Review Information
Game Reviewed Super Mario Comic Strip, by Maxence2
Review Author Cap'n Coconuts
Created Mar 10 2015, 12:43 AM

General Commentary and Game Overview
Super Mario Comic Strip is an unfinished fan game by Maxence2. While it looks promising and might have been something interesting had it been finished, I didn't find it too interesting in its current state. Your mileage may vary.
 
Pros + Looks pretty.
+ Might kill a few minutes of time.
 
Cons - Only one level, which isn't really that well designed in my opinion.
- Repetitive level music.
 
Impressions
Gameplay
6 / 10
As the story goes, Peach invites Mario to a party. On his way to her castle, he stops to think and realizes a mathematical truth: PEACH + PARTY = KIDNAPPING. Knowing that the accuracy of this formula was 100%, he cuts the knot and heads straight for Bowser's Castle instead.

The engine itself seems solid enough. I didn't expect instant acceleration with the run button, but that's isn't much of a big deal. Everything seemed to work well enough up until I managed to get Mario stuck in a ? block. Try jumping on a Goomba underneath one and you might do the same. There are other places where you can potentially get stuck, but I haven't gotten a pattern on how to pull it off yet.

Mario has two powerups: the classic Fire Mario, and Demon Fox Mario, as Maxence2 apparently watches too much Naruto. Fox Mario uses the power of shadow clones to double jump and create platforms. Both powerups can be combined. Both powerups are timed and it seems possible to make the level unwinnable by wasting time. I never did find a good use for the platform trick.

The level itself is problematic. You're sent underground into a cramped maze early on where some of the floors are fake, jump-through, or fall-through. Your mileage may vary, but I find this kind of maze to be both disorienting and annoying--especially since it's part of the first level. Besides that, the level just felt a bit dull.

There are collectibles that take the form of comic speech bubbles. They don't seem to do anything. Given that the game is unfinished and only one level long, it's hard to say what they would be used for. I was unable to get the fourth(?) one, as it seems to be surrounded by those walls from the underground maze, and I never did figure out which one I could pass through.
 
Graphics
9 / 10
I have to admit, the graphics in this game are quite pretty. Had this game been finished, it could have looked pretty nice. I don't have anything really significant to complain about in this department.
 
Sound
6 / 10
The music was fine up until I started playing the only level in the game, at which point it became repetitive. When you pick music for your games, please use loops that are longer and more interesting than this one.

Besides that, I don't really have a lot to say in this department. The sound effects are fine.
 
Replay
3 / 10
I suppose you could try to get all of those collectible word bubbles, but besides that there's not much reason to play this game.
 
Final Words
6 / 10
An unfinished game that never reached its full potential.

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