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After replaying Mario World, I realized it's not all that. 3, YI and NSMBU are better

What the fuck is wrong with you people. This is the worst hot take I have ever heard.

Somebody call Jeff Gerstman.

This is a garbage-tier post. First of all, do you even know what "hot take" means? Regardless, please use it correctly.

Why don't you bother to actually put in some well thought out counter arguments? You know, even if you put in 1/10th of the work the OP put into their post, you would be fairing much better.
 

eXistor

Member
Wow, people should really re-evaluate NSMBU. It's pretty much a masterpiece. Is it really that hard to look past the, admittedly, bland aesthetics?
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
NSMBU is good, but I actually preferred NSMB Wii- better level design. Where NSMB Wii improved upon NSMB in every possible way, NSMBU was one of the safest sequels I've seen in all my years of gaming.

When you compare a game from 2012 to a game from 1991, of course technical areas like sound and graphics quality will vastly improve. But even so, the music and visuals of Super Mario World are infinitely more pleasing to hear and see than the recycled (for the 4th time) music visuals of NSMB U.

There were absolutely no surprises in NSMBU. It did not deviate at all from what became before it, and I feel like that is why felt like such a dull experience. Couple that with the level design being not even as good as the game that came before it, and you are left with a disappointing game (I understand that one can argue the level design is better than the Wii version).

Have to disagree with the bolded above. I can't fathom how anybody could feel this way.
 

ZeoVGM

Banned
SMW suffers from lack of identity and theme.

The first three all had very distinct styles and themes. But SMW is kind of all over the place. Feels cobbled together.

I don't see this at all. SMW has a very consistent and distinct art style.
 

Solobbos

Member
SMW is also a lot buggier than SMB3. Even just now, playing with the SNES Mini, I clipped through a wall with an accident and one time when flying Mario got really jittery and was teleporting between two places when I hit the ground. I'm also of the mind that SMB3 is better than SMW. Then again, I started gaming with NES so YMMW.
 

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
This is actually interesting. I played SMW back in the day and never YI. I replayed SMW on my SNES Classic and immediately loved it again. I am working my way through YI and I don't like it as much. The levels are longer and drag in places and there is less of a focus on pure platforming. I don't really enjoy the egg throwing mechanic.

Obviously YI is gorgeous but I never thought of SMW as ugly. The wonkiness of some of the designs I always thought were cute.

It seems like some of your points apply to certain games and not to others in the series. I wouldn't say that YI levels so far are themed by group (though some do have unique gimmicks, like the infamous TOUCH FUZZY GET DIZZY). I guess I'm in world 3.
 

phanphare

Banned
Wow, people should really re-evaluate NSMBU. It's pretty much a masterpiece. Is it really that hard to look past the, admittedly, bland aesthetics?

for me it's the sound design and how it negatively impacts the game feel

great level design means nothing to me if the way the character controls isn't satisfying
 

140.85

Cognitive Dissonance, Distilled
Is this what you played, OP? :p

g2eVdIs.jpg
 
SMW is also a lot buggier than SMB3. Even just now, playing with the SNES Mini, I clipped through a wall with an accident and one time when flying Mario got really jittery and was teleporting between two places when I hit the ground. I'm also of the mind that SMB3 is better than SMW. Then again, I started gaming with NES so YMMW.

Wallclips exist in every single 2D mario game up to and including Super Mario Maker.
 
Why the obsession with trying to justify which is better when outside of your own mind it doesn't matter? For you to say one is better makes no sense since it's personal preference. Such a big wall of text just to say I prefer game X. It's definitely something I really only see on forums any more(since I'm not 10 anymore).

No offense but I just don't get it.
 

FyreWulff

Member
Okay so now you are talking about something else entirely. Yoshi's Island is one of the goats, as well as DKC2. Its not even fair. But lets stick to the traditional 2D Mario.

I can sort of apply the rule backwards, too. A good reason to explain why I like 3 more than World is 3 was well past the "what is the NES even?" that Mario 1 had to deal with. 3 has the benefit of being on a well understood system, so they spent more time on level design than figuring out how the game was gonna even work.
 

Weiss

Banned
thankyou.gif

Compared to the masterpieces like Yoshi's Island and SMB3, World is super lacking. When I lost my six hour save I was glad because I had a reason to stop playing.
 

KiN0

Member
SMW suffers from lack of identity and theme.

The first three all had very distinct styles and themes. But SMW is kind of all over the place. Feels cobbled together.
Are you thinking of smb3? Because world is very dedictated to its island aesthetic; that’s one of the most defining traits of the game.
 
Wow, people should really re-evaluate NSMBU. It's pretty much a masterpiece. Is it really that hard to look past the, admittedly, bland aesthetics?

Can we be best friends?

Also, as the OP mentions, one of the things that ruins SMW is the challenge (or rather, the almost complete lack thereof). In some playthroughs, I have to force myself to avoid two mechanics that almost completely break the game: Yoshi, and the feather cape. I mean, the feather cape is so ridiculous, it's almost like having a SMB3-style P-Wing readily at your disposal. The spin move with the cape is also too powerful. I know that those sounds like potentially strange complaints, but going around with the cape, I feel invisible and fearless. I should have *some* sense of challenge/fear of failure/etc.

Same applies to Yoshi, especially the blue one.
 

jwhit28

Member
I can sort of apply the rule backwards, too. A good reason to explain why I like 3 more than World is 3 was well past the "what is the NES even?" that Mario 1 had to deal with. 3 has the benefit of being on a well understood system, so they spent more time on level design than figuring out how the game was gonna even work.
3 started out as an isometric view game. They failed at that and went back to side scrolling. I would bet 3 and World spent the same amount of time in the oven.
 

sanstesy

Member
Why the obsession with trying to justify which is better when outside of your own mind it doesn't matter? For you to say one is better makes no sense since it's personal preference. Such a big wall of text just to say I prefer game X. It's definitely something I really only see on forums any more(since I'm not 10 anymore).

No offense but I just don't get it.

Where is the OP exactly "trying" to justify something? He is just voicing his opinion in-depth. And yes, forums are literally there to discuss and voice opinions.

What you are looking for is a news site if you don't understand the appeal of forums.
 

120v

Member
i never go back to World because I think 3 has the platforming and physics down so much better

in 1991 it was the most mindblowing thing ever but in retrospect i feel like they were a little more interested in playing around with the new hardware than topping SMB3.
 

8bit

Knows the Score
I could never get into 3, came to it pretty late way after World and found it a bit of a chore. The physics especially always seemed off to me.
 

hotcyder

Member
It's a league better than 3, YI is it's own thing (but is a better game) NSMBU is very good but it's dragged down by it's aesthetic and it's multiplayer design.
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Haven't played NSMBU and don't like YI, but SMB3 is way better than SMW. At the time, SMW felt like a middling rehash of the superior SMB3, and it was uglier and slower than Sonic 1 to boot.
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Like... the original YI and DKC2?

What.

It's become his schtick for years. He revels in giving those games shit and without any real objective criticism.

Humorous somewhat if you can accept it is mostly irrational ramblings from a voice that garners a lot of attention, but his is not an opinion worth bringing to a real debate on the subject. [I mean deep down he has to know its just a dumb hot take and there are certainly merits to those titles, but he and his audience -love- the drama. You can almost sense that fans expect him to start a petty crusade at the mere mention of Yoshi or DK in any subject, there is humor to that but its purely vain]
 
Your conclusion that SMB3 is the better game is correct, but you're too harshort on World.

- the Overworld Map in World doesn't have living, moving obstacles like 3 but it's far more dynamic. It winds and warps. It reaches above the clouds, far underground and into the depths of the forest. World doesn't have areas of distinct visual identity, but it still manages to portray a sense of progression.

- enemy variety is one thing the game has in spades. I don't even know where this criticism is coming from.

SMB3-Level5_labeled.png


The level you play to pass from the ground to the clouds even represents what you are doing.

You can use hammers to break through areas, air ships fly over head, you can take a boat around, bridges go up and down, pipe mazes. SMB3 is no slouch here so it's a weird point of criticism for it.
 

TheJoRu

Member
TIL that not an insignificant amount of posters here think SMW looks ugly and lacks identity, and that NSMBU is garbage.

I would agree that SMW doesn't have that much variety in terms of environment, but in return it does really hone in on this island theme (you know, which is a big part of its identity) and I love how cohesively it fits every level's design both in gameplay and visuals to its position in the overworld. Comments about it feeling "cobbled together" baffle me, because it's the exact opposite; it's incredibly well thought out.

Also, I've never ever before seen complaints about the visuals being bad. They look colorful and bright and Mario's design is really on point and highly improved from the NES games. It's always been the de-facto 2D Mario artstyle in my head.
 
A lot of people love to shit on Nintendo’s Mario efforts of the Wii U era due to them being very bland and uninspired, artistically and thematically, compared to older games, but I really think that this was a time where Nintendo focused on making sure the gameplay worked above all else. I would consider 3D World to be my favorite obstacle course Mario, edging out my favorite 2D game (SMB3) despite being relatively soulless in comparison. It just plays so well and every level is so tightly designed, and the same can be said for NSMBU. Had Nintendo released something akin to Odyssey as the Wii U Mario launch title and released NSMBU with a different art style or 3D World as a successor to the 2D series later on I think either game would have been received much better than they were.

As for World, I agree. It was my first console 2D Mario (my first 2D Mario was Super Mario Land 2) but after playing the others, it has a very bland launch title feel to it. It doesn’t really feel as well thought out as SMB3 and it definitely doesn’t offer as much variety. I have good memories with the game, but I would rather spend my time replaying the others.
 
SMW is pretty bland to me in both aesthetics and level design. I don’t think it holds a candle to DKC2 or Yoshi’s Island on SNES. It’s a competent, inoffensive, breezy experience, but little else imo. Not that hot on 2D Mario in general, though.
 
D

Deleted member 17706

Unconfirmed Member
The art style in U is pretty strong IMO, you just need to kind of forget about the previous New games and your exhaustion with them:

It is... but at the same time I really don't like it. I didn't like the look of even the original NSMB, personally. Very subjective, obviously, but it just feels like it lost the 2D charm in the transition to 3D.
 
It's become his schtick for years. He revels in giving those games shit and without any real objective criticism.

Humorous somewhat if you can accept it is mostly irrational ramblings from a voice that garners a lot of attention, but his is not an opinion worth bringing to a real debate on the subject. [I mean deep down he has to know its just a dumb hot take and there are certainly merits to those titles, but he and his audience -love- the drama. You can almost sense that fans expect him to start a petty crusade at the mere mention of Yoshi or DK in any subject, there is humor to that but its purely vain]

He has gone into detail, at least on YI, on several occasions.
 

Thaedolus

Gold Member
Yeah I've come to realize as an adult SMB3 > World. Also it helped that a girl in college and I made up strip rules for SMB3 based on the card system...so I've got some fond memories there too.
 

Surfside

Banned
What with people calling World ugly. Sure its artstyle wouldn't win a beauty contest, but ugly it is not.

It has the best themes of any Mario i played. Just take Butter Bridge 1 for example. It's pure ecstasy for the ears. Makes my mood always go up, whenever i hear it.
 

jwhit28

Member
A lot of people love to shit on Nintendo’s Mario efforts of the Wii U era due to them being very bland and uninspired, artistically and thematically, compared to older games, but I really think that this was a time where Nintendo focused on making sure the gameplay worked above all else. I would consider 3D World to be my favorite obstacle course Mario, edging out my favorite 2D game (SMB3) despite being relatively soulless in comparison. It just plays so well and every level is so tightly designed, and the same can be said for NSMBU. Had Nintendo released something akin to Odyssey as the Wii U Mario launch title and released NSMBU with a different art style or 3D World as a successor to the 2D series later on I think either game would have been received much better than they were.

As for World, I agree. It was my first console 2D Mario (my first 2D Mario was Super Mario Land 2) but after playing the others, it has a very bland launch title feel to it. It doesn’t really feel as well thought out as SMB3 and it definitely doesn’t offer as much variety. I have good memories with the game, but I would rather spend my time replaying the others.

I don't think NSMBU and 3D World are even comparable in quality. 3D World and 3D Land are amazing and took Mario games in a direction they haven't been before. NSMBU feels like a high quality expansion pack to a game where I already didn't care for the music and character design.
 

Kenji17

Banned
My contribution to this thread is that SMW's finale is really boring. SMB3 had you traverse through a fiery hell world followed by a weird dark zone. SMW had you traverse through Vanilla Dome part 2: This Time with Lightning.
 

dickroach

Member
World is awesome. NSBMU is awesome.
I gotta give the advantage to World though. those secrets. the exploration. how good it felt to get out of the Forest of Illusion for the first time.
 
Why is OP ignoring star world and special world levels

Ehhh Star Road isn't too hot outside the cool factor of secret area where you can cruise to the bowser endgame in a mere few stages, it's got some one trick gimmicks out the buttocks (SR3 is just...naaah) and the most bland water stage in the series history which you get to go through twice because the secret exit is basically the same as the actual exit.

Special World is cool though, except tubular obviously.
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
My contribution to this thread is that SMW's finale is really boring. SMB3 had you traverse through a fiery hell world followed by a weird dark zone. SMW had you traverse through Vanilla Dome part 2: This Time with Lightning.

Yeah, what was up with that dark, Hell-like world? Creeped me out as a kid.

SMW has the better final boss tho.
 
I'm glad I'm able to recognize SMB3 is my preferred game between it and World, without feeling the need to shit on the latter to drive my point home. I also feel kind of bad for the type of person who genuinely cannot enjoy something that doesn't try to emulate the previous thing they loved.

3 is absolutely the better game in my eyes, but that really takes little away from World's brilliance. Nintendo could have easily made Super Mario Bros. 3 Pt. 2, but they didn't. They took the series in a different direction. And I have great respect for them for that. World may not be my favorite 2D entry, but it's still chock full of great ideas and I wouldn't change all that much about it.
 

Flying Fish

Neo Member
I played the GBA version that made some improvements:

- Stage list screen keeps track of dragon coins and cleared goals, and you get cutscenes for getting all of either. This means you miss out on 100% completion if you fly over the stage.
- Luigi is now actually Luigi.
 

Oblivion

Fetishing muscular manly men in skintight hosery
This is actually interesting. I played SMW back in the day and never YI. I replayed SMW on my SNES Classic and immediately loved it again. I am working my way through YI and I don't like it as much. The levels are longer and drag in places and there is less of a focus on pure platforming. I don't really enjoy the egg throwing mechanic.

Obviously YI is gorgeous but I never thought of SMW as ugly. The wonkiness of some of the designs I always thought were cute.

It seems like some of your points apply to certain games and not to others in the series. I wouldn't say that YI levels so far are themed by group (though some do have unique gimmicks, like the infamous TOUCH FUZZY GET DIZZY). I guess I'm in world 3.

I don't like Yoshi's Island either, but how have you never played that game up until now??


Wow, Jeff totally redeemed.

I mean, the feather cape is so ridiculous, it's almost like having a SMB3-style P-Wing readily at your disposal.

Man, haven't seen this gem pop up in a long time. The cape is potentially overpowered, sure, but just because you can use something to break the game, doesn't mean you should.

The complaints about the cape remind me of the complaints about SMB3's warp whistles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGHiy9B_vcU
 
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