Fan games are a fascinating thing to me. On one hand, I can't help but feel like they are ultimately a waste of time, beyond the developer(s) merely wanting to pay tribute to a series that they love; as they obviously are not legally permitted to profit off of their hard work in any way whatsoever. But, on the other hand, I see the possibility for an ambitious, upstart developer to hone their skills working on their own entry in a series that inspires them - hopefully with the intention to go on and make their own franchises someday. It's a muddy, complicated scene, where we've seen loads of passion and effort ultimately get thrown away once a developer's fan game gets noticed by legal departments and copyright lawyers. But, for the time that the fan games are available, we get to see, appreciate and hopefully play them before they are inevitably banished to the legal Shadow Realm.
Enter Super Mario & The Rainbow Stars, an absurdly charming Mario fan game, and a project that I'm following like a hawk.
About via Superstarshi:
Super Mario and the Rainbow Stars is a project that aims to bring the unique traits of the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi series into a fun 2D platformer. Explore 7 different chapters, discover new partners and unique worlds, and stop Starnox's evil plans!
Features: New moves, cutscenes, 3D world map, tons of powerups, a 3 hp life system, partner system, original songs and more!
Story:
One day, the Mario Bros were hanging out near their house until they suddenly received a letter from Peach. They've been invited for the Star Festival! Before that festival starts, they're planning to take a trip with a hot air balloon. Things turn out for the worse once something goes wrong...
Everyone gets scattered, and now it's up to Mario to find his friends, as well as retrieve the Rainbow Stars, which were scattered by the newly awakened Starnox. Mario must get these Rainbow Stars, otherwise the plan of plunging the world into darkness might succeed... Thankfully Mario will be accompanied by many different partners alongside his journey.
From a star kid to a ghostly spirit, and from a blooper pirate to the dark star itself, safe to say Mario will encounter many unique friends and foes on his adventure! This adventure will take you through the archipelago where Yoshis reside, an abstract forest inhabited by many different ghosts, a sky island which holds all 4 seasons at once and more!
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| Photo from superstarshi.github.io/smatrs/ |
The game looks absolutely gorgeous. It boasts adorable sprites and a crisp art style that hearkens back to DS-era games like Kirby: Squeak Squad. Bright, vivid colors reflect a lively, welcoming world that I long want to spend so much time in. The gameplay is fresh and unique, as Superstarshi (the developer) has tried to merge mechanics from across various Mario sub-series, and subsequently managed to make something unlike anything Nintendo has concocted thus far in the franchise. Movement has a fluid and loose feel, more akin to three-dimensional Mario titles; complete with dive jumping. There are powerup suits like the Frog Suit or the Cat Suit, along with their respective abilities. It appears to feature a "partner" system, similar to the Paper Mario games. There is also a health bar, which is typically a mechanic in the 3D Mario entries. I can't wait to see what all Superstarshi has tucked into this wonderful looking game.
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| Photo from superstarshi.github.io/smatrs/ |
Super Mario & the Rainbow Stars has a demo available on the game's website, and they plan to eventually have a full seven chapters to play through. With this kind of love, attention to detail and dedication, I have no doubt that this will be a very special game when it is complete. And if by some miracle, I hope Superstarshi's work isn't erased by Nintendo's infamously litigious legal department. We're rooting for you!
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| Photo from superstarshi.github.io/smatrs/ |
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