, us Donkey Kong fans would just like something.

On the upside, Tropical Freeze’s re-release on the Nintendo Switch helped the game finally get (at least some of) the recognition it always deserved. The tepid praise Tropical Freeze received during its initial Wii U run was now a thing of the past. With the wave of “it’s not Metroid” being long past in the rearview mirror, players and critics could now view Tropical Freeze for being what it is. And what it is is one hell of a platformer.

Since its release in February 2014 (the 13th in Japan, 21st in America and Europe, and 22nd in Australia), I don’t think there’s been a 2d/side-scrolling platformer that’s been as good since (Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Sonic Mania probably come the closest). And I think Tropical Freeze was the best 2D/side-scrolling platformer since, well, Donkey Kong Country 2 was released nearly nineteen years beforehand. Tropical Freeze is that good.

If I may even say something a tad controversial, I would go so far as to say Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is the best game Nintendo has made outside of some of the 3D Mario games (and the Super Mario RPG remake) of the past couple of decades (yes, that includes Zelda). It’s just a perfectly put together video game. The real question is why didn’t I score it a 10/10 in my reviews for either the Wii U or Switch version? It, alongside Bloodborne, are probably the two games I could have given a perfect score but for some (stupid) reason didn’t. Perhaps I will go back and up those scores someday, or perhaps I’ll leave the scores as is, to show that we all make mistakes (and that you shouldn’t put all-importance on the little number at the end of a review. My constant gushing over Tropical Freeze says more than any number ever could).

At any rate, while we wait with bated breath for Nintendo to announce a new Donkey Kong game (whether DKC or otherwise), let’s all take time to reflect on a decade of one of Nintendo’s unsung masterpieces.

Happy tenth anniversary, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze!

Not bad for a game that ‘wasn’t Metroid.’

Mario Party Turns 25!

Well damn. It’s now time to really feel old, because Mario Party on the Nintendo 64 and, by extension, the entire Mario Party series, turns twenty-five years old today.*

*Based on its US release. I missed acknowledging its Japanese anniversary in December so shoosh!

It was on February 8th 1999 that players first delved into the ‘party’ aspect of the Mushroom Kingdom. Up to four players could compete to get the most stars and coins across various board games and 50 different mini-games. It was a whole lot of fun… Except when your best friend landed on Chance Time and stole all your stars, after all your hard work and blistered palms HOW COULD THEY DO THIS?!

*Ahem!*

Yes, Mario Party, for all its lighthearted fun, has also been humorously dubbed Nintendo’s ‘friendship killer’ due to how it encourages players to mess with each other’s progress, as well as its chance-based elements. But hey, that’s part of the fun.

“Boy, I miss these promotional CG N64 renders…”

Mario Party kickstarted one of the most prolific sub-series within the Mario franchise. The N64 alone saw two sequels, before the GameCube ran wild with the series, the Wii experimented with it, and the series made its way to handhelds. Mario Party is still going strong today, with two entries on the Nintendo Switch (with Mario Party Superstars in particular, taking the series back to glorious basics). You can even play the original N64 entries via Switch’s online service, and relive the fun and frustration all over again.

With the exception of the primary Mario platformers and Mario Kart, Mario Party has perhaps grown a richer history than any other sub-series in the franchise. And it all started on the Nintendo 64, twenty-five years ago today! Wahoo!

Happy 25th Anniversary, Mario Party!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Turns 30!

Well, now I really feel old. Because here’s one of the earliest games I can remember being super hyped about before release, and it turns thirty years old today. It’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3!

Back in the early 1990s, Sonic the Hedgehog was the coolest guy around (briefly surpassing Mario in popularity). The original 1991 game instantly made the character an icon, but 1992’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is the game that elevated the series into something timeless. This put the hype for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on a whole other level.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was going to be the biggest game of its time. It became so big, in fact, that it wasn’t going to meet its planned release date, and the game had to be split in two (the second half of the game, Sonic & Knuckles, was released later in the same year, and featured unique “lock-on technology” to connect it with Sonic 3, and even Sonic 2).

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was released first in the US on February 2nd of 1994 (Groundhog Day, which Sega dubbed “Hedgehog Day”), and would release in other regions shortly thereafter. The game took everything that made Sonic 2 so good, and expanded on it. More zones, bigger boss fights, the series’ most iconic bonus stages (blue spheres!), an awesome snowboarding section, and the introduction of a rival character for Sonic in the form of Knuckles the Echidna. And for the first time in the series, Sonic 3 featured a save feature (which really does help it stand the test of time above its predecessors). To this day, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 puts up an argument to being the best entry in the beloved series (though Sonic Mania might have something to say about that).

Sega themselves seem to be celebrating the anniversary, making a number of announcements regarding the upcoming 2024 film Sonic the Hedgehog 3, including the return of Jim Carrey as my main man Dr. Ivo Robotnik!

It’s hard to believe it’s been thirty years since that fateful ‘Hedgehog Day’ that gave Sega fans possibly their biggest moment ever. Here’s hoping Sonic can replicate this game’s greatness again in the future.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Sonic the Hedgehog 3! And Happy 30th ‘birthday’ Knuckles!

Migration Review

Illumination Studios has grown into one of the world’s most prominent names in animation, due in no small part to their wildly successful Despicable Me and Minions franchises. Illumination found its greatest success when teaming with Nintendo to create 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The follow-up to Illumination’s Nintendo adaptation was a movie about ducks (leading to many a Duck Hunt joke) titled ‘Migration.’

Illumination has often faced criticisms for the simplicity of their pictures, with many feeling the studio’s works are too light in this day and age when mainstream animation – under the influence of Pixar – is more willing than ever to deliver deep, emotional storytelling. Though is it really so terrible that Illumination doesn’t aim so high? The past couple of decades have been a goldmine for cinematic animated artistry, yes. But does that mean everything animated has to strive to be a masterpiece? Sometimes smaller, more lighthearted animated fair is enough. I feel Illumination fills this niche nicely. While Pixar and other contemporaries often aim to create the next animated masterpiece, Illumination serves up simple, harmless entertainments. Rarely standout but never terrible. And Migration once again fills this role, playing as a sort of ‘Finding Nemo Lite.’

Migration tells the story of the Mallards, a family of ducks who have lived a sheltered life in their secluded pond, mainly due to their worried and anxious patriarch, Mack (Kumail Nanjiani). Mack’s wife Pam (Elizabeth Banks) wishes for a more eventful life for the family, especially their two children, Dax (Caspar Jennings) and Gwen (Tresi Gazal). Despite longing for something more, the Mallard family still seem mostly accepting with their safe life, until another family of ducks stops by the pond during their migration to Jamaica. The mallards wish to join the migration, except for Mack, who fears leaving the comfort of his home. Mack eventually changes his mind after a conversation with Uncle Dan (Danny DeVito), and Mack realizes he doesn’t want himself – or his family – to end up like the slovenly uncle. So in the middle of the night, Mack wakes his family (Uncle Dan included) to get an early start and try to catch up with the other ducks on their way to Jamaica. But the migration is anything but simple, with cooky herons, a gang of street pigeons and a sinister chef being just some of the dangers the Mallards will encounter, making Mack question his decision to leave his home.

Like Illumination’s other works, Migration is a very simple movie. As stated, the film echoes similar themes to Finding Nemo (an overly cautious father leaves the comfort of his home and goes on an adventure for the sake of his family), but Migration lacks the Pixar classic’s emotional weight and complexity. Kids will probably love the colorful characters, and while adults may find some enjoyment out of Migration, they probably won’t be shedding any tears like they might for Nemo.

Also like Illumination’s other works, that hardly seems to matter. Migration excels in the usual areas Illumination movies excel at: vibrant, eye-popping animation, fun characters with well-cast voices (I especially like Gwen and Uncle Dan), and lighthearted humor. It also has a surprisingly good musical score. In short: Migration is a fun movie.

Those who are hoping Migration may be the movie that (ironically) gets Illumination out of their comfort zone will be disappointed to know that the film is another safe entry in the studio’s canon (even the studio’s best film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, was a safe movie that was elevated mostly due to the world and characters Nintendo created, as opposed to what Illumination themselves brought to the table). Those who accept and appreciate Illumination for what it is and the role it fills in today’s world of animation will find a movie that – while maybe nothing special – is undeniably charming and fun. More importantly, kids should really like it.

6

400 Video Game Reviews!!

Huzzah! I have finally amassed 400 video game reviews here at Wizard Dojo! My recent review of the Switch remake of Super Mario RPG marked the big four-oh-oh milestone!

This has been a long time coming. In the first year of this site, I amassed 100 video game reviews. And about a year and a half after that, I hit 200. I reached the 300 mark after roughly a year after that. That was in 2018.

Sadly, my reviews have slowed down considerably in the years since. There was even a year long period between 2022 and 2023 where I didn’t write a single video game review! For shame.

Suffice to say I have a ton of catching up to do. And I’m hoping in the months ahead, I’ll start cranking out the reviews at a more steady pace again. I have no shortage of games to review in my collection, especially all the ones I need to catch up on from 2020 onward.

But enough about things I need to catch up on in the future, let me give myself a pat on the back for this milestone in the present! Woohoo! 400 video game reviews! Yo Adrian… I did it!

From humble beginnings launching this site on Christmas of 2014 to spending way too much time in front of a TV/computer screen playing these games to today, Wizard Dojo celebrates 400 video game reviews written by yours truly!

…Hey, I don’t have a lot to brag about. Let me have this!

I have a number of additional video game reviews (as well as movie reviews and other stuff) in the pipeline, so hopefully that can give me a head start on making 2024 a more productive year here at Wizard Dojo.

Here’s hoping it won’t take so damn long to reach the next milestone.

Thanks for reading!