Mario's Time Machine

Mario's Time Machine
SNES cover art for Mario's Time Machine.
Developer(s)	The Software Toolworks Nintendo Entertainment System: Radical Entertainment
Publisher(s)	The Software Toolworks Nintendo (NES version)
Platform(s)	MS-DOS, SNES, NES
Release date(s)	DOS NA 1993 NA 1996 re-release Super NES NA December 1993 NES NA April 23, 1994
Genre(s)	Educational game
Mode(s)	Single player

Mario's Time Machine is an educational video game developed by The Software Toolworks for DOS and the Super NES and by Radical Entertainment for the NES release. All versions were published by Mindscape. It was first released in 1993 for DOS, and was later released for the Super NES in December of the same year, and for the NES on April 23, 1994. A deluxe version titled Mario's Time Machine Deluxe was released for DOS in 1996. It is one of several educational games released in the early 90's featuring Mario, and has been compared to a similar educational game, Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?. It follows Mario as he travels through time, attempting to recover artifacts stolen by Bowser.

Since its release, Mario's Time Machine has received generally negative reception, holding an average score of 60.25% on Game Rankings based on two reviews. Its use as an educational title have been mixed; where writer Janet Swift praised it for its educational value for children, author Andy Slaven disagreed, though finding it to be "not a bad game." ABC Good Game found that it would be too confusing for its target audience. IGN suggested it to be a dull concept for a game, while criticizing it for lacking the series' style as well as the lack of true platforming gameplay.

Overview

Set in 1993, Bowser is in possession of a time machine. He went back in time to steal many artifacts from the past, and placed them in what he would consider "...the greatest museum of all time". If the items aren't returned soon, history will be changed permanently. Characters including Luigi and Yoshi are featured, though the latter only in the NES version. Mario's Time Machine uses a sidescrolling perspective and requires players to send Mario to different time periods to find the items. When time traveling to another time, players must partake in a surfing mini-game before they can reach it, though in the NES version, players must control Mario through a platforming mini-game. Mario may converse with people in these time periods to get information to help him. At certain points, players are initiated to fill in the blanks of a document discussing something historical, using one of several numerous pre-determined words to fill the blanks in.^[1] Mario has a monkey named Bobo

Development

The computer and Super NES versions were developed by The Software Toolworks, while the NES version was developed by Radical Entertainment. All versions published by Mindscape. It was originally released for computers in 1993, with a deluxe re-release titled Mario's Time Machine Deluxe in 1996. It was later released for the Super NES in December 1993, and for the NES on April 23, 1994.^[2][3][4][5]

Reception

Screenshot of the Nintendo Entertainment System version of Mario's Time Machine

Since its release, Mario's Time Machine has received negative reception. It holds an aggregate score of 60.25% on Game Rankings based on two reviews.^[6] Nintendo Power gave it a 2.65 out of five, while Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a 6.75 out of 10.^[6] GameSpy's Brian Altano and Brian Miggels named its ending as one of the worst ever, criticizing it for showing Bowser crying.^[7] Fellow GameSpy editor Mike Drucker called it "half-assed."^[8] GamesRadar commented that those who like this game may like Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, which they gave a negative review to.^[9] They later suggested that it was an unpopular game, commenting that "five, maybe six people played the NES version of Mario’s Time Machine".^[10] ABC Good Game called it "awful," and was "way too complicated for any school-aged youngster to understand."^[11] Nintendo of Canada included a sealed copy of the NES version as part of a charity auction along with several other sealed NES games.^[12] In the book Video Games: A Guide for Savvy Parents, author David Sheff found the educational elements good, but criticized the gameplay.^[13] Andy Slaven, author of the book Video Game Bible, 1985-2002, accused the game of ripping off Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?, also noting that though it is not a bad game, it is not a good educational one.^[14]

Authors David Wesley and Gloria Barczak associated Mario's Time Machine with the recent "flood of ill-conceived Mario spin-offs", arguing that these games nearly destroyed the Mario license.^[15] The Independent's Janet Swift discussed Mario's Time Machine in her article on the latest generation of educational titles in 1994. She compared it to Mario is Missing! in its execution, which she found "special."^[16] Allgame's Brett Alan Weiss called the action scenes "dreadfully dull" and the presentation "merely average".^[17] He added that while he does not dislike educational games, they must be both "entertaining and enlightening."^[18] IGN's Levi Buchanan included it in their assessment of the "other Mario games," implying that the premise was boring and criticizing the game for lacking any real platform gameplay. He commented that it had "honorable intentions," but that it was "decidedly shallow." He also criticized the act of putting Mario in realistic time periods, commenting that he "occupies the imagination, a place with Star Festivals and giant piranha plants."^[1] In 2007, Screwattack placed Mario's Time Machine as the fourth worst Mario game.^[19]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} var authorId = "47061140" by Levi Buchanan (2008-08-21). "The Other Mario Games, Vol. 4 - Super NES Feature at IGN". Retro.ign.com. http://retro.ign.com/articles/901/901621p1.html. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
2. ^ "Mario's Time Machine Deluxe for PC". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/mariostimemachinedeluxe/index.html. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
3. ^ Search:. "Mario's Time Machine Release Information for NES". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/nes/587439-marios-time-machine/data. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
4. ^ Search:. "Mario's Time Machine Release Information for SNES". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/snes/588469-marios-time-machine/data. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
5. ^ Search:. "Mario's Time Machine Deluxe Release Information for PC". GameFAQs. http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/929941-marios-time-machine-deluxe/data. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Mario's Time Machine for SNES". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/snes/588469-marios-time-machine/index.html. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
7. ^ "The Worst NES Endings, and Why We Deserved Better - Page 1". GameSpy. http://www.gamespy.com/articles/101/1013829p1.html. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
8. ^ "GameSpy: Mario is Evil - Page 1". Wii.gamespy.com. http://wii.gamespy.com/articles/108/1080907p1.html. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
9. ^ Words: Jem Roberts, Xbox World 360 UK. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Review, PC Reviews". Games Radar.com. http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/night-at-the-museum-battle-of-the-smithsonian/review/night-at-the-museum-battle-of-the-smithsonian/a-200906031811544711915/g-20090407133441600091. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
10. ^ "The ever-changing sizes of Mario and Bowser". GamesRadar. http://www.gamesradar.com/f/the-ever-changing-sizes-of-mario-and-bowser/a-20081008112917635057. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
11. ^ http://www.abc.net.au/tv/goodgame/stories/s2567035.htm
12. ^ Miller, Ross (2008-05-30). "Nintendo of Canada offers sealed NES, SNES, GameBoy titles for charity auction". Joystiq. http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/nintendo-of-canada-offers-sealed-nes-snes-gameboy-titles-for-c/. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
13. ^ Video Games: A Guide for Savvy Parents - Google Books. Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=K8kDYRNreJ8C. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
14. ^ Video Game Bible, 1985-2002 - Google Books. Books.google.com. 2004-01-16. http://books.google.com/books?id=PnPRd6QwvbQC. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
15. ^ Innovation and Marketing in the ... - Google Books. Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=O5KjS3Q7QdsC. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
16. ^ "Computers: Teaching children to teach themselves: The latest generation of 'edutainment' programs can keep children as engrossed as their favourite shoot 'em up. Janet Swift looks at indoor attractions for half-term - Gadgets & Tech, IndyBest". The Independent. 1994-02-11. http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/gadgets-tech/computers-teaching-children-to-teach-themselves-the-latest-generation-of-edutainment-programs-can-keep-children-as-engrossed-as-their-favourite-shoot-em-up-janet-swift-looks-at-indoor-attractions-for-halfterm-1393384.html. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
17. ^ Alan, Brett (2010-10-03). "Mario's Time Machine - Overview". allgame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=13473. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
18. ^ Alan, Brett (2010-10-03). "Mario's Time Machine - Review". allgame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=12507&tab=review. Retrieved 2011-01-19. 
19. ^ "Top Ten Worst Mario Games". Gametrailers. 2007-08-14. http://www.gametrailers.com/video/top-ten-screwattack/23547. Retrieved 2011-01-20. 

External links

• Mario's Time Machine at MobyGames