This blog (headed by a bitter, cynical, observant countercultural fiend) shall make lists, make observations, create criticisms, and also recommend ideas concerning areas in music, movies, video games, television, the Walt Disney Company, and pretty much anything in particular that catches my interest.
Way way way back in June, I mentioned how the attendance of the Tampa Bay Rays is absolutely ridiculous:
“While watching the latest installment of the Rays-Marlins series, I can only look in shame as to what is taking place. What should be a big series that’s the talk of all Florida sports news is just a blurb in the pages. The attendance in this ballgame was 23,000, which actually is a little bit higher than usual Florida games. By comparison, we have the Pirates nabbing 38,000 fans in their homestand, and they are by no means a decent ballclub. No need to insult the Pirates, but the Marlins and the Rays are thick in the playoff hunt, with the Rays remaining the best team in all of baseball. And plus this is supposed to be a statewide rivalry, similar to the popular Subway Series up north. The last Rays home game reached 25,000 and a week before that against the Blue Jays, the attendance was a meager 16,000. Why such low numbers?”
It seems that the attendance has become an actual topic of discussion, months after I brought it up mind you (not tooting my own horn or anything, but HA! Saw it coming). With two popular Rays players pointing it out, a major backlash has occurred amongst fans of Rays and all of baseball. What started out as a simple plea for more support in the stadium has turned into a hot-topic issue that concerns an excellent young team struggling to find a consistent fanbase in a sport that has reached new levels of competitiveness with the influx of incredible pitchers.
After years of complaints from fans about what had been happening to the team, the owner gives the team a new name, a new look, a new attitude, and a fresh start. The Rays did what the Expos did in the early 90s; rely heavily on a good farm system and a core of hungry young stars. Before you know it, Tampa became a tough scrappy team that was three wins away from actually winning it all. And nowadays, they have among the best records in baseball in the toughest division in ALL of sports (There is no argument here, do not even think about arguing this).
The owners even lobbied for a new stadium, which was promptly put down by the city of St. Petersburg. So now, there is recoil amongst the few Rays fans in the area when David Price and Evan Longoria complained about the terrible attendance in a potential playoff-clinching game. The backlash has been quite heavy amongst ESPN and the Tampa Bay media. Want my take? They are totally correct in every possible manner, and I am about to explain why.
The Tampa Bay Rays are on a much smaller payroll than the Red Sox, Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, and other teams. Even with the payroll expanding several 20 million dollars in the last couple of years, it was still among the lowest in all of MLB. The fact that they are competing with such a young scrappy group of players (and winning most of the time) is quite unbelievable. They have been described by the Northeastern media as the “Team That Won’t Go Away.” Unlike the Rays teams of the past (leading up to 2008), this team does not give up, will not give up. Every game, they will give you 110%. In spite of all this, they are still among the lowest in attendance. Even the Pirates can average bigger numbers than the Rays, and this is even with Tampa playing fan favorites like the Red Sox and Yankees constantly. Just how much do empty seats affect the psyche of a baseball team? Observe this stat from the article back in June:
“The Rays are 18-15 at home, far from the best home record in baseball. I am sure the sluggish numbers, the amount of empty seats, and lack of support (especially when the Yankees and Red Sox come into town) contributes to their weaker play in Tampa. In comparison, here are the home records of the teams with extremely high attendance: Yankees (24-10), Phillies (17-14), Dodgers (23-13), Cardinals (23-11), Twins (23-13). See the difference (unless you are the Phillies)?”
Now look at the home records of the said teams: Yankees (52-29) Phillies (54-30) Dodgers (43-35) Cardinals (47-28) Twins (52-29)
The three best home records amongst those five are all going to the playoffs. Home field advantage does exist, but if there are few witnesses, the advantage ceases to exist. But are the prices high in Tropicana Field? Not in Tampa. You can easily find good seats for prices between $15-$30 for regular games, $20-$40 for more important and high-profile games. Parking? The prices range from a high $20 to a lower-than-usual $10. So why aren’t they going to the games? The games are generally cheap, the parking isn’t ridiculous (and sometimes even free), and the team is clearly winning and clearly bothering the big boys of baseball the Yankees and Red Sox. So why was there a laughable 12,000 watching the Rays attempt to clinch?
Many fans are crying foul because “overpaid ballplayers are telling fans to spend their money and head to the game”. The overpaid part is slightly true, but slightly justifiable. We Americans are obsessed with sports, especially football. At least five NFL franchises are worth over a billion dollars, and the Yankees are the richest baseball team with a billion in revenue. No matter what the economy is, sports can and will forever make good money, no matter what the circumstances are. So, the overpayment comes from the fact that these ballplayers are extremely valuable, and owners can and will pay top dollar to maintain them. Longoria isn’t the one demanding the overpayment, the business demands it.
Now, look at it from the player’s point of view. The Tampa Bay Rays are in a terrible location, in a nasty division, and a terrible stadium that literally stole a win from them earlier this year (against the Twins, when a popup turned into a hit because of catwalks). Quoting me from earlier:
“Tampa Bay represents St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Ybor City, Treasure Island, amongst other little spots next to Tampa. However, they chose a more secluded and uglier part of St. Petersburg for the home team. If you’ve ever driven around there, the location is very tricky and somewhat confusing to reach. The surrounding area isn’t exactly the best area, and it takes 10 minutes of driving to even find the highway.”
They are in one of the most grueling schedules in all of sports, and all they want is to see major support. They want to see the support that the Red Sox, Phillies, and Yankees receive on a yearly basis. After years of totally shifting the franchise from joke to near-champ, the players felt like they deserved it. We all know they deserve the press, fame, and popularity that they were (somewhat) getting. Yet, inexplicably, they just weren’t getting the fans. Not only that, but the fanbase of the Sox and Yanks were more powerful and present during those heavily-contested matchups. Does this sad scenario sound familiar? Well, it shouldn’t, unless you are a baseball buff.
Anyone remember the Brooklyn Dodgers? Well, back in the 40s and 50s, the Brooklyn Dodgers was also a young, scrappy team that was constantly taking on the big boys. In spite of lower attendance numbers, smaller fanbase, and a stadium built in a tough location, the Brooklyn Dodgers would play year after year, constantly trying to thwart the Yankees. What eventually happened was that when the Brookyln area refused to help the dwindling attendance of the team by building a new stadium, the owner went to the west coast in a shockingly fast rate and crafted the Los Angeles Dodgers. To this day, Brooklyn has some ghosts from that fateful day. The Tampa Bay Rays of today are becoming the new millennium’s Brooklyn Dodgers (to an extent, the 1994 Montreal Expos), and if something doesn’t happen soon, they will move as well.
St. Petersburg straight-up is not supporting their team, not supporting their future. The fans haven’t really been there to support either. Why would the owner spend more money if the fans aren’t arriving? While the owner’s decision sounds a bit selfish, from an economic standpoint, it makes sense. I am a huge Rays fan, but I admit that we really don’t deserve the success of our ballclub. The Marlins-Rays game I went to several months ago was embarrassingly empty. Even the insane Yankees-Rays series didn’t hit sellout crowds. St. Petersburg doesn’t want a new stadium for our team, nowhere in Tampa Bay can you find land available for a new stadium, it just wasn’t being allowed. I have constantly screamed that the solution to this dilemma is this: start supporting our hard-working franchise, or move the team to a place that will support them better. Orlando anyone?
The Tampa Bay Rays can potentially create more jobs, and create more revenue, but there just isn’t enough support to allow for this wonderful franchise to flourish. And once again, I am being quite critical on an area, on a state that has been economically hit in recent times. However, as a community, you have a beautiful gem that is not fully being appreciated. I am not saying that there are no loyal Rays fans, but what I am saying is that they deserve more. Why can’t they have the heavy fanbase of winners like the Yankees and losers (well, not loser per say, but a team missing the postseason) like the Cardinals, Rockies, Mets, and Pirates?
Bottom Line: I am a big Rays fan that will follow the team no matter where they go or what happens to them, because I can’t see the Rays remaining happy in St. Petersburg much longer if this continues. They clinched as I typed this article, but still didn’t see a sellout crowd, still didn’t see a full house, and they even had the always-reliable David Price pitching. Now do I ask for sellout crowds every single night? Of course not, but I should see full houses on important games, on heavy matchups, on most September games, and when the playoffs arrive. I totally agree with Longoria and Price and sympathize with their pain. In comparison, they sound like a great writer that has no readers, like a great band that has no audience when performing. They aren’t telling you to spend money on them; they are telling you to help support a young team in a heavily contested league that needs whatever small edge they can get.
Congrats to the Rays, this team is excellent for baseball. However, if Tampa Bay altogether doesn’t see what me and most baseball buffs see, who knows what might happen to the franchise in the future. I’d hate to see them go, but I hate to see them suffer too. Just watching the Orioles-Rays game the night before, and seeing the sadness and subtle despair on their faces was quite heartbreaking.
If you are a Rays fan, I want you to prove it. Support your team.
Stop sitting! Get up, be loud, be proud, and shout it out:
Alright, alright, I know you’ve missed me, I know you have. The Unofficial Official Myspace Sports Swami disappeared for a very very (very) long time. But, I am back, and hopefully will be here to stay. I have converted to become the Unofficial Official Blogspots Sports Swami. What I shall do every week is focus on a sports team, then put down my picks for Sundays (and Monday’s) football games. If anyone wants to go against me, be my guest. Without further interruption, the Team of the Week to Focus on:
Team of the Week: A Bunch of Them.
Year of the Overhype. This is what the NFL might be becoming. With MLB, it’s the Year of the Pitcher. With the NBA, it’s going to be the Year of the Superstar-Filled Demonic Teams. With the NHL, it’s the…who cares? But anyways, within the first couple weeks in the NFL, we are seeing all these teams with a decent amount of hype dying down, and some looking like they will not recover. Check this out: The Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers are all 0-2. Check out who is leading their divisions: Bears, Buccaneers, Texans, Big Ben-less Steelers, and even the Chiefs.
Look who else isn’t looking that great: The New York Jets, New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers. Now I am mildly exaggerating this a bit because it’s only Week 3. But, the season has definitely taken a much different shape than originally anticipated. All these teams with preseason-heavy hype are not matching it at all, with only the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans being the lone exceptions. The Dallas Cowboys are a huge mess, the 49ers fails to capitalize on the nice endrun they had last season, the Vikings are showing that their reliance on Brett Farve is becoming a mistake. See the importance of Training Camp and the preseason? Look at Revis, he is out, and look at Farve, still not understanding his team.
Week 3 is a huge week for the NFL (and all your crazy Fantasy Football folks) because it will definitely prove if we are all panicking too early, or we are going to see a very different NFL season—much like what has gone on with MLB. In my opinion, I see the three 0-2 teams continue to struggle throughout the first half of the season----especially the Dallas Cowboys. But I do see the Pats and Colts turning things around.
Okay, here are my picks: [] = My pick for who will win
[Tennessee] at NY Giants Bottom Line: I am not an Eli Manning fan. Not at all. I have no faith in these Giants this year. As for the Titans, well, if they can improve their coaching decisions, then we can see a strong playoff hopeful team.
Pittsburgh at [Tampa Bay] Bottom Line: Tampa at home against a Big Ben-less Steelers. While most would pick the Steelers, I am going to ring the Upset Alert and pick the Bucs.
[Cincinnati] at Carolina Bottom Line: Bengals don’t have a really tough matchup until they take on the Dolphins in Halloween time. This is their chance to put some major wins on the board in a competitive division.
Cleveland at [Baltimore ] Bottom Line: Quoting Bill Simmons, “God hates Cleveland.” With another different quarterback in the realm taking on the Ravens, its going to look ugly.
Dallas at [Houston] Bottom Line: The Cowboys really, really need a win here if they have any chance at redeeming themselves in Texas and gaining any respect they are clearly losing early this year.
San Francisco at [Kansas City] Bottom Line: Road team has little momentum? Check. New stadium? Check. Awesome fanbase? Check. 2-0 start and on top of the division leading to overwhelming momentum that will steer them to a victory? Absolute check.
Detroit at [Minnesota] Bottom Line: If the Vikings lose this game at home against the Lions, then we can kiss Farve’s last effort at getting a Ring goodbye.
Buffalo at [New England] Bottom Line: Must be hard to be a Bills fan. Just saying.
Atlanta at [New Orleans] Bottom Line: The Saints aren’t as good this year as last year, and without Reggie Bush too. However, they are devastating at home, and I don’t see an upset here.
[Washington] at St. Louis Bottom Line: In the most dysfunctional division in all of sports, the Redskins still have a small shot of making some noise. They can start by winning here.
[Philadelphia] at Jacksonville Bottom Line: If Michael Vick can pull a Kurt Warner and win in his later years, then the Eagles will become a very exciting team to watch. But oh what his career could have been…….
Oakland at [Arizona] Bottom Line: The I-Don’t-Care-Game of the Week. Cardinals win, and they still have a shot at the division---but then again, they all do.
San Diego at [Seattle] Bottom Line: Upset Alert!! Alert the presses! I see an upset here.
[Indianapolis] at Denver Bottom Line: Needs more Tebow.
NY Jets at [Miami] Bottom Line: Game of the Week. Taylor returning to Miami in a Jets uniform. Dolphins starting their first home game with a 2-0 record. And of course, the dysfunctional Jets with a target on their backs as they try to prove that last year was no fluke. However, I see Miami knocking them out and starting the season strongly.
There has been a heavy controversy amongst the gaming world about a video game that just came out. Nintendo has finally attempted to get with the times by providing a video game experience that mixes gameplay with high-detailed cinematic cut scenes and a storyline full of raw emotion and character building. Metroid: Other M was an innovative collaboration between Nintendo and Team Ninja as they attempted to infuse personality and depth to the highly-acclaimed Metroid saga. Unfortunately though, somewhere along the lines they forgot about Samus’ history and have provided her with one of the most contradictory and left-field changes in the history of gaming. Metroid: Other M was met with the most mixed reviews in the Metroid franchise since Metroid Fusion, and a good portion of it has to do with the storyline.
Now, I will explain why I am going to personally accept Other M as a major fluke, and the sooner the gaming world sees this, the sooner we can move away from this. It has very little to do with the massive change in pace, tone, and gameplay style—but it has to do with the total negligence of who the character is and what she represents. Can you imagine what would happen if Metal Gear Solid fans saw a Metal Gear Solid which saw Ocelot in a love triangle story? It would receive the similar shock that some Nintendo fans are experiencing as they watch a usually-tough Samus have a total shift in personality—a personality that gamers on a whole have developed for our heroine since her first appearance.
“I'm also not complaining about this particular character or her strengths or weaknesses. add depth, character, emotion, what have you, i'm fine with that. As a stand alone story, Other M is OK. what [IGN Blogger] (and others) are upset about, is this is a drastic change in the existing Samus character and it seems to come out of nowhere. Some have made a good point, that we didn't really know what Samus was thinking or feeling in other adventures. fair enough. I think if Other M happened way, way sooner in the history of the character, we would accept it more readily. This is like a coming of age story. NOT a returning to fight the same enemies she's beaten time and time again to NOW feel afraid of them? that just doesn't fit. sorry.”
~~IGN User: dponiel
Samus started out as a bad-arse galactic bounty hunter with a mysterious past and with a very straightforward goal, take care of the Metroids. The fact that she was a woman was one of the biggest surprises in gaming history, if not the all-time biggest. As the franchise evolved to become the powerhouse quality grouping of games it is today, only few snippets of personality was revealed. She was a tough bounty hunter that allowed her actions to do all the talking. She never interacts much with anybody else, even when there were many more characters to talk to in Metroid Prime 3. In Metroid Fusion, she mentions how she hates taking orders, further supplementing her as a loner heroine that is much happier keeping to herself.
Despite her bad-assness, she does have some heart, as she spared the last, final Metroid in the end of Metroid II: Return of Samus, because the Metroid was a baby and was treating Samus as her mom. None of her games up to this point focused on character development, but did drop off some hints here and there as to who she was. The personality was never fleshed out, but the little snippets and small little moments made gamers aware that she wasn’t just a heartless character to control and maneuver around dangerous terrain.
“For what it’s worth, Other M is the penultimate game in the series (current) chronology. Set after Super Metroid, but before Metroid Fusion, Other M is a good way into Samus’ career as a bounty hunter. She’s got a reputation by this point, having destroyed an entire planet and destroying the whole Metroid race, the psychic brain that governed them, and the space dinosaur thing that killed her parents. That’s a lot of violence and a lot of going beyond the call of duty. It’d odd, then, that Samus is such a fragile and mewling coward in Other M.”~~Review in Resolution Magazine
So when Metroid: Other M was revealed, I was excited because it looked like they were giving Samus a tougher, rougher edge. The trailers showed intense action, crazy-nice-looking cutscenes, and just a faster, more furious Samus running around. But as the release date loomed and the reviews were arriving, certain fears started creeping up. The game was looking like it was receiving more and more Japanese influence, when the Metroid franchise is strictly a West Coast style of product. I was afraid they were going to tweak Samus’ personality a bit too much.
“Time-wise, Other M is tucked in between fan-favorite Super Metroid and the critically beloved Metroid Fusion -- the first game that showed a hint of Samus's personal history and the introduction of Adam Malkovich, a core character in its newest iteration. This makes Other M the second-to-last game sequentially, as the bulk of Metroid games have wedged themselves further and further into the early years of Samus Aran’s story. Ironically, Other M feels like a prequel to the franchise while attempting to be the culmination of everything Metroid has been and become……In short, you're asked to forget that Samus has spent the last 10-15 years on solitary missions ridding the galaxy of Space Pirates, saving the universe and surviving on her own as a bounty hunter. Instead, Other M expects you to accept her as a submissive, child-like and self-doubting little girl that cannot possibly wield the amount of power she possesses unless directed to by a man…..” ~~~G4TV review
Metroid: Other M is chronologically between Super Metroid and the latest installment, Metroid Fusion. So why on earth does she still have so many issues? Why on earth is she taking orders from someone else, even though it means stupidly running around extremely hot conditions but not turning on your suit? Why on earth are there cutscenes of a crying girl when she sees Ridley (again…)? And why, oh why, has our beloved Samus become watered-down to resemble a lost puppy on certain scenes? It would make total sense if the game chronologically was in the very beginning of her quest to make outer space a safer place; but after all that she has already been through, there’s no way she would still behave like the way she behaves in Other M. Her relationship with Adam was very laughable and quite inconsistent--especially with her character on the previous games.
I will repeat this again, WHY OH WHY does she freeze when she sees Ridley for like the sixth darn time!!!??
“Until Other M, Samus has existed as a silent protagonist with only the personality that we have bestowed upon her in our own imaginations. Regardless of whether or not the interpretation in Other M can be reconciled with your own perception of her, there is a moment later in the game that cannot be justified…ever. Confronted by her longstanding nemesis, Ridley, she is spliced into flashes of a little girl, crying and afraid, despite the fact she has already defeated Ridley at least FOUR times already, once when he was a powerful robot. Terrible.” ~~~G4TV review
“The entire game is one, long, character assassination of Samus Aran….Samus may be acting in character as a whiny, cowardly, submissive, spineless woman, but if she is then she is a terrible character. If this had been a prequel to the very first Metroid, back when she was still finding her feet, then a great deal of my hatred would have been invalid, but its not. Other M takes place towards the end of Samus’ career, she’s seen and killed monsters so hideous that they’d give Lovecraft a run for his money, but one word from her former CO and she regresses to a child.I can pinpoint the moment in the game that made me give up. It was the Ridley fight. Samus must have killed Ridley about 5 times by now, and yet this is the only game where she is so frightened by his reappearance that she visibly freezes. She totally shuts down, and this prolonged hesitation leads to the apparent death of one of her old friends. This is a creature she has defeated countless times, seen rise from the dead just as many, and yet this time it scares her stiff.No. I’m not having that.”~~~Resolution magazine review
Nintendo, I applaud you for trying to give personalities to each of your major heroes. But, you must do the research first, you cannot just nullify and neglect all the personality aspects that had been revealed before. Samus up to the point of Other M was a cold-blooded bounty hunter that clearly was able to overcome her past and is clearly able to overcome any obstacle that comes her way---by herself. She doesn’t need Adam, she doesn’t need anybody up to this point.
If you want to reveal backstory, that’s fine, but you can’t tell me that her past still hinders her abilities and skills up to this point—when she has already killed hundreds of Metroids and space pirates, when she took down the Mother Brain (twice), took out Ridley (thrice), and the infamous Omega Metroid (that difficult monster from Metroid Prime). It was a rather big slap in the face to those that have followed Samus for al these years.
“This could have been an opportunity to show her strength to a greater degree, the strength it takes to overcome fear and not succumb to it, perhaps by having Adam see through her disguise. As her mentor and her father figure, it stands to reason he knows her better than anyone else, perhaps there could have been scenes where he pulls her to one side and reveals this, talks about how he knows she’s hurting from what she’s done, asks her about how she fights the fear she must feel. She’s destroyed an entire planet, erased an entire species, these are themes that could have been handled so well, making her vulnerable and conflicted behind her armour of outward strength. It could have finally told us more about how Samus thinks. It could have been a character study.But no. What we get is a whining bitch prostrating herself before an older man with no real respect for her own achievements. Given what they had to work with, the myriad of different ways they could have taken the story, the fact that this is where they went makes me furious” ~~~Resolution Magazine review
Bottom Line: The gameplay looks like fun, but I will find it extremely hard to get past just what they did to Samus to truly enjoy this. She was much more believable and much more likable as a one-dimensional mystery, than the fleshed-out-yet-rather-infuriating incarnation that she is in this game. I am not sure why they decided to turn the franchise in this direction, what was wrong with her being a quiet assassin? I understand that sometimes change is indeed necessary, but to me Samas Aran is a female, space version of Link---a heroic figure that speaks with actions rather than words. They could have easily fleshed-out her character, but retain her appearance as a quiet, heroic, cold-blooded, brave bounty hunter that can destroy planets by herself.
But no, we get your typical female that struggles to get over her past, and despite seeing all this mayhem before, struggles to disobey orders in order to protect her own stinkin’ life. Nintendo, I like your efforts, but next time hire people that truly know, understand, and love the franchise that you have built. You can change the gameplay, but don’t change the traits. Super Mario has been transformed gameplay-wise time and time again, yet Mario never (and hopefully never will) change his character: a lovable plumber looking to save his beloved princess from a fiend that’s nothing but pure evil.Samus easily could have fit to resemble a character in a modern-day Final Fantasy game. We don't need that. They should not try to mass appeal Samus to the Japanese audience.
Samus is a bad-ass bounty hunter. Let’s please keep it that way. In the meantime, I will do to Metroid: Other M what Zelda fans do to the games Link: The Faces of Evil, Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon, and Zelda's Adventure………..pretend like they never happened.
So this has been a fun administration. Honestly, it has been quite a grind these past couple of years seeing all these insane events all over the country—Koran burnings, bombing Islamic centers, passing of racist laws, ridiculous hatred of the government, and even freakin’ pirates. Obama picked the wrong time to run for president, as American clearly wasn’t ready for change. To add to that his campaign was so inspiring, that America as a whole expected all this change immediately, and are quite upset that all this change that was necessary has not occurred yet. Patience has become thin and now, Obama nowadays has approval numbers to the levels of President Bush, as unemployment continues to remain high and the economy flat-out refuses to drastically improve. The true problem with Obama though isn’t his lack of accomplishments, but his sheer timing of it all.
For example, during the Bush years (known by some as the Lost Years), we had a totally clear view of what Bush set out to do and in what order: go to Afghanistan, go to Iraq, No Child Left Behind, Mission: Accomplished, Katrina (even though he was late..tee-hee), and…and…..wait….there’s not much else. In the case of Obama, here is all he accomplished:
1) Economy rebounding slowly but surely—after all, we did fork over 700 million plus to see an overrated movie about advanced smurfs. 2) He won the Nobel peace prize for striving to end the warfare amongst countries in the Middle East 3) Cut funding on the ridiculously overpriced and overrated NASA program. Because honestly, if we don’t give a fish about space, why spend so much towards it? 4) After an unnecessarily lengthy battle, passed the health care bill. 5) Closed Guantanamo Bay. Thank God. 6) Supported and approved a high-speed rail system in Florida—because trust me, nothing will boost the Floridian economy like finding easier and quicker ways to get to Disney from Tampa and Miami 7) Jump-started America’s efforts to become more involved with world-affiliated and well-known sports events like the Olympics and the extremely successful World Cup 8) Is slowly but surely ending the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan that was started by the previous administration 9) Approved a bill that would attempt to increase American tourism, which has gone down recently, by building millions of more tourism-related jobs
In all honesty, with the exception of #7 (Which despite it not being mentioned much, definitely improved our relations with other nations by truly caring about the 2010 World Cup—which I shall repeat was such a massive success story that Disney stock exploded with ESPN coverage of the event) all of these accomplishments are quite big, with some of them altering the status of America for a while. But, all of these accomplishments were totally out of order, totally jumbled around. If Obama and his minions had been more organized in what they were doing and when, America wouldn’t be so upset at him. Obama cut the bleeding, but did so in a very clustered amount of ways that most of us still don’t truly understand.
Obama should have focused on the economy first, and truly not rest until Americans were satisfied with that. Health Care in my opinion should have come last, after American morale improved. Obama should have gone in this order: economy, unemployment, end wars, celebrate end of wars (improving morale and providing soldiers with the thanks they deserve), and then health care. But, with people still reeling about the health care bill that was passed after near warfare in D.C., they are not giving Obama any slack for anything he does.
Bottom Line: This article is basically describing why Obama’s numbers are small, even though he has indeed accomplished a lot in the first couple of years as president. All his doings have been out of order, and has confused an entire nation as they struggle to figure out just what that man is achieving. Democrats, Obama, I beg of you, become more organized. I like this new change that has come about since Bush left, but if you continue confusing Americans, I’m not sure if you’ll be able to win the presidency next election. There are already fears that November is going to kill Democrats, and if that happens, you can bet your butt that they will try to unravel some of the things you did (especially, especially, especially, especially, health care). Obama, I still support you, but you must start being more focused in your activities and accomplishments.
1990 was a decent year for movies. We have the now-Christmas classic Home Alone, tear-jerker classic Ghost, several decent action-packed flicks (Hunt for Red October, Total Recall, Die Hard 2, Steven Segal before he became ridiculous), and of course, Rocky V (totally kidding). But, 20 years ago, there was one movie that truly rose up amongst the usual pile of movies and delivered one of the most exhilarating experiences in the history of cinema. Goodfellas is a masterpiece of its genre, and would change the movie world forever. It was too intense for some, but if you can rise past the grittiness, you are in for a wild ride through the drugs, violence, humor, and money associated with life in the gangsterhood. This movie would change a genre forever, and would pave the way for several promising careers.
Much like the way Sergio Leone (and eventually Clint Eastwood) made classic westerns (For a Few Dollars More being my favorite) that made all the other westerns made at the time inferior, Goodfellas made The Godfather and all crime/mafia pictures look silly. That's right, I said it. Godfather is a decent flick, but it is no Goodfellas. Nowadays, whenever you make a gangster movie, you aren't borrowing details or techniques of Coppola, you are copying good ol' Martin Scorsese and his masterful directing style associated with this flick. Even television shows have a lot to owe to Goodfellas--—The Sorpranos features over 25 actors and actresses that were in the movie. Easily the best film from 1990, and easily the best crime-film of all-time.
Goodfellas follows the lives of several gangsters and their families throughout multiple decades, as you see their rise and fall in terms of position, power, and money. All of this is being narrated by the main character, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta). What separates Goodfellas from every mafia/gangster film before and since its release is its very humble, down-to-earth presentation of its story. While The Godfather made the mafia life a larger-than-life event with a God-complex, Goodfellas toned it down and made it look like a gritty, blue-collar lifestyle that pays well and provides plenty of benefits. Also, unlike all gangster films at the time, Goodfellas didn't just focus on the main players, but also focused on the wives, mistresses, kids, and families of the gangsters involved. It was a family affair, and this was a realization that Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi clearly pointed out in their excellent script full of crisp diologue and plenty of substance.
Another great thing about Goodfellas is that gangsters, bosses, villains were all given a heavy dosage of human character. They were all people you can relate to, they weren't just existing and talking to progress the plot, they engaged in deep conversations about subjects that were not always related to their job. When the audience can associate themselves with the people in the film, it's a great connection, and few films can connect better than Goodfellas. It never feels like a film that is 146 minutes long.
Complimenting the superb writing was the phenomenal acting. Every single performance was excellent, from the small (Samuel L. Jackson) to the much bigger roles (Joe Pesci, Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta). The excellent cast of actors and actresses contributed mightily to the powerfulness, and the humbleness of the movie, as it humanized the lifestyles of mobs, gangsters, and the mafia. Even the rampaging murderer Joe Pesci portrayed was likable because despite his rage and murderous attitude, you can still feel his admiration and care for some of the people around him.
But the standout feature of Goodfellas has got to be the phenomenal directing of Martin Scorsese. Prior to Goodfellas, there was not a single director that perfectly mixes long shots, close-ups, track-shots, freeze-frames, long takes, and gritty hand-held-like cinematography like Scorsese. The movie lacked the long, artsy, pointless sweeping shots of most gangster films before 1990; not a single shot or scene of Goodfellas was unnecessary. For example the wedding scene of the first Godfather went on for too long because of its constant shots of the wedding events; now compare that to the epic long tracking shot of the main character entering the Copacabana. The action and the mayhem was always close-up, sometimes with a gun pointed directly at the camera, as if it was right on your face.
Bottom Line: If you enjoy a good film, then Goodfellas is for you. If you have not seen it, you are missing out on one of the greatest displays of perfect directing in the history of film, and easily the best crime film you'll ever witness. From the writing to the acting to the music selected to the flawless mix of style and substance, Goodfellas set the bar much higher for films of its kind, and all adult films overall. It's one of the first modern Hollywood films to not have that Hollywood touch; as it remains down-to-earth, and allowed for a similar R-rated crime masterpiece (Pulp Fiction) to flourish a couple of years later.
While the general public usually ranks The Godfather as the quintessential crime film, I am one of the few that will safely say that The Godfather is overrated, and it's because movies like Goodfellas exist. This film is very realistic, very intense, and full of so many spectacular moments, you'll need multiple viewings to truly embellish yourself in it all. This movie is literally only one scene away from cinematic perfection (the infamous Last Day as a Wiseguy scene ran just a bit too long). I strongly recommend this movie, as it will change the way you watch movies. And if you are aspiring to be in the film industry, it will change the way you make them.
For those with awesome memory, I have already done a list like this a year ago, but I think with the 25th anniversary, its time we update the list as there are some newcomers that want to join in the mix. It has been 25 years since the release of the game that changed the face of video games for all eternity, and 200 video games and 200+ million copies sold later, Super Mario is a stronger name than ever before, especially thanks to the rocket success of the Nintendo Wii. The latest Mario game, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is arguably amongst the best video games ever, furthur adding to the nice resume of our famous plumber. Now, without anymore interruption, its time to move on to my updated list of the 25 greatest Mario games of all-time:
1. Mario was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and appeared in the game designer's first ever title, the 1981 arcade platformer, Donkey Kong. Miyamoto was hired as a graphic artist by Nintendo in 1977, and was given the task of designing a game after several of the company's early coin-ops had failed to make an impression on the lucrative arcade market. Donkey Kong was created using the hardware behind an older arcade title named Radar Scope, which sunk without a trace in the US. Miyamoto ditched the shooting theme and added an ape and rolling barrels. Success naturally followed.
2. Mario was originally known as Jumpman. However, when Nintendo's US office were trying to think of a better name in time for the American release of the game, they were interrupted by their landlord Mario Segale, after whom they christened the character.
3. Mario was originally a carpenter, not a plumber. He's also appeared as a doctor in the 1990 puzzle title Dr Mario and its sequels.
4. The look of Mario is all about the graphical limitations of the hardware at the time. He has a hat, because realistic hair was difficult to portray, a moustache to accentuate his nose, and dungarees to make his arm movements more noticeable. In Super Mario Bros, he wears a brown shirt below his overalls – a look that was swiftly abandoned.
5. Donkey Kong Jr, the 1982 sequel to Donkey Kong, is the only game in which Mario officially stars as the antagonist. He has trapped poor Donkey Kong in a cage and the ape's son must rescue him. In the game's promotional material, Mario even gets a specially twirled moustache, highlighting his evil nature.
6. In contrast, Bowser, the key antagonist of the Super Mario Bros series, has also appeared as a good guy. He helps Mario in the 1996 title Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars.
7. Super Mario Bros was preceded by the 1983 arcade platformer, Mario Bros. Designed by Miyamoto and Game Boy-creator Gunpei Yokoi, it's set in the New York sewer system and introduces Mario's brother Luigi.
8. Bowser was originally sketched as an ox by Miyamoto, but his drawings were misinterpreted by animator Yoichi Kotabe as a turtle. The duo worked together on the latter idea and the Bowser we know today was born. He's definitely a turtle, though, and not a dragon as some assume. (More here.)
9. The naughty version of Mario – Wario – first appeared as a nemesis in the Game Boy title, Super Mario Land 2. He was designed by Hiroji Kiyotake, who also created Samus Aran, the heroine of the Metroid series. Wario's name blends Mario with the Japanese adjective 'warui' meaning evil.
10. The first Super Mario Bros game has sold 40.24 million copies, although that figure is skewed by the fact that it was bundled with the Nintendo Entertainment System console. It was until recently, however, considered the best-selling game of all time. It has been pushed into second place by Wii Sports on 41.65 million units.
11. Super Mario Bros was the first game to be set in Mushroom World, Miyamoto's long-running and ever-evolving fantasy kingdom. When Mario 'eats' a super mushroom he grows in size and ability. Miyamoto denies that he was influenced by Alice in Wonderland, and instead claims the idea came from enchanted foodstuffs in myths and folklore.
12. In the 1984 Nintendo Entertainment System game Golf, Mario made his first appearance in a sports sim. Kind of. The original character merely resembled Mario, while the later NES Open Tournament Golf specifically featured Mario as a golfer. He appears on the cover in red and white striped overalls, with a blue starry shirt. An awesome outfit.
13. Nintendo composer Koji Kondo provided the iconic soundtrack to Super Mario Bros. The main theme, known as 'Ground Theme', is one of the most recognisable pieces of game music ever recorded. The tune remained in the Billboard ringtone charts for 125 weeks and has been performed in concert by live orchestras. (More here.)
14. The original Super Mario Bros 2 was designed as a tougher version of the first game and released to support the Famicom Disk System, a new add-on for the Japanese version of the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was considered too difficult for Western release, though, so the US and Europe got a tweaked version of the 1987 title Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic instead. The game was hastily refitted with Mario characters in a sort of digital cut-and-shut job. In 1993, the genuine SMB2 was finally released in the West as Super Mario Bros: the Lost Levels, part of the Super Mario All-Stars collection.
15. A Q Score survey in the early nineties revealed that Mario was more recognisable to American children than Mickey Mouse.
16. Footage from Super Mario Bros 3 appears in the climatic scene of appalling 1989 movie, The Wizard, about an emotionally withdrawn gaming champion. As this was the first chance that US Nintendo fanatics would get to see the game, the movie effectively acted as an advert for the release.
17. The new Chain Chomp enemies in Super Mario Bros 3 look like steel black balls with razor sharp teeth. They were inspired by an incident in Miyamoto's childhood when a neighbour's dog chased the terrified genius, before it was yanked back by its chain.
18. Elsewhere, the Whomp characters from Super Mario 64 were inspired by a mythological being known as the nurikabe, a 'wall ghost' that misdirects or impedes travellers at night.
19. ...and the versions of the ghostly Boo enemies found in Super Mario 64, are based on the wife of the game's co-designer Takashi Tezuka. As Miyamoto explained in an interview with Nintendo Power magazine: "Mr. Tezuka got an idea about putting his wife in the game. His wife is very quiet normally, but one day she exploded, maddened by all the time he spent at work. In the game, there is now a character who shrinks when Mario looks at it, but when Mario turns away, it will grow large and menacing."
20. Released in 1989, the Game Boy title Super Mario Land was the first major Mario game to be developed without Miyamoto. Producer Gunpei Yokoi didn't do too badly however: the game shifted over 18 million copies. The game also introduces a new female character, Princess Daisy, replacing Mario's usual love interest, Princess Peach.
21. The 1993 movie, Super Mario Bros, was Hollywood's first attempt to create a video game tie-in. Starring Bob Hoskins and Dennis Hopper it was a critical and commercial failure, which conspired to give the game a darker, more adult veneer. Apparently, Dustin Hoffman was interested in the role of Mario as his children were fans of the game.
22. Since 1995, the voice of Mario has been provided by American voice actor Charles Martinet. He also voices Wario and Luigi.
23. The Wii hit Super Mario Galaxy was inspired by a tech demo known as Super Mario 128 shown at the Nintendo Space World event in 2000. The demo showed dozens of teeny Marios walking around on a slightly curved surface. During the Gamecube era Galaxy designer Yoshiaki Koizumi thought that entirely spherical levels would make an interesting environment for Mario, but Miyamoto was apparently unconvinced at first. Finally, Koizumi showed off several test levels and the project was greenlit for Wii.
24. The Super Mario bros series is in the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful gaming franchise of all time. It now boasts global sales of over 240 million units.
25. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games.
Alright, no more interrupting, let's go to the list!!
Wait..one last thing...
Alright, no mas, no mas!
#25: Dr. Mario
This underrated puzzler was Super Mario’s response to Tetris. While the game doesn’t have the addiction and depth of Tetris, it still boasts a tougher challenge and also a much groovier soundtrack. There has been a version of Dr. Mario in every single system and is becoming more a staple to Nintendo gaming then Tetris is.
R.I.P. Dr. Mario in Smash Bros. games.....
#24: Mario Party
This game was the surprise hit that absolutely nobody saw coming. Adding to the obvious premise that the Nintendo 64 was the ultimate multiplayer experience for the last part of the 90s, Mario Party combined multi-player thrills with baseball-its-ain’t-over-until-its-over gameplay. The game is mapped out like an interactive board game, and long after you’ve found every single game board you still have a high replay value with the extensive amount of mini-games you can collect and other small goodies. This was the perfect game for anyone with plenty of siblings and friends. I'm surprised this formula for party gaming has not been copied more often---not even by Nintendo themselves.
#23: Super Mario Land
The very first Mario game on a handheld system was by far the most unique. Without the touch of Miyamoto, Nintendo RD&1 provided 12 levels of bizarre gameplay as Mario is thrown into a brand new universe that gamers had never seen before. None of your typical enemies are present, and Mario can be seen flying a plane and navigating a submarine! Like I said, it was different, but was still a nice bit of fun and a grand way to start Nintendo Game Boy’s historic run towards total handheld dominance.
#22: Donkey Kong (1994 version)
Nintendo Game Boy is full of forgotten gems (as I had described in a previous article nobody read) and this one by far is one of the best forgotten gems out there. While the game starts out in a similar Donkey Kong manner, after the fourth level you are thrown into a massive world with over 90 levels to fight through, encounters with Donkey Kong, and even some mayhem with Donkey Kong Jr. It was long, difficult, and plenty of fun.
That’s what she said.
#21: Super Mario Kart
The original that started it all. This game revolutionized gaming with its stellar gameplay and background work, which used Mode 7 technology. There has been dozens of imitators, and none of them can top even the original, which is over 17 years old. Selling 8 million copies on the Super Nintendo, this is one of the best-selling video games in the early years of Nintendo, and remains one of the favorites of the old-school gamers. There is a massive franchise that started because of this polished gem.
#20: Super Mario Bros. 2
So this isn’t the ACTUAL Super Mario Bros. 2 (the real one is excruciatingly evil and difficult) but it’s still an incredibly fun game to play, and would be the first to give Luigi his modern-day appearance and abilities.You can also play as Peach and Toad for more fun.
P.S. This is the first Mario game with the classic baddies known as the Shy-Guys
#19: Mario Golf: Advanced Tour
Mario Golf’s sequel was a small hit in the Gamecube, but the Game Boy Advance version was far superior for multiple reasons. First off, the game was deeper with its gameplay. Second off, the game carries an RPG-like quest that allows for improvement on your game. Third off, it just has much more replay value than the Gamecube counterpart. Developed by the underrated madmen company Camelot, Mario Golf: Advanced Tour is a game that should be imitated much more often.Where is the sequel!?!?
#18: Mario Strikers Charged
Remove those annoying (Yet...satisfying) cheap shots, and this could have been the best Mario sports game of all-time and one of the better sports games you’ll ever play. Nonetheless, the game carries a gritty attitude, a gritty art style, and contains gritty gameplay that’s just absolutely brutal for a Mario game. You can slam characters to electric fences, trip them, throw bombs at them, etc. Oh by the way, this is soccer. A sport never embraced in America, the Mario Strikers franchise has actually seen decent success in the states, but much moreso around the world. This game is addicting fun, and definitely a step away from the norm in Mario gameplay.
#17: Mario Tennis
The best Mario sports game of all-time, and one of the best sports games you’ll ever play. Mario Tennis is incredibly easy and fun to learn, but only the truest of true can master the game and nail every trick shot. There is a large assortment of characters to choose from and an extensive amount of secret ones as well. Adding to the fun is that each character has their specialties, which depending on who you have alters your strategy in the game. This game put Camelot on the map and finally provided Virtua Tennis some competition.
#16: Mario Party 2
Everything that was wrong and was right about Mario Party was improved upon in Mario Party 2. The most underrated Mario game on this entire list, Mario Party 2 is so much fun, a Friday night back then just wouldn’t be complete without a 30+ turn showdown against some friends. The mini-games were better, the maps were better, the cutscenes were better, the amount of secrets was better, and the game itself is easily the best game of its kind. Every other Mario Party absolutely pales in comparison to this one, and why its not in Virtual Console baffles the mind.
#15: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
The handheld sequel to the original smash hit is also an improvement in every possible way. Super Mario has a crisper look, the classic enemies have returned, and yet Super Mario Land 2 still carries the unique and bizarre gameplay that the original was known for. Super Mario in this installment gets to enter a whale, gets to fight in outer space, enters a robotic version of himself, and even becomes extremely small and fights ants. Games like this just aren’t made anymore, whether by Nintendo or any gaming company.
#14: New Super Mario Bros. Wii
While the pure potential of this game was not quite met, it was still an incredibly satisfying video game because of its excellent multi-player mode and return to the basic gameplay that made Super Mario a household name in the first place. While I don't marvel the art style, I do marvel at its fun level design and decent return to difficulty towards the end.
#13: New Super Mario Bros.
It took 14 years before Super Mario returned to the side-scrolling action, but the wait was nearly worth it. In a time in which 3-D is conquering the gaming industry and even the 2-D classics, New Super Mario Bros. reverses the trend by going back to the basics, while maintaining a new look. 70+ levels and multi-player modes galore later, we have a worldwide smash that continues to sell today. The gameplay is old-school but fresh, the music is chipper, the graphics are phenomenal, and the success and impact pretty much guarantees that this will not be the last time we see Mario in 2-D, and it won’t take over 10 years before it happens again.
#12: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Of all the Paper Mario games in the series, this one stands as the best, funniest, and most successful one to date. The plot of Mario rescuing Peach takes a different turn and throws Mario into a massive quest full of whimsical gameplay, clever visuals, and fun usage of the paper effects you see throughout the game. One (of many) of gamecube’s flaws can be traced to the lack of RPGs, and this game nearly filled the void by being so much fun. It’s a shame Super Paper Mario drifted away from the formula.
#11: Super Mario Sunshine
Nintendo is known for drifting away from the formula for some experimental gameplay and risky gambling. Super Mario Sunshine is one of these examples. Instead of expanding upon the nearly flawless gameplay mechanics of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine instead equips you with a muck-cleaning weapon, a tropical overworld, and a new style of platform gaming. The game, despite being so different, runs smoothly, has a lot to do, and reunites you with Yoshi, a Nintendo staple. Where the heck is Luigi though?
#10: Super Mario Bros. DX
I know most gaming magazines and websites will list Super Mario Bros. as one of the best Mario games of all-time. I mean duh, of course. However, while the original Super Mario Bros. did definitely re-introduce the world to gaming and would forever change the industry, I am instead giving it to the Game Boy Color version for one main reason: Super Mario Bros. 2: The Lost Levels is included. This Game Boy Color remake of the original classic is not only a good translation, but also throws in all sorts of goodies including hidden Yoshi coins, fortune cookies, printable stickers, and even an entirely new game. This wasn’t just an incredible game, it was a must-own for any fan of platform games.
#9: Mario Kart DS
This game not only is the deepest of the Mario Kart games, its also the very first extremely successful Nintendo online game. The tracks are incredible, the music is excellent, the amount of unlockables is fantastic, the amount of skill required was the most demanding in the entire franchise, and of course the online mode was something not to be missed. This Mario Kart hit all the right notes, and to this day is considered one of the premiere racing games in history.
#8: Mario Kart 64
Perhaps it’s the nostalgia talking, but even after all I’ve said about Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart 64 is my absolute favorite of the Mario Kart games. Surely the DS version is tougher, longer, and contains more stuff, but Mario Kart 64’s racing tracks remain the best one of them all, and the best collection of courses in the history of racing games. You get the absolutely goofy tracks like Moo Moo Farm and Wario Stadium, but then you have the killer-tough courses like Banshee Boardwalk, Yoshi Valley, and the power slide-friendly Mario’s Raceway. The items were at their best and non-cheapest here, especially with the red and green shells proving much more damage than a wimpy flip. And unlike the cruel blue shells in later installments, the purple shell is actually avoidable. And I didn’t even touch the multi-player mode, which not only is among the best in history, but was the first to prove that 4-player gaming at one time is possible, is fun, and is incredibly addicting.
#7: Super Mario Bros. 3
Prior to the Wii, this was the best-selling video game of all-time, and the most-beloved of the Mario games. However, as time moves on, the nostalgia of the SNES version seems to age better than this instant classic. Nonetheless, Super Mario Bros. 3 is an extremely fun game full of killer items, dozens of secrets, very varied gameplay, and a fun multi-player mode to boot. Super Mario Bros. 3 was the beginning of Nintendo thinking bigger and bigger in terms of where to take the side-scrolling Mario franchise.
#6: Super Mario Galaxy
The old-school gamers are fuming right now because this Wii title has hit so high on the list. But the explanation is simple: Super Mario Galaxy combines old-school gameplay with a totally new-school look. For the first time ever, we are seeing Mario in not just a quest to rescue Peach, but an epic quest in outer space, with creativity and incredible details around every corner. Of all the games on this list, this is the one that should be experienced on an HDTV the most, and of all the games on this list, this one boasts the best soundtrack and some of the coolest levels you’ll ever see. Platform gaming yet again hit a new peak as Miyamoto and company outdid themselves in this production. The only setback is that the sequel outperformed it in so many ways, it made this game look mildly weaker.
#5: Super Mario RPG
For anyone that truly knows me, they know I have a deep fondness of this classic title. Mario’s first array into RPG gaming remains one of the best RPG experiences I’ve ever had the pleasure of facing. I’ll never forget the first time I rented this game back in 1996, not quite sure how to handle Mario in such a different environment. The music is amazing, the characters and humor is memorable, there is so much to do, there are so many secrets and hidden goodies, so many Nintendo (and Final Fantasy) references, and overall, its just a gaming treat. Of the 5 remaining games on this list, this is the least played by far, and hopefully with Virtual Console everyone will realize just how special this game is. Where in the heck is Geno and mallow these days?
#4: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
It hurts a lot to place this down at #4, when it is a fantastically flawless game. Heck, the top 4 Mario games each deserve a perfect score. This game is massive, it’s colorful, and its very different from your average Mario game. Instead of controlling Mario, you are controlling Yoshi as you navigate him through over 50 huge levels full of details, puzzles and surprises. The egg-throwing mechanics is something not used enough in video games, and the coin collecting side-quests warranted nice rewards. The boss battles were extremely creative, and the overall tropical theming of the game is just a delight to witness.
#3: Super Mario World
While Super Mario Bros. 3 expanded Mario gameplay to new heights, Super Mario World improved upon everything Mario 3 contained, and then added some. The graphics and art style was superior, the soundtrack was superior, the level design was better, the game was somewhat tougher, and the overall game was just much bigger. The introduction of ghost houses, fortresses, sunken ships, and the infamous Star Road would influence Mario games for years to come. This game has so many secrets, it would be argued for years just how many levels were actually in Super Mario World. And then there’s the introduction of Yoshi. Super Mario World isn’t just one of the best Mario games ever, but its easily one of the 10 greatest video games of all-time.
#1 TIE: Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Super Mario 64
I shall admit, this was insanely hard for me to do. Super Mario 64 in my opinion is the very best video game of all-time, forever paving the way 3-D games are made. It influenced everything, from platform games to even racers and shooters (Goldeneye 007 being the best example). Despite that, Super Mario Galaxy 2 literally is all the Mario games mixed into one: it has the fun, challange, creativity, incredible music, and everlasting funfactor of all the previous spectacular Mario games already on this list. The game has 3-D worlds, 2-D worlds, levels with Yoshi, levels with Luigi (that's right, LUIGI), enemies of the past and present, an entire second quest once you complete the game, and an outstanding musical score that wraps up the entire beautiful production in a nice package. If you are a fan of video games and own a Wii, there is no reason why don't have Super Mario Galaxy 2 that would make sense to me.
But if I were to find Super Mario Galaxy 2 superior to Super Mario 64, then it would classify itself as the best game of all-time, something I am not prepared to announce. Can Mario Galaxy 2 be truly the best gaming has ever offered? In a much more competitive gaming world? In this excellent generation of gaming? I'm not quite ready to admit this. But, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is 25 years of Super Mario wrapped into one fantastic game, and it deserves to share the spotlight as #1, no matter how much of a cop-out you think this is. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So happy birthday Super Mario, I wish you 25 more years of success, and 25 more years of excellent video games!
Way way way back in June, I mentioned how the attendance of the Tampa Bay Rays is absolutely ridiculous:
