TheBossCDA wrote: ↑Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:49 am
This episode was very strange. It's a compilation of weird choices repeated over and over again.
It starts simple enough with the brothers in what is probably Mario's hundredth vacation home he owns through every SMBX episode ever released. Mushroom Kingdom real-estate must be a good investment. There's some weird note about Mario being suspicious of Luigi for some reason, and it cuts to the world map.
The first level is a boot spike hopping level, at least at first. You don't actually need the boot. After a few basic blades on platforms, a split in the path occurs: You can either take the dangerous lower path full of blades and ceiling spikes, or you could take the upper path. The upper path has no obstacles,it and actually makes it easier to make the jump that follows. With a few more well timed jumps full of spikes, you meet the first boss of the game.
When maneuvering the arena, you'll find it to be quite slippery. For some reason, the pipes in this level are made slippery with no indication. This isn't much of an issue though, since this boss can be beaten easily with four constantly respawning turnips.
The next level is metroid themed. A bit out of place, but I guess it's cool. It actually develops on the spike platforms from the previous level by adding Thwomps, making the jumps more frantic and interesting. What's not cool is the blind jump that comes after the first section. It's a vertical drop full of jellyfish that are relentless in sapping away the one fire flower you may have stocked up. Following this is a mother brain fight featuring the propeller-gun thing. Immediately, you'll notice that this boss too is cursed with an inexorably slippery room that probably should not be slippery.
The other levels consist of an ice plain and an airship. Both feature the exact same saw jump gimmick with slippery platforms without much development on these ideas. The boss rush is alright though, if not a bit rudimentary.
Of note is a part of the airship level with a chain. You're supposed to climb the chain to the boss room, but the chain doesn't give any hint of leading anywhere. The player has to climb up the entire thing to trigger a teleporter. If it were telegraphed better, it wouldn't be as confusing.
I feel like the episode could be improved if the design was more varied and thought through. Telegraphing is also a consistent issue, with many things from the slipperyness of floors, blind jumps, and that chain not being communicated well to the player. I'm glad you submitted this episode and I hope you continue to grow as a designer and keep contributing.
