Item - Leaping Lizards

This book is pretty similar in quality and tone to the previous one, which makes sense since it has the same creative team. This time around, Luigi gets the spotlight instead of Mario, but time is given to all of the characters, even the fussy and occasionally amusing chief mushroom assistant Wooster, who I am told (by reader Andy Stout) actually comes from a Mario comic book series. The highlight of the adventure is probably its climax, in which the characters must compete in a series of athletic events, accumulating medals as they go. It fits in well with the series' format and makes a good conclusion to another easy but pleasant volume. At least this time one of the puzzles (on page 11) made me stop and think for a couple of minutes; that's something!

My High Score - 590

More reviews by Demian

It was really nice to see Luigi in the limelight instead. Nearly every Mario game out there always has Mario as the star, so this was a nice change of pace for me. Once again, the puzzles were enjoyable, and some were time-consuming. But, the one on page 11 was by far the hardest. You really had to stop and look at it for more than a few minutes! I also enjoyed the climax to this story, when Luigi and friends compete in the Mushroom Games. An Olympics-type story turned out to be a nice wild card in the world of Mario; very innovative.

End Results:

High Score: 590
Medals: 4 Tin, 1 Wooden, 0 Chocolate
Tries: 1

More reviews by RyanThunder

[Rating: 1/10]
[Recommended? NO]

Unexpected as it may be at times, "Leaping Lizards" is all too often more of a hit-and-miss-and-then-miss-some-more kind of story. As elementary as the other Nintendo Adventure Books were, this gamebook bears very little resemblance to the source material and, quite rightfully, equally leaves Mario fans dumbfounded at the mockery that is this "adventure". Though the unexpected direction does garner a bit of attention - as does the humorous way of referring to Goombas as "fungus monsters" (!?), which first appears early in this volume - the writing, puzzles and overall impact of the story is all too often below the grade. Occasionally a little difficult to get into, too, it seemed the story was straying from its purpose more than it wanted to. Even so, the book never falls too flat on itself; it manages to pick itself up from weaker moments just by the virtue of the constant variation - a variation I wish the puzzles in the series applied more thoughtfully.

As an "old-fashioned" Nintendo fan with standards to uphold I cannot recommend this book, save as perhaps a historical timepiece to know once existed, part of the yet woefully inconsistent period in which it was written and published, catalogued not only in Nintendo's legacy but in that of child-oriented gamebooks as a whole. Really, though, with an underwhelming adventure like this... the not-so-creative series is begging for a GAME OVER. ^^

(Mysteriously disappears into the shadows.)

More reviews by Shadeheart