Verdant Grotto

[Eternity]

A simple level I made just for fun. Definitely not my best level, but I guess it's okay so I decided to post it here. Some feedback would be great!

Screens:

Spoiler: show

Download

Credits:

-Chad and reghrhre, for inspiration and some of the graphics used
-I'll go ahead and just credit The SMBX GFX Pack, as I don't know most of the GFX authors.

EDIT: Video made by TheUltimateKyogre. Thanks a lot! :D

[Kyogre]

I've made a video for this Level :3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuOVBga7 ... e=youtu.be

[silent_]

[center]Verdant Grotto - By Rust - Reviewed by Kep[/center]

Does this verdant location have what it takes to become an awesome level? You're about to find out.

[center]Generally...[/center]
Here you are, at the initial place of the grotto; I begin, however seeing you have a tendency to clutter up scenery. Some believe it makes things look more realistic, but considering you most of the time complaining about, "This level is a clutter," I'm shocked you didn't notice it. Up farther is a blue Ninji, which is indeed a unique concept, and he's standing on the first sizable. Though, you added some tiny colored flowers, but they are very unfitting with the greenish atmospherics. They're also square, and consist of some unnecessary pixels. Regardless, the additional upward sizable contains a question block, inside of it being a mushroom or if you're already big a leaf, and then there's a flip block on the right of that, and a coin block on the left of it.

Continuing onward, there's a classical SMW Para-Goomba with a Venus firetrap who spits out for fire balls which gradually descend after coming out. There's an extraordinarily uncomplicated Peach Coin above that sizable, despite the abrupt fireballs from the fire trap, that is. To the right of that lies a green pipe with a Piranha Plant and see that you overlapped a bush over a tree. Realistically and common sensually, bushes don't grow over trees, do they? Of course now, if the tree is intended to be WAY in the background and the bush is up close in contact with you, I wouldn't see the issue but you firstly need the illusion that the tree is way far back.

There's four coins up ahead, with a green Para-Troopa and a Ninji standing on a rock which is certainly a neat graphic. However, one thing I never mentioned about the small SMB3 bush with flowers on it and such, the top left part is really light when the rest of it is gloomy as could be. It's simply dull, and non-appealing while playing it. There's no sunlight in a grotto, or cavern or whatever, especially with you since you prefer making more Mario-esque type levels.

I'm still going, and there's a jumping Piranha Plant out of a orangish, yellowish brownish pipe. Next is a blue Ninji, three question blocks individually containing coins a piece. From there is two flip blocks and a coin block. Rightward is anther Para Goomba, with a moving sizable and a Peach Coin on it (another basic and easy one. You need to make them at least a tiny challenge). Below the sizable is a blue Ninji, a red Koopa to the right of that, and another Para Goomba. Collecting four coins, there's a Venus firetrap on another sizable (overused :/). Finally, we reach the blue pipe, though guarding it is a green Koopa.

Section two was damn short, that's for sure. You're apparently climbing. You stumble upon two question blocks immediately, the one on the right containing a vine and to the left of that there's a question block with utter coinage. Climbing the vine, there's an abrupt bat, and there lies a red Koopa Troopa. To the left of him lies a flip block, and three question blocks. Two of them having coins, one particularly includes a leaf. Continuing, there's the rock platforms again and you keep on climbing. Four coins, with a blue Ninji attempting to prevent you from grabbing them. Now there's another bat, along with a green Koopa Troopa, and a flip block along with two question blocks. The one on the left has a vine, and the two next to it are coins (including the flip block). From the vine is four more coins and a Goomba, and then a Para Goomba. One a sizable there's a red Koopa Troopa, and then a Peach Coin under the second sizable. They're both moving, and from the moving one farthest from the left you jump on the next ledge with a Venus firetrap above you.

The first half of section two was flawless, in my opinion. Let's see about the next half!

I hit the checkpoint now, with a blue Ninji to the left of it. However, I would recommend using the SMB3-styled version of the checkpoint, but frankly a checkpoint isn't necessary at all; the next "half" of the level is just a quarter of it it's so short. I'd personally remove it or expand the next half adding another section where perhaps you're going leftward or something. Regardless, in between the checkpoint and the Ninji is an empty flip block along with two coin blocks; the one in the middle conveniently containing a vine and right from that is a coin. Though, I don't acknowledge that vine for now and see a yellowish orangish brownish vine with two flip blocks above it. If you are big or beyond that with a power-up, you spin jump on them to uncover them and head down the pipe.

The bonus room was pretty neat, and it's clever how you blocked the entrance to the pipe until the P-switch was hit and finished. Once you did hit it, a Peach Coin and platforms would appear along with blue coins and such. It was an awesome bonus room, I must mention.

Heading back into section two, I now head up the vine I previously unacknowledged. There's four coins while climbing that, and jumping rightward would lead you to another power-up... Realize that you just gave us one not long ago at all before the checkpoint. I'd remove the one before you hit the checkpoint since it's worthless and the level isn't difficult at all as it is, actually. Guarding the question block somewhat is a bat.

Heading back onto the vine, I eventually jump from the left of it to take the intended path. There lies a red Koopa Troopa and a question block containing a coin, a Piranha Plant in a blue pipe, and a Venus firetrap. To the left of those foes is a spring board, and I maneuver the springboard a bit rightward to, while in the midair, jump to the next ledge. There's a blue Ninji and several sizables, one stationary and one moving. The one moving you take to your advantage to reach the green pipe to section four, the last and shortest one.

Section four was self-explanatory, you have two moving sizables, a red Koopa, a regular SMW Goomba, and a SMW Para Goomba. On the second moving sizable there's your final Peach Coin, and I have to say you made them way too easy; easier than the dragon coins in 1-1 in SMW by a long shot =P. Anyway, finally I get to the ending goal. However, there is one thing I would like to remark about the music: it simply didn't fit. It seemed more like a sky/woodland type music than a forest-esque grotto. This will affect your score, take note of this cautiously. If you need musical suggestions, just reply here.

Whew, that was a hell of a review. Perfect section two despite the Peach Coin and background errors I said earlier, but yet it took tons of paragraphs to cover. Not that it was a bad level, it was just - well, I took a lot of time and patience to create this review.

Overall Score...

8.25/10

Approved - Moved to Pretty Good