The return of the challenge! As many (or not so many) of you may know, I took on this monumental task about a year ago, but I suspended my journey a few months back from burnout and needing a break to play other stuff (mostly due to Super Mario Sunshine breaking my spirit). Well, I think I'm ready to resume the task!
All the details you may need to know about this challenge (as well as write-ups and rankings up to this point) can be found here!
Get hyped, all five of you who were actually following this before!
EDIT: Apparently, the link leads you to a blank page, but the page actually exists! Just search for the title in the search bar on the Wiki page and the auto-fill-in thing should help you find the page!
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"Stay with me until the end. Please." "Not until the end. Always."
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Will not remove this line of my signature until the Seahawks, Jazz or Rockies win a title (Started 5-16-09) Yes, I know I'm never getting rid of this signature
By the way, reading through the SM64 ratings, I noticed you didn't include the red coin stars in the Bowser levels. Why is that?
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Will not remove this line of my signature until the Seahawks, Jazz or Rockies win a title (Started 5-16-09) Yes, I know I'm never getting rid of this signature
Ah, now I see. I'm sure you understand my confusion, with them not being with the rest, after all.
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Will not remove this line of my signature until the Seahawks, Jazz or Rockies win a title (Started 5-16-09) Yes, I know I'm never getting rid of this signature
Honeyhive Galaxy Star #5: Luigi in the Honeyhive Kingdom
I’m greeted on my return to the game with a letter saying that Luigi has found a star but he can’t find his way back. Thankfully, this is the third one, which means I won’t have to do another one of these lame ones after this. It’s pretty easy. All you gotta do is get up to where the tree he’s climbed up is on, and then knock him down after beating the little bug (which he claims treed him, oh well). At least this one’s out of the way.
3/10
[3/10] Whomp’s Fortress Star #2: To the Top of the Fortress Castle Secret Star #4: 8 Red Coins in the Fish Tank Bob-omb Battlefield Star #4: Find the 8 Red Coins Jolly Roger Bay Star #4: Red Coins on the Ship Afloat Hazy Maze Cave Star #1: Swimming Beast in the Cavern Gelato Beach Shine #11: The Shine Hidden in the Sand Dire, Dire Docks Star #1: Board Bowser’s Sub Tall, Tall Mountain Star #7: 100 Coin Star Snowman’s Land Star #4: Whirl from the Freezing Pond Lethal Lava Land Star #3: 8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces Noki Bay Shine #8: The Red Coin Fish Gelato Beach Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Honeyhive Galaxy Star #1: Bee Mario Takes Flight Ricco Harbor Shine #8: Yoshi’s Fruit Adventure Shifting Sand Land Star #5: Free Flying for 8 Red Coins Bianco Hills Shine #1: Road to the Big Windmill Gateway Galaxy Star #1: Grand Star Rescue Bianco Hills Shine #7: Shadow Mario on the Loose Battlerock Galaxy Star #4: Topmaniac’s Daredevil Run Delfino Plaza Shine #21: It’s Time to Play Pachinko! Ricco Harbor Shine #5: Gooper Blooper Returns Gusty Garden Galaxy Star #1: Bunnies in the Wind Delfino Plaza Shine #23: The Mario Toss Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #1: Sunken Treasure Honeyhive Galaxy Star #5: Luigi in the Honeyhive Galaxy Delfino Plaza Shine #12: Just Barge On In! Delfino Airstrip Shine #1: The Sludge Piranha at the Airport
Total Number of Deaths: 258
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 243
Total Collected: 290/603 (48.09%)
Gotta get back in the rhythm of these writeups.
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"So cold. I am always by your side." "There ain't no gettin' off of this train we on!"
This is a pretty neat galaxy because it blends together elements of fire and ice worlds. Anyway, to get to this one, you need an Ice Mario powerup and some pretty precision jumping, which I love. With Ice Mario, you can freeze the little waterspouts and turn them into platforms. You have to triple jump yourself off of them up to the next level not once, but twice! And you have to do it before the power runs out, obviously. Lots of fun. In the next area, we’re introduced to Fire Mario, although you only use him to blow up snowmen that are blocking the path, so eh. There are also those annoying ice bats that you can never quite reach because they fly at a distance and like to swoop in to attack. At certain points, you have to deal with those platforms that move in and out, including having to do a few wall jumps up to where the star is before they push you out to your death, which isn’t too tough, but it’s fun. Good star.
Stupid death #244: Forgot that you can’t do the air spin for extra jumping distance as Fire Mario, so I couldn’t make the jump and fell to my death. Also forgot about the long jump somehow.
7/10
[7/10] Dire, Dire Docks Star #3: Pole-Jumping for Red Coins Castle Secret Star #10: Bowser in the Dark World and 8 Red Coins Pinna Park Shine #10: Red Coins in the Beach Cannon Noki Bay Shine #11: Red Coins Inside the Shell Tiny-Huge Island Star #5: Wiggler’s Red Coins Lethal Lava Land Star #7: 100 Coin Star Wet-Dry World Star #2: Top O’ the Town Ghostly Galaxy Star #5: Matter Spatter Mansion Gelato Beach Shine #5: Il Piantissimo’s Sand Sprint Freezeflame Galaxy Star #4: Conquering the Summit
Freezeflame Galaxy Star #1: The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr
This one is more straightforward than the previous star because this is the obvious route that’s placed before you when you begin the level. No secrets, no shortcuts, this is what happens if you just follow the level straight through. It’s not quite as exciting, but the level is still pretty fun. The boss fight at the top is decent. You have to jump as he slams down to the ground to avoid getting blown off by the shockwave, and then you have to spin to blow away his protective shell, and then spin again to damage him. Repeat three times, kaput. Huzzah!
5/10
[5/10] Cool, Cool Mountain Star #5: Snowman’s Lost His Head Hazy Maze Cave Star #4: Navigating the Toxic Maze Hazy Maze Cave Star #5: A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit Bowser’s Star Reactor Star #1: The Fiery Stronghold Lethal Lava Land Star #4: Red-Hot Log Rolling Pinna Park Shine #6: The Yoshi-Go-Round’s Secret Pianta Village Shine #2: Il Piantissimo’s Crazy Climb Bowser Jr.’s Robot Reactor Star #1: Megaleg’s Moon Delfino Plaza Shine #28: Red Coins in the Field Buoy Base Galaxy Star #2: The Secret of Buoy Base Tiny-Huge Island Star #6: Make Wiggler Squirm Space Junk Galaxy Star #2: Kamella’s Airship Attack Pinna Park Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Sirena Beach Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Ricco Harbor Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Dire, Dire Docks Star #7: 100 Coin Star Whomp’s Fortress Star #7: 100 Coin Star Pianta Village Shine #8: Fluff Festival Coin Hunt Whomp’s Fortress Star #5: Fall onto the Caged Island Gelato Beach Shine #2: Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam! Sirena Beach Shine #8: Red Coins in the Hotel Pinna Park Shine #3: Red Coins of the Pirate Ships Shifting Sand Land Star #4: Stand Tall on the Four Pillars Gusty Garden Galaxy Star #4: Major Burrows’s Daredevil Run Bianco Hills Shine #8: The Red Coins of the Lake Big Boo’s Haunt Star #4: Seek the 8 Red Coins Pianta Village Shine #6: Piantas in Need Freezeflame Galaxy Star #1: The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr Noki Bay Shine #2: The Boss of Tricky Ruins Snowman’s Land Star #7: 100 Coin Star Tiny-Huge Island Star #2: The Tip-Top of the Huge Island Jolly Roger Bay Star #7: 100 Coin Star Bianco Hills Shine #11: 8 Red Coins of the Dirty Lake Rainbow Ride Star #7: 100 Coin Star Noki Bay Shine #7: Hold it, Shadow Mario!
Total Number of Deaths: 259
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 244
Total Collected: 292/603 (48.42%)
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"So cold. I am always by your side." "There ain't no gettin' off of this train we on!"
Freezeflame Galaxy Star #5: Frosty Cosmic Mario Race
Huh, I’m kinda surprised they’re already throwing the comet at me for this one when I haven’t even done the normal version of this star yet! Anyway, this is one of the easier Cosmic Mario races because you can use your ability to skate to just blow him away because he won’t use it. The only possibly trouble is making sure you make precise jumps because Mario jumps differently when he’s skating. Other than that, this one’s cake.
4/10
[4/10] Snowman’s Land Star #5: Shell Shreddin’ for Red Coins Tick Tock Clock Star #2: The Pit and the Pendulums Bob-omb Battlefield Star #2: Footrace with Koopa the Quick Tiny-Huge Island Star #1: Pluck the Piranha Flower Whomp’s Fortress Star #1: Chip Off Whomp’s Block Big Boo’s Haunt Star #1: Go On a Ghost Hunt Flipswitch Galaxy Star #1: Painting the Planet Yellow Delfino Plaza Shine #18: Corona Mountain Pianta Village Shine #1: Chain Chomplets Unchained Castle Secret Star #1: Wing Cap and 8 Red Coins Dire, Dire Docks Star #4: Through the Jet Stream Jolly Roger Bay Star #6: Through the Jet Stream Freezeflame Galaxy Star #5: Frosty Cosmic Mario Race Wet-Dry World Star #6: Quick Race Through Downtown! Shifting Sand Land Star #2: Shining Atop the Pyramid Ricco Harbor Shine #2: Blooper Surfing Safari Rainbow Ride Star #6: Somewhere Over the Rainbow Good Egg Galaxy Star #2: A Snack of Cosmic Proportions Space Junk Galaxy Star #5: Yoshi’s Unexpected Appearance Lethal Lava Land Star #1: Boil the Big Bully Tall, Tall Mountain Star #2: Mystery of the Monkey Cage Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #3: The Secret Undersea Cavern Tick Tock Clock Star #3: Get a Hand Bianco Hills Shine #3: The Hillside Cave Secret Honeyhive Galaxy Star #3: Big Bad Bugaboom Good Egg Galaxy Star #4: Dino Piranha Speed Run Good Egg Galaxy Star #1: Dino Piranha Bob-omb Battlefield Star #5: Mario Wings to the Sky Big Boo’s Haunt Star #7: 100 Coin Star Snowman’s Land Star #3: In the Deep Freeze Sirena Beach Shine #3: Mysterious Hotel Delfino Bubble Breeze Galaxy Star #1: Through the Poison Swamp Pianta Village Shine #4: Chain Chomp’s Bath Loopdeeloop Galaxy Star #1: Surfing 101 Noki Bay Shine #3: Red Coins in a Bottle Gelato Beach Shine #4: The Sand Bird is Born Tick Tock Clock Star #6: Stop Time for Red Coins Pianta Village Shine #3: The Goopy Inferno Dire, Dire Docks Star #2: Chests in the Current Pianta Village Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Gelato Beach Shine #7: It’s Shadow Mario! After Him! Jolly Roger Bay Star #3: Treasure of the Ocean Cave Ricco Harbor Shine #7: Shadow Mario Revisited Delfino Plaza Shine #9: Clean Off the Shine Gate Bob-omb Battlefield Star #6: Behind Chain Chomp’s Gate
Freezeflame Galaxy Star #2: Freezeflame’s Blistering Core
This one is pretty annoying, mostly because the Fire Flower is difficult to aim effectively and because the enemies here are annoying. In the first part of the level, you have those rolling spike things that can only be defeated by falling into the lava or by getting hit by a fireball, and they’re all over the place. In the last part of the level, you have those weird little fireball bulb things that follow you around and you can spin to put them out, but then you have to kick them to kill them before they hop back into the lava and regenerate. Bleh. Anyway, like I said, aiming the Fire power isn’t easy, and the torches you have to light are not always conveniently located, so this one can be a bit frustrating.
3/10
[3/10] Whomp’s Fortress Star #2: To the Top of the Fortress Castle Secret Star #4: 8 Red Coins in the Fish Tank Bob-omb Battlefield Star #4: Find the 8 Red Coins Jolly Roger Bay Star #4: Red Coins on the Ship Afloat Hazy Maze Cave Star #1: Swimming Beast in the Cavern Gelato Beach Shine #11: The Shine Hidden in the Sand Dire, Dire Docks Star #1: Board Bowser’s Sub Tall, Tall Mountain Star #7: 100 Coin Star Snowman’s Land Star #4: Whirl from the Freezing Pond Lethal Lava Land Star #3: 8-Coin Puzzle with 15 Pieces Noki Bay Shine #8: The Red Coin Fish Gelato Beach Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Honeyhive Galaxy Star #1: Bee Mario Takes Flight Ricco Harbor Shine #8: Yoshi’s Fruit Adventure Shifting Sand Land Star #5: Free Flying for 8 Red Coins Bianco Hills Shine #1: Road to the Big Windmill Gateway Galaxy Star #1: Grand Star Rescue Bianco Hills Shine #7: Shadow Mario on the Loose Freezeflame Galaxy Star #2: Freezeflame’s Blistering Core Battlerock Galaxy Star #4: Topmaniac’s Daredevil Run Delfino Plaza Shine #21: It’s Time to Play Pachinko! Ricco Harbor Shine #5: Gooper Blooper Returns Gusty Garden Galaxy Star #1: Bunnies in the Wind Delfino Plaza Shine #23: The Mario Toss Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #1: Sunken Treasure Honeyhive Galaxy Star #5: Luigi in the Honeyhive Galaxy Delfino Plaza Shine #12: Just Barge On In! Delfino Airstrip Shine #1: The Sludge Piranha at the Airport
This one is pretty fun. They kind of redesign the look of the level to where there’s more of an even blend of lava and ice in each area instead of just each area being one or the other, so it looks pretty good. Anyway, in the first part of this one, you have to light some more torches (Hurray!), but first you have to avoid rising freezing water and lava levels in order to reach where the Fire Flower is. It’s really not that difficult as long as you don’t get impatient.
Then we get back to the part where the Cosmic Mario race takes place, only this one is also a blend of ice and lava this time. You have to use the Ice Mario to skate over the lava parts and get from one end to the other, occasionally renewing your ice power to get to the other end. I really liked the idea and the design behind this one. Good job by Nintendo on this one. Stopped trying after The Wind Waker my foot!
7.5/10
[7.5/10] Castle Secret Star #15: Bowser in the Sky and 8 Red Coins Cool, Cool Mountain Star #3: Big Penguin Race Noki Bay Shine #6: The Shell’s Secret Tall, Tall Mountain Star #4: Mysterious Mountainside Freezeflame Galaxy Star #3: Hot and Cold Collide Pinna Park Shine #2: The Beach Cannon’s Secret Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #5: Wall Jumping Up Waterfalls
Total Number of Deaths: 259
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 244
Total Collected: 295/603 (48.92%)
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Support Barret Wallace (Final Fantasy VII) for Character Battle IX! http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3834/banner1barret.jpg
Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #1: Soaring on the Desert Winds
This one is aptly named because you have to spend a lot of time using the desert tornadoes to launch you through the air so you can avoid the quicksand. There’s also a nice 2-D segment with a bunch of Thwomps that resulted in a stupid death, but there wasn’t much of note except you can get a lot of Star Bits there. Then you have to use the tornadoes to get near the top of a tall structure until you get inside a glass enclosure. From there, you have to use wall jumps accurately in order to get to the very top, where the star is waiting.
Stupid death #245: Got squashed against the ceiling by a Thwomp.
5.5/10
[5.5/10] Castle Secret Star #3: Princess Peach’s Secret Slide Speed Run Castle Secret Star #2: Princess Peach’s Secret Slide Hazy Maze Cave Star #3: Metal-Head Mario Can Move! Tall, Tall Mountain Star #3: Scary ‘Shrooms, Red Coins Tick Tock Clock Star #1: Roll into the Cage Rainbow Ride Star #4: Swingin’ in the Breeze Bianco Hills Shine #10: 8 Red Coins in the Hillside Cave Ricco Harbor Shine #11: Red Coins of Ricco Tower Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #4: Fast Foes on the Cyclone Stone Pianta Village Shine #10: Spray the Sun Dire, Dire Docks Star #5: The Manta Ray’s Reward Lethal Lava Land Star #2: Bully the Bullies Gelato Beach Shine #10: Red Coins Inside the Sand Castle Noki Bay Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #1: Soaring on the Desert Winds Sirena Beach Shine #4: The Secret of Casino Delfino Gusty Garden Galaxy Star #2: The Dirty Tricks of Major Burrows Delfino Airstrip Shine #2: Red Coins at the Airstrip Ghostly Galaxy Star #2: A Very Spooky Sprint Shifting Sand Land Star #7: 100 Coin Star Big Boo’s Haunt Star #6: Eye to Eye in the Secret Room Tick Tock Clock Star #5: Timed Jumps on Moving Bars Wet-Dry World Star #4: Express Elevator—Hurry Up! Jolly Roger Bay Star #2: Can the Eel Come Out to Play? Snowman’s Land Star #1: Snowman’s Big Head Gelato Beach Shine #3: Wiggler Ahoy! Full Steam Ahead!
Total Number of Deaths: 260
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 245
Total Collected: 296/603 (49.09%)
Anyway, that should be good enough for tonight.
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"The great GF...Bahamut." "...GF? I...? Using my powers...It is you humans...I fear..."
Would you advocate skipping Mario Sunshine if I were to do a "Mario series playthrough"? As of now I wouldn't do that, and I'd only skip Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, New Super Mario Bros., and New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Also since I dislike playing two games in a row from the same franchise, I'd probably choose something like DKC/Sonic/Mega Man to go along with it.
Your thoughts?
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Currently Playing - StarCraft Hopefully Next Up - Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Brood War
Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #4: Treasure of the Pyramid
This star is activated by feeding a hungry Luma 20 Star Bits. I almost missed finding the thing the first time through because it’s on the underside of a platform, but just as I was about to launch into the next area, I saw it, so I managed to save myself the hassle of having to find this one later. Anyway, once you open the new area, you go inside of a pyramid where you have to collect five silver stars. The only trick is that there’s a switch of sorts that sends the sand level in the pyramid up or down, and you have to maneuver back and forth between the levels in order to collect all the silver stars. I didn’t have much trouble finding them all, but maybe I just got lucky. As long as you’re not too impatient or risky, you shouldn’t have any problems avoiding getting squished as the sand level rises. This star is also the third and final Green Star, meaning the three bonus galaxies are now open! I remember them being pretty difficult, but we’ll save them for a little later.
4/10
[4/10] Snowman’s Land Star #5: Shell Shreddin’ for Red Coins Tick Tock Clock Star #2: The Pit and the Pendulums Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #4: Treasure of the Pyramid Bob-omb Battlefield Star #2: Footrace with Koopa the Quick Tiny-Huge Island Star #1: Pluck the Piranha Flower Whomp’s Fortress Star #1: Chip Off Whomp’s Block Big Boo’s Haunt Star #1: Go On a Ghost Hunt Flipswitch Galaxy Star #1: Painting the Planet Yellow Delfino Plaza Shine #18: Corona Mountain Pianta Village Shine #1: Chain Chomplets Unchained Castle Secret Star #1: Wing Cap and 8 Red Coins Dire, Dire Docks Star #4: Through the Jet Stream Jolly Roger Bay Star #6: Through the Jet Stream Freezeflame Galaxy Star #5: Frosty Cosmic Mario Race Wet-Dry World Star #6: Quick Race Through Downtown! Shifting Sand Land Star #2: Shining Atop the Pyramid Ricco Harbor Shine #2: Blooper Surfing Safari Rainbow Ride Star #6: Somewhere Over the Rainbow Good Egg Galaxy Star #2: A Snack of Cosmic Proportions Space Junk Galaxy Star #5: Yoshi’s Unexpected Appearance Lethal Lava Land Star #1: Boil the Big Bully Tall, Tall Mountain Star #2: Mystery of the Monkey Cage Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #3: The Secret Undersea Cavern Tick Tock Clock Star #3: Get a Hand Bianco Hills Shine #3: The Hillside Cave Secret Honeyhive Galaxy Star #3: Big Bad Bugaboom Good Egg Galaxy Star #4: Dino Piranha Speed Run Good Egg Galaxy Star #1: Dino Piranha Bob-omb Battlefield Star #5: Mario Wings to the Sky Big Boo’s Haunt Star #7: 100 Coin Star Snowman’s Land Star #3: In the Deep Freeze Sirena Beach Shine #3: Mysterious Hotel Delfino Bubble Breeze Galaxy Star #1: Through the Poison Swamp Pianta Village Shine #4: Chain Chomp’s Bath Loopdeeloop Galaxy Star #1: Surfing 101 Noki Bay Shine #3: Red Coins in a Bottle Gelato Beach Shine #4: The Sand Bird is Born Tick Tock Clock Star #6: Stop Time for Red Coins Pianta Village Shine #3: The Goopy Inferno Dire, Dire Docks Star #2: Chests in the Current Pianta Village Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Gelato Beach Shine #7: It’s Shadow Mario! After Him! Jolly Roger Bay Star #3: Treasure of the Ocean Cave Ricco Harbor Shine #7: Shadow Mario Revisited Delfino Plaza Shine #9: Clean Off the Shine Gate Bob-omb Battlefield Star #6: Behind Chain Chomp’s Gate
Total Number of Deaths: 260
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 245
Total Collected: 297/603 (49.25%)
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"Hold on a minute! That testimony stinks!" "Witness! You can't just say 'Hello' and expect us to get anywhere! I want you to testify!"
Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #2: Blasting Through the Sand
This one is pretty long and can be kind of frustrating at times. To begin with, you have to open the way to the next area by beating a bunch of jumping Pokey-like heads, but the cool thing is if you wait where the coin is, they’ll all jump in on you at once, and you can take them all out with one spin. Once you get to the next area, you have to watch out for those big boulders, but there’s a Starman under one of the platforms that can make quick work of them. The next area can be kind of annoying because you have to collect 5 blue star shards to reach the next area, and they’re all along kind of a sand slide type thing. It’s easy to accidentally miss one and have to do it all over, but it’s not too bad. When you finally get to where the star is, you have to go all the way to the far end of the area and hit a switch that moves the platforms from where the switch is to the area where the star is so you can climb up and reach it. You only have a limited amount of time, so it can make you want to take unnecessary risks (see below), but you generally have more time than you think you do. You can make it without having to do anything crazy. Overall, a pretty good challenge.
Stupid death #246: Tried to make a longer jump than I could actually make and drowned in the quicksand.
4.5/10
[4.5/10] Big Boo’s Haunt Star #5: Big Boo’s Balcony Cool, Cool Mountain Star #4: Frosty Slide for 8 Red Coins Delfino Plaza Shine #27: Turbo Boosters Full Speed Ahead! Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #2: Blasting Through the Sand Snowman’s Land Star #2: Chill with the Bully Bianco Hills Shine #5: Petey Piranha Strikes Back Pinna Park Shine #5: The Runaway Ferris Wheel Cool, Cool Mountain Star #2: Li’l Penguin Lost Big Boo’s Haunt Star #2: Ride Big Boo’s Merry-Go-Round Pinna Park Shine #4: The Wilted Sunflowers Rainbow Ride Star #5: Tricky Triangles! Delfino Plaza Shine #14: The Long Slide Home Sirena Beach Shine #2: The Hotel Lobby’s Secret Ricco Harbor Shine #10: Blooper Surfing Time Trial Redux Good Egg Galaxy Star #3: King Kaliente’s Battle Fleet Bianco Hills Shine #4: Red Coins of Windmill Village Space Junk Galaxy Star #4: Pull Star Path Speed Run Space Junk Galaxy Star #1: Pull Star Path Sirena Beach Shine #7: Shadow Mario Checks In Delfino Plaza Shine #21: 100 Coin Shine Cool, Cool Mountain Star #7: 100 Coin Star Wet-Dry World Star #7: 100 Coin Star Battlerock Galaxy Star #6: Luigi Under the Saucer Tiny-Huge Island Star #7: 100 Coin Star Bob-omb Battlefield Star #7: 100 Coin Star Ghostly Galaxy Star #1: Luigi and the Haunted Mansion Noki Bay Shine #4: Eely-Mouth’s Dentist
Total Number of Deaths: 261
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 246
Total Collected: 298/603 (49.42%)
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"But you have been given freedom. Freedom to be...outside." "I am lightning...the rain transformed."
I liked this one quite a bit. To start off the level, you have to stomp on a switch that causes the platform to rise, and you have to dodge the platforms above you as it rises to avoid getting squished. In the next area, you have to hit the switch to make a giant sandcastle appear, and then you have to collect five launch star shards to get to the next area, which isn’t too tough. For the finale, you have to enter a big glass building upside down, and then you have to navigate through it while the sand level rises to avoid getting squished! It’s a pretty tense atmosphere trying to make your way through it before you get killed. It’s a 2-D segment, and although controls can be wonky when you’re upside down, generally as long as you keep holding up-left the entire time, you shouldn’t get mixed up too badly. Good star though!
6.5/10
[6.5/10] Cool, Cool Mountain Star #1: Slip Slidin’ Away Shifting Sand Land Star #3: Inside the Ancient Pyramid Bowser Jr.’s Airship Armada Star #1: Sinking the Airships Castle Secret Star #11: Bowser in the Fire Sea and 8 Red Coins Tick Tock Clock Star #7: 100 Coin Star Sirena Beach Shine #5: King Boo Down Below Dire, Dire Docks Star #6: Collect the Caps… Wet-Dry World Star #5: Go to Town for Red Coins Ricco Harbor Shine #4: The Secret of Ricco Tower Noki Bay Shine #1: Uncork the Waterfall Battlerock Galaxy Star #1: Battlerock Barrage Snowman’s Land Star #6: Into the Igloo Ghostly Galaxy Star #4: Bouldergeist’s Daredevil Run Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #3: Sunbaked Sand Castle Hazy Maze Cave Star #7: 100 Coin Star Gusty Garden Galaxy Star #3: Gusty Garden’s Gravity Scramble Battlerock Galaxy Star #3: Topmaniac and the Topman Tribe Buoy Base Galaxy Star #1: The Floating Fortress
Total Number of Deaths: 261
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 246
Total Collected: 299/603 (49.59%)
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"So cold. I am always by your side." "There ain't no gettin' off of this train we on!"
Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #5: Bullet Bill on Your Back
Okay, this one is pretty annoying. Like in the last star, there’s an area where you have to stomp on a switch to make a sandcastle appear. This time, however, there’s a Bullet Bill launcher on it, and there’s a glass dome containing the star that you have to lead one to in order to get it. It’s a bit tricky making it work though. The dome only appears when the sandcastle is all the way up, but you can’t get a Bullet Bill to chase you unless the sandcastle is all the way down, so you have to keep switching back and forth between them. Then you have to keep running around in circles as the sandcastle goes back up and let the Bullet Bill keep chasing you until the dome appears, hoping it won’t accidentally hit something first. This one took a while, not so much fun.
3.5/10
[3.5/10] Jolly Roger Bay Star #1: Plunder in the Sunken Ship Bob-omb Battlefield Star #1: Big Bob-omb on the Summit Cool, Cool Mountain Star #6: Wall Kicks Will Work Tall, Tall Mountain Star #5: Breathtaking View from Bridge Drip Drop Galaxy Star #1: Giant Eel Outbreak Hazy Maze Cave Star #6: Watch for Rolling Rocks Big Boo’s Haunt Star #3: Secret of the Haunted Books Hazy Maze Cave Star #2: Elevate for 8 Red Coins Gelato Beach Shine #1: Dune Bud Sand Castle Secret Wet-Dry World Star #1: Shocking Arrow Lifts! Shifting Sand Land Star #6: Pyramid Puzzle Noki Bay Shine #5: Il Piantissimo’s Surf Swim Honeyhive Galaxy Star #4: Honeyhive Cosmic Mario Race Bianco Hills Shine #2: Down with Petey Piranha! Ricco Harbor Shine #1: Gooper Blooper Breaks Out Rainbow Ride Star #3: Coins Amassed in a Maze Whomp’s Fortress Star #4: Red Coins on the Floating Isle Delfino Plaza Shine #13: Rocket Powered Butt Stomp Hurry-Scurry Galaxy Star #1: Shrinking Satellite Pinna Park Shine #7: Shadow Mario in the Park Noki Bay Shine #10: The Golden Bird Honeyhive Galaxy Star #2: Trouble on the Tower Rolling Green Galaxy Star #1: Rolling in the Clouds Delfino Plaza Shine #24: Box Breaking, Round One Delfino Plaza Shine #25: Box Breaking, Round Two Gelato Beach Shine #6: Red Coins in the Coral Reef Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #5: Bullet Bill on Your Back Pianta Village Shine #7: Shadow Mario Runs Wild Delfino Plaza Shine #3: Clean the Bell Tower Delfino Plaza Shine #11: More Bell Tower Cleaning Sirena Beach Shine #10: The Lobby’s Secret Red Coins Castle Secret Star #6: Catch the Bunny Rabbit Castle Secret Star #9: Catch the Bunny Rabbit…Again Pianta Village Shine #11: The Village Underside’s Red Coins
Whew, literally got this one with 8 seconds left on the clock. They give you 4:30 to get to the star, which is more than enough time as long as you don’t mess up. The first time through, everything went nearly perfectly and I almost had the star until my unfortunate demise (see below). The second time through, it took me forever to get that last blue star shard, and I thought for sure there was no way I was going to be able to get it, but I did! The good thing about the last area is that they removed all the obstacles, so it’s just a straight shot without having to worry about tornadoes, Dry Bones, etc. They also put tons of Star Bits everywhere, which is nice!
4/10
[4/10] Snowman’s Land Star #5: Shell Shreddin’ for Red Coins Tick Tock Clock Star #2: The Pit and the Pendulums Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #4: Treasure of the Pyramid Bob-omb Battlefield Star #2: Footrace with Koopa the Quick Tiny-Huge Island Star #1: Pluck the Piranha Flower Whomp’s Fortress Star #1: Chip Off Whomp’s Block Big Boo’s Haunt Star #1: Go On a Ghost Hunt Flipswitch Galaxy Star #1: Painting the Planet Yellow Delfino Plaza Shine #18: Corona Mountain Pianta Village Shine #1: Chain Chomplets Unchained Castle Secret Star #1: Wing Cap and 8 Red Coins Dire, Dire Docks Star #4: Through the Jet Stream Jolly Roger Bay Star #6: Through the Jet Stream Freezeflame Galaxy Star #5: Frosty Cosmic Mario Race Wet-Dry World Star #6: Quick Race Through Downtown! Shifting Sand Land Star #2: Shining Atop the Pyramid Ricco Harbor Shine #2: Blooper Surfing Safari Rainbow Ride Star #6: Somewhere Over the Rainbow Good Egg Galaxy Star #2: A Snack of Cosmic Proportions Space Junk Galaxy Star #5: Yoshi’s Unexpected Appearance Lethal Lava Land Star #1: Boil the Big Bully Tall, Tall Mountain Star #2: Mystery of the Monkey Cage Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #3: The Secret Undersea Cavern Tick Tock Clock Star #3: Get a Hand Bianco Hills Shine #3: The Hillside Cave Secret Honeyhive Galaxy Star #3: Big Bad Bugaboom Good Egg Galaxy Star #4: Dino Piranha Speed Run Good Egg Galaxy Star #1: Dino Piranha Bob-omb Battlefield Star #5: Mario Wings to the Sky Big Boo’s Haunt Star #7: 100 Coin Star Snowman’s Land Star #3: In the Deep Freeze Sirena Beach Shine #3: Mysterious Hotel Delfino Bubble Breeze Galaxy Star #1: Through the Poison Swamp Pianta Village Shine #4: Chain Chomp’s Bath Loopdeeloop Galaxy Star #1: Surfing 101 Noki Bay Shine #3: Red Coins in a Bottle Gelato Beach Shine #4: The Sand Bird is Born Tick Tock Clock Star #6: Stop Time for Red Coins Pianta Village Shine #3: The Goopy Inferno Dire, Dire Docks Star #2: Chests in the Current Pianta Village Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Gelato Beach Shine #7: It’s Shadow Mario! After Him! Jolly Roger Bay Star #3: Treasure of the Ocean Cave Ricco Harbor Shine #7: Shadow Mario Revisited Delfino Plaza Shine #9: Clean Off the Shine Gate Bob-omb Battlefield Star #6: Behind Chain Chomp’s Gate Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #6: Sandblast Speed Run
Honeyclimb Galaxy Star #1: Scaling the Sticky Wall
This is a neat little bonus galaxy where you have to put your Bee Mario powers to the test! In the first area, you basically have to stick to the honey-coated parts of the walls and use your flying powers to get from platform to platform. It’s not too tough. The next area is more of the same, only this time there are parts where meteors fall down for some reason, so you have to time your climbs and flights. The final area is pretty much a straight climb to the top, only this time they’ve thrown in some Mandibugs to make things a bit more difficult for you. I got hit by one near the very, very top and thought for sure I was going to fall to my death, but Mario landed on the very edge of the platform on the bottom, so I survived! Overall a decent challenge and a good use of the Bee Mario powerup.
Stupid death #248: Thought Bee Mario would land on the sticky platform, but apparently I was wrong.
5/10
[5/10] Cool, Cool Mountain Star #5: Snowman’s Lost His Head Hazy Maze Cave Star #4: Navigating the Toxic Maze Hazy Maze Cave Star #5: A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit Bowser’s Star Reactor Star #1: The Fiery Stronghold Lethal Lava Land Star #4: Red-Hot Log Rolling Pinna Park Shine #6: The Yoshi-Go-Round’s Secret Pianta Village Shine #2: Il Piantissimo’s Crazy Climb Bowser Jr.’s Robot Reactor Star #1: Megaleg’s Moon Delfino Plaza Shine #28: Red Coins in the Field Buoy Base Galaxy Star #2: The Secret of Buoy Base Honeyclimb Galaxy Star #1: Scaling the Sticky Wall Tiny-Huge Island Star #6: Make Wiggler Squirm Space Junk Galaxy Star #2: Kamella’s Airship Attack Pinna Park Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Sirena Beach Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Ricco Harbor Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Dire, Dire Docks Star #7: 100 Coin Star Whomp’s Fortress Star #7: 100 Coin Star Pianta Village Shine #8: Fluff Festival Coin Hunt Whomp’s Fortress Star #5: Fall onto the Caged Island Gelato Beach Shine #2: Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam! Sirena Beach Shine #8: Red Coins in the Hotel Pinna Park Shine #3: Red Coins of the Pirate Ships Shifting Sand Land Star #4: Stand Tall on the Four Pillars Gusty Garden Galaxy Star #4: Major Burrows’s Daredevil Run Bianco Hills Shine #8: The Red Coins of the Lake Big Boo’s Haunt Star #4: Seek the 8 Red Coins Pianta Village Shine #6: Piantas in Need Freezeflame Galaxy Star #1: The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr Noki Bay Shine #2: The Boss of Tricky Ruins Snowman’s Land Star #7: 100 Coin Star Tiny-Huge Island Star #2: The Tip-Top of the Huge Island Jolly Roger Bay Star #7: 100 Coin Star Bianco Hills Shine #11: 8 Red Coins of the Dirty Lake Rainbow Ride Star #7: 100 Coin Star Noki Bay Shine #7: Hold it, Shadow Mario!
Total Number of Deaths: 263
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 248
Total Collected: 302/603 (50.08%)
Whoo, 50% breached! That sounds like a good stopping point to me!
Bowser’s Dark Matter Plant Star #1: Darkness on the Horizon
This was a pretty fun level. As the title implies, there’s dark matter everywhere, which is basically an auto-death trap if you fall into it. There’s lots of good 2-D platforming segments involving the gravity arrows in this one. There’s one section in particular where you have to ride a platform through a section where the gravity changes in all four directions. You have to move to the part of the platform that will keep you safe when the direction of the gravity changes, so that was pretty fun. The Bowser boss battle is more of the same, although he does have this spinning move he throws at you occasionally, but it’s fairly slow and doesn’t have a lot of range. And I already have enough stars to go to the last level, but I won’t bother yet! Good level this one though.
7/10
[7/10] Dire, Dire Docks Star #3: Pole-Jumping for Red Coins Castle Secret Star #10: Bowser in the Dark World and 8 Red Coins Pinna Park Shine #10: Red Coins in the Beach Cannon Noki Bay Shine #11: Red Coins Inside the Shell Bowser’s Dark Matter Plant Star #1: Darkness on the Horizon Tiny-Huge Island Star #5: Wiggler’s Red Coins Lethal Lava Land Star #7: 100 Coin Star Wet-Dry World Star #2: Top O’ the Town Ghostly Galaxy Star #5: Matter Spatter Mansion Gelato Beach Shine #5: Il Piantissimo’s Sand Sprint Freezeflame Galaxy Star #4: Conquering the Summit
Honestly, this one is a joke. You’d have to be pretty dumb to blow this one. Basically, when you land on the galaxy, there’s a gold treasure chest that can only be opened by being hit with a gold shell. So it’s into the water we go, but the level isn’t even that big. There’s a divider at the top of the water in the bottom area, and there’s somehow above your head a completely different level of water suspended above it. All you need to do is wall jump up into it, and there’s a gold shell waiting for you. Grab it and take it back to the chest, and voila! There’s really nothing to stop you from completing this one in like two minutes other than your own stupidity.
2.5/10
[2.5/10] Wet-Dry World Star #3: Secrets in the Shallows and Sky Whomp’s Fortress Star #3: Shoot into the Wild Blue Jolly Roger Bay Star #5: Blast to the Stone Pillar Bigmouth Galaxy Star #1: Bigmouth’s Gold Bait Sling Pod Galaxy Star #1: A Very Sticky Situation Bianco Hills Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Beach Bowl Galaxy Star #2: Passing the Swim Test Gelato Beach Shine #8: The Watermelon Festival Shifting Sand Land Star #1: In the Talons of the Big Bird Sirena Beach Shine #11: The Casino’s Red Coins Tiny-Huge Island Star #4: Five Itty Bitty Secrets Delfino Plaza Shine #29: Red Coins on the Lily Pad Ricco Harbor Shine #6: Red Coins on the Water
Total Number of Deaths: 263
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 248
Total Collected: 304/603 (50.41%)
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"I can set you free, mate." "My freedom was forfeit long ago!"
Loopdeeswoop Galaxy Star #1: The Galaxy’s Greatest Wave
For our first Green Star Trial Galaxy, we get more ray surfing! This one is a decent bit tougher than the first one because the waves are tougher and the course is narrower. However, you have three minutes to complete it, and even going at a snail’s pace (which I did to make sure I didn’t fall off), you can finish the race in half that time. The great temptation is to try to go really fast because you have a time limit, but there’s really no need at all. Still, ray surfing is pretty fun.
5/10
[5/10] Cool, Cool Mountain Star #5: Snowman’s Lost His Head Hazy Maze Cave Star #4: Navigating the Toxic Maze Hazy Maze Cave Star #5: A-Maze-Ing Emergency Exit Bowser’s Star Reactor Star #1: The Fiery Stronghold Lethal Lava Land Star #4: Red-Hot Log Rolling Pinna Park Shine #6: The Yoshi-Go-Round’s Secret Pianta Village Shine #2: Il Piantissimo’s Crazy Climb Bowser Jr.’s Robot Reactor Star #1: Megaleg’s Moon Delfino Plaza Shine #28: Red Coins in the Field Buoy Base Galaxy Star #2: The Secret of Buoy Base Honeyclimb Galaxy Star #1: Scaling the Sticky Wall Tiny-Huge Island Star #6: Make Wiggler Squirm Space Junk Galaxy Star #2: Kamella’s Airship Attack Pinna Park Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Loopdeeswoop Galaxy Star #1: The Galaxy’s Greatest Wave Sirena Beach Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Ricco Harbor Shine #9: 100 Coin Shine Dire, Dire Docks Star #7: 100 Coin Star Whomp’s Fortress Star #7: 100 Coin Star Pianta Village Shine #8: Fluff Festival Coin Hunt Whomp’s Fortress Star #5: Fall onto the Caged Island Gelato Beach Shine #2: Mirror Madness! Tilt, Slam, Bam! Sirena Beach Shine #8: Red Coins in the Hotel Pinna Park Shine #3: Red Coins of the Pirate Ships Shifting Sand Land Star #4: Stand Tall on the Four Pillars Gusty Garden Galaxy Star #4: Major Burrows’s Daredevil Run Bianco Hills Shine #8: The Red Coins of the Lake Big Boo’s Haunt Star #4: Seek the 8 Red Coins Pianta Village Shine #6: Piantas in Need Freezeflame Galaxy Star #1: The Frozen Peak of Baron Brrr Noki Bay Shine #2: The Boss of Tricky Ruins Snowman’s Land Star #7: 100 Coin Star Tiny-Huge Island Star #2: The Tip-Top of the Huge Island Jolly Roger Bay Star #7: 100 Coin Star Bianco Hills Shine #11: 8 Red Coins of the Dirty Lake Rainbow Ride Star #7: 100 Coin Star Noki Bay Shine #7: Hold it, Shadow Mario!
I enjoy playing the games, but taking the time to do all these writeups, rankings, etc. between every star is a hassle, especially if no one's going to read them.
Rolling Gizmo Galaxy #1: Gizmos, Gears, and Gadgets
Oh joy, it’s a rolling ball galaxy! Although this one wasn’t too bad, I guess. I honestly would’ve finished it first try if I weren’t being so conservative that I didn’t have a high enough speed to make that final jump. People say the rolling ball isn’t that hard to control, but I honestly can’t control the thing at all unless I’m going about as slow as I can go. Most of the areas in this level have rotating platforms, so it can make getting from one platform to another more stressful than it already is. Thankfully, it is a mercifully short level, so it’s not that bad.
Stupid death #249: Got to the very end of the level, but I didn’t have enough speed, so I couldn’t jump up to the next part and got shoved off the edge by a rotating block.
Stupid death #250: Slipped off the edge of the rotating cog instead of following the part that leads to the next platform.
Stupid death #251: Died at the last platform again because I can’t make that last jump high enough apparently.
3.5/10
[3.5/10] Jolly Roger Bay Star #1: Plunder in the Sunken Ship Bob-omb Battlefield Star #1: Big Bob-omb on the Summit Cool, Cool Mountain Star #6: Wall Kicks Will Work Tall, Tall Mountain Star #5: Breathtaking View from Bridge Drip Drop Galaxy Star #1: Giant Eel Outbreak Hazy Maze Cave Star #6: Watch for Rolling Rocks Big Boo’s Haunt Star #3: Secret of the Haunted Books Hazy Maze Cave Star #2: Elevate for 8 Red Coins Gelato Beach Shine #1: Dune Bud Sand Castle Secret Wet-Dry World Star #1: Shocking Arrow Lifts! Shifting Sand Land Star #6: Pyramid Puzzle Noki Bay Shine #5: Il Piantissimo’s Surf Swim Honeyhive Galaxy Star #4: Honeyhive Cosmic Mario Race Bianco Hills Shine #2: Down with Petey Piranha! Ricco Harbor Shine #1: Gooper Blooper Breaks Out Rainbow Ride Star #3: Coins Amassed in a Maze Whomp’s Fortress Star #4: Red Coins on the Floating Isle Delfino Plaza Shine #13: Rocket Powered Butt Stomp Hurry-Scurry Galaxy Star #1: Shrinking Satellite Pinna Park Shine #7: Shadow Mario in the Park Noki Bay Shine #10: The Golden Bird Honeyhive Galaxy Star #2: Trouble on the Tower Rolling Green Galaxy Star #1: Rolling in the Clouds Delfino Plaza Shine #24: Box Breaking, Round One Delfino Plaza Shine #25: Box Breaking, Round Two Gelato Beach Shine #6: Red Coins in the Coral Reef Dusty Dune Galaxy Star #5: Bullet Bill on Your Back Pianta Village Shine #7: Shadow Mario Runs Wild Rolling Gizmo Galaxy #1: Gizmos, Gears, and Gadgets Delfino Plaza Shine #3: Clean the Bell Tower Delfino Plaza Shine #11: More Bell Tower Cleaning Sirena Beach Shine #10: The Lobby’s Secret Red Coins Castle Secret Star #6: Catch the Bunny Rabbit Castle Secret Star #9: Catch the Bunny Rabbit…Again Pianta Village Shine #11: The Village Underside’s Red Coins
Total Number of Deaths: 266
Total Number of Stupid Deaths: 251
Total Collected: 306/603 (50.75%)
I know what galaxy is next, and I'm not really in the mood for it right now, so I'll do it tomorrow.
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Support Squirtle (Pokemon R/B/Y) for Character Battle IX! http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/8463/banner2squirtle.jpg
It's a good thing Galaxy is pretty easy to start AND doesn't feel as rough as Mario 64 (don't get me wrong, both games have awesome controls, but the Galaxies do it better for me, though maybe playing Mario 64 with a GameCube controller doesn't help). I remember when you were struggling to keep your stars collected total ahead of your number of deaths. Did you ever let the latter get ahead? If so, when did you finally succeed in the comeback?
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Currently Playing - StarCraft Hopefully Next Up - Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Brood War
By the time I got through with Sunshine, I had more deaths than stars, albeit barely. However, I haven't died very much in Galaxy so far, so that's helped me turn the ratio in my favor.
Death Count
Bob-omb's Battlefield: 0! Whomp's Fortress: 3 Jolly Roger Bay: 0! Cool, Cool Mountain: 8 Big Boo's Haunt: 0! Hazy Maze Cave: 8 Lethal Lava Land: 6 Shifting Sand Land: 15 Dire, Dire Docks: 1 Snowman's Land: 1 Wet-Dry World: 0! Tall, Tall Mountain: 9 Tiny-Huge Island: 11 Tick Tock Clock: 15 Rainbow Ride: 12 Bowser in the Dark World: 2 Bowser in the Fire Sea: 2 Bowser in the Sky: 0! Castle Secret Stars: 6
Also, either the Wiki is being incredibly stupid, my computer is being incredibly stupid, I'm being incredibly stupid, or possibly some combination of all three, but I can't seem to update the Wiki page right now.
Hopefully I'll get that all worked out so I can actually get that thing up to date.
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"But you have been given freedom. Freedom to be...outside." "I am lightning...the rain transformed."
Super Mario Sunshine has to be the longest and most difficult Mario game, and pretty easily. Unfortunately, that is not what Mario is all about, and from what I imagine based on your playthrough writeups, most of Sunshine's difficulty is frustrating and unfair.
Also Galaxy is a freaking graphical powerhouse. Sunshine, in comparison, kinda sucks when it comes to graphics - they look blocky every so often even for something from that timeframe.
To me Super Mario 64 has more of an "SNES feel" than it does an N64 feel, though I can't exactly explain why.
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Currently Playing - StarCraft Hopefully Next Up - Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Brood War