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A Level Pack that Tests Your Jumping Skills

Note that this is a review for V2.7.

Intro
New Super Luigi Adventures is a level pack where you can play as Luigi, Peach, or Toad to explore 8+2 worlds. Each world has ~7 levels in total with boss fights at the last stage of each worlds.

Graphics
This level pack has mario like graphics. There are some levels with good looking backgrounds like Central Power Plant, but most of them are looking like your usual mario games. I also like yoshi's house design.

The game
As i said before, the game has 8+2 worlds, with each world having ~7 levels in total. There are 2 bonus worlds that you can unlock after you collect enough stars. Strangely, i can unlock all of the bonus worlds after reaching world 4 or 5, meaning that i have finished them all by the time i finished half of the levels.

Most of the levels in this level pack doesn't give you powerups, especially in the first few levels. I only got Fire flower powerup available for grabs by the end of the first world, and that's only available in 2 levels out of all the levels. However, you'll still get mushrooms in each level so you don't have to worry about dying by getting hit.

Although i don't mean the lack of powerups as a bad thing (actually, it fits its purpose in the first world), some levels are just too punishing without Tanuki Leaf. Imagine that you have to jump on a red platform (the one that is falling quickly) in a succession where there are only like one tile for you to land in each jump. That's how most levels in this game looks like. I know i'm exaggerating a bit, but actually there is one level that is similar to that, except that instead of red platforms, it's the moving skull platforms with all the lava. Luckily, there is a level (Solitary Pyramid W2-6) that gives Tanuki Leaf and Suit that can be beaten easily so you can stock up in that level beforehand.

I also noticed that there are a lot of levels that are very long and repetitive. This is actually happening on almost all of the special levels in the second bonus world, except for one. These levels usually require you to do the same action over and over again for several minutes or wait for a long time before you can do any action.

There are also some levels that has this empty, big room as a hub between one area and another. I think these areas are unnecessary since it'll just make the level feels to be longer than usual. Speaking of big rooms, some levels also have a very big area to explore. I tried to explore the whole area because i want to find secret flowers and/or exit, but i still couldn't find them all; there are some levels that has this empty box in the exit which is usually filled with green star, a star that is awarded after you collect all flowers in a level.

Speaking of flowers, some levels have flowers that you can collect. There are usually 3 flowers available in a level, although i noticed that there is one level with more than 3. Some levels, like boss fight levels, will still give you stars even though there isn't any flowers in the level. There are also some levels that won't give you stars if you don't finish the area from a secret exit while there are some levels that won't give you any stars at all no matter what you do (or perhaps i'm just missing something).

Although i said that there are a lot of levels that are very long, surprisingly, the levels in the first world has a perfect length. The last world is even shorter than the first world although i'm not really complaining; i need a break after i explored all those long levels in the previous worlds. However, the last few levels in the last world look like a joke; you only need to go right a bit just to clear the level. No enemies, no obstacles, nothing goes in your way. It's as if the levels are there just to make the level count in that world close to 7.

The game also offers Yoshi in some of the levels. There is also a Yoshi up for grabs in one of the checkpoint level. However, the levels in this level pack aren't Yoshi friendly; you need to climb a lot in this level pack to finish the levels. There are still one or two levels that require yoshi to finish though.

Although this game requires you to know most of the techniques beforehand, i like how the sliding mechanic is introduced. There are areas that require you to slide in early stage before the tutorial is explained and you can still walk through the sliding ground without dying. After the sliding mechanic is introduced, you must use it or you'll die in the pitfalls after the slide because you're not gaining enough momentum. I remember how to slide perfectly because of this.

As for boss fights, most of them are kinda obvious and easy to beat since there is a safe spot and/or unlimited powerup next to the boss.

Lastly, i think there is a need to give comment on some of the levels so here they are (it's mostly about how difficult the level without Tanuki Leaf and how i can't seem to find the green star in the level though):
- Peach's Castle is so difficult without Tanuki Leaf. Luckily, there is a shortcut for reaching the end. It's sad to see that there is no reward or whatsoever for clearing the level without shortcut though. Anyways, i didn't know that you can (and supposed to) enter the castle at first. I ended up going inside in my second run and i was a bit confused since there wasn't any exit after you talk to the princess. I didn't know that i have to exit the castle from the front entrance to finish the level.
- Bell Hill Revisited is also difficult without Tanuki Leaf, especially on the last few jumps that needs you to jump super high.
- Green Mushroom Hills is exciting. I don't know if it's because of my crappy laptop or not, but sometimes the game speeds up at random intervals which makes the game harder. I enjoyed the stage more because of that though.
- I like the moving blocks in Night-time Oasis.
- Sand Platforms really tests your jumping skills. I won't be able to finish it if it's the first time i'm playing mario games. I also like the Tanuki Leaf powerup in the middle of the level. I'm sure i won't be able to survive the second half without it.
- You can become stuck in Solitary Pyramid (W2-6) if you haven't toggle all the switches when you go to the pipe area with 4 toggle switch blocks on it. There are also several occassions where i have to restart the level several times because of the bug which somehow slides me left and right whenever i try to run while grabbing something in midair.
- Desolate Valley is hard. I lost all of my powerups there and there's no single powerup in that level except for a mushroom. I noticed that it becomes easier if you use Tanuki Leaf or Suit though; I didn't really use it properly.
- Sometimes the p button in fortress (W2) is gone. I had to go to the entrance and back to the spot several times just to make it shows up. There is also a bug where you suddenly move a few tiles away from the place you're supposed to be when you're ducking in tight places (near the bombs). This bug lets me cheat the level to go to the boss stage faster. Speaking of boss stage, i didn't know that the tile below the sand is breakable. I got confused in how to beat the boss until i watched a youtube video.
- Are you supposed to not get a star after you finish Legendary Tree? I'm not sure if i'm missing something or not but i already checked the whole level and didn't find any flowers.
- I noticed that there's a box for green star in Nocturnal Grounds but i can't find any flowers in the level. The level is also hard to beat.
- It feels great to ride the clown car in Car Clown Ride. I feel that there are too many powerups in that level though. Also, i can't seem to find any flowers in the stage and there seems to be a box for a green star in it.
- Freefall Bonus seems to be an interesting level, but it becomes very boring in the end.
- I'm not sure how you can reach the blue toggle in Luigi's Mansion without Tanuki Leaf. I can't seem to reach where the green toggle switch is so i'm gliding up to hit it. The boss battle is interesting though. I like the Tanuki Leaf powerups that spewed out from the pipe; i'm not sure if i'll be able to beat the boss without it.
- Sky Fortress feels like hell without Tanuki Leaf. To be honest, the level is still hard even with Tanuki Leaf.
- Special Bonus 1 is boring. It's mostly just going straight to the exit.
- I like the new powerup in Special Bonus 2. I don't know why it suddenly runs out though.
- I'm not sure how to reach the red platform in Special Bonus 4 without Tanuki Leaf. The level is also very long and boring and there are even three exits in the stage; I had to play it at least 3 times just to check all of them.
- I can't see how you can finish Special Bonus 5 without getting hit without Tanuki Leaf.
- The goal in Jungle Crossroads is different (it's more like a checkpoint). Is it supposed to be like that or am i missing something?
- You can't go to the exit in Pine Forest if you go to the right pipe. You'll end up in a dead end with a jumping platform (the one with arrow tile) and you can't go to the upper platform. I also can't seem to find any flowers although i find a box for the green star at the end of the level.
- There is also another box in Mysterious Cove which usually has green star in it and i can't find a single flower in the level. Am i missing something?
- I'm not sure how you can finish Pirates Cove without Tanuki Leaf. The first yellow toggle switch can't be hit twice.
- I like Riding on Vines. I literally like the level where you're riding on the vines.
- I also like the sliding area in Twilight Ski-Resort.
- It's hard to clear Frosty Cloudtop without Tanuki Leaf. Also, i can't seem to find any flowers in the level but there is a box for the star at the end of the level.
- I like the song on the second half of Polar Sky Ascent. The level is very long though and it's kinda boring. I also can't seem to find the green star even though there is a box for it in the level.
- The liquid in W5 fortress looks like water to me; i thought i won't die if i touch it. The boss fight is also kinda funny for me since i thought the boss die in one hit. I didn't know that the boss actually respawns.
- Why does Arctic Summit placed in the same place as world 5? Also, i only can find one flower in Arctic Summit (the one near the entrance).
- I don't like the portals in Toxic Factory. You basically need to gamble to not die. It took me a lot of effort to move those bombs and i died because i'm not lucky. I know the right door is kinda obvious but i got to check all of them in case they lead to a secret door or something.
- I like Mechanical Factory level. I like how you have to navigate the area to clear the level.
- I didn't know what to do at first at Central Power Plant. The level is also awfully long with nothing in it.
- I don't think you can finish Igneous Mines without Tanuki Leaf and there is no Tanuki Leaf in the stage.
- I like Treacherous Lava. Running around with my Yoshi and Tanuki Leaf is kinda fun.
- I like how the lava in Volcano Summit only starts moving after you move.
- The animation when you're going to the white pipe in Peril Descent in the third area is gone. It's as if you're teleported to another pipe. I love the descent in the second area by the way.
- Why is W7 fortress located in W8? Anyway, the level looks like Mechanical Factory but it's easier and more repetitive to me.
- Infernal Cave is too punishing without Tanuki Leaf.
- Bowser's Road (W8-4) and (W8-5) are way too short. It's more like troll levels.

Pros:
- 8+2 worlds
- Some levels are challenging your jumping skills
- Collectable flowers on some of the levels
- Some secret exits

Cons:
- No Tanuki Leaf or Suit in the challenging jumping levels
- Yoshi is mostly useless
- Some levels are very long and repetitive
- Some levels have area that is too big to explore

Conclusion
This is an enjoyable level pack if you like to test your jumping skills. The big area and very long levels aren't really enjoyable to me, but there are some levels that don't have them in it.

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Bug:
- You might be sliding left and right on the non walkable tiles whenever you try to run while grabbing something in midair.
- You might be able to move a few tiles away from the place you're supposed to be when you're ducking in tight places.
- I got my yoshi back even though i left it on Riverside Mayhem when i restart the game and load my save after completing the level.
- You can go off path by going left (or right), and then up from Luigi's Mansion to Sky Fortress and Clown Car Ride to Freefall Bonus route.
- Jumping while taking a powerup in a moving platform that moves up and down will make you fall to the ground because of the invisibility.
- You can go right one tile from Igneous Mines area and it leads to nowhere.

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Typo:
- When you talk to the penguin in Glacier Park: "Don't jump out of the clown cart", do you mean "Don't jump out of the clown car"?
- The warp pipe leading to W8 and W9 has their name switched.

Posts

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Thanks for playing this 2018 episode. XD
I can address the aforementioned bugs through adequate play-testing and
better design choices using the current engine.
Consistency with power-ups from one level to the next.
W5 and W6 levels could have fewer backgrounds in their folders.
No problem, thanks for making the level pack too!
Is the bug engine related? I think i also experienced the jumping platform bug on SMBX2 too.
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