Super+Mario+Bros.+Wii+(Jamie)


 * Game Review - Entertainment ** ** Super Mario Bros. Wii ** ** Jamie Newbold **

//**(4 points)**// **A brief description of the game. You may include images or even video clips to help give readers a better idea of the game.** For this assignment, I played the 2009 Super Mario Bros. Wii game. I found that I was familiar with the storyline. Princess Peach is celebrating her birthday with friends at her castle. All of a sudden, a large birthday cake appears and out from the cake pops the evil Bowser and his gang. The gang kidnaps poor Princess Peach by trapping her inside the cake. They whisk her away and hide her in their flying boat. Princess Peach and the boat are pursued by her loyal friends, Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad and Yellow Toad. The friends travel over many lands, fighting Bowser’s troops along the way until they arrive at Bowser’s castle where Princess Peach has been caged. I did not make it this far in the game but I am told that Bowser is defeated then revived by a character named Kamek. Mario triggers a switch that causes Bowser to fall through the ground. This releases Peach from her cage. Hooray! Peach and Mario leave Bowser’s castle in a hot-air balloon, with Luigi and the Toads following behind. This particular Super Mario game is a multiplayer game with a side-scrolling feature.

The first things that come to mind have little to do with the game itself. I learned that patience is a necessity when you’re learning a new Wii game. I learned that you have to persevere. I learned that frustration is inevitable; frustration is just a part of the game. I learned that Super Mario Bros. is forgiving. You can fail (die) multiple times and the game still lets you play. If you break all of that down you get patience, perseverance, frustration, and forgiveness (or room to fail and try again). It was impressed upon me that my students must feel these things everyday. I, as their teacher, need to be sure that my students know these feelings are okay (yes, even frustration and failure) and that no matter what, I am there to support them and give them those multiple tries and chances.
 * //(5 points)// **** The kinds of learning involved? What skills did you need to learn to be successful at the game? **

Back to the original question, the objective of the game is to rescue Princess Peach. To do so the player(s) must journey through and defeat various lands and enemies (levels). The levels become more and more complicated the further you progress through the game. I did not get very far but I’ve watched my son progress through numerous levels. I learned that I needed to jump at certain times, not too early, not too late. I learned that there are strategies for living and progressing. I learned that if you mess up numerous times, the game will send you help. I was playing as Mario and the game sent me Luigi to model for me how to make it through the level I was on. I was able to learn from Luigi’s example. I learned to anticipate when a bridge or a sand geyser might appear, guiding me to safety. I also learned to anticipate trouble and how to sidestep trouble if possible.

Super Mario Bros. taught me to anticipate. How to anticipate trouble, how to anticipate help, anticipate jumps, traps, etc.. These lessons were taught and learned both indirectly and directly. I often died while playing but I think dying is a part of the teaching process. You do, you die, then you do again (better the second time). Much like the Probing Principle from James Paul Gee’s book //What Video Games Have to Teach us About Learning and Literacy//. I would probe, I would build a hypothesis based on my first experience then I’d probe again. Dying did not discourage me because through my probing I was taught that dying is not the end of the game - I’d get multiple chances. I was also taught that I’d inevitably perform better each subsequent try. Doing better is a good feeling (dopamine), which made me want to try again and again. Even if I made it just a few inches further on my second attempt, I was happy. The inches felt like progress. I was also taught that certain buttons and hand positions helped me better perform particular tasks. For example, it wasn’t until I was 10-15 minutes into the game that I learned I could shake the console and it would spin my character up in the air. A notice popped up on the screen and taught me that trick. Another way I was taught was through Luigi – a game character. After multiple failed attempts, I was given the option of watching Luigi complete the level I was on. After watching and learning from him I wanted to try again! I appreciated the visual and virtual teaching and learning. It was impressed upon me that no one was sitting there teaching me directly. Much of my learning was subconscious. Much of my learning came from indirect game cues.
 * //(5 points)//** **The kinds of teaching involved. Think about the kinds of feedback, rewards, guidance, and information the game gave you, and how it paced and structured your learning. Which Principles of Learning did the game utilize?**

It seems like there are endless online sites, forums, wikis, etc. devoted to this Super Mario Bros. game. All I had to do was Google “how to play Super Mario Bros. Wii” and up popped numerous sites and images from Wikipedia to personal blogs, YouTube to Wikis. I think gaming websites such as fullscreenmario.com, mushroomkingdom.net and supercheats.com/wii/supermariobrosquestions.php are the most prolific. I have no doubt I could learn all I would ever want or need to know about this game from online supports and video tutorials.
 * //(3 points)//** **A brief description of the kinds (and quantity) of online sites, forums, wikis, etc. devoted to the game. What game activities are most-commonly discussed?**

Having played the old school Super Mario Bros. game as a kid, I thought the Wii version would come naturally. Ha! I could not have been more wrong. The fact of the matter is – I am not good at video games. I never have been and I’m afraid I never will be. This doesn’t stop me from wanting to try them though. I was surprised at how frustrated I got so early in the game. I’d like to think of myself as a person who is self-controlled. Apparently I am not when playing video games. I also learned that I talk to myself out loud while playing. My husband let me in on this little secret. Super Mario Bros. is rated E for everyone 10 and up. I’m well over 10-years-old and figured I’d have no problem. In fact, I was expecting to tire of the game quickly because it was too easy. Having few foundational gaming skills, I struggled with nearly everything even holding the console (I was pointing it at the screen opposed to holding it horizontally). I had to read all of the steps and tips that pop up of the screen – my son skips right over those. My fingers do not work quick enough and my thumb started hurting right away. How pathetic do I sound?! I had to struggle my way through the game and after 45 minutes I felt like I was only just starting to get the hang of it. I’ve watched my son play this game with his friends and it seems to be a fun multi player game. After finding my bearings (playing the game for 45+ minutes), I’d like to play again and build upon my newfound skills (as minimal as they are)!
 * //(3 points)//** **Your overall reflections on playing the game.**