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Author Topic: Mario & Luigi: Dream Team  (Read 5663 times)

« on: August 29, 2013, 07:21:38 PM »
Might as well give it a thread.

What's everyone's take on Dream Team? I'd put it on the same level as Bowser's Inside Story, above Partners in Time but below Superstar Saga. The Massif Bros. are quite possibly my favourite M&L characters to date.
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« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2013, 08:17:27 PM »
I've only played the demo, which was broken down into 3 or 4 parts (depending on how you look at it): one for overworld fights and exploration, one for dream world fights and exploration, and boss mode which itself was 'fight a boss in the real world' and 'fight a boss in the dream world'. So I've only played a total of four times (I think I can play the demo like, 15 times total..)

I liked how the real world boss battle was set up. I won't give away too much for those who haven't played at all, but I like how the entire playing field was used.

My one complaint is that I had to use the control stick to move the Bros around. For some reason, my hand hurt for a couple days afterward. It appears there is no option to use the control pad instead, which would also have worked just fine.
Kinopio is the ultimate video game character! Who else can drive a kart, host parties, play tennis, give good advice and items, and is almost always happy??

« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2013, 06:37:34 PM »
I liked how the real world boss battle was set up. I won't give away too much for those who haven't played at all, but I like how the entire playing field was used.

It's certainly novel, but it can be hard to gauge distance properly during those segments, even with 3D eyerape turned on.

Currently farming for another pair of Farmer Boots. Hot [darn].
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CrossEyed7

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« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2013, 11:31:14 PM »
I have a full post for this typed up on my computer, but I haven't been able to post from my computer 99% of the time for a while now, so I'm writing a somewhat shorter post on my Wii U.

Here's the Iwata Asks. Interesting that there's no mention of Miyamoto, in contrast to the Sticker Star one. Miyamoto and Tezuka are credited as supervisors, though.

There was one part in the Iwata Asks where they were like "We wanted to make sure we included women in the development of the game" and I was like "Oh, hey, yay!" and then they were like "...because we needed people who suck at playing video games" and I was like "...Oh."

Did you know "womenfolk" comes up in the Wii U browser's autocorrect?

Anyway, I just beat the game earlier today, after about 43 hours. Right now, I'd put it in second place after TTYD in Mario RPGs. That may get adjusted with more playthroughs (which the game encourages with an end of game stats screen showing what percentage of Excellent attacks you got, how many times you got hit, and more... while simultaneously discouraging it by having only two save files. Seriously, why are limited numbers of save files still a thing in 2013, when every console currently in production has expandable system memory?). Also I haven't played enough of BIS yet to rank it.

I never used Easy Mode. I got Game Over 16 times, and up until the endgame bosses, that was mostly from regular enemies, some of whom have attacks that give you a status effect that keeps you from moving, so when your attack turn comes up, you can't do anything, so they attack you again, and you can't dodge because you can't move, so you might end up getting hit with that status again. Even with that, though, I think I maybe used three Refreshing Herbs over the course of the entire game. Half the time, you get no opportunity to use one, since it's just Mario in the dream world, and then in the real world, you're usually better off using a mushroom and just waiting for the status effect to wear off next turn. And now that I think of it, I don't think there were ever any poison attacks, which is the one time it would make sense to use an herb.

In the dream world battles with just Mario and the giant battles with just Luigi, there were times when I wouldn't heal because it felt like a waste to do that with my one turn and then give the boss three more attacks. It got me to thinking that I'd like to see a Mario RPG with three or four party members out at a time, in the tradition of SMRPG, to open up more battle strategies. I think the badge system in this game was an attempt to address that, as that's how I did most of my healing, and a little bit of attacking. The badges basically act as a third party member who can't act every turn. But still, having three or four actual party members would be fun. Maybe that can be the next experiment they try with Paper Mario, or maybe make it a new series, maybe with Luigi as the main character.

I should mention there's a lot of room for alternate strategies in the game, with all the different equipment, badges, and Rank Up bonuses, and you do have to play through multiple times to try them all out.

Some bosses have attack animations that get really long. The battles themselves, however, don't take nearly as long as the endgame battles in PiT.

I really love how battles with Viruses work.

I could complain about how there's no Tanoombas and Luigi doesn't have his red and white socks, but I can overlook that because I love this game just for being the complete opposite of Sticker Star. There's characters and story and backstory and lore and species and continuity and returning characters from all three M&Ls and the music is great.

I give this game a 3 out of 10.
"Oh man, I wish being a part of a Mario fan community was the most embarrassing thing about my life." - Super-Jesse

« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2013, 07:30:11 PM »
Been searching for a second pair of Farmer Boots for about eight hours. As a result, I've grown nearly ten levels. :3

Seriously, why are limited numbers of save files still a thing in 2013, when every console currently in production has expandable system memory?



Halfway through the final area, I've racked up four or five Game Overs, with all but one being from those giant battles. The Guard Shell accessory is a complete gamebreaker.

Indeed, being limited to one action per turn in dream battles doesn't promote much in the way of strategy. At the very least, each bro could have more specialized functions, like with Luigi having defense/support Bros. Attacks to fill more of a "White Mage" role.
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« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2013, 11:43:02 PM »
I was playing it, it was good, but then FFXIV came out (again) and obliterated Dream Team's chances at my time. Ahhh well.

I liked Sticker Star more though, because it was new and weird instead of "Yep it's this game again (again (again))".

Kimimaru

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« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2013, 07:13:24 PM »
I played the demo and enjoyed it. I think they did a good job brushing up the pause menu (not that the previous ones were bad; I just find the new one easier to use). From what I noticed, the gameplay is pretty much the same old goodness. I'm tempted to pick up the full game now; the only thing holding me back is how much less time I spend playing video games now compared to previous years.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2013, 07:15:56 PM by Kimimaru »
The Mario series is the best! It has every genre in video games but RTS'! It also has a plumber who does different roles, a princess, and a lot of odd creatures who don't seem to poop!

« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2013, 12:22:43 AM »
Just finished the game. I've heard Hard Mode makes the giant battles absolutely beastly, so I'll have to take a pass.

the only thing holding me back is how much less time I spend playing video games now compared to previous years.

Wh-what could possibly be taking up your video-game time?
YYur  waYur n beYur you Yur plusYur instYur an Yur Yur whaYur

« Reply #8 on: September 05, 2013, 08:43:17 AM »
I don't know Kimimaru's position, but I have a probable answer: real life. Jobs, school (college), spending time with your significant other, kids.. those are all things that can take up much of your gaming time as you get older. You still find time to play games, but usually, free time is just taken up by one of the aforementioned situations.
Kinopio is the ultimate video game character! Who else can drive a kart, host parties, play tennis, give good advice and items, and is almost always happy??

« Reply #9 on: September 05, 2013, 01:25:42 PM »
Good thing I'll never find a mate or reproduce, then!
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Kimimaru

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« Reply #10 on: September 05, 2013, 07:02:59 PM »
The main thing that takes up my free time is a game I'm currently developing that I started a little over a year ago. College takes up a fair bit of my time as well when it's in session but not nearly as much as the game. I play video games occasionally but not as often as I used to.
The Mario series is the best! It has every genre in video games but RTS'! It also has a plumber who does different roles, a princess, and a lot of odd creatures who don't seem to poop!

« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2013, 07:43:27 PM »
Reasonable enough. You have Weegee's forgiveness.
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