MFGG - Mario Fan Games Galaxy

Review Information

Game Reviewed	Koopa: A Winter's Tale, by Tech Wing, Peardian
Review Author	Black Squirrel
Created	Dec 30 2008, 3:25 PM

General Commentary and Game Overview

Gawd, I was wondering what had happened to Someguy's stuff. Techwing were all the rage in 2006 and 2007, what with their Super Mario Melatonins and Thingios and Cowabungas. Sure they turned up at NCFC 08 with a little MegaMan engine/game thing, but this is their first Mario release in a while.

Koopa: A Winter's Tale has you, a koopa, go out on an adventure to get stuff for the winter period. It's a big platformer/adventure/Metroid-like game.

Pros	-Concept's original for MFGG -Great graphics -Great music -Great
Cons	-Flying is a pain -Maybe a bit too bland?

Impressions

Gameplay 8 / 10	There's a bloke (or blokette) who goes by the name of Nifflas who makes little indie games. He/She made "Knytt Stories", and "Within a Deep Forest". They both very similar - both have very simple but well made graphics. Both have smooth, well thought out gameplay. Both lack scrolling (relying instead on fixed camera shots that change when you get to the edge of the screen) and both have a great atmosphere. KaWT is like a Mario-themed version of these games. It's simplified platforming. You spend the first part of the game looking for upgrades, metroid style, which allows your little Koopa to access new areas. Once you're upgraded, you go on a hunt for random, unmanned castles, each of which contain one of the items you're looking for. A fully upgraded Koopa allows you to search for the other three items too. Your Koopa can jump, run, spin in its shell (which is a bit useless to be honest, unless you don't like chairs) and eventually fly. That's pretty much it. Flying's a bit of a pain too since it requires button mashing, but that doesn't make this a bad game at all. Running in KaWT is a bit different than normal Mario games in the sense that the Koopa has stamina, i.e. if you keep running you'll eventually get tired and you'll have to relax for a bit. It's a nice touch. However, KaWT is a relatively short. It's only three levels long (though they are very big levels), there's only three upgrades and there's only six items in total. Your only threat is icicles, which are easily avoided, and you've got an infinate amount of lives so death isn't really much of an issue. Though I didn't finish it quickly, I did finish it 100% in my first go, and now I want more! Regardless, the game is very professional looking, and though the game itself is simple, it works, and that's the important factor.
Graphics 8 / 10	Graphics are fantastic. It's difficult to find flaws with them. Though while your Koopa's animations are smooth and there's nothing stupid like clashing sprites, it could be considered a bit dull to look at after a while. All three levels look the same, and though yes, granted you do go inside and out, I feel something more could have been done. One thing Nifflas does is make sure the levels don't all look the same... that's not really the case here as much. If you took a screenshot of each level then lined them up, people might not see much difference between them. It's a large step back from the diversity of Someguy's previous works. It's not a huge issue since the game is pretty short - you're not supposed to get that sense that you've travelled far and wide, but if it were made any bigger, it has the potential to be a bit repetative without a nice graphics change. Also it's a Mario Fangame, and Mario games tend to have a change in scenery... every level. KaWT does have some very nice visual effects though. The reflections on the ice for example. It out-classes most ot the games on MFGG graphics wise, that's for sure.
Sound 8 / 10	More high quality goodness in the sound department. There are very few sound effects - everything relies on the music. This is a difficult category to rate this time, since Nifflas' games don't really have any music and they're great. I suppose it can get a bit repeative but that's probably unavoidable in a lot of cases here. I do like the "radio" music though. Another nice touch.
Replay 7 / 10	As I said, I finished this game in one go. But if you're not as good as me there's quite a bit of replay value here. You HAVE to revisit levels to complete the game anyway. The maps are huge, so there's quite a bit of exploration that could be done. I was expecting all sorts of cameos and stuff hidden on these maps... I've yet to find any.

Final Words

Quality. If you're a fan of Knytt Stories or Within a Deep Forest, you'll be a fan of this.

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