Month: November 2023

Super Mario Bros. Wonder has been out for over a month and surprise surprise, everyone seems to be enjoying it! Because of that, why not celebrate the release of another fine Mario game by sharing my top 10 personal favorite Mario games?

I’ve always been a fan of Mario! When I was kid, the first every gaming system I got from my parents was the original Gameboy and the first game they got for me with it was Super Mario World. Even if I’m someone that prefers Sonic, Mario has no doubt been a top tier gaming franchise since the beginning and is what got me into gaming as a whole.

This was quite a tricky list to pull off just because of how there are SO many ridiculously good Mario games they are. I do want to make a disclaimer that this list will in fact include any game that Mario himself was attached to outside of Super Smash Bros. This list will not only refer to the main installment of the series but also spin-offs such as Mario Kart, Mario Party, Paper Mario, etc. I didn’t just want to do a ranking on strictly the main series of games or spin-offs, I wanted to list all of my favorite Mario-related games at once. Without further a do, let’s get into this list starting with the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions:

• Mario Party 64

Spoiler alert: This is the only Mario Party game mentioned. This is just the one I remember having the most fun with friends and family. I never owned a Nintendo 64 myself but I do remember going to my aunt’s house who had one and would always play the Mario games she had with it. Nothing like having a blast playing this with everybody while laughing, screaming, and just having the best time imaginable. Just don’t play these games too much with your friends or else you’ll regret it! And I may or may not be speaking from experience.

• Mario Kart 64

One of the more iconic Mario Kart games and an absolute fan favorite. This was the first kart game in the series to be fully 3D which allowed players to play as their favorite Mario characters in a 3D world. This introduces some of the very best tracks such as Rainbow Road and Bowser’s Castle and gives you that full sense of nostalgia whenever you play it. Not quite the best Mario Kart game in the series but it nevertheless, deserves a mention.

• Paper Mario

The first installment in another successful spin-off in the franchise, Paper Mario acts as the plumber’s first jump into the world RPGs. With a great supporting cast, a creative battle system, and a ton of fun features added, this makes for a really strong start for one of the better RPG series out there. Some aspects of the game are dated and it’s not quite my favorite one but it’s still very good nonetheless.

• Super Mario Maker 2

Since I never owned a Wii U and didn’t know anyone that had one, I never got to play the original Super Mario Maker. However since I do own a Switch, I got to play it’s sequel and it’s quite a blast. It’s quite awesome to be able to take custom courses from prior Mario games and make them something of your own. The only reason I don’t have this in the main top 10 is because I don’t see this as it’s own thing and prefer more wholly original Mario games. Nevertheless, it’s still worth playing through for anyone that has a Switch.

• Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

Hard to believe this game is turning 10 years old this year! I didn’t get to play this game until it came to the Switch in 2021. While this is not the best Mario game, you can certainly make the argument that it’s one of the more “fun” ones. This is the one that would introduce one of the most fun power-ups in all of Mario with the catsuit allowing you to climb walls and use a scratch attack. It’s also nice to have Princess Peach be a playable character this time around who joins Luigi and Toad to save the day and not just be a simply damsel in distress. The only thing holding it back is perhaps the level design being too easy and simplistic without not much challenge. Also, Bowser’s Fury is fine….just fine.

• Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga

What this? Another successful RPG that happens to have Mario characters in it? You shouldn’t have! While it’s not quite the most well know Mario game out there, it’s definitely one that deserves your attention. The gameplay is fun, the dialogue is hilarious, the graphics are good for a Gameboy game, and the music is just fantastic. Not sure what more that needs to be said. If you can find a copy of it, go ahead and try it out.

• Luigi Mansion’s Dark Moon

I’ve never played the original or even the third game but this game along with the series itself makes for a very intriguing one for Mario’s lovable younger brother, Luigi. There’s something so genius about creating a game where Luigi has to navigate through a haunted mansion and face his greatest fears, that being ghosts. A really entertaining action-adventure game all around that provides a very unique spin and giving Luigi the perfect spotlight to shine. I’ll be sure to play the other two games at some point.

• Super Mario Strikers

One of the Mario games that I remember playing the most at my aunt’s (who also had a Gamecube) and friend’s. Sports games where you basically get to play by your own rules, logic, and having power-ups thrown into the mix is always among the most entertaining one. While Mario has certainly had other sporting games outside of Mario Kart, this is the one that has stuck with me the most. And, I’m just gonna say it, this is the game which I crushed hard on Peach and Daisy. If you’ve played the game, you probably know why.

• Mario Kart DS

The Mario Kart game that basically made the blue turtle shell the bane of my existence is still one I have a lot of fond memories for it. Whether it’s playing on my own with racing tournaments and minigames or playing against my friends and cousins, there is not one Mario Kart I always enjoy playing through with a group of my pals or family members. Even if it’s not quite my favorite Mario Kart game and it won’t be until a few other games down the line that would be able to fully utilized the elements which this game help start, Mario Kart DS is still one of my favorite kart game in the series.

• Super Mario Bros. 3/Super Mario Galaxy 2

Probably will be my biggest hot takes as I know these are two of the most beloved games in the franchise. I acknowledge them both as being two very good games that are perhaps a tad overrated, mostly because it retreads the same ground as it’s predecessors, not feeling as fresh as the originals, and at times feeling more like Super Mario Bros 2.5 and Super Mario Galaxy 1.5. These are still really enjoyable games but I do think it falls short when it came to pushing their perspective series forward and instead just put it in neutral. While that’s not enough to ruin either game, it is enough to prevent it from being on the top 10.

Now, here we go to the main top 10!

10.) Super Mario 3D Land

Being the one main Mario game made exclusively for the 3DS, Super Mario 3D Land still holds up strongly as being one of the more entertaining Mario titles. This entry brings the right amount of entertainment and challenge with his uniquely designed, bite-sized Mario levels and being loaded with intriguing content and extras.

It was also nice to have a game based off of a handheld system that was able to add in levels designed for 3D gameplay along with a handful of retro-style levels in 2.5D. The platforming shines, it looks great, the sound is a treat for the ears, and it’s able to be fairly challenging without you ever been frustrated of it due to poor game design.

While it has been surpassed as been the very best handheld Mario game, Super Mario 3D Land is one very fun and enjoyable title that should be a must-have for anyone with a Nintendo 3DS.

9.) Mario Kart Double Dash

This might be seen as the oddest entry on this list but I can’t help having completely fond memories of Mario Kart: Double Dash. One of the Mario Kart games that tend to get the most short shrift happens to be one of my favorite ones in the series.

The two-driver gimmicks was a genius idea and helped introduce a new layer of strategy as you switch between characters and juggle items, the courses themselves are greats, and the fully 3D models were able to translated very well for the first time. There’s just a certain way this game sticks out compare to the other kart games that just appeals to me for some reason.

I’m not gonna say it’s overflowing with new ideas but Mario Kart: Double Dash is an absolute gem that offers some of the best gameplay mechanics and strategies in the series. I can honestly see this one getting a cult following if it hasn’t already. If it has, then I can gladly say I’ve been on this game’s side since the very beginning! Rock on, Double Dash!

8.) New Super Mario Bros Wii

The Wii edition to the somewhat controversial New Super Mario Bros series is far in a way the best of these batch. While nostalgia might play a factor into that, it’s able to take best use of taking Mario levels and zones of old and remaking them to feeling something fresh.

With brand new power-ups and the introduction of co-op play, New Super Mario Bros Wii is able to provide new and exciting ways for players to enjoy the traditional style of 2D Mario games. While also including some of the best boss fights and music in the whole series, it makes for another colorful and fun adventure that will bring joy to anyone playing it.

It’s far from being the most original Mario game and maybe it could have benefitted from just being Super Mario Bros 4 or at least not having the word “New” from the title. Even so, this game is still a blast and because I’ve spend so much time playing this game with friends and family, I had to include it on the list.

7.) Paper Mario: A Thousand Year Door

While the original Paper Mario is certainly more iconic, there’s not a single game in this series that was able to execute it’s RPG formula in the best possibly way with The Thousand-Year Door. If you take everything that worked about the previous Paper Mario games, trimmed down the things that didn’t work, and add in a new, fresh elements to it, this is basically what you get.

It’s a lively, colorful adventure filled with exciting battle systems, fun gameplay, clever callbacks and references, and being able to stand well as it’s own unique thing in the series compared to Mario’s other platformers. From the story to the battles to the core gameplay to the core presentation, it’s able to get everything right about a Paper Mario adventure.

I don’t know how much of a hot take it will be to have this in the Top 10 and not the original Paper Mario but for those who disagree, sorry but The Thousand-Year Door is my definite Paper Mario game.

6.) Super Mario Wonder

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is another superb and quality Mario game, making for perhaps the plumber’s finest 2D outing since Super Mario World. It’s able to expand on it’s level design, worlds, and power ups further than any prior 2D Mario game while acting as one that can stand perfectly on it’s own two feet.

The levels are fast paced and fun, all characters are a delight to play as, the music is amazing, the graphics are beautiful, the new voice cast does a find job, and the Wonder Flower power-up stands out as one of the best and most unique power-ups in any Mario game. Even the difficulty spikes to certain levels/challenges along with the often repetitive level theme that constantly plays throughout isn’t enough to bring this game down in any way.

I don’t know why it took Nintendo this long to put out a new and fresh 2D Mario game or just a new Mario game in general but it was absolutely worth the wait. Now, just give me Super Mario Odyssey 2 and I can fully die happy! Even I can’t live to see that, I can at least say I had Super Mario Bros. Wonder which will make me die not only happy but trippy!

5.) Super Mario World

The very first Mario game I ever played was bound to make this list one way or the other but I strongly believe Super Mario World represents the very best of Mario in 2D. As someone who respects the old 2D Mario games than he truly loves them, this is the one exception where I feel it’s reputation perfectly matches it’s quality.

The gameplay is fast and tight with plenty of thrills and difficulties that greatly rewards speed runners for superb memorization. It’s able to build upon the framework that Super Mario Bros. 3 did and expanded upon it and made it arguably even better than before. The overworld map is much bigger with more power-ups to unlock and challenges to try out, each level contains multiple different paths and exits that always enhances replay value, every single secret/reveal/place/level/world is always interesting to explore, and it has my boy Yoshi to go along with it.

While I still mostly prefer Mario in 3D has that allows for more freedom and expansion with each game, Super Mario World shows 2D Mario at his absolute best. No matter which version you play, you will always be in for quite a ride. Thank you Super Mario World for not just getting me into Mario but getting me into gaming in general.

4.) Super Mario 64

When it comes to the Mario game that had the biggest impact on 3D platformers, very little would argue that Super Mario 64 is what helped set the golden standard of exactly that. Being the very first Mario game to be fully 3D, everything about Mario 64 just screams fun, adventure, excitement, and nostalgia.

I’ve played multiple versions of this game and every one of them provided me with the exact same experience. The level design is top notch, the environments are perfectly translated into 3D, the controls, while at times stiff, does feel about as good as it could be for one of the very first 3D platforming games, the hub worlds are addicting and fun to explore, and the soundtrack is so beautiful that it’ll make you want to cry.

While there are certain elements of the game that are dated such as the graphics, character models, and wonky camera, I don’t think Nintendo could have made a better start to Mario in the 3D world if they tried. Even to this day, I still have the theme of Princess Peach’s castle living rent free in my head.

3.) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

If you wanna see a kart racer that is able to offer just about everything with immense satisfaction, this is how to do it. While the original Mario Kart 8 released on the Wii U in 2014, it was eventually able to get a remastered version on the Switch which many would argue makes Mario Kart 8 Deluxe the definite version of Mario Kart 8 but the very best Mario Kart game to date!

From the breathtaking advanced graphics to the fantastic track design to the rose gallery of nearly every notable Mario character ever, it’s able to give you anything you could ever want in a Mario Kart game and so much more. It doesn’t matter if you are playing single player or multiplayer, offline or online, race mode or battle mode, the main game or the DLC, there is not a single instance where the game is a chore to play.

Not only is this far in a way the best Mario Kart game but there’s even an argument of this being one of the best kart racing games out there. It’s able to take everything fans have loved about the previous Mario Kart games and is able to add in plenty of old and new elements to make this basically the top-tier Mario Kart experience. I can not recommend this game enough to anyone who is a Mario fan or a fan of good racing games.

2.) Super Mario Galaxy

If you want the Mario game that shows when the series became at it’s very best in terms of the sheer amount of scope, wonder and creativity, that would be Super Mario Galaxy. For the longest of time this was my favorite Mario game and the fact this is only number two on the list should not discredit the fact that this is a truly fantastic game.

Taking the direction of levels from worlds to galaxies was a brilliant movie, with tons of planets and open space for you to explore in. Each area of each galaxy you visits offers plenty of enjoyable challenges that help pushed the limits of what the Wii hardware could possibly do. It’s the kind of game that even after you beat the main story, you will wanna go back to 100% the whole thing and feel truly rewarded by the end. Throw in a beautiful orchestral soundtrack, impressive visuals that looks great even for the Wii, and the introduction of instant fan-favorite Rosalina, you got a geninuely terrific Super Mario experience.

While some might argue that Super Mario Galaxy 2 did this style of gameplay better, I still believe the original is the superior game as it felt more fresh, creative, and helped set the brilliant foundation for 3D Mario games going forward. I can not praise this game enough!

1.) Super Mario Odyssey

I’m probably gonna have some online buddies that are gonna fundamentally disagree with me on nearly every single level here but Super Mario Odyssey is to date my favorite Mario game! When it comes to that one Mario game that not only hits every single beat that I want it too but it does all with an absolute exclamation point, I can’t think of any Mario game that does that better than Odyssey.

This works greatly as not just the perfect culmination of everything the Mario franchise has built to up to this point but it evens works as a near perfect game that stands greatly on it’s own. The level design, whether it’s familiar or original, is superb in every sense of the world, the gameplay despite introducing so many elements at the same time all blend together beautifully without ever feeling disjointed or loose, the new worlds that are introduce is able to translate greatly to Mario and the characters, the new hat mechanic works like wonders, the boss fights absolute triumph, it’s gorgeous to look at, the soundtrack is one of the catchiest I’ve ever listen to, the story is one of the better ones in the series, and it has some of the best replay value out of any game I’ve ever played. It also has one of the funniest endings to a game I’ve played in recent memory. Seriously, if you did not at least chuckle at the end, you have no sense of humor!

I have wondered why Nintendo hasn’t bother to releasing a new and original Mario game since this one came out but I know believe because of the bar this game set that will be quite hard to top for the future. While I still look forward to anything Mario related in the future, I’m not sure how they will be able to top this one. Super Mario Odyssey is able to deliver every single Mario good you can possibly imagine and something even more. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna jam to Jump Up, Super Star!

Is it just me or has it been a hot minute since we last got a brand new Mario game? I’m not talking about spin-off sports games, remasters, added additions to remasters, or a sequel to the game that was basically a “create your own Mario game” Mario game. I’m talking about one that is suppose to act as the next big installment in the main series of games, one that is by design meant to push the series forward. The last game that fits those two definitions was 2017’s Super Mario Odyssey, which was basically the quintessential 3D Mario game that delivered the most perfect feeling 3D Mario game you could possibly imagine. Six years later, we know have Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which seems to want to act as the quintessential 2D Mario game, pushing the 2D games into bigger boundaries then any of the New Super Mario Bros games did (Still love you New Super Mario Bros Wii!). Oh, and it also happen to come out around a similar time that a new 2D Sonic game came out along with coming out the exact same day as a new Spider-Man game. After such a long wait for a brand new and original Mario game, does Super Mario Bros. Wonder deliver? No doubt about it but let’s find out why!

Plot:

Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, and a handful of Toads and Yoshis are invited to Flower Kingdom, a kingdom that just so happens to be right next door to the Mushroom Kingdom. It’s there that they have been summoned by their ruler Prince Florian, to witness a brand new powerup known as the Wonder Flower, which act as great treasures of the Flower Kingdom that can warp reality. Of course, Bowser comes in to ruin the day and snags the Wonder Flower, using it’s power to merge with Prince Florian’s castle and turn himself into a giant flying fortress while capturing citizens of the Flower Kingdom. Mario and the gang agree to help Prince Florian with the trouble that Bowser has caused. It’s then that the Mario crew must make their way to another adventure where they must stop Bowser, rescue the citizens, and restore order to the land of the Flower Kingdom.

As you would expect, the plot of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is about as simple and straightforward as it gets for a Mario game. Aside from some characters old and new thrown in along with new people that Mario and his friends need to save, there is nothing to complex or layered about the story here. It’s mostly just an excuse to have the characters go through different worlds and bump into old and new foes for Mario and crew to fight. But as with any Mario game, that’s perfectly okay because as we all know, the main strength of Mario games come from the gameplay, powerups, and world building. All which Super Mario Bros. Wonder is able to greatly exceed at.

Gameplay:

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a 2D side-scrolling platform game. You get the ability to play as one of eight characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Toad, Toadette, Nabbit and Yoshi. Similar to previous Mario games, your goal is to guide your character to the end of each level collecting coins, unlocking power-ups, avoiding enemies and transporting yourself through Warp Pipes.

The main new feature this time around is that each stage contains multiple collectibles that are known as the Wonder Seed. To collect a Wonder Seed, you would need to unlock the Wonder Flower. The Wonder Flower is a feature that transports you to another form of the level which triggers bizarre effects such as pipes coming to life, swarms of enemies spawning, and characters appearances and special abilities. The effects ends when you are able to capture a Wonder Seed, leave the area of effect, or time runs out.

However, the wonder seeds aren’t the only new additions that Super Mario Bros. Wonder offers. New power-ups include a fruit that can turn you into an elephant, a flower that allows you to create bubbles to catch enemies in, and a mushroom that gives you a drill hat that will allow you to dig into the ground or ceiling to evade enemies or overcome obstacles. These can be very useful and resourceful, especially when it comes to finding special items or different alternate paths to the goal.

One last new feature of the game includes the ability to equip badges. These are able to be unlocked throughout the game and give different advantages to help you proceed through each level. They are split into different categories: Action Badges, Boost Badges, and Expert Badges. Action Badges gives you an addition ability, Boost Badges gives you an additional passive ability, and Expert Badges gives you an advanced skill. Only one of these badges can be activated at a time per level. Even if you don’t care for these, they are mainly optional and can be turned off complete for higher difficulty.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder also have the option for local multiplayer which allows up to four players. It contains some online multiplayer functionality to where you can connect with your friends through the Switch. When playing through a level while playing online, other versions where up to three other players play through the exact same level can be present. When other online players are present nearby, defeated players become ghosts and are given a short period of time to revive themselves by flying to another player or a standee placed by another player. I haven’t remained that active on it but they are there for those that love to play Mario and Nintendo games with your friends and families. And as the very least, they are better than say…….whatever Sonic Superstars was with it’s multiplayer mode.

At it’s heart, Super Mario Bros. Wonder feels like the most logical progression for a 2D Mario game that you could make in the year of 2023. It’s able to take everything that worked about the original three Mario games and Super Mario World while mixing in the “new” elements of the New Super Mario Bros series to make something truly unique. While I don’t think it quite reaches the level of a satisfying culmination that Super Mario Odyssey provided, there is still plenty of here that will satisfy fans and gamers everywhere.

The roster of Mario characters has never been more wider for a main series Mario game then here. The expansions of all the Mario characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, Yoshi, and even Nabbit is cool and will have everyone eager to play as every single one of them. Even if I find myself missing some other notable players here such as Wario, Waluigi, and Rosalina, there is no one that will claim that they didn’t get their full money’s worth when it comes to amount of playable characters that Wonder provides.

All characters mostly control the same and are quite smooth to play as, with each one having their own unique ability and look to all the power-ups they are able to unlock. Most of them can be customize in terms of what badges they have for each level, the special features you can unlock for it, and what standee they are looking to include. The most notable exception to this is with Yoshi and Nabbit, both acts as the most op characters of the bunch, as they require no-power ups, are practically invisible, and can only die by falling into a bottomless pit. These are the two characters you are best to use when you find yourself struggling hard on a level and just want to complete it to move on to the next age. Even so, they all play great and all control as good as they can.

There’s a ton that Super Mario Bros Wonder offers in terms of the levels that you will likely find yourself replaying each one until you are able to fully 100% it. The Wonder Seed in particular makes for a perfect new feature, adding a nice mix to the traditional gameplay while offering the player a chance to play as a Mario who’s quite trippy. It helps includes multiple different pathways to the goal and sometimes even find hidden ways to other parts of the game, most notably the special worlds. If you are someone that is looking to 100% each level of the game, you will likely find yourself having to beat the level in a couple of different ways in order to do that. It’s nice to see the Mario series continue to add special features to each game that adds to the replay value and experience rather than hinder it.

While Wonder does offer plenty of challenge and variety, there are times to where it perhaps offers too much of that. You are informed about the level of difficulty of each level with a star rating that appears before you enter each level. While it’s great to alert us ahead of time of what to expect in terms of difficulty, they do feel quite random with it’s difficulty spikes. There are times to where it will have just a one or two star level of difficulty only to have a level right next to it have the hardest difficulty imaginable. None of the levels are necessarily hard in an unfair way but there will be certain sections that will have you die repeatedly because you didn’t master each move at the exact right time which makes you wish you can just turn the difficulty setting on your own terms.

The difficulty levels comes at a maximum level with entering the special worlds, which are by design that hardest levels in the game. While I guess that’s rightfully so, these feel like they were made specifically for two specific characters, Yoshi and Nabbit. Since those two are easily the most op characters in the game, they are easily the best two characters to play as in these levels with the special world. If you desire to choose any other character for these levels, then good luck with that and that’s all I’ll say on that matter.

When it comes to the boss fights, they are mostly your typical Mario bosses. They don’t amount to much more than just dodging the attacks from the bosses themselves and jump on them at least three or four times without dying to beat them. I get that bosses aren’t the biggest feature in Super Mario Bros. Wonder but it’s kinda of a shame that it doesn’t even attempt to be as half as creative or memorable as the bosses in say Super Mario Odyssey. It basically follows the same methods that the majority of 2D or 2.5D Mario games have without trying to change anything about them whatsoever. They are fun in the moment but that’s about it.

The gameplay of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is able to succeed greatly in the same ways that most Mario games do, providing a fully fleshed out gameplay experience that offers tons of memorable levels, fun power-ups, and plenty of fan favorite characters to play as. Even when the game gets hard, it never gets too hard that you will find yourself wanting to rage quit. If anything, you will be more and more motivate to complete each level and has many as you can before it’s time to put the Switch down for the day. If you were to ask me what would be a Mario game that acts as the most worthy successor to Super Mario World in the year of 2023, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is basically what you get. And I could not be happier to say that!

Graphics:

The graphics are about as beautiful as you can imagine for a game on the Nintendo Switch. While not necessarily as groundbreaking or on the level of say The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, this may just be the most beautiful looking Mario game to date. All the colors mix incredibly well with the art designs, the backgrounds of each level and hub world look so good that you will want a wallpaper out of it, the characters look great and have perfectly fluid animation, and the game runs as good and smooth as you would expect for a next gen Mario game. What you see in terms of the graphics for Super Mario Bros. Wonder is basically what you get! It’s just a delight to look at! Can only imagine how good the next 3D Mario game is gonna look on the Switch?

Sound:

The music, as with most Mario games, is fantastic! There are plenty of tracks that are instant classic and will have plenty of fans wanting to listen to them in their own spare time. What makes it even more unique that past Mario games is the way there are certain levels or challenges that will have their own vocal tracks that play a factor into the levels themselves. The background characters and enemies will react at around the same moments that there is a certain beat that plays. It’s hard to describe how exactly this works but it’s able to do in a way that adds to the gameplay experience rather than take away from it.

Nintendo legend Koji Kondo returned to do the score, along with Shiho Fujii, Sayako Doi, and Chisaki Shimazu, and all of their finger prints is all over the soundtrack. This is the kind of series where the score basically acts as the heart and soul of the series and that is once again showcased brilliantly all throughout Super Mario Bros. Wonder! It’s hard to imagine how Mario himself would be if it weren’t for the geniuses behind the incredible scores for these games.

If I had one grip in terms of the music is that there are certain levels where it plays the same track over and over again that you start to become numb to it.. It’s still really good but some tracks are just used way too often and will likely have you sick by the time you have listened to it again for the fourth or fifth time..

When it comes to the voice work, it’s no secret that this is the first Mario game since the character started speaking to not have Charlie Martinet as the voice of either Mario or Luigi respectively. His successor to take over the mantle for both beloved characters is Kevin Afghanti. And unless I’m mistaking, the other characters seem to have different voices then prior Mario games as well, giving me the mindset that the voice cast had been changed for future Mario games.

While you can certainly tell these are different voices, it’s never too far out of the ballpark where they sound like they are playing completely different characters. Mario still sounds like Mario, Luigi still sounds like Luigi, Peach still sounds like Peach, Daisy still sounds like Daisy, Yoshi still sounds like Yoshi, Toad still sounds like Toad, and Bowser still sounds like Bowser. I’m sure they are all going to take time to get use to for some but I think they all sound fine and are about as good of a replacement for these characters as you can get. If you don’t like that, well….at least we won’t have to hear Chris Pratt as Mario and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong every game now.

The game does offer the most voice work a Mario game has had since at least Sunshine, mostly due to many of the background characters, mostly the flowers, spouting out a random line of dialogue throughout the level or sometimes will give you some advice on what to do to get to the next part of the level. Although I’ve never been someone that has demanded for more voice work in my Mario game, it’s a pretty neat feature and shows that Nintendo aren’t too afraid of adding more voice acting to their games.

Overall:

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is another superb and quality Mario game, making for perhaps the plumber’s finest 2D outing since Super Mario World. It’s able to expand on it’s level design and power ups further than any prior 2D Mario game while acting as one that can stand perfectly on it’s own two feet. The levels are fast paced and fun, all characters are a delight to play as, the music is amazing, the graphics are beautiful, the new voice cast does a fine job, and the Wonder Flower power-up stands out as one of the best and most unique power-ups in any Mario game. Even the difficulty spikes to certain levels/challenges along with the often repetitive level themes that constantly plays throughout isn’t enough to bring this game down in any way.

I don’t know why it took Nintendo this long to put out a new and fresh 2D Mario game or just a new Mario game in general but it was absolutely worth the wait. Between Metroid Prime: Remastered, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, and now Super Mario Bros. Wonder, not only as 2023 has been easily the best year ever for Nintendo Switch but possibly even the best gaming library for any Nintendo console they have ever released. So much so, that they can hold off on a new console for a few more years and just focus on releasing more quality games on the Switch such as these!

Now, just give me Super Mario Odyssey 2 and I can fully die happy! Even I can’t live to see that, I can at least say I had Super Mario Bros. Wonder which will make me die not only happy but trippy!

In recent memory, I’ve noticed a trend to where films, shows, and games that was originally regarded as bad or weak has now being sealed with the light of reappraisal. Whether that reappraisal is genuine or just done for the sake of attention and “sticking” to whatever is popular to hate at the moment, that seems to be a common trope nowadays. The Star Wars prequels were looked down upon when they came out but now have seen it’s fair amount of reappraisal in recent years. The fourth and fifth season of Spongebob were torn apart and seen as the beginning of the show’s end but now is seen by some as the last glimmer of the “best” days for the sponge. And heck, I’m now seeing reappraisal to that godawful Fantastic Four movie that found it’s way to theaters in 2015 as more info about the newest films with Marvel’s first family is in the works. As the old saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

While I have no problem with previously hated products being seen more positively many years down the road, what really grinds my gears is that a lot of it comes across as fake, phony, and just trying to be a contrarian. It doesn’t so much come across as earnest but more of being done just for the sake of jumping on bandwagons. When it comes to the Sonic franchise, while there have been number of entries that certainly fits what I just talked about, I don’t think there’s been a game in the series that meets that mark perfectly than Sonic Unleashed. However, in this case, the reappraisal for the game which I’m about to talk about does feel more real and earnest than any examples I just mentioned.

Sonic Unleashed came out back in November 2008. It was the first major Sonic game in the series to come out after the critically panned Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), regarded as one of the biggest letdowns in gaming history. Despite having a handful of successful titles on handheld devices such as Sonic Advance and Sonic Rush, many considered the franchise as good as dead around this time because of the amount of lackluster home console titles that was released in the mid 2000s such as Shadow the Hedgehog, the previously mentioned Sonic (2006), and Sonic and the Secret Rings. However, when the first bit of gameplay for the next upcoming title, Sonic Unleashed, was shown, it gave a good sense of the franchise returning back to it’s roots. With the amount of footage shown of Sonic running around at the speed of sound in broad daylight, it gave a sense that Unleashed would offer an incredible level of speed for Sonic that he hasn’t had before, offering a fresh sense of fast-paced platforming. While the game ended up being a commercial hit, it received very polarizing response from critics and fans alike.

There are many reasons as to why the game was as divisive as it was when it came out back in 2008. It was coming off the high heel of Sonic 06, that basically shattered the remaining good will that the franchise still had up to that point, it was at that point where professional critics was basically in full “2D Sonic=Good, 3D Sonic=Bad” mode, and of course there was the inclusion of the controversial gameplay style that was the Werehog. While the daytime stages with Sonic were met with high praise, the nighttime stages with the Werehog were panned across the board, being compared unfavorably to games such as God of War and Prince of Persia. While there were a couple other factors that contributed to the game’s mixed reviews such as the inclusion of hub worlds and the required metal collecting, the Werehog was the main factor of the gameplay that made Unleashed so incredibly infamous.

When it comes to the response from fans, it’s quite complicated. While there were plenty of those that took issues with similar problems that critics has, most notably the Werehog, there were those that were singing those games praises back when this game came out in 2008. Whether that was for the Wii/PS2 version or 360/PS3 version, Sonic Unleashed has had it’s own group of fans from the very beginning and has only grown since it’s release 15 years later. It’s gotten to the point that there are those that regarded it as their favorite Sonic game and even the last legit great one, even in the wakes of other fan favorites and commercial successes such as Colors, Generations, Mania, and Frontiers. While I don’t quite agree with any of those statements made, I can think of a good reason or two that those people have come to those opinions.

When it comes to my own experience of Unleashed, I first played the game on my PlayStation 2 around the holidays of 2008. I played through that game numerous times and was always able to find enjoyment in it. I found myself being thrilled during Sonic’s daytime stages/missions and was able to find some entertainment in the nighttime section as well with the Werehog. There were definitely things that did bug me about the game such as there being WAY too many Werehog levels in the second half of the game along with being forced to collect extra lives at the Gaia temples instead of just y’know collecting 100 rings but I still thoroughly enjoyed it overall.

When it comes to the HD port, my feelings were complicated. During my first playthrough, I found myself satisfied but also immensely frustrated at the game. I thought the Werehog stages were way too long, the hub worlds themselves to be way too tedious, some of the level designs to be quite bulls*it, and the amount of medal collecting you are forced to do was beyond ridiculous. While there were definitely fun parts about the game, the frustrating parts of the game were beyond awful. However, for whatever reason, I found myself wanting to play through the game again and it somehow was IMMENSIELY better the second time around.

Once I figured out how the game “works”, how the designs of each levels were operated, and where the majority of medals I needed to collect where, I found myself liking and even loving Sonic Unleashed the more I played through the game. While some of the flaws I mentioned were still present, it didn’t hinder my enjoyment in the slightest. It all just felt so satisfying to play through the game once again, going along with an adventure with Sonic and Chip as the two attempt to put the entire planet back together.

I loved running as fast as I could with Sonic and being able to master the hell out of the level design, I enjoyed exploring the hub worlds and getting to know the people involved in each town I visited, I liked going out of my way to playing side missions and searching for unlockable items, I embraced the day and night cycle that the game itself provided, I found myself engaged in the story and laughing quite a bit at some of the cutscenes, and once I was able to properly upgrade my skill set, increasing his power, and unlocking dozen of awesome moves, I even find myself enjoying the Werehog stages this time around and was able to beat them much quicker than before. Even the medal collecting, which I still believe is a big flaw with the game, isn’t as bad once you keep an eye out and know the proper time to collect all of them. To put it simply, once I was able to “figure out” the game, Sonic Unleashed became a much more rewarding experience for me.

As the years have gone on, I’ve noticed that more and more people seem to share the same opinion on Sonic Unleashed as I do. While there are still plenty of those that hate it, there are plenty of others that have no problem of admitting their love and fondness for the game whenever they get the chance. Certain folks have been scratching their heads as to why that is and why there are those that regard Unleashed as one of the last great Sonic games. While I’m sure many people have their reasons, the main answer I got is what I just mentioned in the last paragraph, Unleashed is a game that rewards the player once they are able to get the hang of everything.

Regardless of one’s opinion on Unleashed, they can’t deny the amount of content, variety, and replay value that the game itself provides. The kind of content, variety, and replay value that most Sonic games since then have lacked until arguably Frontiers. It’s not a game you can beat in a mere three to four hours with a story that feels paper thin or non-existent like Colors or Generations. It’s a game that 100% tries to make you go on a complete journey with Sonic and his friends along with providing enough gameplay styles and designs to give the player their full money’s worth. Whether you are playing to get through the main campaign or to 100% the whole thing, Unleashed offers plenty to do for the players to make it’s 60 dollar price tag worth it. While there were plenty of reviewers that viewed that as a major con, to plenty of fans, that is a major pro.

Perhaps that was why Unleashed got such a split reaction when it came out and it’s been received more favorably. Because a number of critics and players couldn’t “get” into the game on it’s first playthrough, it was dismissed upon it’s release. However, because enough time has passed and more and more fans revisit the game while being able to finally “get” the game, Unleashed has been able to gain the cult following it has in recent memory. While it’s always important for games to make for a good first impression, Unleashed proves that if you give a game a second chance, you can be rewarded for it.

Perhaps the biggest factor that should be taken into the reappraisal for Unleashed was how important that game was for the franchises’ future. It was after this game which SEGA and Sonic Team took the elements that the majority of fans and critics praised with the daytime stages with Sonic and build upon that formula even further. There was no more Werehogs or giant hub worlds, it was just Sonic doing was he does best, running around as fast as he can with platforming and exploration thrown into the mix. It’s then we got Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, two of the best reviewed and received Sonic games to date! To put it simply, Unleashed walked so Colors and Generations can run! If that’s not worth giving credit where it’s due, then I don’t know what is.

Speaking as someone that’s getting sick to death of the “reappraisal” time we are living in, I’m more than okay with Sonic Unleashed receiving that treatment. It’s a game that has plenty of great elements to it that is easier to appreciate now than ever before. From the amazing graphics (that still hold up INCREDIBLY well today) to the engaging story to the incredibly fun stages to the fantastic soundtrack to the enormous amount of replay value, there’s a lot to recommend Sonic Unleashed for. Even if I can’t promise you’ll be fond of the Werehog, hub worlds, or metal collecting, they are still there for those that like a little more variety in their Sonic games.

I think most would agree that Sonic Unleashed was a very important game for the series and basically help give it a second leash on life. It’s this game that would eventually lead to more casual and critic friendly games in Colors and Generations, further perfecting the gameplay style that Unleashed started that helped move the franchise back into good graces. Yes, Sonic Team would eventually kill all that good will and momentum in the future with the likes of Lost World and Forces and then later regain it (somewhat) with Frontiers with a new set of gameplay entirely. However, 15 years ago, it felt appropriate and proved that Sonic still had some life to him when it comes to the main installments. While it’s importance might not have been felt back in 2008, it is certainly solidified now if the cult following has anything to say about.

To quote Marty McFly from Back to the Future: I guess you guys aren’t ready for that, yet. But your kids are gonna love it.

And I’m sure Sonic Unleashed was EXACTLY what he was referring to without a shadow of a doubt!

After several months to a few years of build up, it’s now officially been confirmed. The Athletics will move from Oakland to Las Vegas as soon as 2028. The team is expected to play in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum for at least one more year, then will move to their minor league ballpark in Las Vegas itself from 2025 to 2027 due to the former stadium leash expiring. After that, Las Vegas will officially have it’s very first professional baseball team.

This was a move that had been expected for some time now. Anyone that knows the politics and business side of baseball could realize how much contempt that A’s owner John Fisher had for the city of Oakland and it’s fanbase. The team has had one of the lowest payrolls in baseball for the better part of a decade, they refuses to go out and spend money on big players, and would always trade away their top star players the moment that arbitration becomes a major factor. And heck, they even refuse to pay for stadium employees to at least keep the stadium clean. All of those things and more is what led to the Athletics being one of the worst professional baseball teams of all time last year and the reason they are being forced out of Oakland as soon as possible.

As a fan of baseball and sports, I can’t tell you how much this move sickens me. Not only because John Fisher has proven how little he cares about putting together a quality product on the field but that he’s being REWARDED for it by the rest of the league. It’s disgusting how cheap owners are still being allowed to purposely tank teams and crank out awful teams intentionally just for the sake of lighting their own pockets. What makes it even more disgusting is that everyone in baseball KNOWS this and still refuses to do anything to stop this all from happening. If that goes to show how little the league cares about the quality of it’s own product, then I don’t know what does.

I may not be an Athletics fan but I can certainly relate to the fans of Oakland. This all goes back to another a-hole sports owner in Stan Kroenke (I cringe when I so much as type this man’s name out) when the Rams were in St. Louis. Similar to what Fisher has done with the A’s in Oakland, Kroenke went into full tank mode with the Rams on purpose during the team’s final years in St. Louis. He cranked out awful teams year in and year out, tried to put the blame on the fans for not supporting the team when he was purposely not trying to win, shown his true colors when he had his eyes on moving the Rams back to LA for the sake of funding a new stadium, and got his wish completely in 2016 by convincing the NFL to move the Rams out of St. Louis based on a lie. To add more salt to the wound, the moment he got out of Missouri, he did everything in his power to make the Rams in Los Angeles a winning team once again, eventually leading to a Super Bowl appearance in 2019 and a Super Bowl victory in 2022. If most of that sounds familiar, that’s because that’s basically what John Fisher has done with his own ballclub. While I may not be someone that can predict the future, it would be a surprise to absolutely NOBODY if Fisher finds himself more motivated to win once the Athletics move to Las Vegas completely.

The city of Oakland has had their fair share of heartbreaks in recent years over losing their professional sports teams to other cities across America. There was the Warriors that they lost in 2019 when that team moved back to San Francisco, there was the Raiders which they lost less than a year later in 2020 when that team moved to Las Vegas, and now just three years later, there is the Athletics which they will also lose to Las Vegas. That makes for three professional sports teams lost in just five years. If there is not a city in America that has suffered the most in regards to losing their own sports teams, then I don’t know what that is because Oakland certainly fits the mold when it comes to that.

It would be something if there was at least a notable attempt from the owner or the league itself to stop this move from happening but that was clearly not the case here. Oakland itself was basically betrayed by both their own owner and major league baseball itself. The motives from John Fisher were as clear as daylight these past few years and everyone could see the writing on the walls but yet nothing happened to prevent any of this. Just like how it’s still hard for me to this day to want to watch NFL football because of the way they treated my former team, I would be hard pressed if Oakland fans won’t be bother to even turn on a single MLB game anytime soon because of everything that has happened.

There has been increasing discussions as to why baseball is not as much of a popular watch as it once was. Even with the new rule changes this year that helped increase ticket sales, it still has suffered from consistently low TV ratings, especially in regards to this year’s World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers, which was the least viewed World Series in MLB history. Everyone has their own theory but I believe the biggest answer is simply because of how little most teams care about winning nowadays. As each season goes by and more and more teams are being allowed into the playoffs, it’s become increasingly clear that more and more teams are trying very little to put out the best possible team they can. Because if basically any team can get into the playoffs now, what’s the point of even trying to be competitive when just being at least five or six games above .500 can guarantee a playoff spot. This leads to lesser payrolls, more poorly constructed rosters, and owners that are basically rewarded for putting half ass products out there rather than being punished for it. All of that and more is what makes room for disaster teams such as last year’s Athletics and more.

Regardless of what team you root for in baseball, I think every baseball fan can agree that this is not how we want our teams to go out and have owners who clearly don’t care. All 30 teams in baseball deserve a chance at putting together a great team every year. And it should be the main goal of the owner to do everything in their power to put together a great team either now or for the foreseeable future. Anything besides that is completely unacceptable. Every owner in sports should have limits and restraints that forces them to do what they can to deliver the best possible team they can for the fanbase of the team they owned. Anything less than that is unacceptable. If they refuse to, they should be punished for it. Either by the means of fines or being forced to sell their team to someone who actually cares. That should be clear and simple yet it isn’t. And the fact that situations such as this is still allowed goes to show how no team is ever safe in sports from being forced out and anyone could lose their team if their owner and league cares very little about them.

Regardless, the Athletics will be moving from Oakland to Las Vegas as soon as 2028, with them moving on to their AAA ballpark in Las Vegas from 2025 to 2027. To the A’s fans in Oakland that have shown their love and support for your team throughout their history, I’m so sorry and I wouldn’t blame you if you can never find it in your heart to forgive Major League Baseball for what they have allowed to happen. It just sucks!

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 has finally arrived to owners of PlayStation 5 all over the world! Because of that, I want to celebrate the release by going over what I consider to be the top 10 best superhero games of all time.

For as much as licensed games have gotten a bad reputation, I would argue that most of them tend to shine the best in superhero form. These always seems to be the kind of license games that has the most work and effort put into it. Not every one of them is a winner of course but there is plenty to love when it comes to superhero games when they are done right. Since Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a superhero game that seems to get it all right from the majority that have played it so far, let’s see how that game along with others are ranked among the very best superhero games!

One disclaimer, I decided to make it a rule to where I will only choose up to THREE games that stars the same character. That’s not to say if that same character is playable in another game that I won’t include it but I will go no further than three games that has that one character front and center. Now that’s out of the way, let’s start off with some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions:

• Spider-Man: Miles Morales

While I don’t think Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is quite as good as it’s predecessor or successor, it still is able to succeed on it’s own merits by being an fun and compelling adventure for it’s own title character, proving he is more than worthy of being his own Spider-Man. If the length wasn’t so brief and the main antagonist was fleshed out more, this might have made it’s way to the main top 10. Even so, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a great game and another worthy addition to what is perhaps the best Spider-Man medium out there.

• X-Men: Origins Wolverine (Uncaged Edition)

Yes, X-Men: Origins Wolverine the MOVIE that came out in 2009 was terrible without a shadow of the doubt. However, X-Men Origins Wolverine the GAME was actually pretty damn good. It features some of the absolute best and bloodiest Wolverine action in video game history with such a “I don’t give a F” mindset that you can help but admire how ridiculously over-the-top it is. You can criticize the weak story and the feeling of repetitiveness throughout but if you sit back, relax, and don’t take so seriously, there’s plenty of fun to be had here. Wolverine literally takes down a chopper with his bare claws!

• Lego Marvel Superheroes

If there is at least one Lego superhero game to choose from, look no further than Lego Marvel Superheroes. It’s a big and super enjoyable adventure full of spoofs, laughs, and a window into some of the best Marvel comic stories that can be enjoyed by anyone of any age. With a roster of over 100 superheroes to choose from along with local and online co-op, Lego Marvel Superheroes are these Lego games at their absolute best.

• Ultimate Spider-Man

After delivering what was, at the time, the king of Spider-Man games with Spider-Man 2, Treyarch was able to follow that up with yet another great Spider-Man game just one year later with 2005’s Ultimate Spider-Man. Based off the rebooted comic series of the same name, this sees the relationship of Peter Parker and Eddie Brock at it’s most personal as the two were once great best friends. Even with it’s admittedly dated graphics and voice work, there’s still a lot to love about Ultimate Spider-Man. The gameplay and story is some of the very best in all of the games and the addition of Venom is just the perfect icing on the cake. This game truly feels like well. the Ultimate Spider-Man game (Pun entirely intended!).

• Batman: Arkham Knight

Do I think Arkham Knight is as good as Asylum or City? Not quite but I do feel there are plenty of instances where it comes pretty darn close. Had it perhaps tone down on the Batmobile and maybe handle the Arkham Knight a bit differently, it might have been on par if not better than those too. Even so, I strongly believe the positives of Arkham Knight far out way the negatives and it’s able to end the Rocksteady run of Batman on a strong note.

Now, here’s the main top ten!

10.) Deadpool

The critics were harsh on this one when it came out. While many praised the fourth-wall breaking humor and the meta-filled plot, major criticisms was filled at the gameplay being too dull and repetitive, being compared unfavorably to the Batman: Arkham series. However, speaking as someone who is a big fan of the character, I found Deadpool to be every bit as fun as the Batman: Arkham games. Yes, the gameplay itself is simple and straight forward but it never grew that tiring to me because of how fun and creative the combat was along with containing plenty of amusing quips and laughs throughout that really pulls it through. Nolan North is perfect as the character of Deadpool and I enjoyed all the callbacks, Easter eggs, and references to all the other Marvel properties. It’s not high art by any means but for those who are in need of a good Deadpool fix, this game should do you nicely.

9.) Spider-Man 2

If you wanna talk about a movie game that’s able to meet the quality of the feature film it’s based on, look no further than Spider-Man 2. While the first movie game was pretty good, this one was able to blow that game out of the water. You have controls that feel smoother, combat that is more inventive, inclusion of other main villains not from the movies that is more organic, web swinging that is more satisfying, and even an actual open world for Spider-Man to play around in this time. And even more amusing quips from Bruce Campbell and Tobey Maguire than ever before. I could nitpick certain aspects of the side missions and story (Like why does Doc Ock blame Spider-Man for his wife’s death? There’s like no reason for him to do so!) but Spider-Man 2 just gets it all right. Much like the movie it’s based on, it takes everything that didn’t work about the original and not only improves it but expands upon it in very satisfying ways. Even if it’s not quite the best Spider-Man game anymore, it might just be the most important one made.

8.) Infamous: Second Son

This is the only one on the list to be based off of any DC or Marvel property. However, Infamous: Second Son still remains one of the more unique superhero games out there because it seems to understand why superheroes and games involving them can work. We see main protagonist Delsin Row growing and developing to being a super powerful being of his own in a open world adventure that’s delightfully big and free to explore. The visuals are stunning, the powerset is super fun to build up, it has a nice sense of speed and levitation, and Delsin Row himself is an engaging protagonist to follow. It may not be a household name on par with Spider-Man or Batman but Infamous: Second Son is definitely worth playing for those that like a good superhero game.

7.) Guardians of the Galaxy

The second time was the charm when it came to Square Enix’s run on Marvel games with 2021 release of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. This is just a great action game with a very strong storyline and every member of the Guardians team getting their moment to shine. Just like the GotG films itself, it succeeds due to having it’s own uniqueness, charm, and lovable cast of characters. And an absolute killer soundtrack filled with plenty of beloved pop culture hits doesn’t hurt either. It’s only a shame that this game didn’t get much attention due to the incredibly mediocre Marvel’s Avengers game that came out a year prior. If the quality of that game prevented you from checking this out, fix that mistake entirely because Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is one kick-ass ride that you should not miss out on.

6.) Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

Talk about a Marvel crossover in a video game unlike any other! Back in 2011, Capcom reached the pinnacle of superhero fighting games with Marvel vs Capcom 3. It’s ultimate expansion improved the experience from prior games by expanding the roster of well-known Marvel characters, reworking and redefining the gameplay, and providing a fighting game unlike any other. This is certainly a must-own for those that love fighting games, superhero games, or any of the games involving your favorite Marvel or Capcom characters. I would say this is the very best superhero fighting game ever made but there was just one more that surprassed it.

5.) Injustice 2

As impressive as Marvel vs Capcom 3 was, it still couldn’t quite trump Injustice 2 as being the very best superhero fighting game. As solid as the original 2013 game Gods Among Us was, this sequel manages to be even better. With even more improvements made to the combat and formulas, a dark and bleak story mode, the addition of even more characters, including NetherRealm from Mortal Kombat X, this is about as good as a fighting game to get. That’s not even mentioning the addition of the gear-customization system, daily life events, and better fighting mechanics. By being able to deliver everything that people liked about the original game and much more, Injustice 2 is about as good as games get.

4.) Marvel’s Spider-Man

Marvel’s Spider-Man is more than deserving of being as loved and celebrated as it was back in 2018. It’s able to take the kind of Spider-Man gameplay that has been a template from past Spider-Man games while modifying and perfecting it in every way, giving you the most perfect feeling Spidey experience you can possibly imagine. While I definitely could have done without the MJ/Miles sections, almost everything else is done so well that it doesn’t even come close to bringing down the rest of the game. The web swinging is fun, the combat is a blast, the story is engaging, the characters are well-defined and characterized, the sound is stellar, and it’s able to feel like a complete Spider-Man package in a way that no other Spider-Man game has yet. It’s very rare for a game to come out that feels like it gives you your complete money’s worth, one that you can just pick up and play almost instantly and overall, just puts you in a good mood every time you play it. Marvel’s Spider-Man is able to do all of that and even more.

3.) Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum is ever bit as awesome as I remember it being in 2009. While the boss fights are still rather weak and I don’t fully buy Joker’s “let’s create an army of Banes” master plan, nearly everything else is done rather flawlessly that it’s hard to let those minor gripes bring down the entire game. The combat is absolutely fun with plenty of inventive ways to beat your opponents, the gadgets always come in handy, the detective aspects add a ton to the experience and character of Batman, the entire Arkham island itself is cool to explore, the unlockables are so eager to collect, the voice acting is incredibly stellar, and there’s never a second which you don’t feel like you are in control of The Dark Knight himself.  If 2008 showed how good superhero films can get with The Dark Knight, then 2009 showed how good superhero games can get with Batman: Arkham Asylum!

2.) Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is as every bit as good as you were expecting and hoping for it to be. This is Insomniac Games reaching a new level of peak, being able to achieve the kind of greatness they have come so close within reach but now have finally got it. The story is more engaging and worth following, the gameplay is as polished and perfect as ever, the combat and web swinging has never been more satisfying, the graphics have never been more of a treat to the eyes, the soundtrack is a new definition of peak, and the voice work is some of the best performed in any video game. Whether it’s the very best superhero game of all time is still up for debate (At the moment, I will rate it #2!) but no doubt, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will satisfy fans that have been waiting five years with eagerness to see the follow-up to the 2018 hit. With Insomniac Games finally reaching their Magnum Opus status, they have gain my complete trust for what they do in the future!

1.) Batman: Arkham City

I don’t think Rocksteady could have followed up Arkham Asylum any better than they did here. Batman: Arkham City is about as good of a video game sequel as one could get. Not just as a superhero or licensed game but basically any game in general. It takes everything you loved about Asylum, tweaks some of the things that didn’t work about it, adds in some new elements, and is able to offer a much grander and wider open world where you truly feel like the Batman and Catwoman. This is the perfect sequel to Arkham Asylum and quite honestly one of the most perfect video games I’ve ever played. NOT a flawless game, mind you, but when it comes to the ambition this game has in terms of it’s story and gameplay, it’s basically perfectly executed. This is still one of the most celebrated video games of the last decade or so and it deserves every bit of it. Even if this is where the franchise and superhero games in general peaked, at least it peaked laughing and with a smile on it’s face.

Here’s a link to all my retrospectives/reviews to all three Spider-Man games developed by Insomniac Games!

Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018)- Game Retrospective/Review

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020)-Game Retrospective/Review

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023) Game Review- Insomniac Games’ Magnum Opus

Marvel’s Spider-Man was one of the most celebrated games that came out in 2018 and for very good reason! It took the Spider-Man gameplay that has been a template from past Spider-Man games and was able to modify and perfect it in every way, giving you the best Spidey experience you can possibly imagine. While I could have done without the MJ/Miles stealth missions, almost everything else is done so well that it doesn’t even come close to bringing down the rest of the game. In a way, it’s that core key flaw that has grown accustom to games developed by Insomniac Games.

To be sure, Insomniac Games is easily one of the most consistent and reliable gaming companies out there but their games have often had one stand out flaw or two that made it fall just short of perfection. Marvel’s Spider-Man had the MJ/Miles Morales stealth missions, Spider-Man: Miles Morales felt too short, Sunset Overdrive had a needless multiplayer mode, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart was missing one final boss fight for Ratchet. With what is a sequel to arguably their most successful game to date, Insomniac Games was clearly aiming to go all out with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, with a follow-up that’s bigger, better, and more of a personal journey for their two Spider-Men on the front cover than before. Does Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 live up to those high standards or does it perhaps fall short on those heavy ambitions?

Plot:

(Reminder: I’m only going over the overall premise of the plot that only covers about a quarter or third of the game. I promise there are no major spoilers here! But if you want to go in completely blind, then perhaps skip over the plot section of the review.)

Taking place 10 months after the events of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, we see the two Spider-Men in Peter Parker and Miles Morales struggling to take the next step in their personal lives while also committing to their duties as crime fighting superheroes. There’s Peter who is looking to start his career as a physics teacher at Brooklyn Visions Academy, with Miles among his students oddly enough. There’s Miles who is struggling to write his college application essay and thinking about a career outside of being Spider-Man. However, the pairs’ first day in school is interrupted by a widespread city attack from Flint Marko, A.K.A. Sandman. While both Spider-Men are able to subdue the longtime sympathetic crook, it comes at a cost for Peter as he was forced to abandon his class all together. Because of that, the principal fires Peter and our hero finds himself without a main job yet again.

Peter finds himself living at his Aunt May’s and Uncle Ben’s old house in Queens, which he moved in after May died. He meets up with his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson, who is also having issues with her job at the Daily Bugle which might put her in jeopardy of being out of work. The dire situations that they are in is brightened up a bit with the arrival of their longtime friend in Harry Osborn, who had been very sick with a terminal illness but has somehow miraculously recovered from it. As the group is reunited, Harry offers Peter a job to work at his new startup, the Emily-May Foundation (EMF), so they can fulfill the promise that Harry made to his mother to “heal the world”.

Of course, things can never go too right in Spider-Man’s world. There is the arrival of a wild hunter named Kraven, a strong man who is looking for worthy opponents to fight that can challenge him physically and hunt them down for sport. And what better place to go do that than New York City, a city that is full of criminals and scumbags! However, unlike Spider-Man, Kraven likes to take things one step further and straight up kill those that he fights and believes is not worth his time. This puts well-known villains and associates of Spider-Man in serious danger.

What also is put in serious danger is Peter’s relationship between those he cares about in Miles, MJ, and Harry. This is largely due to a strange alien-like substance known as the Symbiote, the substance that is basically responsible for keeping Harry alive. It eventually finds host to Peter Parker, which despite increasing his strength and velocity as Spider-Man, it’s also makes him angrier and he beings to lose himself. Peter’s bond towards the symbiote is not only turning those that he loves against him but it might also just be bringing back the sickness that was slowly killing Harry before!

When it comes to what is going on with Miles Morales, he is beginning to look at his future in college and what career will suit him best in the future. He is also looking to spend time with his best friend Ganke and new deaf girlfriend Hailey, help out his own Uncle Aaron once again, who is now living in his post-Prowler days, meet the mysterious man that his mother Rio is supposedly, and wonder if there really is a live for himself without Spider-Man or Peter at his side.

With more at stake than ever before in terms of personal drama and the endangers of New York City, Peter and Miles must overcome everything once again to save the city, themselves, and the ones they cared about before losing anyone or even themselves.

Just like with the previous two Spider-Man games developed by Insomniac, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is written by the folks at Insomniac Games themselves, which they were apparently giving more creative freedom than last time around. I can’t name all the writers on the top of my head but this is still clearly their story that they themselves wanted to tell from the long-running comic book mythology of Spider-Man that felt new but also truthful to the character. And just like with the previous two Spider-Man games, they are able to succeed spectacularly!

Similar to the first game, it’s able to take plot elements from well-known Spider-Man media and not only find ways to make it fresh and new that fits the overall narrative but even go as far as to improve these plot elements that were either scratched the surface on or absolutely butchered in other Spider-Man media. Just like how the first game was able to better flesh out the relationship between Peter and Otto from Spider-Man 2 (which was still done great btw), this game is able to better flesh out the relationship between Peter and Harry along with doing the whole “Harry is dying” subplot from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 much better. And heck, it’s even able to take a step further in showcasing the personal dilemmas of the symbiote better than not just Spider-Man 3 but even Web of Shadows. It almost feels like Insomniac Games understood the criticisms of prior Spider-Man medium and is not looking to fall into the exact same traps.

There are times where it feels like the story is on repeat from the first game with perfectly timed beats in the narrative but with some spins to it. We have a brand new villain that threatens to wreck all off New York, we have a main character that has a connection with Peter whose heads might turn for the worse, we have typical personal drama going on in Peter and Miles’s life that is affected by their duties as Spider-Man, and there’s even a *SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER*! Even so, they never become much of a problem when you are playing through the game because not only does it all still work but it somehow works even better than the first game. The aspects that feel a tad forced and predictable from the first game’s story is made more inclusive and natural here.

Peter’s relationship with Harry works even better here than his relationship with Otto did in the first game, perfectly displaying the history the two had one another in this universe and makes every moment with them all the more bittersweet if not tragic. His relationship with MJ and Miles are also taking to more interesting measures here, especially in regards to the symbiote and what Peter aspires to do with them outside of his Spider-Man persona. We get to see Peter in a more vulnerable state this time around, how the things that have happened with those he cares about have changed the way he goes about being Spider-Man and how the villains he fights are threatening to push him beyond his limits.

Miles isn’t nearly as important to the story as Peter but he still has a solid arc throughout. Not only having to overcome the same obstacles that Peter was forced to do during his age as Spider-Man but how his time might come to either focus strictly on being Miles Morales or focuses strictly on being Spider-Man. I can only imagine this was appropriate so Miles is rightfully step up for the future in case the inevitable eventually happens and Morales will likely find himself as the only thing standing between New York and crime.

Similar to the first game, there are a handful of villains that are focused on while others are mostly for side missions. The three main villains this time around revolves around Kraven, Venom, and Mister Negative, all three which have very interesting story turns to them and makes for perhaps one of the better versions of their respected characters. It’s hard to describe what makes them work without spoilers but I was very satisfied with the way they are handled, even if certain characters like Venom are given different portrayals than other Spider-Man medium which might not to be fans’ taste.

For the most part, just about everything that I thought worked well about the story in the first game still works just as well if not better here. There are certain plot beats you will likely see coming from a mile away and the different angle they take Venom might make comic book purists bark but when all is said and done, these game still remain as some of the most engaging stories that have ever been told in Spider-Man’s history.

Gameplay:

Once again, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an open world action-adventure game that takes place in New York City. As with the first two Insomniac Spidey games, you take control as Peter Parker and Miles as the two Spider-Men for the majority of the game with other characters such as Mary Jane and he who shall be named later playable for certain missions that moves the story forward.

The core gameplay from the first two games is still present here but with more abilities you can acquire and various Spider-Man suits that you can collect. Peter and Miles are able to be freely swapped at any point when they are free-roaming New York and both have dedicated missions to themselves in regards to the main campaign along with side content that shows off their individual traits. It’s similar to what Insomniac Games did with Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart where you got to switch between Ratchet and Rivet except here, there is not as much restraint and allows for more freedom to chose which Spider-Man you want to be to advance to the next story or side mission.

The game is able to greatly expands upon the open worlds of the first two games and somehow make them even bigger. You are able to get a better sense of the main well-known cities and locations that New York is known for such as Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. You are able to explore specific locations such as Coney Island, Midtown High, the Avengers Tower, and even some sports fields such as football and baseball. It’s about as big as New York City as ever looked in any Spider-Man game that I have ever played. This is aided greatly because of the specific cities that both Peter and Miles live at. If you were somehow one of those folks that thought New York didn’t seem as massive as before, you will certainly be eating that crow here and enjoy that sweet taste of it.

What also makes New York exploring all the more great is the addition of the Web Wings. Similar to the feature that was added in the film, Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Spider-Men now has wings of their own that they can use to fly and glide across New York City as much as they please. They are aided by wind tunnels that pop up while using the web wings that can help increase the speed and momentum of Spider-Man as he is gliding throughout the city as fast as you can. Even those that find this feature to be absolutely ridiculous and unfitting for Spider-Man (Y’all just hate fun!) will likely find yourself using this move more often than not because of good it is to control and keeps the game going at a fast clip. That being said, the web swinging is still present here and controls just as good and smooth as it did before for those that don’t care to use that when given the choice to.

The combat is also expanded on even further with both Spider-Men given the ability to parry physical attacks, a feature that was created to combat certain enemy types that are impervious to dodging, along with the gadgets you are able to unlock by collecting enough skill points. Each gadget wheel has been upgraded with additional equippable mods for the web shooters. There’s the ability to cast a Web Line across pillars for additional footing during stealth sections and the Web Grabber which allows multiple enemies to be pulled into an isolated spot for Stealth Takedowns and can be performed on two enemies at the same time. Both Spider-Men have individual Skill Trees with additional unlockable abilities for both of them once they accumulate enough Skill Points in accordance with their experience level, as well as a third Skill Tree dedicated to shared abilities between them.

Of course, the main new addition in regards to gameplay is being able to play in the symbiotic black-suited Spider-Man suit. It’s with this feature that Peter is given tendrils that he can use in combat and unique web-based abilities. As it always is with the symbiote, it helps makes Spider-Man feel stronger and more op than he was previously, making the enemies you face all feel like their absolute worst nightmare.

When it comes to gameplay, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is about as perfect and polished as it can be. It’s able to take everything people loved about the first two games and not only trim any sort of fat from them but builds upon it even further to make the experience somehow even better than before. Everything just feels right here. The controls feels right, the combat feels right, the web swinging and gliding feels right, and being Spider-Man hasn’t never felt more right. Whatever minor flaw you could possibly think off with the gameplay of the first two games will likely be fixed here. It’s about as well executed as it can be that it makes you wonder where else Insomniac Games can go from here.

Even the Mary Jane missions, which was the most infamous aspect of gameplay from the first game, are improved here and even quite fun to play through. They are able to make them feel less like more generic and slow stealth sections and more of like a third person shooter and that’s not an exaggeration. Does it make sense for MJ to turn into John Wick all of a sudden? Probably not but it’s cool as hell so who cares. Although, even if you aren’t impressed with them this time around, they are few and far in between and don’t get much in the way of the story as they did last time around.

The other kind of gameplay elements that are added in mostly consists of missions that is just meant to drive the narrative of either the main story or side mission. This mostly involves doing things such as riding a bike or solving a lab puzzle, which are different than the ones in the first game along with different music. It’s not too much of a bother but if I had the option to not play them that wouldn’t affect my PS5 trophies, I probably would have just skipped them and headed to the next part of the story. And as for that one other gameplay element that I won’t spoil because it’s very late in the game but all I will just say though is that Insomniac BETTER consider a spin-off with that character and gameplay, I will buy it in a HEART BEAT!

Gameplay wise, there is very little you can pick apart of it unless you are constantly going out of your way. I guess I could have done without the parry attack as I found myself barely using it and just web enemies to death that I couldn’t dodge against but aside from that, there is no complaints to be found here. It’s the kind of gameplay that is so good that it will make it difficult to go back to the first two games and get adjusted to it without the marvelous features added for this game.

Graphics:

The graphics in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is quite frankly AMAZING! This is easily one of the best looking games on the PlayStation 5 and probably even rivals Batman: Arkham Knight for being the greatest looking superhero game that has ever been released. While not everyone might be in love with the characters models (some who have took that WAY too personally), the characters themselves fit well within the New York that this game is established in.

With the game offering a much more expansive look on New York City, there clearly had to be more time and polish put into the presentation and the way that each separate distinct location looks. I’ve never been to New York before but I would imagine this looks about as faithful to that city as it possibly can.

The game itself also runs damn near perfect at full 60 FPS. There’s no obvious frame rate drops, no distracting pops in, and I can’t even recall one actual loading screen that lasted more than a second. This is about as technologically advance as a game can get on not just the PlayStation 5 but practically any gaming system in general. While those that look too far will be able to find a glitch or two (which why the hell would you want to unless you are a loser), everything else about the way the game looks and runs is simply stellar. If this is not as perfect as a game can look, then I’m generally curious to see how we can progress even further than here.

Sound:

Once again, we have John Paesano doing the score for the third time in a row for Insomniac Games. Just like how the game itself acts as Insomniac Games’ highest point, the same thing can be said for Paesano’s score for this game. Just like the gameplay itself, it’s able to take the best tracks from the first two games, mix them together, and also creating genuinely unique pieces of it’s own to stand out as easily the strongest work of his career thus far.

The biggest stand out tracks includes the new main theme, which masterfully combines the themes of the first two games and make it all come together, truly giving the indication that both Peter and Miles are one of the same whole, and Kraven’s haunting theme which makes you feel presence in every single scene that he is in. While I did miss the presence of some tracks from the first game, mostly the original iconic theme and lab music, the tracks that replaces them are also so well done in their own right that it’s genuinely hard to care.

We also have the strong voice acting that’s able to greatly compliment the score that helps makes the sound of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 stand out as one of the best elements in the game. Just about every returning cast member are now clearly very comfortable in their roles, both from a voice acting perspective and a motion-capture perspective, that it’s genuinely hard to come up with new things to say about them because they are just as good here as they were before. However, there are two main standouts that are worthy of numerous game awards.

First off, Tony Todd as Venom is about as perfect as a casting that it can get. He deliver every single one of his lines to absolute perfection, masterfully combining the menace and charisma that the character has always had. He’s so good here that you almost forget that Venom is not actually Eddie Brock this time around but actually *SPOILERS*. (Btw, NO revealing Venom is not Eddie Brock isn’t a spoiler. Insomniac already confirmed that months before the game came out!) Almost everyone was excited when Todd was casted as Venom and they had every right to be excited. This is easily one of the very best that the character has ever sounded.

The second main mention goes to no other than Peter Parker himself with Yuri Lowenthal. Not only is this the best Spider-Man performance of any Spider-Man media that I’ve seen but this might be one of the best performances in any video game. Lowenthal is absolute EXTRAORDINARY here as Peter Parker and Spider-Man, perfectly showcasing the character’s quippy nature and stages of vulnerability that he displays throughout the games. You are perfectly able to buy Peter’s relationship with everyone he is attached to and a big part of that has to do with Yuri Lowenthal, who is probably now the definite Spider-Man voice as far as I’m concerned. (Still love you too, Josh Keaton!) Lowenthal was robbed last time around with awards shows with his performance but if he gets scrubbed this year, then all hell shall break loose.

Bonus Content:

I should also mention the new editions that were made available for this game, most notably in terms of editions that were either pre-ordered, digital deluxe, or included in the collector’s edition.

The digital deluxe edition features two sets of unique suits for Peter Parker and Miles Morales, both sets include five different suits along with additional frames, stickers for the in-game Photo Mode, and two extra skill points for ability unlocks. All editions that were pre-ordered come with early unlock bonuses: the “Arachknight Suit” for Peter and a “Shadow-Spider Suit” for Miles, the Web Grabber gadget, and three additional skill points. And there will be a collector’s edition later on down the road which will include a download voucher for the Digital Deluxe Edition, a steel bookcase, and a 19-inch display statue depicting the Spider-Men fighting Venom.

All those special bonuses are all well and good and just like the game as the whole, is worth full price but I sure am hoping for more DLC on the rise. I would like to see characters such as the Wraith and Silk be playable if that is possible. It’s likely not in the works at the moment and will probably only get made in response to certain criticisms of the game. Until then, we will likely have to wait for the new game plus mode to come out to further the replay value and create more trophies to unlock.

Conclusion:

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is as every bit as good as you were expecting and hoping for it to be. This is Insomniac Games reaching a new level of peak, being able to achieve the kind of greatness they have come so close within reach but now have finally got it. The story is more engaging and worth following, the gameplay is as polished and perfect as ever, the combat and web swinging has never been more satisfying, the graphics have never been more of a treat to the eyes, the soundtrack is a new definition of peak, and the voice work is some of the best performed in any video game.

What makes things even more exciting is that there are still plenty of doors left to open for this series. By the time the game concludes and the loose ends are established, you still get a sense of interest to see where this all goes from here. There’s still plenty of different storylines to tell and new characters to play as that can help expand the Insomniac-verse of Spider-Man even further.

Whether it’s the very best superhero game of all time is still up for debate but no doubt, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will satisfy fans that have been waiting five years with eagerness to see the follow-up to the 2018 hit. If anything, this game basically confirms that Insomniac Games is my favorite gaming company working to date. With them finally reaching their Magnum Opus status, they have gain my complete trust for what they do in the future!

I’m eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this franchise but until we get there, bring on Wolverine!