• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Wii U is the first home console in 16 years to launch with a Mario game

ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
LuTw7.png


Hkp8f.png


3Lqym.png


on7oj.png


Is the Wii U going to mirror the N64 in other ways? For instance, Super Mario 64 propelled the N64 initially, but waning third party interest and several hardware handicaps eventually did it in. It wound up having done better than the Saturn, but fell short of the original PlayStation.

Or will it more closely mirror the SNES? The Super Nintendo came off the long-standing success of the NES, and while it couldn't match its predecessor's hardware sales, it still, eventually after a bitter war, won out over its rival system of the time. It also had, arguably, a much better and more varied library compared to its predecessor. Will that be the case for Wii U?

It's interesting to note that both the GameCube and Wii launched without true Mario platformers, and their reception in the market couldn't have been more different. Maybe that proves that it's never come solely down to whether a Mario game is available at launch. While that seems quite obvious, and while the N64 didn't score the sales crown even with Mario 64, it's worth noting that Mario games still sell well and Mario 64 did help the N64 tremendously early on. It's up to Nintendo whether the Wii U is more like the SNES or N64.

Personally, I'm excited about it. I can barely remember the N64's launch and I'm sure I'm not alone. A Nintendo home console, launching with a Mario game once again at long last.

Should be cool.
 

Eusis

Member
Yeah, with "Holiday" it could be more like SSBM... which is still close enough to be a huge deal for early adopting anyway.
 

Neifirst

Member
This and Pikmin 3 are really all I need to get on board. I thought that ghost level in particular looked really cool. We just need some Retro and GoodFeel news tonight during the developers' roundtable!
 

Magnus

Member
It's a day one launch title? Oh boy. Well, I'm not even slightly worried about the Wii U launch anymore. It'll sell juuuust fine.
 

EvilMario

Will QA for food.
Sucks this and pikmin 3 are all I want. Might end up getting AC3 on PC.

I don't really need more than a couple of games at launch. It's the months following launch that worry me with new consoles. Pikmin, Mario, + one of many party games to choose from should be okay for the first month, or two. Especially if they keep their promise of eShop games at launch. I don't have a thousand dollars burning a hole in my pocket for a system and ten games.
 
Not an entirely "new" Mario game or a genre redefining one like SM64 but nonetheless i am looking forward to NSMB WiiU and it will be a must have to say the least.
 

Doc Holliday

SPOILER: Columbus finds America
And the first one that looks like the didn't even try to come with something new. I could be wrong, but man they didn't bother to change the art :(
 

ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
I'm one of those people who think all the NSMB games look too similar, but some of these environments are really nice.
on7oj.png

It's easily the best looking NSMB game, due in equal parts to resolution and actually having an art style.

wiiu_newmariou_3_scrnrqil5.jpg
 

ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
Also am I forgetting or is this the first NSMB game with night levels?

I must be forgetting, there's no way the others wouldn't have night levels... I just can't remember them... Right?
 

Kai Dracon

Writing a dinosaur space opera symphony
Mario is used to sell systems to the masses. That is his job.

Every Mario game that was packed into a Nintendo system (or available at launch) was designed to impress the mass market over hardcore gamers. So NSMB U as the premiere launch game is no surprise, rather than say, a 3D Mario game. Why?

Because Mario 64 was trying to sell the masses on 3D and the N64 controller. It had to appeal to everyone, get them to want to try it. It wasn't a 3D game with fancy graphics (for its time) purely to impress a niche of enthusiast gamers.

Likewise, even with SMW and the SNES, it was not a game that focused on graphics, 'edgy' action or themes, or hardcore-ness. It was rather an inviting game everyone would want to play.

Right now, NSMB is one of Nintendo's super warm, inviting properties that the masses adore. So... yeah, no surprise about it at all.

It is good however, that Nintendo has learned their lesson and will now launch hardware with a Mario title ready to go.
 

JABEE

Member
Also am I forgetting or is this the first NSMB game with night levels?

I must be forgetting, there's no way the others wouldn't have night levels... I just can't remember them... Right?

What about the Mario Bros 3 Gunship levels? Never mind, you said NSMB
 

Anth0ny

Member
It's far and away the best looking NSMB game... but it's still a NSMB game. A new 3D Mario by EAD Tokyo 1 would have made a far greater impression.

I know I'm going to be burnt out on NSMB (thanks to NSMB2) by the time Wii U launches.
 
Top Bottom