02-05-2007, 08:58 AM
Review: Mario Hoops 3-on-3
Genre: Sports {Basketball}
Players: 1-2
Wi-Fi: No
Download Play: Yes
Touch Screen: Yes
Microphone: No
Overview:
It's time to get down with Mario and friends in the zaniest game of Basketball you have ever seen. All the usual suspects line up to bust out Special Moves, throw Shells and win Cups!
Graphics:
I dunno about anyone else, but Mario Sports titles usually have really good graphics. Mario Hoops is no exception. As a matter of fact, when you've activated Special moves, the game manages to become a work of art - kinda...
There's some nice retro effects in Bloocheep Ocean and Peach Field, and they blend surprisingly well with the fully 3D characters and enviroments.
Sounds:
I love the score in Mario Hoops. Everything. There's lots of retro stuff (such as 1-Up Mushroom noises and coins) and some modern remixes of classic Mario tuns (check out Bloocheep Ocean for an awesome Mario bros tune, reborn as one of the funkiest tunes evar!)
Character effects are spot on, although White Mage and Moogle get a little annoying, for some reason. Spot effects like characters walking and balls bouncing are really good too.
Gameplay
The main game obviously is Basket Ball. You move with the D-Pad and can bounce the ball a little faster by tapping the Touch Screen. The area you tap on the screen corresponds to where the ball is bounced (tapping below your character means the ball moves back towards you, for example) and is part of the strategy. Passing is a quick diagonal left or right stroke towards the desired character whilst shooting is a swipe upwards. To dunk you need to be within reach and then you simply run towards the basket and swipe up again. Special Moves are done by tapping out special shapes (M, B, S, N, L, W, Triangle and Star) and finally, stealing the ball is a downwards swipe.
Whilst the controls are accurate and the game plays really well, somethings don't add up. For example, if the computer wants to score, it will score whether you try to stop it or not. It just seems very unfair when your foe makes a seemingly mad-dash and slam dunks the ball.
The Basketball is still good though.
Characters:
All your favourite Mario characters are back and they've brought some friends from the Final Fantasy series back too (such as Black mage, Ninja and Cactuar). Whilst Mario and co are on par with each other, for some reason, the Final Fantasy characers are virtually unstoppable. They can be beaten, but their stats are over-powered and it's just not right, regardless of where they came from.
multiplayer:
it's a pain in the freaking ass.
Challenging the computer gets tiresome. Sadly, you need multiple cartridges to be able to play a single Exhibition Match. Instead you get some half-assed Mini-games.
This might've been forgiven had the game gone Wi-Fi as Mario Kart did. But it doesn't. no Wi-Fi means I can't recommend this as a multiplayer game, I'm afraid.
Mini-Games:
They are exactly the same. The aim of the Mini-Games is to grab 100 coins, then fill in some criteria such as race to the finish. yawn
You like this and you'll lovethis game, but to all others, stay well away.
Overall:
Mario Hoops has fallen flat on it's face with what it promised. And I'm not feeling right enough to help it up again. Now, I could forgive the lack of a proper multiplayer if there had been a stinking Wi-Fi mode. but there's no RPG game either (remember, this IS a game from Square-freaking-Enix, makers of the worldwide phenomenons Final Fantasy and the mana games) either.
It looks good, and it sounds good, and it plays good, but it doesn't like multiplayers. I want to cry. This could have been so. much. better. Let's hope a Wii-vival can make Basketball a sport Mario can do as well as he does Tennis/Baseball/Karting!
Score:
5/10
Genre: Sports {Basketball}
Players: 1-2
Wi-Fi: No
Download Play: Yes
Touch Screen: Yes
Microphone: No
Overview:
It's time to get down with Mario and friends in the zaniest game of Basketball you have ever seen. All the usual suspects line up to bust out Special Moves, throw Shells and win Cups!
Graphics:
I dunno about anyone else, but Mario Sports titles usually have really good graphics. Mario Hoops is no exception. As a matter of fact, when you've activated Special moves, the game manages to become a work of art - kinda...
There's some nice retro effects in Bloocheep Ocean and Peach Field, and they blend surprisingly well with the fully 3D characters and enviroments.
Sounds:
I love the score in Mario Hoops. Everything. There's lots of retro stuff (such as 1-Up Mushroom noises and coins) and some modern remixes of classic Mario tuns (check out Bloocheep Ocean for an awesome Mario bros tune, reborn as one of the funkiest tunes evar!)
Character effects are spot on, although White Mage and Moogle get a little annoying, for some reason. Spot effects like characters walking and balls bouncing are really good too.
Gameplay
The main game obviously is Basket Ball. You move with the D-Pad and can bounce the ball a little faster by tapping the Touch Screen. The area you tap on the screen corresponds to where the ball is bounced (tapping below your character means the ball moves back towards you, for example) and is part of the strategy. Passing is a quick diagonal left or right stroke towards the desired character whilst shooting is a swipe upwards. To dunk you need to be within reach and then you simply run towards the basket and swipe up again. Special Moves are done by tapping out special shapes (M, B, S, N, L, W, Triangle and Star) and finally, stealing the ball is a downwards swipe.
Whilst the controls are accurate and the game plays really well, somethings don't add up. For example, if the computer wants to score, it will score whether you try to stop it or not. It just seems very unfair when your foe makes a seemingly mad-dash and slam dunks the ball.
The Basketball is still good though.
Characters:
All your favourite Mario characters are back and they've brought some friends from the Final Fantasy series back too (such as Black mage, Ninja and Cactuar). Whilst Mario and co are on par with each other, for some reason, the Final Fantasy characers are virtually unstoppable. They can be beaten, but their stats are over-powered and it's just not right, regardless of where they came from.
multiplayer:
it's a pain in the freaking ass.
Challenging the computer gets tiresome. Sadly, you need multiple cartridges to be able to play a single Exhibition Match. Instead you get some half-assed Mini-games.
This might've been forgiven had the game gone Wi-Fi as Mario Kart did. But it doesn't. no Wi-Fi means I can't recommend this as a multiplayer game, I'm afraid.
Mini-Games:
They are exactly the same. The aim of the Mini-Games is to grab 100 coins, then fill in some criteria such as race to the finish. yawn
You like this and you'll lovethis game, but to all others, stay well away.
Overall:
Mario Hoops has fallen flat on it's face with what it promised. And I'm not feeling right enough to help it up again. Now, I could forgive the lack of a proper multiplayer if there had been a stinking Wi-Fi mode. but there's no RPG game either (remember, this IS a game from Square-freaking-Enix, makers of the worldwide phenomenons Final Fantasy and the mana games) either.
It looks good, and it sounds good, and it plays good, but it doesn't like multiplayers. I want to cry. This could have been so. much. better. Let's hope a Wii-vival can make Basketball a sport Mario can do as well as he does Tennis/Baseball/Karting!
Score:
5/10