Even though I clearly get people's point when they call the New Mario games' art direction uninspired, I can't help but marvel at how crisp and nice this looks. It just looks so vibrant and the backgrounds are really nice. I am hype.

The "New" series is feeling and looking a little by the numbers now... but dang if they don't make the general Mario World aesthetic pop a bit.

Sometimes you go back to the same old pie shop because the pie is just still really really good, I guess.

Xenophobic dickhead gamers from america weigh in on game design.....What a waste of a website.

Talk about "uninspired". you guys have got nothing left in your tanks, do you?

I seriously hope Jim reviews GoW:Ascension.

Considering alot of aspects in this game we havent seen for 15+ years, safe isnt the word Id use.

Its the main mario team working on this, it can only be awesome

It really bugs me when people criticize NSMB for being "safe", when the whole point of the series was to go back to basics. Nintendo have basically taken an "If it aint broke, don't fix it" approach.

I know people are going to pull out the old "But the first 3 Mario games were all so different, aesthetically." chestnut, but do you know why those games looked so different? Because 2 and 3 were totally different games repackaged into Mario titles for America and Europe.

@BrainWasherAttendent

once again you bring up the MERICA excuse to bash anyone who doesnt like what you do. there are other people who dislike these games that ARNT American you know. we arnt the only country with internet.


but man 20+ lives? are these games that freakin easy now? i remember when you needed tricks to get that many lives.. i guarantee you will never see a game over screen while playing this game. if you do you must be blind or have no hands. so much for needing any skill to beat these games anymore.

I don't care about the new mario old mario, this art style or that art style. This looks damn delightful and if you are hung up on whether or not it looks like another mario game, its your loss.

The more That I see of this game, the more disappointed I feel. While It is kind of hard to screw up a mario game, it really just looks like a level pack for NSMBwii.

And if I wanted that, I'd just download one of the many that already exist (via homebrew)

This game just looks so cookie-cutter, that it makes me sad.

These are the things I like about this game

1) The world map which we havent seen in 15 years. Weve seen 2 maps out of maybe 8, we dont even know how the full world map looks

2) Returning enemies from world a la monty moles, torpedo teds, thwimps, ect.

3) The completely new backgrounds which in 1080p look mucho delightful

4) yoshi, nuff said

The music is kind of getting on my nerves a bit, but I'm somewhat interested in this game, if anything this looks like the best game yet in the New series. It will be interesting to see how much this sells.

@Stealth
The game will run in 720p.

^ its going to sell at least 10 million over the course of its life, its going to be a title that sells every month consistantly.

is it really 720? slightly annoying but it still looks nice

The part I focus on this is the first of the new series to use all new backgrounds

I'm not American and I like how the game looks. I just meant that I understand what people mean when they say they're tired of the NSMB look. I didn't mean to offend anybody.

"It really bugs me when people criticize NSMB for being "safe", when the whole point of the series was to go back to basics. Nintendo have basically taken an "If it aint broke, don't fix it" approach."

Which is ... safe.

You basically just said you hate people calling NSMB what it is.

Lol, examining Mario enemies sounds about as interesting as examining the types of insects that splatter my windshield. Who knew that, plus a 2D backdrop and map were 3/4ths the reason to be excited for a platformer (we've seen 30 times before).

Inb4 $2.50 DLC in Nintendo games.... Oh wait.

jim is my safe word during sex with homes

who cares if its safe? Mario has an almost perfected balance of style, characters and fun for a platforming game. should mario get all DANGEROUS and risk tarnishing the best name in the industry? I wouldn't f around with marios brand, pick either new IP or one that isn't selling bajillions.

Actually the first thing that caught my eye is the suddle (very suddle) graphical changes. The game looks nice, and yet still maintains the integrity of classic mario gameplay. I'd love to get a Wii U, but myself being the conservative type will likely wait until I can actually go out and safely purchase one without having to fight for a pre-order/hunt it down within a 50 mile radius.

All I want is a new Super Mario World...

And no, I don't mean a game like this. I mean a Mario game that was an absolute improvement in every single aspect from the last, which was an already amazing title. Give me a new style. New fun power-ups. A good challenge. None of this co-op, hand-holding, recycled assets stuff.

@scotty

thats what your getting with this

the coop is optional, none of the assets are recycled, completely new backgrounds, ect

Its the closest to world your going to get

Jim - Just give the game a 4.0 now and whine about how something that aint broke hasn't evolved. I'm waiting ...

This looks great, the co-op alone means I'll be playing it on and off for months.

It has its own branding so I know what to expect from the "New" series. If this were "Super Mario Galaxy U" then yeah, I would be upset that it plays like NSMBWii. But it isnt "Super Mario Galaxy U".

If this is safe, what game would be classified as dangerous? DmC? MGR?

Am I supposed to be excited for this? It seems like I should, yet I feel nothing inside.

^ are you a robot? are you bound by Asimov's laws of robotics?

@Stealth Are you upset that I don't care about a game that is doing practically nothing new and is grabbing from the lowest common denominator? Because it sure seems like it. And yes, I consider Jim's definition of the word safe to be the lowest common denominator.

Screw this crap !

I want another Mario Galaxy; i.e. another Mario as grand, beautiful, inspired and ambitious as the Galaxys.

@sam, I am upset because you feel nothing inside......like a robot......

@stealth are you Nintendo's PR?
are you obligated to try and make as many people as possible like a game that you do? It's not that hard to imagine that people have different opinions.

I want it !!!
@all the haters: Your Galaxy U/ 64 U / Sunshine U is coming, just give them TIME to make it as amazing as Galaxy 2 ! Ok ?

@Jim Sterling:

I think the point is that the word safe is sounds, and I believe is meant to sound like a slam on the game in general (more of the same right?)

but now 5 games into the GoW series that are all the same basic game, none of them has ever been called "safe"

I agree, going old school is "safe" but thats exactly what I want in my games.

GoW doesnt interest me, neither do most games out their anymore, it's all run and gun and taking cover. QTE. It's all pretty old and done, and "safe" in my opinion.

The reason we get more "safe" Mario games is because, even if they don't offer a reinvention of the game, it continuously refines what everyone can already agree is some of the best gameplay ever.

@zezzler

I am one of 20 million people who like the games.

I think it's ironic that this specific Mario style has the "New" in the name. Nothing against it, as Jim said, it's the safe move. The fans are obviously happy for the game as we can see in the comments.

Stealth is the one in 20,000,000 who feels obligated to comment incessantly in most every Nintendo article... Because... Well, I have no idea.

Another bullet point for this game: "the coop is optional, none of the assets are recycled, completely new backgrounds, ect"
Holy shit, if that and the other fantastic points don't convince someone to to rebuy a Mario game, I don't know what will!

^ yep because I am the only one diggin mario U in these comments?

And yet you comment to when you dont like nintendo.......when things that I dont like have an article, I just dont comment

All new backgrounds? As laughable as that is for a selling point, isn't that slanted, blue mountain predominantly shown straight outta SMBW from SNES?

It kind of is a selling point as its an indicator of what that level will be like

http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/images/Gm3h/wii-u-new-super-mario-bros-u-trailer-0.jpg?20120606-110430

I mean something like this has never been in a mario before and its beautiful. Thats a selling point.

If you remember world, the blue mountains were rounded at the top mushroom things.

Not these kind of jagged rocks

http://selectstartgames.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/super-mario-world.jpg

vs

http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/300684_S/new-super-mario-bros-u.jpg

Well the level design/backgrounds look at least fairly inspired. Plus Mario in HD. Of course I'm buying it.

Yeah it's safe, but I wouldn't quite it a bad thing just yet. Maybe one more "New" game and I'll be siding with the others.

@duncan from what weve said its 1 2d mario platformer per system

So now that the 3ds has one, and the wii u is getting one. I literally wouldnt expect another 2d mario platformer until the next gen. Thats alot of time from november.

@Stealth

The only thing new about these assets are the bump up in resolution. You look at Mario 3 and then World and you see a huge difference. A completely radical, yet welcoming and celebrated change in the series. You look at New Super Mario Bros Wii, and then this, and all you see is the same style. In 720p. With Yoshis.

Look, you can enjoy your new backgrounds and your optional co-op. That's fine and dandy. Just accept the fact that some people want more from a series that they hold dear to their heart BECAUSE of the 'more' it used to offer.

@scott And mario 1 and 2 had no difference? so? the difference between 3 and world visually is easily matched.

In case this wasnt clear and I need to spell it out for you

I dont care what your opinion was. I just wanted to make robot jokes based of what you said.

I would see something to complain about - and "safe" is a complaint - if NSMB was moving away from its purpose like Resident Evil has moving away from its purpose.

NSMB has its own purpose and its doing what its supposed to. I'm fairly sure the Galaxy/3D Land team is off making the next great Mario 3D platformer - we just have to be patient on that one. This game does what a lot of people have DEMANDED Nintendo have for three console launches (Gamecube, Wii, 3DS) - which is have a Mario game at launch. People want this.

I probably will pick this up at launch, I think it looks good.

@Stealth

Oh, so I see I'm wasting my time with you. Here I thought I was having a somewhat decent discussion. I'll keep that in mind next time.

@stealth
"I dont care what your opinion was"

You finally admited it. C'mere, give me a hug. It's all right now.

When you said you didnt feel anything inside. I made a robot joke. When you didnt get it and thought I was serious I could resist. But like I said, if someone doesnt care about this game I could care less.

@silient you can be sure nintendo tokyo started working on it right after 3d land.

The thing that impressed me the most was that the people playing were actually doing Co-op. I remember when I played NSMB Wii all I saw people do was pick people up and through them off cliffs or screw with them... aww memories.

@Arttemis:
And you are one out of 3 ,who feels obligated to comment incessantly in most and every Nintendo article...to bash them !
You are literally on almost every Nintendo article and complain about -their dlc and how OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE it is
-how Zombi U will be bad because of the Wii U
-How shitty New Mario looks
etc.
Seriously fuck off, play your 6th God of War game in 8 years, your 4th Little big Planet in 4 years and your 4th Uncharted in 5 years and leave Mario with his 4 games in 6 years alone !!!

All of these comments seem to be very black and white in the sense that, either the game is fine, or it needs a complete overhaul. And the reality is that yes, they know how to make great platforming, but also yes, there are some things that need changes and need to be different.

Just a few things that NSMBu does right:
- same great platforming
- great co-op
- HD and new backgrounds, tilesets, etc.
- some SMW inspiration

Now let's look at some thing it should do/does wrong:
- same art style as the past 3 entries
- uninspired/ not original powerups
- Not made for 2012 (no online play, no signs of per level leaderboards, etc.)
- not trying anything new (same level design, enemy design, powerup design, etc.)

I mean, look at games like Super Meat Boy, or Galaxy 2. Those are two good examples of really well done platformers that are breaker down boundaries, and trying things new.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't have traditional mario games, I'm just saying that as Jim and many other have said, they are playing it REALLY safe.

^ zezzler Your opinions are adorable

@orniletter, dont take him too seriously