The 'Shroom:Issue LXI
|
| ||
| Issue LXI | April 21st, 2012 | About |
|
| ||
Director's Notes
Hello fellow readers! There is not much for me to report this month, but I do have a few things to say.
Firstly, I would like to thank Twentytwofiftyseven (talk) for standing in for Edofenrir (talk) this month with the editing of the sections and assisting in preparing the issue for release this month. Edofenrir had some personal things to tend to, and so he asked Twentytwofiftyseven to help out, and he agreed to. So once again, thank you for your help!
Next month, The 'Shroom will be running another Feedback Survey for readers to participate in. For those who do not know, the Feedback Survey is a questionnaire that the Core Staff runs every four months (for a duration of one month) that allows the readers to give input on the way The 'Shroom is being handled, the quality of the sections and the paper, and ideas on how to improve the project. The results of the survey allow the Core Staff to determine what needs to be focused on and how to better serve the readers. So be sure to participate in that survey next month— you can have an influence the course of The 'Shroom for the next few months!
The guest writer for this issue is Beanbean (talk), who wrote a film review entitled With Pleasure. I implore you to read the submission, it makes for a good read!
The Core Staff is working on several projects and we hope to introduce them in the following months, so be sure to read next month's issue when it comes out on May 19th, 2012!
Until next month,
Activity Announcements
Hello beings of various species, sizes and genders! I am your Activity Director, Marioguy1 (talk), bringing you the first installment of my new section - Activity Announcements. Much like the Director's Notes, these announcements will update you on what The 'Shroom is doing, special events, and special issues, as well as give the monthly report on the status of the 'Shroom Spotlight. Make sure to read them so that you can be involved in everything that The 'Shroom is doing!
This month I have a very special announcement to make! To celebrate my rise to this position For no reason in particular, The 'Shroom will be hosting 'Shroom Mafia II! The second installment of the 'Shroom mafia, it will be hosted by yours truly, with appearances from some other hosts from around the community - sign ups are currently open so make sure to sign up! The game will begin on the release of the May Issue (May 19th) and it will be very fun. More will be revealed in the sign-up thread on the forums.
As for the 'Shroom Spotlight, it's been a while so I'll recap what it is. The 'Shroom Spotlight was an idea introduced in Special Issue L exactly one year ago next month to focus the attention of users on a specific set of articles each month. The idea went inactive as it was not updated each month, but I'm bringing it back. Go to this page to sign up as a contributor to the Spotlight, and read The 'Shroom every month to see what game we are focusing on!
This month, as it is a new beginning for the 'Shroom Spotlight, we'll focus on a new beginning for the big N. One where they redesigned, renovated and renewed the Mario series to the series we know and love today. The first true Mario game, Super Mario Bros.! Next month I will reveal which of the current members of the 'Shroom Spotlight did the most for Super Mario Bros. articles over the past month and maybe there will be something in the end-of-year awards for the user who does the most overall...
So, to recap:
- 'Shroom Mafia - signups are open now on the forums, game starts May 19th. It's bound to be fun!
- Sign up for the 'Shroom Spotlight!
- This month's game is Super Mario Bros.
- The most helpful contributor (who is signed up for the Spotlight) will be recognized next issue, and the most helpful contributor for the entire year may have something waiting for them in the end-of-year awards.
Thank you so much for reading, I will see you again next month for the beginning of 'Shroom Mafia and the results of Super Mario Bros.!
Section of the Month
| Section of the Month | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G'day mates, your beloved yet useless affiliates manager here again to add to the ever-growing monstrosity that is the Section of the Month table. Last month, we started up the public voting system so that you, the reader, could decide which section deserves to be placed upon a pedestal as a reminder to all our other writers that they’re just awful. Well unexpectedly, our very first month with that system has led to a two-way tie. Now our winners get to fight each other to the death to decide who the true king of the hill is! Our lucky winners – as chosen by the community – are Stooben Rooben (talk) for his Interview section, and Shyguy27 (talk) for his aptly titled Shyguy Does a Thing guest section, that both tied with five votes each. In Stooben's absurdly lengthy section, he interviewed yours truly and my arch nemesis Master Crash (talk) with a very light-hearted, casual, and conversational approach that presented much about the way each interviewee views the Wiki and other users, as well as giving some insight into their personalities, hobbies and interests. His ability to get his In Shyguy's comical guest section, he wrote a text Let's Play of ever-popular Steam title Terraria, with the catch that I – the one who asked him to write for us – play alongside with him, an awkward proposition considering I've never played the game dedicatedly in the past and he put the difficulty on Mediumcore (hate you). With a clever blend of information and cheerfully sarcastic humour, Shyguy managed a refreshing and hilarious outlook on our adventures in the unforgiving world of Terraria and displayed exactly why we're both pillocks. And I sure as hell had a good time playing with him. We should do it again sometime, mate. Third-place runner-up was my own Crocodile Style Reviews, even though I believe it's one of my weakest sections yet. I'm seeing a pattern here; I'm in all the top three sections this month. Perhaps people were actually voting for me to be the real winner instead of those other two bogans. Thank you, mates; I really appreciate the support! (congrats, Stooben and Shyguy; you're both great sports) Voting for the Next Section of the MonthYou can cast your vote right here in the following form; lookie lookie. Please submit the name of just one section that you want to become the Section of the Month for March 2012. Votes with multiple section names, nonexistent sections, sections that do not appear in the current issue, votes for entire sub-teams, and/or spam will be removed and discounted. Voting starts on April 21st, 2012 and ends on May 12th, 2012. |
Fake News
Editorial
Hey, everyone, welcome again to Fake News! Guaranteed to be more fake than last month - no refunds.
We welcome Pyro (talk) (previously known as PyroGuy6) back to the team. He previously wrote for Fake Interview, and now has been hired for the Travel Guide.
Other than that, enjoy the section, and remember to pay your fee on the way out!
MYSTERIOUS CRIMINAL WREAKS HAVOC IN POSHLEY HEIGHTS AND BEYOND
Just yesterday, we arrived in Poshley Heights to take a look at the mythical treasure that was uncovered a short while ago. However, we saw some of the beautiful town in ruins. Pennington was on the scene for this compelling mystery. He said;
"Now, if only I had my dear Luigi to help me! He was quite the good detective..."
Damage reports have shown that multiple Shine Sprites have gone missing and someone left a giant table in the middle of nowhere. Also, the pasta stand is deep in debt because all their stuff is gone too...
Later, we received reports of a criminal leaving a giant table on top of Whacka. We interviewed multiple witnesses.
Pa-Patch: "Aye, he ripped the Keel Mango tree...It's ridiculous!"
Whacka: "It's another beauuuuuuutiful day on Keelhaul Key, whack-a-do!"
Flavio: "'Stache stomps red-head three times, 'Stache whacks blue four times on his belly, boom-bassa-boom!"
We have no idea what that means.
Pennington and his new assistant, Baby Luigi (although he said "The name's Squirps, squinkle!") are currently chasing the criminal in Rogueport, where he has left a massive amount of tables, most in ridiculous locations (mostly behind things, like a trash can).
Frankie, head of the Pianta Syndicate, claimed that the criminal also left tables on the Pianta Parlor's roof that were labeled "Blimp Ticket". The Safety Association of Glitzville has been informed of this, as Blimp Tickets are needed to get there. The Excess Express is also closed for "refurbishment", but we're pretty sure it was a victim of the table crime too. Chef Shimi has moved temporarily to stay with famous chef Zess T. He has announced that he will "prestair ~ i mean prepare a feast when the criminal is captured".
We will follow Pennington and Baby Luigi's discoveries, and we will report them next month. Goodbye!
First of all, you might be wondering, "who would vacation at a constantly dark place?". Well, there's nice accommodations, a great shop (with a chest that curses you!), and a steeple that is inhabited by a freak in a sheet, known only as ????. Maybe you could guess his name, but don't try to; for some reason, it always comes out as "Dooliss" in front of him.
But then again, there's other things! The Twilight Inn, managed by none other than Darkly's brother, is one of the best inns in the Mushroom Kingdom. The beds are comfy, and you get a free peach that tastes very peachy. Or so they said.
The shop sells stopwatches, which come in handy so you can tell the time if you're lost in the forest. There's also some really thick syrup, and I once dipped my peach in it. It was great! I choked on it should tell Zess T. about it sometime.
The nearby forest is filled with cute Crazee Dayzees and strange green rocks. There's also a lot of Goombas that look like they're covered in moss. After getting through the forest (if you can), you reach the Creepy Steeple. This attraction is popular with kids 4 and under, so get a FastPass. Wait, this isn't Disney World. Never mind. It does feature friendly Boos, and Swoopers lurk here too. Many people come here for the legendary Golden Leaves. They're somehow edible, and DELICIOUS!
So, I've finally run out of things to say. Have a fun time at Twilight Town, and - Oh, what a lovely bell ~ Oink!
Written by: 
Chivi-chivik (talk)
Hi everybody! Here’s your hostess, Chivi-chivik! And this is Cooking Guide, where we teach you how to cook excellent dishes!! So, let’s go! ---
Me: ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZz...
stage manager: Uh... Chivi!
Me: Eh? What’s the matter?
stage manager: Do you have today's dish?
Me: ... ... (O_O)
stage manager: *facepalm* So... what are you going to cook today?
Me: Oh crap... uh... let me think... oh! *takes out an Ice Storm and a Life Shroom* I’ll do a Shroom Cone! It’s very easy to make!
stage manager: Okay...
Me: First get a bowl and blender... *gets those things* Now put the Life Shroom in the blender...
stage manager: *Looks angrily at me*
Me: Uh... next put the liquefied shroom in the bowl. Do the same with the Ice Storm. This thing is too cold...
stage manager: ...
Me: ... ... Let’s it up a bit! *mixes* Now, put this in the fridge for an hour, but remember to mix it sometimes!
--After that hour of mixing...—
Me: Here it is! Now, take ice cream cones and put the mixture in! Et voilà! You have delicious Shroom Cones!!
stage manager: Chivi, Dyllis has just called... she’s extremely angry.
Me: *frightened* ... ... ...
Summary:
Shroom Cone
Ingredients: A Life Shroom, an Ice Storm
- Blend the Life Shroom and the Ice storm in a blender separately. Put the result in a bowl.
- Mix the liquids.
- Put the bowl in the fridge, and keep it there for an hour. Mix intermittently throughout the hour.
- Take it out, and put the ice cream in cones.
Thanks for reading. Until next time!!
Written by: Toadbert101 (talk)
Written by: Travix Man (talk)
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, for I say, I am TravixMan, Chief of the Mushroom Police Force, and Boy, I say, Boy, there's not many stories tonight. However, I have one story that is very crude for the Mushroom Kingdom.
1. Mario's Huge Blowout Party
One day, Mario and his friends were sitting outside, doing nothing whatsoever. However, Koopa Troopa and Shy Guy came with Chuckola Cola. Both creatures then gave the plumber and his friends the drinks, and Mario then proceeded to make lists of mini-games, and invited everyone he knew. Luigi was getting out more drinks for the party guests. Toad also helped, and invited Wario and Waluigi. Princess Peach approved of this party, and invited Princess Daisy, Yoshi, and Birdo. Bowser and Bowser Jr. came with Kamek, and also set up boards and mini-games of their own. When everything was complete, they started the party, wrecking property as time passed by. When the party was done, almost everyone left. Then many citizens came out of their homes, looked at their damaged property, and contacted the HQ. Then the Police came to the scene, and put everyone that was there under arrest. Trial for everyone will proceed soon, in the Isle Delfino Court Room, for the Mushroom Kingdom doesn't have a court room since Bowser destroyed it.
And that's all I have to say for tonight. See you all next month, on the Mushroom Kingdom Police Blotter.
Written by: 
MST3K (talk) (usually)
'3K didn't receive any questions this month. You can ask him questions by sending him a personal message on the Super Mario Boards.
Fun Stuff
Director Notes
by Gamefreak75 (talk)
No news this month… or is there… ?
You can now sign-up for a Non-Mario Crossword puzzle. Just PM me on the forums or drop a line on my talk page.
Mystery Images
HI, everyone! I'm your hot-as-always Statistics Manager and Mystery Images writer, Tucayo! In case you're wondering "what the fawful is the Statistics Manager?", let me tell you that I basically manage the statistics (among other stuff). One of my primary jobs is to keep the Shroom's Writer History updated. Take a look at it. If you have any comments about it, please leave a message on my talk page and I'll get back to you.
Now, to the section. After two months of messing around with logos and geography, this month we return to the characters you all love. So yeah, guess them and have fun.
Trivia
by Raven Effect (talk)
Did you know that...
- Squawks the Parrot is the only non-playable Animal Buddy in Donkey Kong Country?
- According to the Instruction Manual for Donkey Kong Country 2, Klampon is Klaptrap’s older brother?
- Koindozers are the only Kremling not classified as Kremling Kreeps in the credits of Donkey Kong Country 3?
- That it is possible to see two Enguarde the Swordfishes in the Donkey Kong Country level Coral Capers?
- That Conker and Banjo both made their first appearances in Diddy Kong Racing?
- That Squawks the Parrot is the first ever Animal Buddy to fight a boss (King Zing) in Donkey Kong Country 2?
- According to the Instructional Manual for Donkey Kong Country 2, Rattly the Rattlesnake is rebelling against the Kremling Krew?
Quiz
By Post-Damage Invincibility (talk)
The recent release of Mario Party 9 marks the release of the first Mario Party in five years. In the same amount of years on the Mario timeline ever since February 1999, a maximum of seven games for the series had been released (2003-2007). This quiz will contain one question about every playable character from the original game, and one question from every Mario Party not played on a handheld system.
- Mario: In Super Mario Bros., in what world will Mario reveal a Fake Bowser to be a Spiny should he defeat one with Fireballs?
- Luigi: In Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, name three Baby Luigi quotes not also uttered by Luigi.
- Wario: In Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, what is the treasure letter of the Diamond Ring?
- Donkey Kong: Name the most the player(s) can get in terms of prizes in the first Bonus Level of the Vulture Culture level of Donkey Kong Country.
- Peach: Which of the following is not a Super Princess Peach enemy?
A. Ptooie B. Calm Cannon C. Calorite
- Yoshi: In Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island, name the level that takes (by far) the longest to 100% complete, assuming a fast-as-humanly-possible speed run is done.
- ‘’Mario Party’’: What is the best possible compliment that the Mecha Fly Guy can give the player after the controversial Mecha Fly Guy mini-game?
- ‘’Mario Party 2’’: What is the maximum number of coins the player can earn from the mini-game Abandon Ship?
- ‘’Mario Party 3’’: What does Waluigi say when you select him in Duel Mode?
- ‘’Mario Party 4’’: In Goomba’s Greedy Gala, the player must roll what number to land on the Mushroom Space from the Start Space?
- ‘’Mario Party 5’’: Which Star Spirit hosts the Mini-Game Battle?
- ‘’Mario Party 6’’: What is the symbol on the hot air balloon in the sky background of the Battle Bridge?
- ‘’Mario Party 7’’: What is the final course in the Mini-Game Cruise?
- ‘’Mario Party 8’’: How many eye colors does MC Ballyhoo have, counting the eyes on his hat?
- ‘’Mario Party 9’’: Name all ‘’’9’’’ boss characters who also appeared in ‘’New Super Mario Bros. Wii’’.
| Click to find answers! | |
|---|---|
| |
Guess Who
- The sequel to the game this character is in was released on the Wii.
- This character resides around the hub area of said game.
- This character can be seen participating in a mini-game.
- This character gives out information for five coins per piece.
| Click to find answers! | |
|---|---|
Guess that Game
- This game is the fourth in its series.
- This game has four game modes (not including co-op play).
- This game introduced a character that went on to have a supporting role in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, as well as other playable appearances in spin-offs.
- This is the only Mario game that is compatible with a broadband adapter for LAN play.
| Click to find answers! | |
|---|---|
Word Search
By Gamefreak75 (talk)
The answer to last month’s word search:
This month’s Word Search is based on the locations of Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga. Are you up to the challenge?
Hiding Koopa
By General bob-omb (talk)
Ahhh... Mario Kart: Double Dash, a classic. This is such a chaotic scene, but I think we all know that Donkey Kong and Luigi will come out on top because of a certain familiar item... (by the way, the koopa is not the paratroopa)
Music & Artwork
Director's Notes (Fawfulfury65)
Hello everyone! We are currently in dire need of new writers, so if you're interesting in writing for the 'Shroom, you can check out the sign up page. For Music & Artwork, we need writers for Box-Art of the Month, Character Artwork of the Month, Photoshopped Image of the Month, and Soundtrack of the Month. If you want to write for one of those, please let me know.
Screenshot of the Month (Fawfulfury65)
This month I've picked a cool screenshot from one of my favorite Gamecube games, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.
In case you aren't familiar with this game and don't know much about it (which is a shame because it’s a great game), this scene takes place around the beginning of the game, when Mario and his partner Koops reach Hooktail at the top of her castle. Hooktail's been causing a lot of trouble for the neighboring village, so it's up to the pair to stop her. Even though she’s an early boss, she can be quite a challenge if you’re new to the series. I think it's really neat how they designed Hooktail. Most characters in Paper Mario are flat, but Hooktail is more three dimensional and is pretty detailed. You can tell a great battle is about to occur.
Music Factoid (Post-Damage Invincibility)
The musical composer Kazumi Totaka has composed a musical score for many Mario games. He has hidden his short, catchy 19-note tune in almost all of the games he has worked on, including all of the Mario games he has done. The Mario games where his delightful Easter Egg tune can be heard are: Mario Paint, Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Mario Paint, Virtual Boy Wario Land, Yoshi's Story, Luigi's Mansion, and Yoshi Touch & Go. In most cases, it is ingeniously well hidden. Examples include Yoshi's Story (where the player must wait two minutes and ten seconds on the Trial Mode screen), Luigi's Mansion (where the player must wait on one particular screen showing how to work the Poltergust 3000) and perhaps none more obscure than Yoshi's Touch & Go, where the player must pause the screen at one specific point in the game for a whopping 3:45. The game where it is easiest to find is Mario Paint, where it is heard on the Star Screen when the O is pressed. The player is bound to do this sooner or later. Below is an example of the song from Super Mario Land 2. However, if you own the game yourself, either the original cartridge or on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, I encourage you to ignore the video and go to the Game Over screen and see it for yourself. You'll have to wait on it a couple of minutes. Whatever you do, don't save after checking it, or you'll have to beat all of the bosses again before you can fight Wario! If you want to watch the link here and want to hear his tune right away, click here.
Sprite of the Month (FunkyK38)
For this month of April, FunkyK38 has this special sprite for you: Dark Fawful from Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Er, sorry about that everyone.... that's the last time I let Fawful suggest an image for this column. Although what he picked really is the MUSTARD OF YOUR DOOM!
Sketches Related to Mario (Fawfulfury65)
I didn't get any artwork this month. However, if you have any drawings related to Mario that you think should appear here, send them to me (with a description on them, if you want) and they'll show up in the next issue of the 'Shroom!
Random Image of the Month (Ralphfan)
The image to the right is of a Wild Ptooie Piranha, a slow-moving green Piranha Plant. It spits Needlenoses or Spiny Eggs at Yoshi in Super Mario World 2, Yoshi Touch & Go and Yoshi's Island DS.
Pipe Plaza
Director's Notes (Paper Yoshi (talk))Hello readers, and welcome to the April '12 Issue of Pipe Plaza!! First of all, I'd like to thank the former Pipe Plaza Director, Marioguy1 (talk), and the rest of the Core Staff for this oportunity. As I probably said in previous issues, I simply love writing for the paper, and actually directing the team you have been contributing to for over a year is a pleasing reward, albeit not an easy one, for sure. As always, I'll try to do my very best Now, don't waste your time with me! Go read this month's issue! Tip of the Month (FunkyK38 (talk))When checking edits that seem wrong on a page, use the "History" button, next to the "Edit" tab at the top. You can compare previous edits to the current edit, and it will also tell you who made that particular edit. This feature is also helpful with talkpages. If you find that someone has deleted a comment that someone else left for whatever reason, you can undo the edit easily by hitting the "undo" button next to the most recent edit. Forum Update (MrConcreteDonkey (talk))Hey, everyone, it's MrConcreteDonkey, and welcome again to Forum Update. First, I'd like to congratulate Paper Yoshi for becoming the new director of Pipe Plaza. Now, let's take a look at what's happened recently on the forum: Top Stories: apocalypseArisen (Master Crash (talk)) was promoted to Forum Administrator in early April. Crash has been around on the forum since 2007, so he's a very experienced member of the community. Congratulations! PipeProjects have been moved from the Wiki to the Forum, taking the form of a new board called Wiki Collaborations. The one who brought up the overhaul was Forum Administrator and Wiki bureaucrat Glowsquid (Glowsquid (talk)), who helped a lot with the move. The types of thread that can be made there are:
UltraMario (UltraMario3000 (talk)) was banned for two weeks, for posting inappropriate images and videos. Stats: As I'm writing this, 2012 topics have been made in 2012. That's pretty nice. In March, 511 new topics were made, and 24992 posts. 38 members joined, which is the same as January's amount, and 151 was the most people online at once (I'd like to specify that this includes registered members and guests). This was the highest so far in 2012, and was on the 10th. Smasher (Smasher (talk)) – 28472 Sharks Territory (Ralphfan (talk)) – 24213 UltraMario (UltraMario3000 (talk))– 22031 Nega-Man (Mileycyrussoulja (talk)) – 21422 Solar Blaze (SolarBlaze (talk)) – 15743 Buster Baxter (Superjeff64 (talk)) – 13987 Lily (Legend of Lily (talk)) – 12516 Herr Shyguy (Shyguy27 (talk)) – 12131 Baby Luigi (BabyLuigiOnFire (talk)) – 12001 Christian Brutal Sniper (Marcelagus (talk)) – 11707
Blue signifies the user is at the same position as last month. Red signifies the user is at a lower position than last month. Bold signifies the user is a new entry to the top 10. Mafia: Currently ongoing are QuizmoManiac's (QuizmoManiac (talk)) Mafia, Yoshiwalker's (Yoshiwaker (talk)) Insane Mafia and Fi's (Baby Mario Bloops (talk)) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Mafia.
Thanks for reading. See you next month, when, hopefully, I'll think of a better outro! Community Report (Bop1996 (talk))Hello, welcome to April's version of the Community Report. Policy Changes and Updates
Proposals from the Past Month
Currently Running Proposals and TPPs
Sitenotices from the Past Month
Promotions and Demotions
Mario Calendar (Paper Yoshi (talk))Welcome to April's Mario Calendar, everyone!! We're now here to see all the Mario, Yoshi, DK and Wario games released in the first (full) month of spring (or autumn/fall for those from the Southern Hemisphere, just like me).
And that's all for this month!! I'll see you in Upcoming Games! Upcoming Games (Paper Yoshi (talk))Hello there, and welcome to the April Issue of Upcoming Games! This month's Upcoming Game will be released for the Nintendo 3DS in late May, and many of its features have already been unveiled. The game So warm up and get your gear all set up, because April's Upcoming Game is... Mario Tennis Open!Mario Tennis Open marks the return of the Mario Tennis series after the release of Mario Power Tennis (Mario Tennis: Power Tour in North America) for the Game Boy Advance in 2005. It's the sixth game of the series, the third in a handheld console. However, MTO is more closely related to the console Mario Tennis games, being the first handheld installment in the series without a Story Mode or RPG elements. Mario Tennis Open is set to add new features to the Mario Tennis series, such as touch screen control to execute moves and online multiplayer, while keeping game modes and gameplay mechanics from previous games. Game modes include Exhibition Mode, with Singles and Doubles matches, and Special Games, aside from the new-to-the-series Online Multiplayer, which connects to players around the world using the Nintendo Network. So far, 12 characters from the Mario series have been confirmed to appear in the game. Additionally, players will be able to choose their Mii instead of regulars such as Mario or Yoshi. Miis will also be customizable with tennis gear, allowing players to alter their Miis' stats. Release Dates
And that concludes this issue! I hope you have enjoyed it! See you next month! "Stay tuned to Upcoming Games for news on the games you'll be playing soon!" NIWA News (Marioguy1 (talk))Hey guys! Marioguy1 here, with some more News from NIWA/NIWA News/Not another Notable Number of Nifty NIWA Narrations. Last month I promised I would tell you who the other two new members are, and this month I'll make good on that promise. If you haven't already seen via the front page of the wiki, the two new NIWA members are:
Combine that with last month's F-Zero Wiki and you have a triumvirate of top-tier talent! Bravo to all three and be sure to check them out! |
For over 100 years, films have taught people about nearly everything, from propaganda to the fact that when you leave your room, your toys come alive. Early on, films had no soundtrack or dialogue. Instead, they relied on the actors and a live orchestra to illustrate a story. Silent films, as they were aptly named, gained popularity throughout the first World War. Pioneers on the silent screen such as Charlie Chaplin proved that movies had the ability to combine mass entertainment with artistic accomplishment.
In the 1930s, however, Europe began to emerge with "talkies," or films with recorded dialogue. This brings us to what I have in store for you today. The film I have to present to you is The Artist. This work was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning five; including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius and released in 2011, this true masterpiece of motion pictures takes us back to an era where people, uncertain about the future, desperately looked for a way to understand both themselves and others through mass-escapism.
Hazanavicius's film opens up in the year 1927, where renowned silent film star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) has just premiered his latest film, A Russian Affair. After the premiere, he bumps into a young lady named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who quickly becomes famous for kissing him in front of the press. The next day, she auditions at the fictional Kinograph Studios as an extra in Valentin's next film and gets the part. Over the next few months, she begins to make an impression in the film industry as she is given many more roles, eventually starring in her own film.
As the movie progresses, George makes an effort to be understood, which fails as his studio begins to move into films with soundtracks and his self-funded silent films attract hardly any audience. Because of The Great Depression and the popularity of Miller, Valentin loses nearly everything as he plummets into obscurity among the talkies, but in the end is able to find a fitting role for himself in the world of talkies.
Jean Dujardin succeeds in a most fantastic way in his portrayal of the fading star George Valentin. He captivates the audience through his dashing grin, stubborn charm, and sympathetic desperation to be "heard." Without dialogue, he still succeeds in expressing the horror of one who realizes they are quickly falling out of popularity. As a whole, he represents the uncertainty of those who fear change, much like those living through the Age of Uncertainty.
Bérénice Bejo as Peppy Miller captures the personality of a rising star who, in the end, is wracked with guilt for taking the place of her old hero. Symbolically, one could say she marked the end of an era, The Age of Uncertainty (1919-1939) transitioning into The Great Depression (1929-1942). The young actress expresses her naïveté in the film industry, dressing lavishly compared to the older film stars and disrespecting the man who discovered her silent filmography. By the end of the film, however, she has grown from a young dreamer into a sympathetic fanatic of Valentin who tries everything to get him back into Hollywood.
Like many, I believe this film to be a truly fine work of art. It's fresh, sweet, and accurately summarizes the feelings felt by people living in the 1920s and '30s with a dash of modern charm. If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend you do. Unfortunately, that may take a while, as the set DVD release date (in North America) is June 26, 2012. Perhaps a theater or two in your area is still playing it, and if that's the case, then you should certainly take advantage of the opportunity to see this masterful work of art.
Mario Party 9 (New Super Mario)
Mario Party 9 came out this week, so I figured I would review that.
Gameplay
Mario Party 9 is one of my favorite Mario Parties. There are plenty of good modes to keep you entertained for a while. If playing alone, try Solo mode. In Solo mode, you play against the computers in each board. By beating each board, you unlock the two new characters in the game! Solo is good if you are home alone, however once you complete it, it doesn’t have much replay value. You can always go into Party mode and play though instead.
The gameplay is very unique. Instead of the traditional moving style, players now move in a kart, and try to collect the most Mini Stars. Players must also avoid Mini Ztars which subtract from your total. There is some luck involved which can be a downer, but it still provides great fun. Party Mode is pretty fun. You can choose your character, and choose the number of players. Plus you don’t need CPUs which is good if playing with 3 players. Then you choose your board and begin! The addition of bosses is nice also and provides a new challenge.
There are 12 playable characters in MP9. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, Birdo, and Toad return from past parties. It’s a shame they took out other good characters such as Dry Bones and Toadette. But there are new additions such as Koopa, Shy Guy, and Magikoopa. I like these additions, and enjoy playing as Shy Guy a lot. If they added Dry Bones and Toadette, I feel the roster would be great!
There are 7 boards in the game: some good, others not. Toad Road is a basic board, and is good for beginners. But it’s not that fun once you get the hang of the game. It seems more of a tutorial board, and I wish they included more elements in it to make it feel complete. It’s not a bad board, it just could have been better. I do like the design of the board. It gives you a good classic Super Mario Bros. feeling. The two bosses of the board are Lakitu and Wiggler. Lakitu is an ok boss. All you do is go around and hit blocks to fire bullet bills at him. He throws Spinies in defence which loses you a point. It is somewhat luck-, somewhat skill-based. Wiggler is a better boss. In this boss battle, you watch for Wiggler coming out of the forest to ground pound the segments on his body. Purple segments give you one point, while red gives you two. If you hit a Piranha Plant on the ground, you lose a point. This involves more skill and is a pretty decent boss battle.
Bob-omb Factory is a great board. In this board, conveyor belts can move you to different parts of the board, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Bob-ombs occasionally come on to your vehicle too, and the after ten moves, the Captain is exploded and loses half of their Mini Stars. Once again, the scenery is amazing and it’s cool to see all the Bob-omb parts being made in the background. This board is one of my favorite boards in the game. The two bosses in this board are Whomp and King Bob-omb. Whomp’s battle is pretty fun in my opinion. Although there is some luck, there is a small amount of strategy to it. Basically you select to move 1 or 0 moves around a circle, each player standing on a moving section. After everyone chooses, all of the numbers are added and the machine moves around that number. Whoever is left under gets stomped on my Whomp and loses 1 point while the others ground pound his back to earn points. The process repeats until the end. However King Bomb-omb isn’t as good as the Whomp battle. To put it lightly, it’s terrible. All it is, is luck. You just choose a Bomb-omb, the bigger the more points you get, and hope no one else chooses it. If someone does, you run into them and don’t get to use it while the other players throw their Bomb-ombs at the king. You get points for the Bomb-ombs you throw. But it won’t matter much in the end because it’s all luck.
Boo's Horror Castle is an average board with some good parts and some bad parts. The main gimmick is that Boos some and chase you and if they get you, you lose half of your mini stars. If you are in a lighted area, the Boos can’t get you though, so you have to move accordingly. At the end, you have to roll above a 6 or you don’t get through. If you don’t you go back around an annoying circle filled with Bowser spaces until you get there to try and roll a 4. This part is annoying, especially when you’re going around forever with Boos and Bowser Spaces. The two bosses on this board are Dry Bones and King Boo. Dry Bones's battle is ok at the beginning. Until he gets mad, it’s basic memory. Just look at the cards and select the one with the platform Dry Bones is standing on. Once he gets mad though, I get screwed up all the time because he mixes the cards up in a way some people can’t follow them. It’s still a good boss, but there are better. King Boo is a pretty strange boss. I can’t explain it that well, but basically there are different images at the bottom and you have to switch them around to line up three or more of the same kind (Such as Fire Flowers). The more images, the more points. Also getting a lightning bolt can help too. You must also avoid Boos that chase your cursor. I’m really bad at this one, but it’s still pretty good.
Blooper Beach is a pretty good board too, probably as fun as Bob-omb Factory. Dolphins run away from you in this board. If you catch up to them, you get five Mini Stars. Sushis also chase you. If they catch up to you (Like Boos) you lose half of your mini stars. There are also other gimmicks involving the sea such as a whirlpool. Blooper Beach’s bosses are Cheep-Cheep and Blooper. Cheep-Cheep is one of my favorite bosses in the game. You have to swim around and get shells, which you then shoot at Cheep-Cheep to gain points. Cheep-Cheep also charges at you sometimes which will lose you a point. There I no luck involved, which is a plus. Blooper is an ok boss too. All you do is shoot at him as he jumps through the water and avoid incoming Urchins. More shots get you more points.
Magma Mine is my favorite board in the game. In this board you travel in a mine cart trying to escape the rising magma levels. By landing on Magma + spaces, players can make the level rise. Players can also choose different ways at times for the better or for the worse for their opponents. The scenery is very cool. Not sure why I like it, but I bet you’ll enjoy it if you ever get the game. The two bosses for this board are Spike and Chain Chomp. Spike is a very dumb boss. All you do is select a hammer quickly, golden ones giving you more points when you hit him. I feel there should be more gameplay with it besides just clicking a hammer faster so you don’t end up without one. Chain Chomp I enjoy then. In this one you watch the rails that lead to cannons (Gold and regular, or none) and choose the right rail that leads there. It’s very fun and competitive with a group.
You can also unlock Bowser Station and DK's Jungle Ruins. I won’t discuss these, but I didn’t care for DK’s that much.
The minigames in this game are amazing. They have also added Bowser Jr. minigames, fun games where you and another player work together to beat Jr. I won’t describe the minigames in-depth, but you can read about some of my favorites. Some of my favorites would be: Logger Heads, Skipping Class, Ring Leader, Peak Precision, Twist Ending, Manor of Escape, Magma Mayhem, and Pizza Me, Mario. These are just some of the great minigames Mario Party 9 has to offer.
I saved one of the best modes for last. Choice Challenge. I got addicted to this very quickly. It’s so fun playing with siblings and friends. In it, you choose 3 out of 5 minigames selected and battle other players to get points. It can get really competitive, and is a great way to kill 10 minutes when you’re bored.
Good Features: Choice Challenge, Minigames, Magma Mine, Chain Chomp Boss, Cheep-Cheep Boss, Whomp Boss, Character Additions, No CPUs required.
Bad Features: DK’s Jungle Ruins, Spike Boss, Certain Luck Elements, Boo’s Horror Castle Ending, King Bomb-omb Boss, No Toadette and Dry Bones
NSM’s Rating: 9.5/10
Got any suggestions for what game to review? PM me, New Super Mario, on our forums!
Super Mario 3D Land (Nabber)
What is this? Nabber is back to Review Corner with an all new review, in which I review a 3DS game that is just begging to be reviewed! Have I gotten your attention with my multiple utterances of the word “review”? Then good, let’s get to reviewing this god-awful game: Super Mario 3D Land!
Review
Okay, SM3DL is not actually that bad. It plays like a portable version of Super Mario Galaxy, and it borrows a lot of gameplay concepts. It also draws its inspiration from Super Mario Bros. 3 for the SNES – there’s a jump button and a run button, just like the classic games, and there’s also a the return of the Tanooki suit. The Tanooki suit’s flying powers have been reduced to a flutter jump (a la Yoshi) to make the game harder, but it doesn’t really serve its purpose – the flutter jump makes the game infinitely easier than it already is.
And that’s Super Mario 3D Land’s main flaw: it is simply too easy. It takes about half an hour to get through the first few worlds, and that’s if you’re taking time. If you’re speed-running, then the game is a cake walk. There were only a few levels that actually challenged me. The only level that was genuinely hard was the one you unlocked after 100-percenting the game. Really, Nintendo? Is this what you’ve come to?
That’s not to say that the game isn’t fun, though. It may be short, but the time that I spent playing it was entertaining. It does get tiring having to face the same three bosses (four if you count rehashes of Bowser battles in the form of Dry Bowser), however. The levels were well-designed (if not easy) and the new power-ups worked well. I also have to commend the game’s 3D effect. While my friends prefer to play with the 3D off, I find that it adds to the experience. The game world feels deep in the rich 3D, and there are little puzzles and tricks that are meant to mess with your depth-perception.
The graphics work fine with the 3DS's power. There's not really much to say here - it looks like Super Mario Galaxy, but portable.
The music here is catchy, though there aren’t many new songs. There’s the title theme, which I walk around humming often, but other than that most of the music consists of remixes of classic songs. That’s not to say that the music was bad, but it would be nice to hear something worth of Galaxy fame.
Another thing to be noted is that besides the main mode, there aren't any other features in Super Mario 3D Land. While this would be okay normally, SM3DL's main mode isn't anything substantial. Really, there isn't much to say here: the game is short, and there's nothing else to talk about. No multiplayer mode, no mini-games, no side quests. You can replay the game to get Star Medals and get 1-ups on every flag, but they're pointless goals that don't actually do anything other than put a star on your file.
Overall, Super Mario 3D Land is a good game, but falls short of Nintendo’s standards. It looks and plays great, but it isn’t anything that we haven’t seen before. I’ll rate this a 7/10 - it’s worth getting, but if you’re on a budget then you might want to skip over it.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nabber)
This month I’ve been replaying Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, the Gamecube RPG that is considered by many to be one of the greatest Mario games. Hopefully most of you have played this, but if you haven’t it’s not too late to buy it! Now let’s get rid of my lethargy and start this review.
Review
Paper Mario: TTYD starts off with Mario receiving a letter from - big surprise - Princess Peach. This time she gives him a treasure map and invites him to come to the town of Rogueport. Yeah, nice name. So Mario heads off to this place and of course it turns out that Peach has been kidnapped bla bla bla. Mario discovers that his map leads to a series of Crystal Stars, which, when gathered, will open a mysterious door underneath Rogueport leading to fabulous treasure.
The game is set up like its prequel: you move Mario around the overworld, and when he touches an enemy, gameplay transitions into a turn-based battle. Here he can attack, use special moves and items, and choose a partner to fight alongside him. Each partner has unique abilities that must be used strategically, and they can also be powered up by collecting Shine Sprites hidden around the world. Partners are used continuously throughout the game - unlike Zelda, you’ll be using these characters in more than one dungeon. Their uses are clever, from Vivian, who can hide you in the world of shadows to Flurrie, who can blow away layers of paper to reveal hidden chests and doors.
TTYD has a limited item system, which does hinder gameplay a bit but also forces players to be more economical with their money and items. You can only carry a maximum of 10 items at a time, so you must choose whether to stock up on health-restoring power-ups or damage-dealing attacks.
We’re still not done with the gameplay yet. Mario also gets “cursed” a total of four times in this game, exploiting his paper abilities. He can turn into an airplane and a boat that can glide on water. Mario also can turn sideways to slip through cracks and roll into a tube to go through small spaces. It