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Crazy is the Word

Crazy Hard Mario is an unassuming SMBX title that proclaims it was designed for skilled players. Being exactly that, I decided to take it on and see what it has to offer. I went in expecting some ridiculously over-hard nonsense, but I was somewhat surprised with what I found.

Stage design, the core of any SMBX game, is not particularly good in this game. While the stages themselves aren't as devious as I thought they'd be, they aren't exactly fun to play through either. Levels are designed around raw challenge, meaning little attention has been paid to aesthetics and environment. Heck, the world map doesn't even have any music.


You're hearing what I am.

Don't get me wrong, stages like these have their place, and some people enjoy just overcoming whatever is thrown at them, but I'm at a point in my Mario design philosophy where that sort of thing just doesn't cut it anymore. I'd rather see stages designed carefully and purposefully instead of cobbled together in the name of sheer challenge. Even a raw challenge can be dressed up and presented well. I’ll compliment the developer's use of moving layers, though. They got some creative use out of shifting things around and helped give some sections a different pace.


It's sinking! Shake a leg!

Thankfully, the game is rather short. The worlds are only three stages long (except the end-game ones), so each theme doesn’t overstay its welcome. Now, I might've been able to forgive this game more, but things really started to fall apart toward the end. Most of the end-game stages have no background music, and I started coming across things that were outright broken more and more.


Welp.

In the original version, this platform is not placed on its line correctly. You can't ride it to the top, but even if you could, the boss at the end of the stage is broken. Defeating it shows the wrong layer, so you're left trapped with no choice but to kill yourself. I only cleared it by going in the editor and fixing it myself. I can’t even say it was worth it since the end-game stages are 90% auto-scrolling tank levels with too much going on and not nearly enough power-ups. By far, the worst level was the up-down Ghost House full of Hammer Bros.


Because what else would you put in a Ghost House?

Basic idea: climb up while hammers rain down on you, then climb down as hammers are thrown up at you. This is the only level I would personally describe as ‘crazy hard’. It was difficult for the wrong reasons, mostly; overused enemies and total lack of power-ups to deal with them. In a way, it’s telling of the rest of the game.

If you’re looking for a quick, rough 'n tough SMBX game, this might be for you. Personally, I look for more out of these things. I can only bring myself to give this a...

1.5/5

Posts

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Decky
I'm a dog pirate
19645
I was going to write a review but it would echo your thoughts. Seems like one of those "my first SMBX games" made by an enthusiastic developer who I'm sure could go on to make some awesome Mario games :)
Ratty524
The 524 is for 524 Stone Crabs
12986
I played this a while ago and was going to give my thoughts on it. Thank you for doing my work for me (lol), your sentiments match mine almost precisely.

This episode felt very thrown-together and I didn't really get a sense that it was challenging, more so frustrating and relying on fake difficulty.
I greatly appreciate your review. :)

I am sorry that there were a few bugs in it. I though I got them.
I did just start it with playing with the layers and just seeing what I can do with the engine.
Honestly I was starting to get board near the end and running out of ideas.
Plus I did made a kinda good scrolling levels the moved around a lot with the timing of enemies and objects. They were a bit tricky to make.
I didn't notice I left out music sorry about that. I normal have my computer on mute.
Sorry about the hammer bros too.
I didn't want it to look fancy. I did the SMB 1-2-3 to look nice. did you check that one out? its still a work in progress too.
Your right i did make it for raw challenge and I kind got tunnel vision while I was making it.
I am glad you played my game and your thoughts on my game.
Are those are the only levels you found hard? humm... did you find some of the levels interesting or different?
I made some of the ghost houses a bit to hard by mistake.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
from insaneraving
Are those are the only levels you found hard? humm... did you find some of the levels interesting or different?
Keep in mind that I've been playing SMBX games for a couple years now, so things I find easy may be much harder for other players. I wouldn't have played through the whole thing if I was totally bored; so yes, I did think other levels were different and interesting. They just weren't crazy-hard to me. :3
Thank you :)
I have been using it off and and on for a wile now. I have been jumping to different engines, I started with the rpg maker and fell in love. Now I am learning how to write script and make games in unity.
Thank you so much i am actual about to go back and fix some of the bugs in the game now.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
from insaneraving
i am actual about to go back and fix some of the bugs in the game now.

Go for it! A lot of these issues are very simple to fix. I might update the review/score depending on what gets changed.
Crazy Hard Mario V1.1 is now up. Hopefully if fixed you problems. Thanks for all the feed back.
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
Cool beans. I'll take a look when I'm not working two jobs during the holiday season. -.-
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
Wow, has it really been almost three years?

I finally revisited this to check the update. Unfortunately, most of what I complained about in the review is still true. There are stages without music, broken levels that can't be completed, and bugged world map events that leave you stranded near the end.

Honestly, give this one playthrough yourself and you'll see all that you need to fix. But I understand why it'd be tempting to leave it as well.
author=Deckiller
made by an enthusiastic developer who I'm sure could go on to make some awesome Mario games :)

This is the important question. Have they?
halibabica
RMN's Official Reviewmonger
16873
That's not a very constructive question to ask.
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