"A good game, but I must say, quite unrealistic..."

There is no way, that Peach would risk her life to save Mario and Luigi. Why does she want to save Mario and Luigi, anyway? Seriously, we all know that Mario never treated her right, and Luigi is some loser who never had a girlfriend. You think Daisy actually liked Luigi? Mario forced Peach to set him up with her. Mario is abusive, and Luigi has social anxiety issues. So, I fail to see why Peach would want to rescue those two losers. If it were me, I would leave them for dead, forge a will, and then live off of their money for the rest of my life. I'd be living the good life, sipping Martinis from a fun-straw in Hawaii. But, that's just me…

In all seriousness, though, this is a good plat former. I am glad that the DS finally got a quality platformer. Like the previous Mario platformers, the object is to get from the beginning of the stage, to the end. You must fight all types of enemies in the process. You also need to collect coins, and get power-ups along the way. It plays similar to the prior titles, so you really don't need to learn anything new. A quality platformer for the DS, and it is a Mario one. The DS keeps building steam. I am only too glad that I own one.

Graphics--9/10
The graphics are very good. Set in the classic 2D, they are not at all less because they are not in 3D. I believe that this game would not look as good if it were in 3D. The graphics are highly detailed, which adds quite a bit. Even when traversing the level, you can see distinct things such as Peach's face, nice background effects, and an immense level, filled with living things, both good and bad. Bright and easy to look at, these graphics remind me of the original Mario games. With the classic look, this category receives a 9 out of 10.

Sound/Music--9/10
Mario music is always good. Just look at the cult following that Super Mario Brothers created. I recently saw a famous concert band do a rendition of the music featured in the original Super Mario Brothers. This music follows suite, but I seriously doubt it will ever inspire that kind of treatment. While it is good, and it stays true to the Mario feel.The sound sounds better and clearer, but that is to be expected, considering that this is the year 2006, and we have much better technology. The sound also mirrors the “good old days”. With the same sound when you jump on enemies, or when you hit blocks. Stuff like that should never be changed, and rightfully so, it wasn't. Due to the classic sound effects and music, I award this category a 9 out of 10.

Controls--6/10
The controls in themselves are not bad. Rather, they are set up bad. To walk and jump and such, you use the D-Pad and buttons. That is fine, yet it angers me, that to use Peach's emotional powers, or when jumping the elastic bands (prior to Boss fights), you have to use the stylus and touch screen. It is quite hard (to say the least) to have to hold the stylus in your hand, and hold the DS correctly. I cannot do it. It is hard to keep switching between using the D-Pad and using the Stylus. I think they could have found a better way of doing this. The poor scheme lowers the score of this category. 6 out of 10.

Gameplay--7/10
The “pure” gameplay isn't bad whatsoever. When in-game, strictly playing, It was as fun as Super Mario World. However, after completing it, that is where it loses points. There is little to do, aside from a few mediocre mini-games. I found it very hard to play, after beating it the first time through. There is the option to unlock the enemies and items in there entirety (which I am doing), but not everyone takes pleasure or pride in doing that. This game isn't one of the hardest I've ever played either. That is both a pro and con. If you are the type who loves hard games, you will be disappointed. If you like easier games, this is for you. If you are in the middle, like I am, then you will like this game. Depending on your taste in games, this score could be higher or lower. For the average gamer, I give Gameplay a solid 7.

Replayability--7/10
Like Gameplay, this category can give or take a few points, depending on the type of gamer you are. Playing through it once, is quite fun. Then after that, it varies. If you are the kind of person who does not rest until you have everything unlocked, and have completed the game 100%, then you will be playing it more. If you enjoy mini-games, and secret stages, you will like it more. If you are a “one and done” type of person, then it won't be very fun after your first time. It is strange, some Mario games I could play forever (Super Mario World), but this one just doesn't feel the same (despite the fact that it is similar in most ways). Like I said, it really depends on what kind of gamer you are. For the general public, this category is rewarded with a 7 out of 10.

The first time through, this game is very fun. However, after that, it gets increasingly old. The graphics are good, the sound and music is great, the controls are lame, and the Replayability and Gameplay differs from person to person. So, the game has its moments, and is a good platformer. If you are a Mario fan, a platformer fan, or are looking for a DS game, I suggest this one.

Now, if you don't mind, I have an order of Cheese Fries coming. I do love my Hawaiian cheese.

*sips Martini*

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/27/06