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Commuter Games: Mario Slam Basketball

August 25th, 2009 Posted in Commuter Games

What’s this? An out-of-the-blue edition of Commuter Games? Well, why not? It’s a miniscule step to putting them up regularly. Only a quick one, mind you…Format: DS / Developer: Square Enix / Publisher: NintendoPick up and play? Yep
Like many of Mario’s sporting spin-offs, be they karting, tennis, golf or otherwise, Mario Slam Basketball is perfect for just dipping in and out of. Matches last mere minutes and all it takes to hit the court is a few taps of the stylus.

Much Accomplished? Sure
The fast-paced gameplay lends itself to quick, but enjoyable bouts of basketball. As a result, gamers on longer journeys can play several matches and get closer to unlocking all the different courts and characters. Want to get in a mixture of matches and mini-game challenges? No problem – the quickfire scenarios mean you get several stabs at beating your own records before you have to turn off the DS.

Save System? Yes
Automatic. This is how all handheld games should save their progress. As soon as a match or mini-game finishes, it saves – meaning you lose little to nothing. The worst case scenario would be if your battery runs out just as you’re approaching the end of a standard match, and even then you’ll only lose a few minutes work.

Concentration Required? Definitely
Since the matches are quite fast-paced and have an almost Mario Kart-esque level of chaos about them, you need to pay attention. Weapons and tackles can approach from any angle and it only takes a second to lose possession of the ball. So concentrate. Did Michael Jorden win matches while staring out of the window at the rolling fields?

Enjoyable? Yes
Of the Mario sports available, this is probably the most enjoyable. With the exception of Kart, it feels like the most active – not as stationary as Mario Tennis or Golf. Matches are short enough to offer brief but frequent bursts of satisfaction, so it never fails to raise a (slightly smug) grin on your face as you travel.

Embarrassment Factor? Average
It’s basketball, which is fairly manly as sports go, but you’re playing with Mario characters. HotGirl will either think it’s cute or she’ll feel indifferent about it. It’s always possible that she might detest Mario and everything he’s related to, but then she sounds like she wouldn’t be in the mood for casual conversation with the likes of you.

HotGuy will think it’s cute (in a considerably less patronising way than HotGirl meant it), and deep down he’ll probably want to have a quick go himself. Unless he’s an Xbox 360/PS3/PC hardcore fanboy, in which case his mind will block anything Nintendo-based and he’ll ignore you. Them’s the breaks.