This being my first review for this site, I ask you all to please bear with me.
Max and the Magic Marker
System: PC, WiiWare
Developer:PressPlay
Publisher:PressPlay
Price:$20(PC) 1000Points(WiiWare)
Players: 1
Controls:Keyboard/Mouse(PC) Wii Remote/Nunchuck(WiiWare)
Try Before you Buy:
http://maxandthemagicmarker.com/demo/ (PC)
This Review is based on the WiiWare Version
Max and the Magic Marker tells the Story of Max and you guessed it his Magic Marker.
One day Max mysteriously receives a Marker in the mail and like the inner child in us all draws the nastiest thing that comes to mind, An Eggplant. What Max didn't know was that the Marker was Magical and the Eggplant soon came to life within the pages spread across the floor. Max then draws himself into the pages to undo the terror he has done.
Max and the Magic Marker controls like many other platformers, Run, Jumps, Climb up ledges, however being a boy Max can do no damage, Luckily he has his Magic Marker by his side. This can be used to draw nearly anything. Cliff to high? Draw some stairs. Orb out of reach? Create a See-Saw. Gap to wide? Manifest a Bridge. The possibilities are endless. However with great powers comes great limitations. As Magic as the Marker is, the ink can only last so long. Orange bubbles filled with ink are scattered across the level to help you draw that extra step in the staircase, or just a slightly nicer umbrella to get past the rain. But don't get too comfy with all the collected ink as every checkpoint contains a dual edge blade. While they do their job as Checkpoints and let you continue from them if you die, they also bring the Eggplant which vacuums up all your collected ink thus far.
At only 3 worlds with 5 levels each Max and the Magic Marker may seem like a short game. however it will last some time, Each level contains 3 Achievements to add to the replayability. Speed run, Black Orb Collecting, and firefly collecting. Speed run is pretty self explanatory, Get to the end of the level within the allotted time. Fireflies also being simple as they are simply along the normal path that you would prob take your first run through. Black Orbs would be the hard ones that will take some time to find them all. Some may be in plain sight, or hiding next to another object. Most however are not seen but must be obtained through special tasks such as getting a basketball into a hoop, shooting ink at targets from a cannon, or simply posing as a gorilla.
A nice feature is the use of the games "Drawing out of time" achieved by hitting the A and B buttons together, This works similar to pausing, however you will still be able to draw. The picture will turn into a children's drawing, including a crudely drawn Max, and while everything is frozen the Marker can still draw freely without the limitation of gravity (although it will all fall once you unfreeze). This can be used to draw towers under you, by simply jumping, freezing, and drawing the next floor. A more important use is saving Max when he falls off a cliff. A nice feature that ends up being one of the best powers in the game.
Pros:
- Very Unique game on WiiWare
- Very Colorful and Vibrant
- Simply controls
- Unlockables for getting the Collectibles and Speed Runs.
- Pausing time makes game look childish
Cons:
- Might be too hard for kids despite its looks
- Game suffers from frame rate and lag when too much is onscreen
- forgettable soundtrack
Conclusion:
Max and the Magic Marker seems to derive heavily from Crayon Physics and the Children's book of Harold and the Purple Crayon, but I am not complaining. The game is a blast to play and comes with a unique soundtrack will be very enjoyable while playing but won't be very easily remembered when your not. Will With Levels taking about 5-10 minutes to complete the first time around depending on how much you like to explore, the game should last quite a while. Due to the nature of the Wii Remote it can be hard to draw at times and it seems like this game would be better suited on the DS or PC (note there is a PC version available). With that being said, the game is out and well worth 1000 points.
I'd give this game a Solid 08/10
*Note i do not believe in Review Scores and they show the personal opinion of the reviewer while the actual review is more so based on fact.