Comments 495

Re: Mario Movie Continues To Smash Global Box Office Records In Opening Weekend

RetroGames

@MarioBrickLayer There's is literally zero doubt it will be remembered on it's own and indeed revered as such (just as the first Iron Man film is remembered fondly in its own right, as well as being remembered as the start of MCU, to go alone with your MCU analogy). This entire debate is utterly ridiculous. It's literally only being entertained because we'd have to wait ten or twenty years to show just how completely misguided and short-sighted some people are being right now. But, yeah, all that other stuff will likely be there too at some point.

Seriously, as a video game adaptation of Super Mario Bros. and even just any game to movie adaptation, this is about as good as we've ever had in terms of really just nailing everything you'd honestly want to see in such a film. And everyone who even just enjoyed it now, never mind loved it, will look back on it with the same fondness as they do with whatever games they enjoy and even love in the franchise. It's a reverent, wonderful, joyful, optimistic, exiting, funny, whimsical, fun, beautiful and magical movie full of a thousand little moments that take us back to our childhoods!

I'm honestly not sure what the hell is going on with our modern world sometimes when this is even a debate.

Re: Mario Movie Continues To Smash Global Box Office Records In Opening Weekend

RetroGames

@Anti-Matter Saw it twice on Friday. The first time was in 3D, but the 3D effect wasn't quite working, so I asked the cinema manager to see it again the same day in 2D for free, even though I honestly still absolutely loved it first time around regardless, and I loved it even more the second time (because now I could see everything clearer and picked up even more of the references and Easter eggs and stuff). Now, if the 3D was working 100% properly, I think the 3D version would have trounced the 2D version overall, but I was just grinning from ear to ear and so happy that I saw basically the animated Mario movie that I've been waiting on since I was a child--twice! Loved it! Oh, and I can't wait to view it in VR, where the 3D effect and overall experience of viewing it like this should actually be even better too--assuming they don't mess it up and they actually release a 3D Blu-Ray version.

Re: Mario Movie Continues To Smash Global Box Office Records In Opening Weekend

RetroGames

@Diogmites It's ultimately irrelevant how you think I look now and how I think you look now vs how we're relatively each gonna look in due course.

The movie is actually brilliant, and you're just so far out of touch with sane reality at this point that it's actually sad rather than funny (sadly, that's the case with so many people right now): The visuals and animation are stunning; the reverence for the source material is undeniable to anyone who has a clue; the voice casting and voice acting is stellar and totally delivers; the simple hero's journey story is perfectly executed and right on point for the audience it's aiming it, which is kids, big grown-up kids, and families; the music is expertly scored; the runtime is just right for the audience it's targeted at; the restraint at not forcibly pushing a whole load of really insidious agendas and unnecessary social commentaries and virtue signalling is greatly appreciated (Peach, while OP, is still handled with care and not made unlikeable or anything like that. She even has a little bit of backstory that explains some of it and hints at there possibly being more to things than we've seen, which could actually make it all totally legit); the sheer and utter childlike wonder and joy in the movie is palpable throughout its entire runtime; the amount of brilliant references and fan service moments is just stunning and heart melting; the happiness it's brining to all the people who went into that movie with nothing more than the desire to see a beloved Nintendo gaming universe and cast of characters from their childhood lovingly brought to life on the big screen is very real; etc.

If you were expecting more than that, the err in on you.

There's little more any person who's being real honest with themselves could have realistically asked for or expected, given all the things that had to converge together to make this movie happen and that are going on in the world right now that could have transpired to turn it into a total turd.

I think, after another ten years of Disney's recent trend of just crap, and probably now a bunch of phoned-in video game movies to cash in on Mario's success but with little of the true love for the source material and respect for the audience who's going to go out there to watch these films, most normal people are going to look back on The Super Mario Bros. Movie as a moment of sheer nostalgic bliss, and quite possibly the moment the Nintendo cinematic universe was truly born in the way they both wanted and deserved.

And, just in case it is relevant here, THIS abomination is what Sega was actually going to allow to be shovelled on Sonic fans before they got utterly obliterated online for basically spitting on everything that such fans loved so dearly and had done so for decades:

https://youtu.be/s4dYb-NTyKA

This is what Nintendo gave us this time out on the first strike by comparison (they learned their lesson from the nightmare first Mario Bros. movie in the '90s):

https://youtu.be/KydqdKKyGEk

Or this depending on if you count the teaser as basically the first trailer or not:

https://youtu.be/TnGl01FkMMo

And, while we thankfully got an actually very good Sonic The Hedgehog movie in the end, all things being relative, I ultimately put The Super Mario Bros. Movie so far above it based on what I actually want from such a video game to movie adaptation of both of these beloved game franchise from my childhood that it's not even really fair on Sonic to be compared to Mario here be honest--Mario's first movie is just on another level as far as I'm concerned, or maybe in another castle or whatever.

But, anyway, see you in say ten or twenty years time (or just remember this conversation if I'm already in the grave), and let's see where we both stand. . . .

Re: Mario Movie Continues To Smash Global Box Office Records In Opening Weekend

RetroGames

@Dezzy70 If it cost around 100 million to make plus around say 100 million or even 200 million to market, it's pretty much going to be into profit by the end of the weekend with the figures I'm seeing already. It's well on track to being the biggest video game animated movie of all time, and possibly even up there with some of the biggest animated movies of all time in general. This is a definite moment of Nintendoes.

Re: Mario Movie Continues To Smash Global Box Office Records In Opening Weekend

RetroGames

@GrailUK Any hardcore Sega, Sonic and probably Genesis fan is likely squirming right now. Mario is completely blowing Sonic out of the water, as he has always done since the very first time they went head to head in the 16-bit era when Sega tried to use Sonic's "coolness" and speed to undermine Nintendo and indeed Mario. Well, the audience ratings are currently higher on both Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes for The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and the sales numbers for The Super Mario Bros. Movie are going to completely dwarf those of Sonic the Hedgehog and also Sonic the Hedgehog 2 when it comes to the end of its run.

Nintendoes!

As a hardcore Nintendo and indeed Mario fan, it's great to see Nintendo riding so high right now, with it's brilliant theme park launches, the massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and the rest of year looking to be a big deal with the new Zelda game coming out too (and whatever else). It honestly feels a bit like Nintendo in its second Golden era or whatever to me (with the NES to SNES era being its original Golden era as far as I'm concerned).

Great times!

Re: Talking Point: The Super Mario Bros. Movie - What Are Your Favourite Moments?

RetroGames

I just enjoyed the whole thing to be honest.

Really, both my wife and I absolutely loved it and would give it 10/10 each for delivering exactly what we wanted from a Super Mario Bros. movie. "Professional" movie critics and naysayers be damned--this movie is video game to cinema adaptation magic.

And, it's crazy, but it's looking like it's going to best pretty much every other video game animated movie's lifetime global takings in a week or so.

Once it also releases in Japan--it still hasn't released in one of its biggest markets yet--I expect it will beat out the likes of Sonic 2, Detective Pikachu, Rampage and World of Warcraft rather quickly and by quite a large number. In fact, I expect The Super Mario Bros. Movie might just be the first video game movie to pass a billion in sales--deservedly so imo, all things being relative.

And this is just the first movie--there's almost certainly more coming--so it's likely the next movie or two will be even more popular if they are as successful with the general audience as the first one.

Illumination + Nintendoes!

Re: Poll: What Score Would You Give To The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

RetroGames

Really, it was about as good as I could have asked for any new Super Mario Bros. movie to be. Brilliant actually. For what it is, which is not Citizen Cain but a family movie based on a video game franchise that has spanned multiple generations and is beloved by probably hundreds of millions of people of all ages, it was kinda perfect. Illumination and Nintendo nailed it as far as I'm concerned.

The "professional" critics scoring it lower than reflects that are plonkers who do not have a clue imo.

And I'm glad to see the box office success reflecting the general fan reaction rather than the "professional" critic absurdity.

Re: Poll: What Score Would You Give To The Super Mario Bros. Movie?

RetroGames

I'll let you know after I watch it tomorrow.

One thing I am happy to see though as a huge Mario and indeed Nintendo fan is how well it's doing at the box office, which is apparently hitting best animated movie based on a video game opening week of all time number levels:

https://gonintendo.com/contents/18647-the-super-mario-bros-movie-breaks-multiple-records-on-opening-day

With the launch of this movie and the opening of the Super Nintendo World theme parks in recent times, I feel like I'm seeing Nintendo once again reach the kind of magical levels it was at back in the '80s-'90s during the likes of the NES peak era and into the SNES era when it was just this epic household name that had a bunch of the best video games of all time out there, animated TV shows, live-action TV shows, a live-action Super Mario Bros. movie, Super Mario Bros. 3 debuting in a live-action movie, Nintendo World Championships, etc.

Nintendoes!

Re: Hands On: Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp - Slicker, Shinier, Sassier Strategy

RetroGames

This looks cool and all, but it's clear Nintendo gave this c-team attention rather than a-team effort, be it shopped-out to a third party or whatever. If this had been given the same level of full first party AAA love that Nintendo has been given Fire Emblem for a while now, this really could have been something very special rather than just good. And that's sad to me, because, at its core, I actually think the Advance Wars series is a much better game than the Fire Emblem one personally. Now, I'm not saying this is a bad game; I just alluding to far more potential here and a missed opportunity to reach it.

Re: Round Up: The Reviews Are In For The Super Mario Bros. Movie, And They're All Over The Place

RetroGames

Man, this isn't sounding good. And the metacritic total right now it just dire. I hope to God I don't dislike it as much as those guys, or worse, find I just don't care about it.

Right out the gate, based on some of the stuff I've heard, it seems they maybe spent too much time writing Peach well, yet also making her a bit of Mary Sue at the same time from what I've seen thus far, and maybe not enough time writing the other characters properly--you know, like the actual hero of the piece, Mario. Go figure, it is 2023 after all.

Re: Rumour: Charles Martinet's Role In The Mario Movie May Have Been Revealed

RetroGames

Playing his father sounds like a good way to get him in there. And, honestly, I think Pratt's Brooklyn-style Mario accent is going to work out better than the Martinet way of doing Mario for a whole movie, so this is a nice way to have both in there.

I wonder if he's going to look like this:

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/09/weirdness_fans_think_theyve_found_mario_and_luigis_father

That would be a great nod to some rare classic depiction of what we think is Mario's and Luigi's father there.

Re: Countdown: 3DS eShop Spotlight - 3D Sonic The Hedgehog 2

RetroGames

I love all the stereoscopic 3D versions of these 2D games and actually wish there was a lot more of this. With the advent of VR there is a perfect way to view them like that, and you can even have them running on old-looking TV in a virtual '80s-'90s room and the like. If you've seen the likes of EmuVR, you'll know exactly what I mean:

https://youtu.be/2lFSkABy6FA

https://youtu.be/S046IXZzr_4

There's no reason those screens couldn't show the stereoscopic 3D versions of the games on them--and that would just be awesome.

Re: Video: MVG Checks Out "Awesome" Update For GameCube Emulator On Xbox

RetroGames

Yeah, this kind of user-friendly front-end is what makes the difference between something being for normal people and something being just for nerds.

This, in principle, is what I'm sorely waiting for in relation to any kind of SNES development tool. I really want something that's extremely well designed and user friendly on the front end, that just happens to be a fully fledged tool for creating brand new SNES games.

Until that happens, I think any meaningful new SNES development is going to continue to stall.

Re: Go! Go! PogoGirl Is A Cute And Colourful Platformer With Serious Retro Sega Vibes

RetroGames

@LikelySatan Well, like I said, "most", but obviously not all. There's definitely some indies out there doing stuff that's just a cut above everyone else, for sure. Although, Minecraft certainly doesn't have good animation, which is a particular thing I mentioned as differentiating the real cream from the crop, and it's basic but passable in Dusk. But, I do think most of them are sticking with simple retro 2D for the reasons I mentioned. I know that's kind of my reasoning with my own games for example. And no probs.

Re: Go! Go! PogoGirl Is A Cute And Colourful Platformer With Serious Retro Sega Vibes

RetroGames

@LikelySatan #16 I'm not sure what you think I said in regards to that?

#14 I'm not sure what the first link is supposed to be about? Is it just demonstrating some vertical visual parallax trickery using column scrolling and that kind of stuff, like this:

https://youtu.be/eIdJy7IxgeU?t=1289

https://youtu.be/eIdJy7IxgeU?t=1843

https://youtu.be/Z5AC80K5JtI?t=1889

https://youtu.be/G9m2gAuWkOY?t=2279

https://youtu.be/F59TiwrECLo?t=387

SNES does this as standard in background Mode 2 (one of the 8 available background modes), and to a higher fidelity than Genesis can, down to 8 pixel-wide columns on SNES vs only 16 pixel-wide columns on Genesis.

And the second link has a cool visual/graphical effect, for sure. Much like this stuff running on a stock SNES:

https://youtu.be/sRBX2GbGr2M

https://youtu.be/vngCO9Y1aVo?t=583

https://youtu.be/lMbWhoaDLKc?t=1026

https://youtu.be/MsS6Wvuzj8k

https://youtu.be/ATW5uBC62vE?t=1466

https://youtu.be/PcL8jcLslP8

https://youtu.be/MTKwNEN8FXw?t=335

https://youtu.be/hcKsWmBcE-k

https://youtu.be/spVwBD6NOVI?t=1

https://youtu.be/0fQ54I5N2kU?t=1579

https://youtu.be/tVg8m_BYqcw?t=1716

https://youtu.be/DM9B36ZvH7M?t=424

https://youtu.be/PKZxhsZjI20?t=1085

https://youtu.be/_CO66ioB-ZE?t=1000

https://youtu.be/PKZxhsZjI20?t=1925

https://youtu.be/PKZxhsZjI20?t=1741

https://youtu.be/5WxHLB0Kc10?t=7594

https://youtu.be/5WxHLB0Kc10?t=8401

And, if you want an example of a commercial SNES game with clearly more than two overlapping parallax layers (yet still only using Mode 1, so only three rather than the full 4 possible layers on SNES):

https://youtu.be/Tl7D25I6yDc?t=61

https://youtu.be/Tl7D25I6yDc?t=766

https://youtu.be/Tl7D25I6yDc?t=2834

And this is another great example of just the three layers plus some window/shape masking and colour math at use on SNES:

https://youtu.be/tVg8m_BYqcw?t=1738

But here's an interesting example of a SNES game that uses all 4 background layers for a cool effect (maybe you can work out how it's useful here):

https://youtu.be/MJV2Luk_W1M?t=89

And, funnily enough, those 3D The Lawnmower Man levels use 4 overlapping background layers on SNES too, which is why they tend to have better draw distance and smoother fading in than in the Genesis version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKZxhsZjI20&t=355s

Re: Go! Go! PogoGirl Is A Cute And Colourful Platformer With Serious Retro Sega Vibes

RetroGames

@NTDO89 Most indies don't have the resources and/or skills required to make anywhere near great full 3D games (particularly when it comes to the likes of animating well in 3D), unless all you're after is stuff that's very simple and amateur. 2D is much easier for them to approach on a budget and technical level. Also, I think it's far easier for indie projects to compete in the market with something in 2D than it is to exist in the same space at the almost entirely AAA 3D titles you see from the major developers these days. Plus, on a personal level, I still honestly love playing a well-made 2D game, often more than most 3D games. Give me a proper Nintendo first party sequel to Super Mario World or Yoshi's Island using the game graphics and such, maybe even an official SNES release, and I would be all over that in a heartbeat, and more so than any 3D iteration of Mario I've seen.

Re: Go! Go! PogoGirl Is A Cute And Colourful Platformer With Serious Retro Sega Vibes

RetroGames

@LikelySatan As striking as it looks, that's always only two overlapping background layers with some expert use of layer priority shifting and row/line scrolling doing a great job of making it look like there's more:

https://rasterscroll.com/mdgraphics/graphical-effects/row-column-scrolling/

Unlike the simple-looking platform game above, there's never any time in Thunder Force IV where you will see more than two layers properly overlapping at any given scanline on the screen.

And, like I said, it's the SNES that can have more overlapping scrolling layers, up to four of them actually, although most games use Mode 1, which allows for three of them:

https://inceptionalnews.wordpress.com/2022/08/26/snes-background-modes/

That's why you can do stuff like this on SNES, which would simply be impossible on Genesis:

https://youtu.be/IyrOCNQc_rs

https://youtu.be/oCiSEChgjC4

That Thunder Force IV level is still dang impressive for Genesis though.

Re: Go! Go! PogoGirl Is A Cute And Colourful Platformer With Serious Retro Sega Vibes

RetroGames

Visually, there's stuff about this that comes across more SNES than Genesis, mainly the colours, some proper transparency, and the amount of overlapping parallax. I think there's shades/tones of each colour that the Genesis would struggle with (although I'm just eyeing that rather than using any scientific method to properly test it), the shield uses proper coloured transparency that isn't possible on Genesis, and there's clearly moments where there's at least three overlapping parallax layers there, which the Genesis can't really do (unless it's using sprites to fake it). And the Master System almost certainly couldn't display so much colour, the coloured transparency, or that many overlapping background layers--yet there is a bit of a Master System vibe to the visuals. The pogo mechanic is actually a bit like Ducktales on NES too, which reminds me more of a NES game in that respect. Although the NES clearly couldn't touch visuals like that. So, yeah, I'd probably say it's more reminiscent of something on SNES actually. Anyway, it looks kinda cool.

Re: Random: Masahiro Sakurai Says He Prefers To Buy Video Games Digitally

RetroGames

Other than convivence in terms of moving off your butt or storage space, I see no personal advantages to digital. In every meaningful way for me personally, physical has every advantage that actually matters, with one of the most important being I actually own it, I can do what I want with it, and it's mine until the day I die or decide to give it to someone else or sell it or trade it in or whatever. There's an actual tangible value and feeling that physical brings too, literally, which is simply missing from digital. For me, there is nothing magical or special about digital, and I generally end up with a bunch of digital games just collecting non-literal dust, but physical actually gives me joy when I pick it up and touch the box and flick through the manual and see high-quality printed images, and so on. And, recently, as I've gotten older and seen everything start to become digital and the endlessly piling up computer bits stored in some hard drive or the ever-growing selection of games and movies and books on these online services and my digital library, which has gotten to a point of there actually being far too much to wade through, most of it total filler fluff, I've started to appreciate what physical brings to the table even more than ever. Basically, they're not even close imo.

Re: Best Of 2022: Which Is The Absolute Best Nintendo Console Generation?

RetroGames

Just based on my personal experience of living through all the generations, the 16-bit SNES era gets the win. And, for me personally, the SNES gets the win overall out of all Nintendo's consoles. It's not the most advanced console Nintendo has ever made, and it doesn't have all the features and capabilities of other newer Nintendo systems, but, for what it is, it's a nigh-on perfect experience, which is what I consider the most important factor of all. SNES is the goat.