New Super Mario Bros. U director compares 2D to 3D Mario ...

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New Super Mario Bros. U director compares 2D to 3D Mario popularity
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“I don’t think it’s because one game is better than the other. It’s just that compared to 2D, there seems to be more people who are not as comfortable with 3D controls. And maybe a wider range of people were more accepting of the New Super Mario Bros. series, which may have seemed simpler to them.” - NSMBU director, Masataka Takemoto

I also think it has a lot to do with people being uncomfortable with change. They are used to Mario in classic 2D style, so they don't have a high barrier for entry when tackling a new Mario game in that style. Throw things into 3D and people are too afraid to pick up a controller and try.

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[LinkMaster111]

The 3D Mario games have definitely been better than the 2D games recently, but they're both great.

[LegendofSantiago]

I do think the 3D games are in pretty much everyway better, but after playing nsmbu I can see why some would prefer the 2d games.

[joshb1983]

People can learn freaking Madden and Call of Duty, but they can't bother to learn Mario?

[ModestMr.Green]

I don't really understand why the reason can never be that people simply like the 2D ones more than the 3D ones. It's always that people "don't understand."

[Zanreo]

I love both, but prefer the 3D games.

[MegaShock100]

Controls maybe a reason, but I think it is just a general lack of interest. Most of the people who bought NSMBWii and DS just don't care much for games, and they only picked up a Wii or DS for the "gimmicks" of touch screen gaming and motion controls. 2D Mario just happened to be a familiar name so that was one of the games they bought.

[TheBitBlock]

3D Mario is so much better it's a shame they don't sell better than the 2D ones.

[mariomaniac45213]

"I don’t think it’s because one game is better than the other."

I know if that was true every 3D Mario would've sold more than any "New" Mario title. I hated NSMB and NSMBW so bland...Never played 2 or U yet because I don't own either a 3DS or Wii U yet. NSMB2 looks "ok" but NSMBU looks pretty fun actually...but we'll see. I also thought NSMBW looked fun and ended up being an extreme disappointment.

Sometimes I wonder how 3D Mario sales would be if they ended up naming them "New Super Mario Bros. 3D" or something...

[Thebluepencil]

...and because the NSMB series is completely devoid of creativity in relation to a game like Galaxy. It's fun, but the world themes, and even the level music are completely rehashed from previous installments...

[IxisNaugus]

@ModestMr.Green

Try not to look at that idea in an insulting light. Think of it like this: People like the 2D games more, precisely because it is easier to grasp, understand and play. It's not so much people do not or, more importantly, cannot understand, but more that they prefer the 2D games because they are far easier to understand.

@joshb1983

I think a case can be made that the audiences that buy 2D Mario and those that buy Call of Duty, or Madden, or Fifa aren't quite the same.

[Devil_Rising]

How about this, folks? Perhaps 2D platforming is straight up just easier to get right into, and quite frankly, coming from someone who grew up with them, they're in general just more fun to play. They typically have more replay value. There is just something about 2D gaming that screams "VIDEO GAMES", something that a lot of modern 3D games seem to have been trying very hard to get away from. Or that newer developers simply do not know how to tap into.

That is one thing that I'll say for Nintendo, for sure, is that even their 3D games, still FEEL like video games, they don't feel like wannabe playable movies. 3D Mario, while I prefer 2D Mario, still FEELS like Mario.

But overall, that doesn't mean 3D games are "bad". Only that, at least in this man's opinion, there is something classic (and classic styled) 2D games had, an "it" factor", that typically gets lost in transition in 3D games.

[Bobbuffalo]

That's the most stupid argument I have ever read. Why don't you better call them retards..oh I am sorry, I mean "casuals", instead of giving dumb patronizingarguments.

3D Mario has nothing or little to do with Classic Mario. Is a game by geeks for geeks.

We didn't had a 2D Mario for almost 20 years simply because Mr miyamoto made his tantrum and refuse to make it. And now that he is doing them again, he is making lazy, half-assed efforts while giving all the love to the 3D ones that only he and the otakus like.

Also, NSMB2 has been selling mediocrely not because of the 2D, 3D but because it's a mediocre game. why don't you mention that? if they are really resisting to change then this game would be a mega hit which it isn't.

Maybe those "casuals", as you people insult them ,are smarter than you. At least they don't fall for BS so easily.

[Bobbuffalo]

Controls maybe a reason, but I think it is just a general lack of interest. Most of the people who bought NSMBWii and DS just don't care much for games, and they only picked up a Wii or DS for the "gimmicks" of touch screen gaming and motion controls. 2D Mario just happened to be a familiar name so that was one of the games they bought.

And yet, neither NSMB nor NSMBW had gimmick controlls.

Who is the dumb gamer again?

[ridleyscott]

It has nothing to do with what he said. People aren't playing 3D Mario because it isn't as good as 2D Mario - they don't like the gameplay of 3D Mario games.

[coffeewithchess]

I played SMG and NSMBW, I enjoyed NSMBW more. Why? One reason was because it had local co-op and my wife and I played through the entire game together. Another? The ending battle was A LOT better and the best of any Mario game to date for me. I have completed SMB, SMB2, SMB3, SMW, haven't completed SM64 yet, didn't finish Mario Sunshine, beat SMG, and NSMBDS, and NSMBW so far...and the ending in NSMBW is the best from all of those for me so far.

I played SMG, beat it, never really touched it again. It just didn't "click" with me, and SMG2 didn't interest me because of the first one. I still have SMG in my collection, but for whatever reason, I just didn't enjoy it like I have some of the other Mario games. So, I can totally understand why people like the NSMB games. They are simple, fun, but provided a challenge...the one thing NSMBU lacks that I do find lazy on Nintendo's part is online multiplayer/co-op of some sort. We now own NSMBU, but it's still sealed up and hasn't been played yet, but I am looking forward to playing it soon.

[Garlador]

I happen to like both, but prefer 3D Mario.

My personal opinion is this: People just haven't tried enough 3D Mario. It's not that they wouldn't like it; it's just that they haven't played it. It's a case of "familiar" versus "new" (even though 3D Mario is now over 16 years old now).

But that still makes it sound like 3D Mario doesn't sell. 3D Mario always sells MILLIONS. They simply don't sell as much as 2D Mario. 3D Mario games are still some of the strongest sellers to ever come out on the market.

[pokemaster515]

I think the 2D sells better because nostalgia and its more fun anyway. Besides, 3D movement in platforming games is unnecessary and over-rated.

[LegendofSantiago]

The question arouse from the fact that NSMB Wii out sold the mario galaxy series combined. One is noted as one of the best games this generation and a master piece with a 97% on metacritic and the other is noted as a good yet bland 2D platformer with a 87%. Critics and most gamers see the 3D mario games as the superior games unless they have strong nostalgia for the old. Nsmbu was the first mario game to launch with a system since the n64, yet nobody sees it as the wii u's main mario game despite being fantastic.

[Rm88]

3D is so much better, and I usually prefer 2D platformers over 3D platformers. But I think it's mostly because EAD Tokyo is godly, while the NSMB team is just not very creative. Or good, period.

[Jerome]

I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again because it seems to be a very under-represented view: I can "understand" the 3D games just fine, and I've beaten them, but I still like the 2D games better for various reasons.

At least, I have up to now. The 2D Mario series has lately been in the process of de-volving into a bunch of dull, unimaginative rehashes. It seems like the people at Nintendo are either seeing people's fondness for the traditional structure and mis-interpreting it as a need to hardly include anything new in order to avoid spoiling the formula, or else they're purposefully trying to make the games appear lackluster compared to the new 3D ones. I don't know much farther they can go down this path without the 2D series suffering significant sales decline (I believe NSMB2 is already underwhelming a bit).

As the developers at Nintendo have long held the idea that their games don't fail because of any problems inherent in them, though, but merely because people don't properly "understand the value", I wouldn't be suprised if they let the series decline and chalk it up to people not understanding the games properly. Sheesh, Miyamoto actually took some time in a fairly recent Iwata Asks interview to explain that the only reason for Virtual Boy's failure was bad marketing. I don't know whether to laugh or cry at that.

[M1]

As much as I love 3D Mario, I still prefer 2D Mario.

2D games focus mainly on game play and multiplayer.
No 2D Mario game plays alike!

3D Mario main focus is being a showcase of what the system is capable of doing.
3D Mario has to push graphics, controls, and gimmicks.

Every 3D Mario game has at least one gimmick:
*Mario 64 - 3D movement, 3D graphics, open world, and analog stick.
*Mario Sunshine - FLUDD, full gamecube graphics, and analog triggers.
*Mario Galaxy 1 - Pointer, graphics, gravity, space.
*Mario Galaxy 2 - Spaceship, attempt to merge 2D & 3D Mario gameplay into one game.
*Mario Wii U - 1080p graphics, Touchscreen controls, full use of the gamepad, full Miiverse integration, DLC, possibly online modes and possible NFC stuff.

If you removed all these gimmicks, you wouldn't have a reason to pay full price for these games.
Though if you'd want a prettier version of Mario 64, then you'd be happy!

I mean Galaxy 2 is my favorite 3D Mario game, but it didn't give me the fun I had with NSMBWii.

Also the team that made NSMBU is the veteran Mario team that is made up of members who mostly worked on the original 2D Mario games.

The team that made NSMB2 is the new 2D Mario team. They purposely took a conservative approach to the game.
The game is quite fun but short. though the DLC is really fun, especially the classic level pack.

[Mako]

The 3D games are better, but I have more fun with the 2D games. Plus, you can play 4 players at once with the wii/u ones which make it easier for less experienced gamers to join in.

[IxisNaugus]

@Bobbuffalo

I'm not even sure what you're talking about. Whose argument was stupid? Takemoto's? He was not being patronizing, no one was insulted, and his statement is pretty much a general observation of the market for these games. Miyamoto did not made his tantrum and refuse to make 2D Mario games. He doesn't even make the NSMB games. In fact, just about everything in that quote is incorrect.

[DeAngelo Guillory]

How about this, folks? Perhaps 2D platforming is straight up just easier to get right into, and quite frankly, coming from someone who grew up with them, they're in general just more fun to play. They typically have more replay value. There is just something about 2D gaming that screams "VIDEO GAMES", something that a lot of modern 3D games seem to have been trying very hard to get away from. Or that newer developers simply do not know how to tap into.

That is one thing that I'll say for Nintendo, for sure, is that even their 3D games, still FEEL like video games, they don't feel like wannabe playable movies. 3D Mario, while I prefer 2D Mario, still FEELS like Mario.

But overall, that doesn't mean 3D games are "bad". Only that, at least in this man's opinion, there is something classic (and classic styled) 2D games had, an "it" factor", that typically gets lost in transition in 3D games.

Quoted for truth.

This is coming from a person (speaking of myself, not Devil-Rising) that...
-Wants another 3D Goemon game
-Enjoyed the Legends series of Mega Man and though X7 was an interesting experiment
-Wanted Mother 3 to remain in 3D
-Thought EAD Tokyo fine-tuned 3D Mario games to the point of being quite viable with 2D Mario games.