An illustrated guide to our favorite powers for our favorite plumber.
By: Jeremy Parish October 29, 2011
When Super Mario 3D Land hits in a couple of weeks, it will be bringing with it a bunch of familiar old power-ups for Mario along with some newfangled ones as well. The world’s greatest plumber has seen his share of power-up innovations over the years. Sometimes they’re great, but occasionally they turn out to be pretty lame. Do you remember Metal Mario, who existed entirely to show off the Nintendo 64’s reflection-mapping? Of course you don’t. It sucked. We do have high hopes for Mario 3D’s Boomerang Suit, but it has a lot to prove before it can triumph over the great powers and abilities that have come before it.
We took a quick survey of the 1UP’s staff’s favorite Mario skills over the years and came up with the following list. Do you agree? Disagree? Our website is designed as a two-way conversation, so share your thoughts and proclaim your love for your own favorites in the comments section below. And now, as Casey Kasem used to say, on with the countdown. (You should sing each number for full effect!)
Financially troubled developer Realtime Worlds revealed a raft of new statistics today, offering a glimpse into the current state of APB (via Gamesindustry.biz).
According to a new report, the sandbox MMO currently has 130,000 registered users, with the average user playing for approximately four hours a day. The number of active users was not disclosed.
“These are healthy numbers and reflect positively on APB as a ongoing concern,” said administrator Paul Dounis. “They prove this is a very enjoyable game, which is shown by the average player daily playtime and an ARPPU (Average Revenue per Paying User) that is highest of any game out there.”
Players pay an average of $28 per month based on a “combination of game time and user to user marketplace trading.”
Realtime’s troubles stem in part from the mixed reception APB received when it launched in June. The studio reportedly owes creditors around $4.7 million, and recently entered administration. The numbers were revealed in an effort to attract new investors.
The company is currently restructuring its business to accomodate both APB and Project MyWorld, both of which continue to operate. Should the company be liquidated, a new studio will potentially allow the Realtime’s projects to continue.
