Stars (*) will be used as my rating system, ten stars being the best and one being the worst.

Storyline: * * * * * * * *

The story is basically the same as most Mario games. Mario and the princess are taking a well-deserved vacation to the tropical resort of Isle Delfino. When they arrive, however, Mario is blamed for the terrible graffiti that covers the island. Now, Mario has to clean up the mess and find out who did this. The story then takes a more interesting twist later when the villain begins to give more hints on what's going on. A very good story.

Cast: * * * * * * * * *

The cast consists of familiar characters as well as some new faces.

Mario: The world-famous plumber is back in business. Cleaning up Isle Delfino isn't what he had in mind when he came to this tropical land, but being the nice guy he is, he accepts the task to clean the island and clear his good name.

Princess Peach: Mario's leading lady, for once, doesn't start off getting kidnapped. The ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom is always paying attention to her surroundings.

Toadsworth: Peach's butler is always worried about the well-being of the princess. He asks Mario to take care of the princess and make sure nothing happens to her.

FLUDD (Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device): A handy (and very intelligent) water cannon from Gadd Science Inc. helps Mario in his quest to make things less putrid. It has many different nozzles to use for different situations. It also knows good information and will reveal it when you need it.

???: Also known as Shadow Mario, this strange fellow is the cause of the graffiti. Who is he?

Yoshi: Everyone's favorite dino is back and has new powers. He can now change colors depending on the fruit he eats.

Baby Bowser: What? I don't remember seeing him around. Hmm... Oh, yeah! He's hiding in the game... somewhere.

Graphics: * * * * * * * * *

As soon as I turned the game on, my jaw hit the floor. This game has BEAUTIFUL graphics! Everything is greatly detailed, especially the water. The game's graphics really capture that tropical resort feel. You almost want to jump into the game and relax on one of the beaches with a cold drink.

Controls: * * * * * * *

The controls are quite simple. Like a traditional Mario game, the jumping controls are all pretty much easy to figure out. FLUDD's controls are a lot like that of the Poltergeist 3000 from Luigi's Mansion. When riding Yoshi, you can do his flutter jump the same way as in other Yoshi games.

Mini-Games: * * * * * * * *

The mini-games are very well put together. Some of them are a little too challenging. It may take a lot of tries to beat a few of them. Many of them consist of challenging jumping courses (kinda like the ones in SM64). There's also red coin collecting, racing, box breaking, and Blooper surfing (?). The prize is usually a blue coin or a Shine Sprite.

Music: * * * * * * * *

The new tunes are good, really goes well with the theme of the game. Occasionally you'll hear a familiar tune. For instance, the Mario theme plays during the jumping games, and the SMB cave music is used as Shadow Mario's theme and the Delfino Plaza tunnels music. Another interesting thing is that when you ride Yoshi, bongo drums are added in the background (like in Super Mario World). Overall, the game has great music.

Sound: * * * * * * * * *

Sound in this game is really great. From the pounding surf and the calls of seagulls, to the clomp of Mario's shoes down the cobblestone path, everything sounds more realistic. Another reason I give the sound a 9 star rating is the fact that the people actually TALK! Yep! During the cinematics, practically everyone (except Mario) talks. You can also turn the text on and off so you can enjoy the voices even more.

Overall: * * * * * * * * *

This game is very much like Super Mario 64, but a lot better. A very good game indeed. It's made its way into my top ten favorite Mario games as number four (my number one is Super Mario RPG). Another masterpiece from Nintendo.

I suggest that anyone who's a major Mario fan buy this game. Maybe try renting the game first to experiment with it and see if you like it. Then, find a way to get your hands on this new chapter in the Mario saga.

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