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Critical Consensus: Wii U (GameIndustry.biz)

C

chubigans

y'all should be ashamed
Game Industry has a good article of the consensus of some for Wii U's E3 debut.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

Everyone seemed to love Pikmin 3, the rest...well, this is one of the more interesting quotes:

Stephen Totilo said:
"This feels not like a Super Mario World or Super Mario Galaxy evolution of a great series but more like a Call of Duty-conservative tweaking of a popular thing. This is, in other words, sadly, the safest Nintendo launch game I think I've ever seen.
Click to expand...
 
Totilo's spot on with that assessment. New Super Mario U looks like an uninspired, overfamiliar HD expansion pack/DLC for New Super Mario Bros.

Given that this franchise has previously made grand transitions in sequels (Super Mario 3 -> World; Super Mario Sunshine -> Galaxy), NSMBU looks incredibly half-hearted. For me to develop this apathy towards such a legendary franchise, is the consequence of these extremely similar, repeated rehashes of the New Super Mario Bros. template and assets.

"Nintendo reps boast that this will be the first Mario game to launch with a Nintendo console since the Nintendo 64's Super Mario 64. This game is no Super Mario 64," he writes. "Rather, it feels as predictable and obvious as Nintendo could be and lacks, in the pair of E3 demo levels I saw, freshness. The game looks and plays like New Super Mario Bros. Wii which itself was barely distinct from the Nintendo DS' New Super Mario Bros..

"This feels not like a Super Mario World or Super Mario Galaxy evolution of a great series but more like a Call of Duty-conservative tweaking of a popular thing. This is, in other words, sadly, the safest Nintendo launch game I think I've ever seen.

"Perhaps Nintendo designers believe that Wii U gamers will need something as comfortably formulaic as New Super Mario Bros. U to clearly demonstrate how a Wii U game can differ from the many single-screen TV console games we've played for years, but this really feels like a re-tread with an added gimmick. Worse, Ubisoft's Rayman Legends which does the same side-scroller asymmetrical, co-op multiplayer straight-up looks better and looks more fun.
Click to expand...

Absolutely.
 
Mama Robotnik said:
Totilo's spot on with that assessment. New Super Mario U looks like an uninspired, overfamiliar HD expansion pack/DLC for New Super Mario Bros.

Given that this franchise has previously made grand transitions in sequels (Super Mario 3 -> World; Super Mario Sunshine -> Galaxy), NSMBU looks incredibly half-hearted.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I suspect Nintendo took the safest, guaranteed to sell well route they could find. I expect the 3D Mario game to be the one that shows what the Wii U can do. Sadly, those take longer and don't sell as well as 2D Mario.
 
This feels not like a Super Mario World or Super Mario Galaxy evolution of a great series but more like a Call of Duty-conservative tweaking of a popular thing. This is, in other words, sadly, the safest Nintendo launch game I think I've ever seen.
Click to expand...
Sad but true.
 
Maybe it's just me but having seen the demoes and everything NSMBU looks amazing especially compared to NSMB2. It is easily the best looking NSMB title and the only NSMB title I've actually looked forward to playing.
 
Perhaps I was won over too easily by the awesome backgrounds and the cuteness of the flying squirrel.

i guess we will see. it really did seem like this was going to be an evolution of SMW, but i'm admittedly not basing that on much.
 
"There is no Wii Sports among the Wii U games I played. There is no game that I think people will fall in love with the moment the Wii U is released later this year"
Click to expand...

This is what comes to mind and what will make a difference.
 
I'm disappointed P-100 is being left in the dust, by far the most interesting Wii-U game on the show. Pikmin 3 looks like same ol' Pikmin to me.
 
NSMB2 DOES look more interesting and inventive at this point. fortunately Wii U is going to have Rayman Legends at launch.

Rayman Origins >>> NSMB Wii.
 
If it's just half as good as NSMBW I'll happily buy NSMBU day 1.

Sure there doesn't seem to be any great evolutionary leap. But we don't need them for every single Mario game.

Galaxy 1 was amazing and guess what Galaxy 2 managed to 1up the first game in pretty much every aspect.

If NSMBU expands on the it's Wii prequel, and does a good job at it, we are in for damn solid platformer.

I'm more than happy for that. And once EAD Tokyo or whoever gives a new (hopefully) evolutionary Mario platformer, we can check that box as well.
 
Definitively getting the feeling that they're milking the NSMB name a bit too much. Part of it's in the art style for NSMBU. The bland NSMB doesn't mesh well with any other art. Part of it's in the name, and part of it's the lack of innovating mechanics.

I haven't even finished NSMB Wii simply because I lack controllers to play it multiplayer, and an HDTV to enjoy it in proper widescreen. ><;
 
Considering NSMB and NSMBW are really very different, I'm not sure how much to trust this opinon. Its multiplayer gameplay was unique and incredibly fun, if NSMBU is as fresh as NSMBW was I have nothing to complain.
 
plagiarize said:
NSMB2 DOES look more interesting and inventive at this point. fortunately Wii U is going to have Rayman Legends at launch.

Rayman Origins >>> NSMB Wii.
Click to expand...

I don't get this post. How is NSMB2 more interesting and invented? Serious questions, because I'm not seeing. All I see is you collect a bunch of coins, and that's it.

Personally, the only Mario game I'm interested at this point is the new Paper Mario.
 
You guys should have been in the NSMB thread. People were losing their ish over it "Its so polished and inventive" Whats to polish? It's looked like this since SMW + SMB3
 
Lord_Byron28 said:
Maybe it's just me but having seen the demoes and everything NSMBU looks amazing especially compared to NSMB2. It is easily the best looking NSMB title and the only NSMB title I've actually looked forward to playing.
Click to expand...
NSMBU does indeed look crisp and some of the artistic cues they've borrowed from both Galaxy and Yoshi's Island are welcome.
BUT... does it strike you at all like something you haven't experienced before that really takes advantage of WiiU technology?
To me, it screams rehash... especially given that they failed to demo any levels in which the co-op dynamic of creating platforms on the pad added to the gameplay experience.
NSMB Wii seemed to demo far more effectively in that respect.
 
BruceLeeRoy said:
You guys should have been in the NSMB thread. People were losing their ish over it "Its so polished and inventive" Whats to polish? It's looked like this since SMW + SMB3
Click to expand...

U r so so much cooler than those ntards. Keep fighting the good fight!
 
schuelma said:
Yeah. I suspect Nintendo took the safest, guaranteed to sell well route they could find. I expect the 3D Mario game to be the one that shows what the Wii U can do. Sadly, those take longer and don't sell as well as 2D Mario.
Click to expand...

I don't think it had anything to do with sales potential. They simply couldn't have made a new "mainline" Mario game in time for launch. As simple as that
 
I don't think it's fair to compare NSMBU to Mario Galaxy. Galaxy was no launch game either and we all know that a new 3D Mario is going to be released too.

Actually, I prefer a very good but safe launch game over the mostly half-assed 3DS and Wii launch-games.
 
jett said:
Seriously, what is new in Pikmin 3?
Click to expand...

Rock Pikmin?
4 leaders that you can spread out with their own squads?
Leaders needing to toss other leaders to get to specific places?
RTS-like map view via the gamepad?
Better graphics?
 
I won't disagree with NSMBU... even though I will buy it

I rather they go with that then rushing any of their other titles to make launch.

That said... Nintendo.. believes that playing is believing so I hope they have a massive campaign to get Wii U into many folks hands over the next few months.
 
If these guys hate it I have more hope for the console. I remember NSMB Wii being called safe and bland and it exploded it sales. Most people will see the different backgrounds and power ups and jump on board imo.



TDLink said:
Rock Pikmin?
4 leaders that you can spread out with their own squads?
Leaders needing to toss other leaders to get to specific places?
RTS-like map view via the gamepad?
Better graphics?
Click to expand...

Also the flying pink Pikmin.
 
Like it or not NSMBU is an ESSENTIAL launch game for Nintendo. The series sells millions, to all different kinds of people all over the world. It's a guaranteed sure thing. Another SM64 or Galaxy or something different is absolutely not. Nintendo have very recent data to support that - the Galaxy games on Wii weren't nearly as popular. Considering this is a very difficult sink-or-swim transitional time for them, it can only be healthy for them to get the attention of the general public in any way they can. It's not like they're only going with sure things... I'm actually kind of astounded they're pushing Pikmin considering it was a (relatively) low selling series on their biggest home console failure.

I'm not sure why that point flies over the heads of the "professionals" in the gaming press.
 
chubigans said:
Apologies if posted, but Game Industry has a good article of the consensus of some for Wii U's E3 debut.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=european-daily

"This feels not like a Super Mario World or Super Mario Galaxy evolution of a great series but more like a Call of Duty-conservative tweaking of a popular thing. This is, in other words, sadly, the safest Nintendo launch game I think I've ever seen."


Everyone seemed to love Pikmin 3, the rest...well, this is one of the more interesting quotes:
Click to expand...
Except that 8 CoD has been released in 10 years and TWO 2D Mario games in 20 years ? That is, 8 CoD games for each 2D mario has been released in past 2 decades.
And oh, they don't have DLCs to expand levels.

6psOD.jpg
 
On the one hand, I agree that NSMBU looks uninspired.

On the other hand, I can't really blame Nintendo for the same reason I can't blame Activision for making CoD after CoD. Outside of Pokemon, NSMB is Nintendo's big money maker, easily eclipsing 3D Mario games in terms of sales.

We may not like it or think it inspiring, but the logic is sound.
 
BruceLeeRoy said:
It's looked like this since SMW + SMB3
Click to expand...
I hope you don't mean graphically.

Anyway, NSMB on DS was a turd. It was ugly and easy and just generally not very enjoyable. I absolutely adored NSMB Wii. The game got so much better the farther you got into it. The co-op play was a blast, and the last handful of worlds were fabulous. I have little doubt NSMBU & NSMB2 will be fun. I can't wait to play NSMBU with my wife & friend over Thanksgiving this year.
 
Zoramon089 said:
I don't think it had anything to do with sales potential. They simply couldn't have made a new "mainline" Mario game in time for launch. As simple as that
Click to expand...

I think they didn't have one and they considered the sales potential of MSMB. Its too fucking huge ignore.
 
The article definitely hits home the point of the system lacking a Wii Sports equivalent, in that there isn't a game that makes the relationship between the controller and what's transpiring on the screen so immediately obvious that anyone can start playing without giving it a second thought. This was reaaaaaaaaaaaaally obvious during the E3 press conference when Eguchi was on stage explaining the Luigi's Mansion mini-game in NintendoLand; it's an immediately familiar concept to anyone that's played Pac-Man Vs., but if you haven't, it does require a fair bit of explanation to the uninitiated.

That's of course ignoring that Eguchi went into super-overkill trying to explain the game, as if no one in the audience had never played a video game before.
 
stuminus3 said:
Like it or not NSMBU is an ESSENTIAL launch game for Nintendo. The series sells millions, to all different kinds of people all over the world. It's a guaranteed sure thing. Another SM64 or Galaxy or something different is absolutely not. Nintendo have very recent data to support that - the Galaxy games on Wii weren't nearly as popular. Considering this is a very difficult sink-or-swim transitional time for them, it can only be healthy for them to get the attention of the general public in any way they can.

I'm not sure why that point flies over the heads of the "professionals" in the gaming press.
Click to expand...

ummm, they aren't making any kind of point on the success of the game, they are talking about the actual game.

This "who cares how good it is, its going to sell millions rah rah" shit is whats driving the industry into the AAA or bust shit we are in now
 
So far, after this year's conference the entire Wii U system can be summarized by one letter:


Zzzzzzzz


The promise of what's to come is exciting, but what they've announced so far has been underwhelming.
 
wrowa said:
I don't think it's fair to compare NSMBU to Mario Galaxy. Galaxy was no launch game either and we all know that a new 3D Mario is going to be released too.

Actually, I prefer a very good but safe launch game over the mostly half-assed 3DS and Wii launch-games.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'd rather have something with some polish (there's that word again) to it. Experimental things are fine too, but having half your launch line-up being crummy experiences that don't take advantage of the console in some way (graphics, controller input, etc.) looks bad.

Zoramon089 said:
I don't think it had anything to do with sales potential. They simply couldn't have made a new "mainline" Mario game in time for launch. As simple as that
Click to expand...

I agree with this too. I'm not so hardcore that I can tell you what all of Nintendo's development teams are up to at any minute, but I'm sure they're working on something inventive for the 3D Mario game that takes advantage of as many of the console's features as they can.

As far as this being rehashed, you know, maybe. But, there seems to be a fair amount of new content added to it (Miiverse integration, different multiplayer things, etc.) to not seem so bad after all. I think people (especially if they own both a Wii and DS/3DS) may just want something entirely new. (I never said that was a bad thing!)
 
RurouniZel said:
On the one hand, I agree that NSMBU looks uninspired.

On the other hand, I can't really blame Nintendo for the same reason I can't blame Activision for making CoD after CoD. Outside of Pokemon, NSMB is Nintendo's big money maker, easily eclipsing 3D Mario games in terms of sales.

We may not like it or think it inspiring, but the logic is sound.
Click to expand...
Launching a new system with a 2-D Mario game is arguably the only smart thing Nintendo revealed this past week. Plenty of other areas to grill them on than this one. Speculating that they're over-saturating the brand is one thing but there's no sales trend one can point to that will back that theory up... especially with 2-D Mario titles holding up a lot stronger in that department than 3-D.
 
wrowa said:
I don't think it's fair to compare NSMBU to Mario Galaxy. Galaxy was no launch game either and we all know that a new 3D Mario is going to be released too.

Actually, I prefer a very good but safe launch game over the mostly half-assed 3DS and Wii launch-games.
Click to expand...

SM64 was a launch title though. So was SMW. Both were leaps and bounds above their predecessors. Nintendo has made FOUR NSMB games in ~5 years now. It's not as if they haven't had time to make a new experience.

But it's expected. Look at Pikmin 3, Miyamoto has apparently been looking for the right idea....and what do we get? Pikmin 2 with Wii controls...for the Wii U?
 
BruceLeeRoy said:
You guys should have been in the NSMB thread. People were losing their ish over it "Its so polished and inventive" Whats to polish? It's looked like this since SMW + SMB3
Click to expand...
Yeah, that was weird. You'd think that Nintendo had just shown a game that completely blew the previous NSMB games out of the water or something. NSMB Wii U doesn't look very different from the previous titles at all. I did like that snow stage though.
 
There has always been something about the NSMB series that just doesn't do it for me.

Control wise I've always felt that it lacked the precision of SMB3, Mario World, and even Yoshi's Island. It's much more in line with the original Super Mario Bros, which honestly doesn't control that well in comparison, but with some of the functionality of the 3D Mario games in place. While certainly much more responsive than Little Big Planet, it has always given me that same feeling. Simply controlling Mario isn't as much of a joy as it should be. Also, the addition of waggle in the Wii version actually dates the game a bit and detracts from the core Mario gameplay. I just don't much care for the power-ups in that game.

Visually the series isn't ugly, per se, but it has a generic "CG Mario" look to it. The backgrounds lack both the charm of pixel art graphics and the more artistic 2D art we've seen in a number of other 2D platformers. It just feels sterile and safe. It's ugly in the same way that Sonic Rush was ugly. They simply can't match the style of their 16-bit counterparts nor do they push boundaries. I hate to call Mario "generic" but it DOES feel that way to me. That said, I do think the WiiU game looks quite a bit nicer in this regard.

Audio design is one of the areas that has annoyed me the most. Who remembers the music for Mario World or SMB3? Everyone knows SMB1. SMW in particular used just one primary theme yet managed to deliver a very interesting soundtrack that set the proper tone for each type of level. Nintendo's ability to produce music has never been quite the same since the N64 era and only in a few recent examples do I feel that they made strides. NSMB, however, has been one of the worst offenders. I simply cannot enjoy any of the music AND the samples used are atrocious. The fake "voice" samples used so often are beyond grating at this point. I don't feel as if they've taken any steps to evolve this as each NSMB game basically sounds like the previous one from what I've heard. It's one of those games that I will play with an alternate soundtrack playing instead.

I feel as if Nintendo has begun to iterate just a bit too heavily on new Mario games rather than attempting to deliver something new. All of the NSMB games feel very similar to one another (mechanically, visually, and audibly). Even Mario Galaxy 2, which is incredible, feels a whole lot like more Mario Galaxy 1. Nintendo DID follow this strategy back with the Japanese release of SMB2 for the Famicom, but since that point they've constantly pushed boundaries with every new Mario game.
 
I haven't read the whole article yet, but NSMB is kind of becoming Nintendo's Call of Duty, and that works perfectly fine for them. Even if Nintendo isn't releasing NSMB games nearly as rapidly as Activision is releasing COD games, it's still more rapidly than Nintendo has ever been making Mario platformers. Given that, it's reasonable to assume that each new one isn't going to present the quantum leap that we got from SMB to SMB3, or World, or 64. It'll be enough to where the casuals eat it up, as they did NSMB Wii. The hardcore can either put up with it or just buy Rayman Legends.
 
SolarPowered said:
Yeah, that was weird. You'd think that Nintendo had just shown a game that completely blew the previous NSMB games out of the water or something. NSMB Wii U doesn't look very different from the previous titles at all. I did like that snow stage though.
Click to expand...
And considering the previous title was an amazing platformer should tell you why people were cheering. Perhaps the Wii U version will just feel like an expansion version (which is honestly enough to justify a buy to me), but it will hopefully come with ever better content and it will be a damn solid launch title.

I don't see what's not to get?

Where you guys not happy with New Super Mario Bros. Wii?
 
BruceLeeRoy said:
You guys should have been in the NSMB thread. People were losing their ish over it "Its so polished and inventive" Whats to polish? It's looked like this since SMW + SMB3
Click to expand...

Nothing has jumped out at me from the videos that I've seen other than the backgrounds being more pleasant to look at. I still don't care for the visual style much (the character models look... odd when juxtaposed with some of the backgrounds), and it the overall package seems overly safe and predictable.

Because I'm not a Nintendo stockholder, I don't really care if another NSMB will sell more than something fresh and interesting like Galaxy. I'd rather play the interesting thing.

Metroid Killer said:
Where you guys not happy with New Super Mario Bros. Wii?
Click to expand...

The levels were well designed, and the multiplayer was hilarious (my friends and I play like assholes), but it didn't wow me like previous entries in the franchise have. NSMB Wii was "I am quite enjoying my time with this," while Galaxy was "Holy shit this is amazing I fucking love video games!"
 
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