Super Mario Bros. X Forums

So, basically this is a level showcasing some of the Captain Toad stuff you've seen so far from me. This level will be used in the Captain Toad episode I'm making and it appears in World 1 so it is relatively easy. It has a Green Star Objective, which isn't that hard providing you think about what you're doing. The only issue with this level is that since I don't yet have a Luna code that disables jumping, you'll have to just not press jump or spin-jump as well since I haven't actually added that code yet. You'll play as Toad for now until the Captain Toad playable is ready to go. Also ignore the Propeller Platforms in the screenshot, they won't be off set like that in game.

My Challenge: Don't use jump, it works, but you can easily beat this level without it. Goodluck!

Screenshot: Download:

It seems that you are a addict of this game. This level looks really awesome by the way. It really gives a new style of life for Toad into SMBX. Also if we are talking about it:

Propellor Platform Hill
Unofficial Review

Graphics - 8/10
I personally found this really pretty, good job. You said you would give us Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, and you did. I did, however, find a few flaws. Of course, this first one is pretty much a matter of opinion. I can see someone liking this, but I didn't. Every 2x2 section is a separate block. Now, this can be appealing, and it SOME places, it was. But in this case, not really. Those little pixels between each block isn't like Captain Toad, which I believe is what you said you were aiming for. Now, this doesn't look bad in all of the level. Near the end, it actually looks quite good. One minor error I found though, is that the platforms are cut off on the sides. Good job overall, it was very appealing.

Gameplay & Design - 7/10
Now, even though this was ripped out of a video game, the "cant jump" gimmick actually makes for something interesting. It takes this somewhat easy level and gives it some challenge. I understand that this is a graphic showcase level, but some sort of enemies would be nice. It would probably be hard to incorporate in a 2D level where you can't jump, but maybe you can find a way to just make it so you have to dodge them, like in the game you're aiming to recreate. Coin placement was nice, and the level was pretty straightforward. The diamonds were a nice addition, but the last two just require backtracking to obtain. The level was pretty short, but that's because it follows the style of Captain Toad. The Green Star objective threw me for a loop, then I accidently ducked under the star and... you know. No spoilers to anyone who hasn't found it. The quick end to the level just left me wanting more. I'd say this was a pretty decent level.

Music - 8/10
Mushroom Gorge? Interesting choice. It actually went well with the whole exploration theme. Not much to say here, just a good choice of music. There are probably some better options out there, which is why I gave you an 8/10. It gave me a feel like I was in a cave-like thing, or really high up. At the beginning of the level, this was pretty much true. It worked well. Then we came to the top of the level, and it all opened up. But I didn't feel like I was high up on a mountain or something, which is one of the things the music would be good for. It gave me the sense for adventure, which is what you want. But it just didn't feel right later on.

Final Score - 7.66
Good level overall. And just to be clear, the technical score would be 7.6666666666667, but I stop at the hundredths because nobody wants to see that many numbers. This was my unofficial review.

Good luck with that GFX pack, Squishy.
I'd like to see it.

Well, this is certainly a nice attempt to make something new and unique, but it doesn't work so well in execution. Most of the time, the player has to wait for line riders that he/she just barely missed, but could have reached if he/she could jump. Plus, the line rider and moving platform in the upper-left hand area of the section are out of sync, almost guaranteeing that the player will have to wait twice as long just to make it to where the star is, and four times as long to get the diamond and the star (and waiting = boring = not fun). When I got the diamond and realized I'd have to wait for those platforms again, I gave up your challenge and started jumping because the challenge honestly felt more like an exercise in patience rather than a meaningful addition to the level. I know that you're basing the level on Captain Toad, and even though I haven't played Captain Toad, I have played Super Mario 3D World, which has a few Captain Toad levels. Even in those few levels, all of the platforms wait for player input before moving, and I recommend that you incorporate something similar for your levels, like visible ax generators that move the platform when collected.

Something else that SM3DW's Captain Toad levels have that your level lacks are harmful NPCs; despite the fact that you give the player a mushroom, the only hazard in the entire level is a pair of spikes, and if the player does fall into that pit, since the player isn't supposed to jump, he/she is forced to wait (again) until the invincibility runs out and he/she is killed (at least have the spikes sprite-swap lava so that the player's death is quick, or provide the player some way to escape the spikes). Just because the most common enemies in SMBX move on the ground doesn't mean you shouldn't have any harmful NPCs in your level, even if it's supposed to be "easy." You could have Para-Goombas or Roto-Disks that the player has to run under, or even stationary Koopas that the player has to find some way around (or have the player fall onto it to kick it and hit a block to access a secret).

On the other hand, if this isn't meant to be serious and is just meant to be a "Showcase Level," why isn't it in Casual Levels?

Also, it's very unintuitive how the player is supposed to get the Golden Mushroom; like Choco implied, the player will only notice how to get it (without jumping) by accident, if at all. I recommend at least adding a coin trail from its platform to where the star is, but I'd rather you make it more intuitive to begin with. Perhaps have single-unit platforms spaced apart by one unit so that the player has to run across; pretty much anything besides what you have now will be better.

Summary:
GOOD:
-Custom graphics look nice.
-The concept for the level is interesting, but you didn't really do anything with it.

BAD:
-Music choice doesn't really fit, honestly.
-Not allowing the player to jump just makes this level boring.
-The level is really short; it only feels long because of all the waiting the player is forced to do.
--NO HAZARDS (the spike pit and bottomless pit don't count).
-Unintuitive secret star.

In conclusion: I'm sure that there are a few circumstances where you could make a 2D level where the player can't jump to be fun, but this clearly isn't one of them, making me think that those circumstances are very few and far between. You should at least make the levels more horizontal than vertical. Although I normally encourage the introduction of new...things (in general) to SMBX, the "don't jump" mechanic hurt this level more than it helped, and there wasn't much level here to begin with. I'd say this deserves a...2.5/10.

I kind don't understand how this is in the trash can. How? Its a great level! Good job, Squishy!

Read IMNBH4L's review, it points out the flaws that you clearly didn't notice. He's a Level Judge for a reason, he's good at finding this stuff.

Choco wrote:Read IMNBH4L's review, it points out the flaws that you clearly didn't notice. He's a Level Judge for a reason, he's good at finding this stuff.

Ok, thanks Choco. Will do.

may I ask why this is in the trash can?

Dogeman wrote:may I ask why this is in the trash can?

http://www.supermariobrosx.org/forums/v ... 23#p113618

Squishy Rex wrote:My Challenge: Don't use jump, it works, but you can easily beat this level without it. Goodluck!

Here's the problem: For the majority of it, line riders are trying your patience.

I honestly didn't find the line riders as annoying as you guys...