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[osoul]

If it was more challenging and the enemies and environments were more varied I'd probably agree. As far as graphical charm it stomps NSMB though. The animation was fantastic. As far as Mario-esque platformers on DS in general I'd actually give the nod to Super Princess Peach. It wasn't that taxing, but if you go for all the extras it's probably roughly on par with NSMB's difficulty, and it's extremely content rich.

I agree that GSDS is a bit easy, and has little variety in the environment and gameplay, although I think it's a very replayable game. It's just something you can pick up any day, and kill some time with it. The game always gave me a relaxed feeling. I think they made two mistakes with it: waaay to many autosave points (flowers) in all levels, sometimes few seconds to each other, and then the recycled original levels. They looked very well on the C64, but in this DS version they look infinitely inferior to the new, more complex levels. That's why people say the game doesn't hit its stride in the first 5 worlds. Actually most of those levels are from the original game.

As for SPP, I really enjoy the graphical style, and the vibe meter was actually a great addition, also the way you improve your powers during the game, however the game somewhat lose its appeal as soon as you figure out where and how to use your emotions. I also dislike the bossfight, it's kind unattractive. However I love the way they reuse some of the forgotten original enemies of various Mario games.

 

[Souldriver]

Sonic Rush/Adventure > NSMB.

No, not really...

I like both, but neither are amazing. It's a great feat on itself that a modern Sonic is even considered for a comparison with a Mario game, but I really do prefer NSMB quite a bit more than Sonic Rush (haven't played adventure though).

 

[GrotesqueBeauty]

*snip*

YI: DS feels like a fan made remix to me. Not a bad one necessarily, but still... if someone showed me the game out of the blue and said it was a patched rom I'd probably be inclined to believe it. The best elements were mostly cut and pasted from the original and the rest varied wildly in quality. To its credit I liked the whole mechanic with switching between babies and at least some of the levels were pretty good. The flip side is that the new sprite work felt completely out of place at times and the difficulty was schizophrenic, to put it mildly. It's hard to fathom what they were thinking with the level design at times. While SPP doesn't offer the same challenge it nonetheless forms a more coherent whole. If Tose had nudged the complexity and difficulty up a bit during the latter half of the game I would've considered it a home run, but I still think it's a very well designed game as is, albeit easy.

And I agree wholeheartedly on Canvas Curse. It's my favorite Kirby game and one of my top 3 titles on the DS as well. <3

 

[Davey Cakes]

Y'know, I've always enjoyed the original NSMB on DS. But, I didn't think I would ever consider it underrated.

But, wow, I think GAF has changed things. You guys actually are underrating NSMB DS, and that's scary. It's a competent, fun, handheld platformer. I agree that NSMB Wii does a much better job overall, but still....Some of you are just way too harsh.

As for the Sonic Rush argument, I'm inclined to agree that Sonic Rush is at least on par with NSMB DS. If anything, it helps the Sonic series better than NSMB DS helps the Mario series, since it's not easy finding competent Sonic games these days. As for Rush Adventure, that game is still quite solid, but it added so much unnecessary crap that I'd definitely take NSMB DS over it any day. And believe me, I spent $13 on it, new, at Gamestop during one of their sales. It was just about worth that price.

Of course, I'll gladly add that Rush Adventure had BRILLIANT boss battles.

 

[BowieZ]

But, wow, I think GAF has changed things. You guys actually are underrating NSMB DS, and that's scary. It's a competent, fun, handheld platformer. I agree that NSMB Wii does a much better job overall, but still....Some of you are just way too harsh.

I think most people are harsh on NSMB DS so that their praise of NSMBW is appreciated as more substantial by those people who were turned off by the "backwardness" of the DS game.

But yeah, regardless, it's still true: NSMBW is light years ahead a better gaming experience, and not just for the home console advantage.

 

[Mael]

But yeah, regardless, it's still true: NSMBW is light years ahead a better gaming experience, and not just for the home console advantage.

No argument there

 

[nincompoop]

Y'know, I've always enjoyed the original NSMB on DS. But, I didn't think I would ever consider it underrated.

But, wow, I think GAF has changed things. You guys actually are underrating NSMB DS, and that's scary. It's a competent, fun, handheld platformer. I agree that NSMB Wii does a much better job overall, but still....Some of you are just way too harsh.

It's the NeoGAF cycle™

Once New Super Mario Brothers Holo-Wii is announced, NSMBDS will be considered an all-time great on these forums and NSMBWii will be looked at as a broken piece of crap.

 

[gamergirly]

I think most people are harsh on NSMB DS so that their praise of NSMBW is appreciated as more substantial by those people who were turned off by the "backwardness" of the DS game.

We gotta stop bashing the previous version of a franchise game when the new one is released :lol

 

[Mael]

It's the NeoGAF cycle™

Once New Super Mario Brothers Holo-Wii is announced, NSMBDS will be considered an all-time great on these forums and NSMBWii will be looked at as a broken piece of crap.

You mean it'll be Wind Waker'd?

 

[Eric C]

Wasn't Sonic and Knuckles Sonic 4?

No, Sonic and Knuckles is more like Sonic 3 part 2. Sonic 3 & Knuckles is really what the full Sonic 3 game should of been, Sega was even going to make a combo cart called "Sonic 3 Limited Edition".

Official artwork shows at one time Sega even considered labeling Sonic 3 part 1

Sonic Rush/Adventure > NSMB.

I really have to learn NSMB &#8800; NSMB Wii

I think I might agree, but I thought the VS mode in NSMB DS was fun.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I agree with AniHawk. NSMB was less than bland, and Sonic Rush was actually really fun.

 

[Davey Cakes]

That artwork makes me miss the very short period of time where Knuckles was a villain.

I agree with AniHawk. NSMB was less than bland, and Sonic Rush was actually really fun.

Sonic Rush was great. Unlike the GBA Sonic games it actually balanced good level design with that ridiculous sense of speed.

I actually think that the game was too fast for its own good, though. Sonic was best when his speed was an extension of the gameplay and not the actual base of the gameplay. That said, when people talk about how shitty Sonic games have become, they don't often give enough credit to Rush, which is quite definitely the best Sonic game since Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

 

[The Technomancer]

Agreed on Sonic Rush. I especially loved the Sky whatever zone; seemed a good mix of blitzing speed and some actual platforming and exploration. Moar please.
NSMB DS was decent, but there wasn't a whole lot of "holy crap thats awesome" moments, especially compared to some stuff in NSMB Wii. (

Spoiler

8-7

anyone?)

 

[WillyFive]

I don't know about NSMBWii, but Sonic Rush was better than the DS NSMB. Much better.

 

[nincompoop]

NSMB DS was decent, but there wasn't a whole lot of "holy crap thats awesome" moments, especially compared to some stuff in NSMB Wii. (

Spoiler

8-7

anyone?)

I liked that level better when I played it in Donkey Kong Country 2.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

I liked that level better when I played it in Donkey Kong Country 2.

Yeah. Was still fun though.

 

[Mael]

I don't know about NSMBWii, but Sonic Rush was better than the DS NSMB. Much better.

ok can someone post a vid of what was so awesome that I missed on Sonic Rush?
I mean so far it's the least interesting game I own on DS (and I have the cooking guide 'game')

 

[Davey Cakes]

Yeah. Was still fun though.

And unexpected, too.

I played most of the game before even discovering 8-7. Before I played it I figured I had experienced most of what NSMB Wii had to offer. But...nope!

Seriously, NSMB Wii got away with using SO MANY sorts of design choices just once.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

And unexpected, too.

I played most of the game before even discovering 8-7. Before I played it I figured I had experienced most of what NSMB Wii had to offer. But...nope!

Seriously, NSMB Wii got away with using SO MANY sorts of design choices just once.

Exactly. Whereas DKC2 used that mechanic three times, NSMBWii only used it (and many other mechanics/conventions/ideas) once, which is actually brilliant. Makes ever level feel distinct.

 

[gerg]

What would you call it?

To give a definition of a "traditional" sequel: a sequel which does very little with the pre-existing gameplay of the franchise, instead offering more of the same gameplay.

(I agree that "traditional" isn't a very good term, but it seems easy to use as reference.)

I don't think NSMB Wii has a lock on the 2D platformer category. You could argue that it's not even the best 2D Mario game.

NSMB Wii has sold 10 million copies in two months. When all is said and done, there's a good chance it will sell near to, or above, 20 million copies.

It is definitely the king of the "2D platformer" genre, if we take "king" to refer to a franchise that is disproportionately more popular than any other franchise within the same genre.

Games like GTA or Guitar Heroes had sequels ( like San Andreas and GH III ) that outsold their previous entries without substantial addition simply because they were released very quickly when the genre ( in these example, they established it ) was still on fire, popular.

The first thing to note is that GTA is a franchise targeted at 18-35 males, so I don't expect its sales to conform to my statement.

I wouldn't use the "18-35 male audience" clause.

I agree that it is, ultimately, a very poor phrase that should be avoided in favour of something more accurate and distinguishing. It only really works on the basis of correlation, rather than causation - that is, I don't think there's anything innate about 18-35 males that demands that games which have such a demographic as their majority fanbase have different sales patterns than they don't; as you pointed out, you're always going to get games like Guitar Hero which have a great appeal within this demographic as well as outside it.

Rather, I make the statement because I think it is fair to say that 18-35 males ("core gamers") are much more likely to finish their games than, say, the expanded audience, about whom I feel safe in saying rarely do. As a result, if your sequel only offers more content it is not likely to be successful with the expanded audience - why do they need more content when they have yet to exhaust the content they already own?

 

[Mr. Pointy]

NSMB is great. Sonic Rush is great, but not comparable to NSMB because the level design isn't polished to a mirror shine like the Megadrive Sonic games were.

Sonic Rush Adventure has better level design and great bosses, but is somehow not as good because of the overworld and general theme. Kind of like how DKC3 isn't as good as DKC2.

NSMB Wii is great. I kind of wish they used Yoshi more though.

 

[djtiesto]

Hey hey hey, don't forget Dutch cheese

You mean like this?

 

[Kenka]

You mean like this?

Too much Tiesto. Any Van Buuren lovers ?