The return of 2D...WOW.

I really can't believe that even though this is a 2D game, there are things that not only I haven't seen before, but I can't believe it had never been done before. This is a truly innovative game, with some great classic action and some very neat visuals.

2D has always had a way of being popular in era's where it's been called obsolete. Starting with Castlevania: SOTN on a then-next gen system, that game showed that 2D will always be the forum for good straight forward fun. Now when it seems that the DS is the only way to get "classic- gaming, here's a 2009 console 2D platformer.

The graphics aren't stellar but they're pretty darn good. Colorful and fun, they're very good but aren't out to prove anything. Same for the sound, though the music is surprisingly catchy. If you've played the DS version, you're going to be familiar with the cosmetic >

The controls are very good. One thing I didn't like is the way Mario doesn't just get up and go quite as smoothly as he did. He takes a moment to warm up, which can actually add to the challenge. That's not really a critism as much as it is an observation. Again, pretty much like the DS version. Overall, the controls are responsive and it's fun to manuever, despite the imperfections.

What really makes this game cool is just the new innovations that don't seem forced. Giant blocks, rotatating grounds and some clever level designs really make the old formula feel fresh. There's even a puzzle aspect to certain sections, but they never seen to slow the action down. Again, you've got new idea's that you can't believe weren't used in the past...and it's done so well.

Overall, this is a great and fresh game that brings back old school with a major injection of modern day gameplay. It may not appeal to everyone, but to those of us who love the old days when 2D was the mainstream for fun and adventure, this is the game for you. Hopefully this will prove again and again that 2D will always have a place in the industy.

Cool fun

I must admit, I'm not used to the whole "open gameplay" concept. But after a while, I began to enjoy it. Some of the area's may seem far apart, but once you play for a while, you find the area's closer together. I also liked it better in the higher difficulty, not because I like it to be harder, but because more seems to happen that way. Pretty much you go from one cool looking area to another, but it turns out to be a lot of fun once things start to warm up. The game looks great, it sounds realistic, and I love the way you can change your time of day via resting. It really changes the strategy. Do you attack at night or during the day? Overall, it may not be for everyone, but it's grown on me and now I'm hooked!

Fun for fans

I think this is a remarkable game. It's hard to really compare it to the past PoP games of the last few years, since it's kind of a reboot of sorts. It uses a lot of the same control concepts, but it's still different enough to create a real learning curve. But after about 10 minutes or so, I had gotten used to it. The visuals aren't bad, though I must say I prefer the of the last generation games. None the less, it's still a nice presentation overall.

The story is pretty interesting. It's actually quite complex, having a movie quality story. The prince himself is a little more silly, but he certainly has more a sense of adventure and fun this time around. He's got some pretty amusing lines, and he has a way of actually saying what I was actually thinking most of the time, which was cool.

Overall, this is a game that's pretty easy to get into, and the game is just plain fun. It's cinema's are well proportioned and the action is consistent and and well designed. Despite some visual and control flaws, this turns out to be a lot of fun.