entremet
Member
Sure it will probably be better than those
.3DLand became my favorite Mario game and I'm hyped for one on decent hardware.
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Should Nintendo take a break from Super Mario Bro's games?
- Thread starter I am Michael Bolton
- Start date
Sure it will probably be better than those
.3DLand became my favorite Mario game and I'm hyped for one on decent hardware.
How do know it? Have you played it? Let's judge the game ones it comes out, how about that?
Neff
Member
They should take a break from exploiting Mario, from an artistic point of view, yes. Commercially though he's one of the main reasons they can continue to trade.
Nintendo loves taking creative risks, more than anyone in the industry, just not at the expense of business risks. Galaxy was actually very close to Mario 64's sales, but NSMB is a different story. What's great for Nintendo is that NSMBW was exponentially cheaper and quicker to make than Mario Galaxy and sold nearly three times as many copies. Mario Galaxy's relative decadence was sound business-wise because of the massive momentum of the Wii at the time. With a unproven console in Wii U they obviously looked at the NSMBW model and thought it a sensible plan to repeat, however it bit them in the ass because NSMB doesn't sell systems like the core series (ie the good ones) does, so now they're meeting halfway with a relatively low-cost game, at the same time aiming to appease those who want something a little more substantial than the New series.
I'm disappointed that we're not getting a big budget Mario 128 or Galaxy 3 equivalent soon, but I'm sure Nintendo know that they'll have to give it to us at some point, and once the Wii U starts selling well they probably will, but 3D Land isn't a bad game to recycle at all, because it was damn good.
Nintendo loves taking creative risks, more than anyone in the industry, just not at the expense of business risks. Galaxy was actually very close to Mario 64's sales, but NSMB is a different story. What's great for Nintendo is that NSMBW was exponentially cheaper and quicker to make than Mario Galaxy and sold nearly three times as many copies. Mario Galaxy's relative decadence was sound business-wise because of the massive momentum of the Wii at the time. With a unproven console in Wii U they obviously looked at the NSMBW model and thought it a sensible plan to repeat, however it bit them in the ass because NSMB doesn't sell systems like the core series (ie the good ones) does, so now they're meeting halfway with a relatively low-cost game, at the same time aiming to appease those who want something a little more substantial than the New series.
I'm disappointed that we're not getting a big budget Mario 128 or Galaxy 3 equivalent soon, but I'm sure Nintendo know that they'll have to give it to us at some point, and once the Wii U starts selling well they probably will, but 3D Land isn't a bad game to recycle at all, because it was damn good.
Yesterday, I finished NSLU. The first thing I thought? " I won't play another 2D Mario game for years." NSMBs are the same. They don't give the impression of evolved games. On the other hand, Super Mario 64 to Galaxy were totally different. Every game an all new experience. Nintendo should work more on the innovation of the 2D Mario series. New artstyle, new mechanics or new worlds would really make the series shine.
Why, pray tell, does it not fit?
here's another fella who will change his mind pronto once game comes out
Fox Mulder
Member
Of course not.
We got two amazing and innovative 3d Mario games on the wii, and NSMB wii was fun. It's just unfortunate that they have to support a console and handheld with similar franchises. NSMB2 on the 3ds and NSMBU on the WiiU were released months apart years after the wii version, and will likely be the only release for each platform, but everyone cries they're milking it.
I actually liked NSMBU, but I hadn't played one of the "New" games since the original on the DS years ago. I thought the game was fun, looked great, and was challenging. To me, Mario games are nothing like the yearly milking of Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, Madden, etc.
We got two amazing and innovative 3d Mario games on the wii, and NSMB wii was fun. It's just unfortunate that they have to support a console and handheld with similar franchises. NSMB2 on the 3ds and NSMBU on the WiiU were released months apart years after the wii version, and will likely be the only release for each platform, but everyone cries they're milking it.
I actually liked NSMBU, but I hadn't played one of the "New" games since the original on the DS years ago. I thought the game was fun, looked great, and was challenging. To me, Mario games are nothing like the yearly milking of Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, Madden, etc.
Nintendo should do what Sony did with the Vita and Take a break from games alltogether :3
Nah, Mario sells, mario is fun, be it 3D or 2D, karts or whatever. The industry is so obsessed with turning everything into yearly franchices, New Mario or 3D Mario is probably the least gamers should worry about.
Nah, Mario sells, mario is fun, be it 3D or 2D, karts or whatever. The industry is so obsessed with turning everything into yearly franchices, New Mario or 3D Mario is probably the least gamers should worry about.
polyh3dron
Banned
At E3, yes.
Pray tell?
I didn't realize that 64, Sunshine and Galaxy were all rehashes of portable Mario games.
All this talk of milking, I think it's high time we got a Cow Suit power-up, in Super Mario in Cattle Battle.
World 1: Moo Moo Meadows
World 2: Cheese Desert
World 3: Beef Reef
World 4: Frozen Yogurt Forest
World 5: Butter Bridge
World 6: Bovine Ravine
World 7: Mountain of Cream
World 8: Latte Lava Land
World 9: Milky Way
World 1: Moo Moo Meadows
World 2: Cheese Desert
World 3: Beef Reef
World 4: Frozen Yogurt Forest
World 5: Butter Bridge
World 6: Bovine Ravine
World 7: Mountain of Cream
World 8: Latte Lava Land
World 9: Milky Way
I died.
BRUTALBOWN
Banned
Nintendo should take a permanent break from console gaming full stop.
Agent Matt
Member
Nailed it.
jhmtehgamr20xx
Banned
I think Nintendo's problem is they haven't really added a lot of new level and enemy/NPC/characters/worlds to the Mario franchise for maybe several years, since the Galaxy games at least. I'm talking BIG additions, not just some catsuit. They've mainly been remixing thematic elements over and over again, particularly w/ the NEW games, and playing up on nostalgia a little too strongly.
I'd love to see a wave of new enemies and potential long-term allies and environments pop up in the next big Mario game; you'd still get some fans bitching about the new additions not being "timeless" like the SMB-era characters (you really can't please those sorts anyhow so lost cause lol), but for those of us more open and the new gen growing up on games, they could end up holding that same level of value if not more.
Might catch flak for this, but it amazes me how much more progressive the Sonic series has been in this regard than Mario. True, it doesn't always work (Sonic '06 and Shadow were disasters in more than just expanding the world of Sonic, they damn near killed the franchise), but you have to at least give them credit for taking the risk. And nowadays, there's no disputing that it's working out for the best. Sonic may not always strike the right level of nostalgia with newness, but I can still appreciate the overabundance of newness as a sign of risktaking, that should at least be commended.
Since the Galaxy games, it seems like the Mario franchise has been a lot more conservative in this regard. They always nail the nostalgia factor hands-down, but don't always put a lot of 'newness' in there, regarding new characters (NPC, playable, enemy) and environments to play through. In lieu of that, they've been remixing aspects of existing elements together in various combinations, but maybe now they are reaching their limit as to how unique they can be w/ that approach and how much the nostalgia effect through that is working on us.
So more than anything really, I think that's the core problem w/ Mario at this point.
I'd love to see a wave of new enemies and potential long-term allies and environments pop up in the next big Mario game; you'd still get some fans bitching about the new additions not being "timeless" like the SMB-era characters (you really can't please those sorts anyhow so lost cause lol), but for those of us more open and the new gen growing up on games, they could end up holding that same level of value if not more.
Might catch flak for this, but it amazes me how much more progressive the Sonic series has been in this regard than Mario. True, it doesn't always work (Sonic '06 and Shadow were disasters in more than just expanding the world of Sonic, they damn near killed the franchise), but you have to at least give them credit for taking the risk. And nowadays, there's no disputing that it's working out for the best. Sonic may not always strike the right level of nostalgia with newness, but I can still appreciate the overabundance of newness as a sign of risktaking, that should at least be commended.
Since the Galaxy games, it seems like the Mario franchise has been a lot more conservative in this regard. They always nail the nostalgia factor hands-down, but don't always put a lot of 'newness' in there, regarding new characters (NPC, playable, enemy) and environments to play through. In lieu of that, they've been remixing aspects of existing elements together in various combinations, but maybe now they are reaching their limit as to how unique they can be w/ that approach and how much the nostalgia effect through that is working on us.
So more than anything really, I think that's the core problem w/ Mario at this point.
So long as the games are designed with the idea of being "one per console/generation", and could otherwise stand to be given occasional updates in the form of DLC, instead of sequels?
Fine by me. The only difference in the last few years is that releases have been closer together because Nintendo needed something to help pimp their newest hardware releases. So of course the likes of NSMB2, MK7, NSMBU, 3D Land, 3D World and MK8 seem much closer together.
But I'm thinking that it's better for Nintendo to get those titles out of the way now, because those titles will likely have long legs that can support their respective hardware from now up over the next few years throughout the hardware's lifetime. And once they're done with those titles, that ideally frees them up to work on something else.
It's a strategy that works, in my opinion. Get the Mario games out now, and let them help cultivate your console's audience. Then you can afford to possibly take "risks" with other franchises later.
Fine by me. The only difference in the last few years is that releases have been closer together because Nintendo needed something to help pimp their newest hardware releases. So of course the likes of NSMB2, MK7, NSMBU, 3D Land, 3D World and MK8 seem much closer together.
But I'm thinking that it's better for Nintendo to get those titles out of the way now, because those titles will likely have long legs that can support their respective hardware from now up over the next few years throughout the hardware's lifetime. And once they're done with those titles, that ideally frees them up to work on something else.
It's a strategy that works, in my opinion. Get the Mario games out now, and let them help cultivate your console's audience. Then you can afford to possibly take "risks" with other franchises later.
Knux-Future
Banned
It probably will take a break.
The only one left is perhaps a "true" 3D Mario and that is probabaly a year or two off ( Zelda and Smash are probably the bug games for next year).
It's one per console and the 3DS and Wii U came out very close to each other and the Wii U's failure has forced them into putting them out sooner.
The only one left is perhaps a "true" 3D Mario and that is probabaly a year or two off ( Zelda and Smash are probably the bug games for next year).
It's one per console and the 3DS and Wii U came out very close to each other and the Wii U's failure has forced them into putting them out sooner.
LOL. You people have lost your minds. Don't know when Sunshine become more than the sequel to Mario64 with a tropical setting. Now all of a sudden it was bold and inventive where 3d World is safe and lazy. Dat *Super Paper Mario* gif. Or Dat revisionist history.
Yeah they should totally focus on their PC ventures.
MemoryHumanity
Member
Lol. Show me one animation from SS that was 'ripped' from TP.
There is no fact in this. I like the NSMBU artstyle. It's vibrant, alive very clean and typical Mario style. NSMB is about the perrfect gameplay anyway, the nice (to me) HD graphics are an added bonus.
If you ever have copious amounts of free time, I want to hear the soundtrack to this game. Especially Beef Reef.
NSMBU was a good game, but to someone who played all the versions, they do kinda feel like expansions, not real sequels presentation wise. The gameplay is rock solid, they just need to branch out from the sterile look/sound a bit.
I think he was talking about the style of the game rather than the quality of it. At least I think so...
MasterHoodie
Member
But it was all of that... I always thought that SMS got unnecessary flak for Fludd, when that damn jetpack ended up opening a lot of interesting gameplay opportunities
The continued baseline success of Mario games allows lets Nintendo invest in risky ventures like Xenoblade, Bayonetta, and W101. So no, doing so would be as dumb as saying that Sony should take a break from Gran Turismo (which lets them fund stuff like Journey) or Microsoft should take a break from Forza (which lets them... nevermind).
If that's the case then I apologize. If not.........
Kai Dracon
Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
When there's five or six Assassin's Creeds games for a single console, and only one "new" Super Mario Bros. game per Nintendo console, you know that Mario being overused is an issue of perception more than reality.
It is a valid observation that every Mario game branded NSMB is in the same style, though this doesn't differ much from Mario Kart - a franchise that doesn't get nearly as much complaints from core Nintendo fans primarily because they seem to like it more so it gets a pass.
The general problem with Mario isn't that there's too much Mario, but not enough of everything else. If the exact same games with Mario in them (of whatever genre) had been published for the last six years... along with a lot of other games fans want plus a few of those coveted "new IPs"*, I suspect there wouldn't be so much griping about Mario.
*new IPs here referring to games using genres and characters that core gamers will accept.
It is a valid observation that every Mario game branded NSMB is in the same style, though this doesn't differ much from Mario Kart - a franchise that doesn't get nearly as much complaints from core Nintendo fans primarily because they seem to like it more so it gets a pass.
The general problem with Mario isn't that there's too much Mario, but not enough of everything else. If the exact same games with Mario in them (of whatever genre) had been published for the last six years... along with a lot of other games fans want plus a few of those coveted "new IPs"*, I suspect there wouldn't be so much griping about Mario.
*new IPs here referring to games using genres and characters that core gamers will accept.
Yup. NSMBU looks like an extension of NSMBWii and 3DWorld an extension of 3DLand. Come back when you can think of something as groundbreaking as 64, Galaxy, or even Sunshine. In the meantime give some love to the ignored franchises like Fzero or Starfox.
TalesOfWin
Banned
JoeM86 said:
New Super Luigi. It's a mario game playing as luigi in the same damn overworld.
And I love how everyone cling to the fact that having a new 2D mario per console totally invalidates the 3D mario releases. That's like not counting Battlefield Bad company series to Battlefield.
New Super Luigi U is downloadable content for New Super Mario Bros U. It is not a separate game.
I need more with difference Graphics & animation.
Dear Arceus, yes.
DLC counts as a separate installment? That's news to me.
My previous comment with the CoD/Mario comparison will appear even more in Mario's favour now!
I certainly believe they are over exerting the Mario franchise - short term profit but it could very well lead to franchise fatigue amongst consumers.
Honestly though, taking a break may not solve the problem in terms of the quality of the games (I'm mainly talking about the 2D games here). I don't believe the NSMB games are the way they are because the developers don't have creative ideas. They seem to be opting (Whether by choice or pressure from management) to have their ideas constrained. Lets ignore the overall NSMB aesthetic (Which I can guarantee has stuck around because its easy to make). The games have almost zero creativity world to world. Grass alnd, desert, ice, fire, cloud. They're deliberately reusing the same world types. I'm playing through Newer Super Mario bros Wii - a fan game using NSMB Wii assets - and the creativity on display is shocking. Theres a space world, a halloween themed ghost world, a giant themed world, a world with a mix of ice and fire at once - the game feels so much more creative, even though most of the assets are reused. It is not hard to be so creative - they just mixed up the different world's assets from the maingame to create something new. The Nintendo developed NSMB franchise does not do this - it does not even try.
My point is that Mario taking a break won't do anything unless the culture of the development team changes - they need to WANT to be creative. They need to want to go beyond the generic world types they have been using so far. As for the NSMB aesthetic, well so long as its profitable I think it will stick around, sadly. But they can inject so much life into it and keep it fresh if they stop being so fucking derivative.
As for 3D Mario, well those don't come around quite so often, and there aren't enough 3D platformers in this world today, so i say keep em coming. 3D world is the way it is because they chose it to be. I don't believe they are running out of ideas in 3D Mario. They made the conscious decision to do a sequel to 3D Land, and whether they had waited 2 years or 5, that decision would have likely been the same.
tl:dr - Yes, Mario is very over exposed right now (Not just because of the 2D/3D platformers but also because of Kart, Party and all the extraneous games). But taking a break isn't enough. They need to stop reusing world types and mix things up. A little creativity can make that simple art style do great things. See: Newer Super Mario Bros Wii
Honestly though, taking a break may not solve the problem in terms of the quality of the games (I'm mainly talking about the 2D games here). I don't believe the NSMB games are the way they are because the developers don't have creative ideas. They seem to be opting (Whether by choice or pressure from management) to have their ideas constrained. Lets ignore the overall NSMB aesthetic (Which I can guarantee has stuck around because its easy to make). The games have almost zero creativity world to world. Grass alnd, desert, ice, fire, cloud. They're deliberately reusing the same world types. I'm playing through Newer Super Mario bros Wii - a fan game using NSMB Wii assets - and the creativity on display is shocking. Theres a space world, a halloween themed ghost world, a giant themed world, a world with a mix of ice and fire at once - the game feels so much more creative, even though most of the assets are reused. It is not hard to be so creative - they just mixed up the different world's assets from the maingame to create something new. The Nintendo developed NSMB franchise does not do this - it does not even try.
My point is that Mario taking a break won't do anything unless the culture of the development team changes - they need to WANT to be creative. They need to want to go beyond the generic world types they have been using so far. As for the NSMB aesthetic, well so long as its profitable I think it will stick around, sadly. But they can inject so much life into it and keep it fresh if they stop being so fucking derivative.
As for 3D Mario, well those don't come around quite so often, and there aren't enough 3D platformers in this world today, so i say keep em coming. 3D world is the way it is because they chose it to be. I don't believe they are running out of ideas in 3D Mario. They made the conscious decision to do a sequel to 3D Land, and whether they had waited 2 years or 5, that decision would have likely been the same.
tl:dr - Yes, Mario is very over exposed right now (Not just because of the 2D/3D platformers but also because of Kart, Party and all the extraneous games). But taking a break isn't enough. They need to stop reusing world types and mix things up. A little creativity can make that simple art style do great things. See: Newer Super Mario Bros Wii
Bending_Unit_22
Member
Sorry if this has already been handled, not like it's difficult to (looks like it has).
I hate to jump on something from the first page 5 pages but this is a terrible analysis.
By your score there have been 0.357 2D Marios and .353 3D Marios per year or about 0.711 per year. The glaring omission, aside from the fact no one cares how many Mario games came out pre-2006 when deciding where there are too many recently, is the huge gap that exists from 1993 to 2005, 1 Mario game or 0.154 per year over half your time line. In the Mario heyday of 1985-1992 the games came out at a 0.75 per year rate, uh oh or about the average, almost scared to see the milking that follows 2006. Well here it is, 1.29 per year (1.43 including NSLU which I would but isn't necessary to prove above CoD levels of milking). Narrow it down even further to the last 2 years and the rate jumps to 2 per year (or 2.5 with NSLU). True, Mario will by necessity take a break but it needs to be a long break to get it's release rate down from pure overwrought milkage. In easier format we have annual release rate as:
CoD: 1 per year (1.71 with portables but given the sales difference, no one cares about them unlike portable Mario).
Mario:
NES/SNES: 0.75
N64/GCN: 0.154
Wii/WiiU: 1.29
Last 2 years: 2
Funny, it's a full game I can buy separately from NSMBU in a store. Either way it's not necessary to shoot down your idea that Mario is not being excessively milked so not worth arguing over.
I hate to jump on something from the first page 5 pages but this is a terrible analysis.
By your score there have been 0.357 2D Marios and .353 3D Marios per year or about 0.711 per year. The glaring omission, aside from the fact no one cares how many Mario games came out pre-2006 when deciding where there are too many recently, is the huge gap that exists from 1993 to 2005, 1 Mario game or 0.154 per year over half your time line. In the Mario heyday of 1985-1992 the games came out at a 0.75 per year rate, uh oh or about the average, almost scared to see the milking that follows 2006. Well here it is, 1.29 per year (1.43 including NSLU which I would but isn't necessary to prove above CoD levels of milking). Narrow it down even further to the last 2 years and the rate jumps to 2 per year (or 2.5 with NSLU). True, Mario will by necessity take a break but it needs to be a long break to get it's release rate down from pure overwrought milkage. In easier format we have annual release rate as:
CoD: 1 per year (1.71 with portables but given the sales difference, no one cares about them unlike portable Mario).
Mario:
NES/SNES: 0.75
N64/GCN: 0.154
Wii/WiiU: 1.29
Last 2 years: 2
Funny, it's a full game I can buy separately from NSMBU in a store. Either way it's not necessary to shoot down your idea that Mario is not being excessively milked so not worth arguing over.
TheGreatMightyPoo
Banned
Sure it will probably be better than those
3DLand became my favorite Mario game and I'm hyped for one on decent hardware.
I didn't share that sentiment but I would have given the game a 9.
I'm replaying the hell out of it and now think the game is brilliant and really excited for a "better" version of it.
Bring on Mario 3D World.
GeorgioCostanzaX
Member
Super Mario shoe horn over creating new IP has been Nintendo's MO since Mario Bros 2. I don't think they're changing tactics any time soon which is why selling RARE was such a dumb move...they were the only studio consistently producing new IP.
Mario as a *brand* can't be split up into its different genres. When you look at the total number of Mario games (2D, 3D, Party, Kart, the RPGs, etc), the number of Mario releases is *very* high. So yes while it is true that the fact that Mario is in numerous genres helps (And when you look at them separately, the number of releases are not that high), is it not possible that people just get tired of Mario as a character if they see him so often? Possibly.
Knux-Future
Banned
I always like in these Nintendo be fucking up threads, there are a smattering of posts like "Make Metriod or Star Fox or FZero games".
Firstly, it's funny that Nintendo gets killed for milking and yet some of the more requested games are their old ones.
but mainly, I want to know why people ask for these so much? Judging by the constant outcry for them it makes me wonder why they aren't more popular than they are.
Did the Prime games sell well? and even if they did, it seems people want another 2D entry instead....do they sell?
As for Star Fox, would simply SF64 EXTREME Edition be enough? Then with FZero, Nintendo didn't even make the last one...and it bombed (fuck the world btw).
That's my issue with threads like this where the main idea is to put out Metroid or StarFox games as a solution. I don't think those are system sellers
and if Nintendo did come out with a direct that announced all 3 of those, people would still bitch that they are re-hashing too much lol.
Im not saying I mind or don't want these games but seeing people place them as the solution to Nintendo's problems is funny.
Firstly, it's funny that Nintendo gets killed for milking and yet some of the more requested games are their old ones.
but mainly, I want to know why people ask for these so much? Judging by the constant outcry for them it makes me wonder why they aren't more popular than they are.
Did the Prime games sell well? and even if they did, it seems people want another 2D entry instead....do they sell?
As for Star Fox, would simply SF64 EXTREME Edition be enough? Then with FZero, Nintendo didn't even make the last one...and it bombed (fuck the world btw).
That's my issue with threads like this where the main idea is to put out Metroid or StarFox games as a solution. I don't think those are system sellers
and if Nintendo did come out with a direct that announced all 3 of those, people would still bitch that they are re-hashing too much lol.
Im not saying I mind or don't want these games but seeing people place them as the solution to Nintendo's problems is funny.
You seem to be forgetting all the new IPs Nintendo has made over the last few years. To jog your memory, I'll repost something I put early in this thread:
Joeys_Rattata
Neo Member
People saying "Well they've only released x number of games since 1986. It's not nearly as milked as Call of Duty," are ignoring the recent years. It's true that Mario titles weren't released as frequently in the mid 90s to the early 2000s, but let's look at the release schedule since 2006.
2006 - New Super Mario Bros.
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy
2008 -
2009 - Super Mario Bros. Wii
2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2
2011 - Super Mario 3D Land
2012 - New Super Mario Bros 2, New Super Mario Bros Wii U
2013 - Super Mario 3D World
Mario's been on a yearly release schedule since the DS Lite/Wii launch. 2008 didn't have a Mario game, but that was balanced out by the release of two Mario games in 2012. It's just as bad as Call of Duty at this point. Sure, they may play differently, but it's still every single year there's a new major Mario game, and it's leading to franchise fatigue, especially over the last couple years. Compare that to the release schedule during the N64/Gamceube days.
1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - 2001 - nothing
2002 - Super Mario Sunshine
2003 - 2005 - nothing
That's not milk Mario, but what they've been doing for the last 7 or 8 years is.
edit: don't mean franchise fatigue in the mainstream market, just mean franchise fatigue among gamers across the internet.
2006 - New Super Mario Bros.
2007 - Super Mario Galaxy
2008 -
2009 - Super Mario Bros. Wii
2010 - Super Mario Galaxy 2
2011 - Super Mario 3D Land
2012 - New Super Mario Bros 2, New Super Mario Bros Wii U
2013 - Super Mario 3D World
Mario's been on a yearly release schedule since the DS Lite/Wii launch. 2008 didn't have a Mario game, but that was balanced out by the release of two Mario games in 2012. It's just as bad as Call of Duty at this point. Sure, they may play differently, but it's still every single year there's a new major Mario game, and it's leading to franchise fatigue, especially over the last couple years. Compare that to the release schedule during the N64/Gamceube days.
1996 - Super Mario 64
1997 - 2001 - nothing
2002 - Super Mario Sunshine
2003 - 2005 - nothing
That's not milk Mario, but what they've been doing for the last 7 or 8 years is.
edit: don't mean franchise fatigue in the mainstream market, just mean franchise fatigue among gamers across the internet.
Bending_Unit_22
Member
Except the thread is about one genre of the Mario *brand*, or 2 if you split it into 2D and 3D. The Mario *brand* has always had a fairly high release rate that has never bothered people and I don't think has been much increased of late (or at least not significantly).
Nintendo is offering DLC as a full retail package for those who lack internet, yes. They are not the first to do this. However, it's only on sale in stores until the end of the year, then it's just pure DLC again
This is kinda the artstyle I want in the next Mario game, weird source I know:
Kinda like the old box art, full of detail, Mario shows a bit of sunburn and strain, enemies a little more gritty and evil, but still nice and clean with well defined platform structures (although not made of repeating textures).bonus points for a graffiti inspired design
I'd like this as well. Nintendo: please bring back the old box art graphical style or something similar to this!
I do like how they are using the old character art for the portraits in Super Mario 3D World though, so maybe nintendo is starting to remember the charm of their own old art work as well again.
Ah shucks. Now I'm blushing! I wish I would create posts with less spelling errors though (even when I do reread them before posting), so there still is plenty of room of improvement.
(Also be careful as this comment might get FlyFaster to start gunning for you as well :-( )
How can you not name new IPs like Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii Party. Those are huge as well.
Though I do see the point you are making, I believe it is fundamentally flawed due to your lack of inclusion of ports/remakes.
The 5th, 6th and early 7th generations that you decided to promote for what one may consider 'responsible/even distribution of Mario platformers' had 6 ports as well as the games you listed, 1 on the GBC, 4 on the GBA, and 1 for the DS. I believe that had Nintendo continued followed this model since we wouldn't have likely got NSMB, NSMB2 or Super Mario 3D Land as the ports fulfilled the need for Mario platformers on Nintendo portables. As a result, I believe your post is showing a somewhat distorted reality.