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SMG2 is harder and more diverse in its concepts that SMG was. Like SMB2 built on SMB, SMG2 builds on SMG.
Everyone tends to agree Mario faltered on Super Mario Sunshine and that New Super Mario Bros. Wii felt a little easy.
Nintendo, however, does not have a track record of fucking up like Sega has. Its not just Sonic, its just about ever IP and every rushed console that made them the mixed bag they are today. Sonic has become more of a lab rat than a mascot, Sega always abandoning whatever does work to try again and see if this othe thing works this time. Konami's been doing that to Castlevania since 2008.
Not a good thing.
Everyone tends to agree Mario faltered on Super Mario Sunshine and that New Super Mario Bros. Wii felt a little easy.
Nintendo, however, does not have a track record of fucking up like Sega has. Its not just Sonic, its just about ever IP and every rushed console that made them the mixed bag they are today. Sonic has become more of a lab rat than a mascot, Sega always abandoning whatever does work to try again and see if this othe thing works this time. Konami's been doing that to Castlevania since 2008.
Not a good thing.
It's not like this is a bad idea to bring this up, but if you need to ask why everyone calls the Mario series a legendary one, it's been too long since you've played one.
And people do rag on how lazy it is sometimes: the handheld 2D sidescroller Marios have not exactly lit the world on fire critically speaking.
And people do rag on how lazy it is sometimes: the handheld 2D sidescroller Marios have not exactly lit the world on fire critically speaking.
I'd also make a distinction between the "main" games of a series versus its spinoffs - Mario's "main" games are almost always well-received, but then you've got the likes of Mario Party, which sells well but tends to get eyes rolled at it (basically, the same as a lot of Sonic's "main" stuff). Some real diehards might argue that most every Sonic release of the past decade or more has been a spinoff of what Sonic "should" be, though I won't get into that - in short, to an extent I agree that Mario has a bit of teflon on his overalls, but not as much as you suggest here.
Mario has plenty of talent in him...BUT good lord, mario kart 7 sucked donkey balls! It felt cheap and really uninspired, Im at the point where im rooting for sega all stars racing to give it a nice firm kick to the groin so that they can make good mario kart games again.
(btw whos lookin forward to sega all stars racing sequal, I want Nights in there kicking ass)
(btw whos lookin forward to sega all stars racing sequal, I want Nights in there kicking ass)
Most critics I know were actually pretty harsh about the 25th anniversary collection being a bare-bones repackaging of a SNES remake.
As for Mario Galaxy 2, the game didn't score well for it's originality. A lot of sequels that score well aren't particularly original.
Likes Uncharted 2, Resident Evil 2, and Gears of War 2, Mario Galaxy 2 took the concept of the first game and expanded on it in all the right ways, adding new ideas and extrapolating on old ones. It's about as finely crafted at 3D platformers get. That's why people love it.
As for Mario Galaxy 2, the game didn't score well for it's originality. A lot of sequels that score well aren't particularly original.
Likes Uncharted 2, Resident Evil 2, and Gears of War 2, Mario Galaxy 2 took the concept of the first game and expanded on it in all the right ways, adding new ideas and extrapolating on old ones. It's about as finely crafted at 3D platformers get. That's why people love it.
I think that Mario games, or the core ones at least are that good.
I think there is something in the water at the Mario studios. There is a real attention to craft in game design which puts many other games to shame, even now. I see it all the time in how a level is created around a certain mechanic and they are rarely repeated. Mario games have so many concepts, level designs and mechanics in a single game and most studios would take one of those things and make an entire game out of it, yet in a Mario game it's only used for one level.
It worries me when people can't see the craft as there is so much to learn from these games.
I think there is something in the water at the Mario studios. There is a real attention to craft in game design which puts many other games to shame, even now. I see it all the time in how a level is created around a certain mechanic and they are rarely repeated. Mario games have so many concepts, level designs and mechanics in a single game and most studios would take one of those things and make an entire game out of it, yet in a Mario game it's only used for one level.
It worries me when people can't see the craft as there is so much to learn from these games.
With your point comparing criticisms toward Mario and Sonic, Sonic fans complain about the most ludicrous things. "Sonic's eyes are green. Fuck that." The other thing about Mario compared to Sonic is that Mario games, even while some can be not so great, are still generally good, fun, enjoyable, and just an overall solid game. Most of the bad Sonic games are a mess with bad controls, bad camera angles, terrible writing, etc.
Overall, with a new full fledged Mario game, you can be pretty damn sure that it's going to be a good game.
Overall, with a new full fledged Mario game, you can be pretty damn sure that it's going to be a good game.
How can the games be nostalgia when there are so many of them? I can tell you, from my own life experience, that I don't love Mario because of my youth. Sure, that was a big reason for why I got into the series, but I've played every game multiple times and love them all, save for Sunshine.
Sunshine is the only game in the series I cannot recommend to anyone without questioning their taste in games. If they aren't big on platformers, Sunshine would never win them over. It's just not that great of a title and it sorely lacks all the magic that makes Mario games so memorable.
Still, I even like SMB2 USA and not many people enjoy it. Mario is just magic to me and nostalgia isn't the reason why. I cannot be nostalgic about Galaxy because it only came out 5 years ago, but I still found it to be fantastic.
As a matter of fact, other than Mario Bros 3., my favorite Mario title is Galaxy 2. New Super Mario Bros. is also highly entertaining and immensely replayable, despite being a 21st Mario title.
This is going on forever, so let me just make it quick and simple; People love Mario because his games are well-made. Nostalgia may be a small factor, but it's not the bottom line.
Sunshine is the only game in the series I cannot recommend to anyone without questioning their taste in games. If they aren't big on platformers, Sunshine would never win them over. It's just not that great of a title and it sorely lacks all the magic that makes Mario games so memorable.
Still, I even like SMB2 USA and not many people enjoy it. Mario is just magic to me and nostalgia isn't the reason why. I cannot be nostalgic about Galaxy because it only came out 5 years ago, but I still found it to be fantastic.
As a matter of fact, other than Mario Bros 3., my favorite Mario title is Galaxy 2. New Super Mario Bros. is also highly entertaining and immensely replayable, despite being a 21st Mario title.
This is going on forever, so let me just make it quick and simple; People love Mario because his games are well-made. Nostalgia may be a small factor, but it's not the bottom line.
@Lowlander2 It hasn't been too long actually.I was playing NSMB DS and Mario 64 DS just a few weeks ago.
I'm just a little curious as to why Mario's so loved by the general public.I like his games(particularly Yoshi's Island and Paper Mario) but I guess my platforming preferences just lie elsewere.
I'm just a little curious as to why Mario's so loved by the general public.I like his games(particularly Yoshi's Island and Paper Mario) but I guess my platforming preferences just lie elsewere.
@TSP and KingSigy: I'll never understand why everyone bashes Sunshine. It's definitely my favorite Mario platformer. It was perfectly magical to me, Sigy. :-/
Well, part of the reason seems to be that even when they are rather lazy in coming up with actual original ideas (New Super Mario Bros series), the games are pretty masterfully executed. In fact, I'd go as far to say that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is one of his best 2D games yet.
But also, when he does go all out, it really shows. I don't particularly like Galaxy, but I do respect that the game is utterly gorgeous, creative in its level design, and has a damn good soundtrack.
I can see where you come from though. Mario hasn't been the man leading innovation in a long time. But, I respect that after over 25 years Nintendo can churn out Mario games and they're still well crafted games.
But also, when he does go all out, it really shows. I don't particularly like Galaxy, but I do respect that the game is utterly gorgeous, creative in its level design, and has a damn good soundtrack.
I can see where you come from though. Mario hasn't been the man leading innovation in a long time. But, I respect that after over 25 years Nintendo can churn out Mario games and they're still well crafted games.
In all honesty I've never personally played a Mario game... that being said, I think that Mario is as great as he ever was just based on the reactions of my niece. My niece is now 7 years old and she LOVES Mario. She's mostly played the DS games but has also played the Wii game with friends.
The formula and character still seem to work. Kids that have little or no exposure to video games and try a bunch of different ones - but once they try Mario they fall in love.
As to whether the Mario series can retain it's audience as people get older, I don't know - but the original formula still works with kids and I'm actually happy that the series hasn't changed too much. Kids deserve to fall in love with gaming through something like Mario just as much as many of today's gamers did (not me... I'm too old... but it does seem that an awful lot of gamers have wonderful memories of playing Mario and Zelda... and those are the same experiences my niece is now privileged to also experience).
She was even Mario last Halloween! :)
The formula and character still seem to work. Kids that have little or no exposure to video games and try a bunch of different ones - but once they try Mario they fall in love.
As to whether the Mario series can retain it's audience as people get older, I don't know - but the original formula still works with kids and I'm actually happy that the series hasn't changed too much. Kids deserve to fall in love with gaming through something like Mario just as much as many of today's gamers did (not me... I'm too old... but it does seem that an awful lot of gamers have wonderful memories of playing Mario and Zelda... and those are the same experiences my niece is now privileged to also experience).
She was even Mario last Halloween! :)
That's because only Mario's spin-off titles are shit. The core games (platformers) are always top-notch. Sonic has been universally terrible since 2003.
And also, Elsa never played Mario? wut?
And also, Elsa never played Mario? wut?
@bbain
Haha. You made me feel so bad. I just don't like Sunshine. You are right in saying it's not bad, but it doesn't capture any of the magic of Mario for me. I guess I just have too high of a standard for the fat little plumber. Love the guy to death, but not Sunshine.
Haha. You made me feel so bad. I just don't like Sunshine. You are right in saying it's not bad, but it doesn't capture any of the magic of Mario for me. I guess I just have too high of a standard for the fat little plumber. Love the guy to death, but not Sunshine.
@KingSigy: I think I might just have a different view of Mario games in general. All of the other Mario platformers are just OK to me. They're fun and I enjoy playing them, and I recognize how important they are for the industry, but they're not my favorite games. Sunshine, on the other hand, is really special to me for some reason and I never get tired of playing it. Maybe it's because it's so different from other Mario platformers, which might be the same reason why other people don't really like it as much.
@The Silent Protagonist
I actually disagree -- I thought SMG2 was infinitely easier than SMG1. I didn't have a single problem with the second game, but there were quite a few challenging parts in the first one.
I actually disagree -- I thought SMG2 was infinitely easier than SMG1. I didn't have a single problem with the second game, but there were quite a few challenging parts in the first one.
It's probably known by now, but I think the last excellent Mario was 64, and SMG was pretty much decent at best, so I can dig the sentiment provided from this blog. But hey, that's just like, my opinion man.
Elsa may be the only person in the entire world to have never played a Mario game. You should call Guinness!
I think the question is largely irrelevant. Are you having a blast with Mario because it is "objectively great" or is it just nostalgia? Did you buy a Playstation 3 because it "objectively" offers better value than a 360 or because Sony "tricked you" with slick advertising? Did you buy a super expensive new car because you "needed it" or because you fell in love with it the moment you first laid eyes on the beauty? It doesn't matter, the end result is the same. Back to Mario, the end result is you having a blast, which is the whole point.
That said, nostalgia can only take you so far, and you wouldn't even be wondering this if Mario wasn't "really fantastic". Just look at Sonic.
@Dixon
Hey! You stole my line!!!
That said, nostalgia can only take you so far, and you wouldn't even be wondering this if Mario wasn't "really fantastic". Just look at Sonic.
@Dixon
Hey! You stole my line!!!
