Ripten Videogame Blog » Super-Mario

Video Game Winners and Losers of the Week: Black Friday Edition

Jonathan Zungre — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:14:15 +0000

Every week, I research all the best new video game releases to find the one game that you need to play and the one game that you need to stay away from: my Video Game Winners and Losers of the Week. And man, after a bunch of great weeks, this week yields some of the years worst losers. Click more to listen.

Listen to Video Game Winners and Losers of the Week

Mario & Luigi Thugs Prove Beating Up Cab Drivers Isn’t Just For Grand Theft Auto Fans

Chad Lakkis — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:14:10 +0000

The big bad “Grand Theft Auto made me do it” crowd just got some serious competition from the world of Nintendo. Two Super Mario and Luigi dressed brawling bandits, featured in the surveillance video available for viewing on the NY Daily News website, beat the crap out of a cab driver in at Great Kills, New York gas station. As you can see, there is a third individual shown in the video, but I have no idea what the hell he was supposed to be dressed up as. An accessory to a bonehead crime maybe?

If we’re lucky maybe we’ll get another “fair and balanced” morning debate on FOX & Friends titled “New Super Mario Bros. Wii Game Lets You Beat Up Cab Drivers”. Fingers crossed.

[Thanks /gamer]

Geeked-Out: Super Mario Pasta

Chad Lakkis — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:56:51 +0000

If food like this existed in my local grocery store I would put up less of a fight every time my girlfriend asked me to go shopping with her.

Imagine store shelves packed with things like Master Chief’s Mac’n'Cheese, Luigi’s Lasagna, and Metriod Meatballs. While none of these things exist (to the best of my knowledge) we can rejoice in the fact that Marco looks a hell of a lot like our favorite videogame Italian plumber.

Have something you think we should show on Geeked-Out? Email it to us.

BAFTA winners announced, Mario Galaxy wins Best Game

Sam Naylor — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:41:42 +0000

EDGE has published the results of the recent British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards today, the winner of “Best Game” being Super Mario Galaxy. A scheduling change meant that some games from 2007 were entered this year, so Mario Galaxy and Call of Duty 4, two of the gems of 2007, swept up plenty of awards. See the full list after the jump.

Best Game
SUPER MARIO GALAXY
Nintendo/Nintendo

Action and Adventure
FABLE II
Lionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios

Artistic Achievement
LITTLEBIGPLANET
Media Molecule & XDev Studio Europe /
Sony Computer Entertainment

Casual
BOOM BLOX
Electronic Arts LA/Electronic Arts

Gameplay
CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE
Infinity Ward/Activision

Handheld
PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE CURIOUS VILLAGE
Level-5/Nintendo

Multiplayer
LEFT 4 DEAD
Valve/Valve

Original Score
DEAD SPACE
EA/EA

Sports
RACE DRIVER: GRID
Codemasters Studios/Codemasters

Strategy
SID MEIER’S CIVILIZATION REVOLUTION
Firaxis Games/2K Games

Story and Character
CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE
Infinity Ward/Activision

Technical Achievement
SPORE
Electronic Arts Montreal/Electronic Arts

Use of Audio
DEAD SPACE
Electronic Arts/Electronic Arts

BAFTA Ones to Watch Award
BORO-TORO
Adam Westwood, Graham Ranson, Yves Wheeler, Matthew Booton, Owen Schwehr (DarkMatter Designs)

GAME Award of 2008
CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WARFARE
Infinity Ward/Activision

Personally, I got bored of Mario Galaxy pretty quickly, and got bored of LittleBigPlanet even faster. You might have guessed that I think Left 4 Dead should have won, and you’d be right. Left 4 Dead has way more zombies than Mario Galaxy.

LOL: Misleading Xbox 360 Advertisement

Chad Lakkis — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:33:25 +0000

Would I like to win an Xbox 360 console?? Sure!! Wait, what the hell do Super Mario and Yoshi have to do with an Xbox 360? This appears to be a University campus message board, so let’s hope the person who made this isn’t an advertising major. Sheesh.

Source: flickr.com

Miyamoto Joins Three of His Video Game Creations in a Legendary Animated Short

Chad Lakkis — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 23:39:30 +0000

Shigeru Miyamoto teams up with a trio of video game characters he created in an impressive short illustrated and animated by Newgrounds user, Awkward-Squid.

The concept behind the flash animation, titled “Legend of Miyamoto”, involves Mario, Link, and Donkey Kong helping their video game father make his way through their world. Squid says that the work was rushed a bit due to the fact it was being done as a university assignment, but I think it turned out great.

Check it out after the jump.

Make sure to head on over to Awkward-Squid’s user page and show him some love for this awesome piece of work.

Source: GoNintendo.com

Wii Review: Mario Super Sluggers

Rangebar Merani — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:20:17 +0000

Mario Super Sluggers is a perfect fit for the Nintendo Wii with fun arcade-style gameplay, colorful and interactive environments, and simple toss-and-swing motion controls, Sluggers has all the makings of a typical Mario sports game.

Successor to the Gamecube’s Mario Superstar Baseball, Sluggers is easily the most fun baseball game on the Wii mostly because of its Wii Sports-esque pitching and swinging motion controls. Motion controls are usually right on target, but an occasional flick might not register or might accidentally have your player swinging at air.

There are two main control schemes in Sluggers: one is just playing with the Wii-mote and the other is playing with the Wii-mote and Nunchuk attachment. The latter control scheme gives you more control over the outfield and baserunning, adding more depth to the gameplay. When just using the Wii-mote, running and catching in the outfield are almost done automatically for you, other than just waggling the Wiimote to run faster. I’d go with the Wii-mote/Nunchuk combo for a more simulated gameplay experience.

The first thing you’ll want to do when you get your hands on this game is play with a bunch of friends, but if you’re playing by yourself, the one-player story mode is something to check out. Filled with a bunch of RPG-style fetch quests and simple baseball challenges, the story mode puts you in the role of Mario on a quest to stop Bowser Jr. and his minions from taking over the baseball parks owned by Mario and his pals. Theses challenges aren’t very difficult, but simply require you to get an out or a home run to complete. However, the on-field action is where the game really shows its strengths.

With easy-to-learn controls and an arcade-style approach, playing a game of Sluggers is incredibly enjoying. If you take account of all the different pitches and swings, unique special moves and the addition of player chemistry, Sluggers shows some depth in its gameplay.

For example, the player chemistry allows some players to work together if they match up (perhaps a couple of Toads or Shy-Guys), and they’ll receive jumping and throwing boosts in the field and error items to use from home plate. Using player chemistry can turn a home run into an easy out, so make sure it’s in mind when putting together a formidable lineup.

Other than the story mode and exhibition play in the game, Sluggers also contains a host of different minigames including one that has you hitting Piranha Plants with different pitches and another in which you hit Bob-ombs for home runs. The Toy Field game is another option and is pretty cool with up to four players in a game of hitting and fielding trying to earn the most coins.

Graphically, Mario Super Sluggers has much of the same eye-popping, bright colors you usually see in a Mario game and there’s nothing to complain about there. The game looks good and shows off some really nice looking stadiums and dazzling animations for special moves. One of my favorite stadium’s to play in is DK’s Jungle, which has barrels rolling through the outfield and gigantic flowers that put players to sleep.

One shouldn’t complain about the music in Sluggers, with many familiar tunes from past Mario games, each stadium has its own setting and melody when winding up for the first pitch. With the usual bright and bubbly voices and sound effects Mario games are known for, there isn’t much else to expect sound wise from the game.

Simply put, Mario Super Sluggers is one of the most fun sports titles on the Wii. Other than some minor issues from the motion controls and the lack of a season mode and online play, Sluggers is a pretty solid title. If you’re a big fan of the Wii Sports baseball game, then you’ll most definitely want to check this game out. Meanwhile, any fans of other Mario sports games should feel right at home with Sluggers and, hopefully, we’ll see the Mario Tennis and Mario Golf series make there way to the Wii soon enough.

Super Mario: Bowser’s Minions Get Even

Chad Lakkis — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:57:23 +0000

If you ever wondered what would happen if all of Bowser’s minions got together, questioned his authority, formed a union, and refused to operate by his rules any longer, then this video is for you. Enjoy.

Via: collegehumor.com

Geeked-Out: Space Invaders Cupcakes

Chad Lakkis — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:03:04 +0000

Throwing some game related art on a few tasty cupcakes is surely a double edged sword dipped in frosting. Part of you wants to admire the art, while the other part wants to eat the damn cupcakes.

The 8-bit Space Invaders cupcake display above is the work of Flickr user (and pixel baker), Hello Naomi. Naomi has also used her baking super powers to create Mario and Pac Man cupcakes.

Hey Nintendo, if you are reading this, we totally expect to see Super Mario cupcakes in the waiting area before your next E3 press conference. Just one of the many ways you can make it up to us.

[Thanks Jeff]

Have something you think we should show on Geeked-Out? Email it to us.

Geeked-Out: Mario and Jaws Mashup – Swim Mario!

Chad Lakkis — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:50:25 +0000

Oh no! Look out Mario! Swim for your liiiiiiiiife! The beautifully illustrated “Mario meets Jaws” art above is the brainchild of 24 year-old deviantART user Ian Austin (aka:mostlymade). Kudos to Ian for bringing shrooms of joy to gaming geeks everywhere. Check out Ian’s portfolio site at coroflot.com/mostlymade.

Have something you think we should show on Geeked-Out? Email it to us.

Cal Marching Band Levels Up with 16-bit Video Game Halftime Show

Chad Lakkis — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 03:57:01 +0000

If you were lucky enough to be in attendance during this years Cal vs Washington State game, you not only witnessed a 3 point victory by the Golden Bears, you were also treated to a pretty amazing video game themed half time sow by the Cal Marching Band. This video will have you wiping the dust off your old console and itching to play some 16 bit Zelda. Have at it after the jump.

[youtube width="425" height="335"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QNI3W8UB-s[/youtube]

Source: Milk and Cookies