What is your opinion on the New Super Mario Bros. games?

MCS

Donkey Kong
Now this, I'm interested to see.

The NSMB games are definitely fun, no question about that. My favorite games in it are probably the original and NSMBU. NSMB2 wasn't very memorable to me, and while NSMBWii was cool, it just didn't feel a whole lot different (otherwise I would remember playing and 100%ing it 3 years ago). I enjoy collecting the Star Coins since I'm a sucker for in-game collectibles, and the gameplay is pretty straightforward and easy to get the hang of.

I don't feel like writing an in-depth post about my opinions on it, but simply put, I think the NSMB games are a bit of a hit-or-miss for the most part. The levels have followed a similar format ever since the first one and are usually centered around one particular gimmick. The worlds in each game have had practically the same designs game after game (iirc). The plot seems to be nearly the same each game. The music is continuously reused (with an occasional new song thrown in sometimes). The boss fights are repetitive. There's now 4 games in the series and it doesn't feel like it should be called New Super Mario Bros. anymore (okay that one was a joke). But what I'd be interested to know is: what are your thoughts on the series?
 
They are fun and enjoyable games but they are far from amazing.
 
well ive only played 2 of them(ds and wii).

Both seemed okay, decent level design, and star coins did add on some difficulty.

However i noticed that the ost is very similar if not the same, boss battles were really meh and just overall boring, and the original had some flaws with the mega mushroom and the koopa shell powerup. As those two items can really break the game which is a bit sad, but i usually avoid using those items for that reason.

I guess my main beef with it is the fact that visually and musical wise the games are just too similar, and to be honest never thought the nsmb series really had a good soundtrack either, which is a bit odd for me because i usually love mario soundtracks quite a bit.

I haven't played the rest, but ive had my share of watching videos of it and i honestly hope things switch up with the next side scrolling platformers as nsmb series seems to have some pretty meh things about it.
 
The New Super Mario Bros. franchise is an uninspired, souless cash-in where Nintendo's only purpose is to make money out of fools such as us. If you want a better platforming experience (especially with four players) try Rayman, Kirby, or Donkey Kong, all which are much better and prettier to look at than the New Super Mario Bros. games.

I really wish they'd stop using 3D models on a 2D sprite floor, it's hideous.
 
NSMB was good, and was a great new take on the series. However, after Wii Nintendo's just milking it. I've already vocalized my extreme hate of NSMB2, for being uninspired and exactly the same as Wii beyond levels. U was better, but Boost Rush was pointless and Challenge Mode isn't really "Challenge Mode", it's more like "complete absurd challenges that are ridiculously difficult".

What BLOF said, Kirby is a way better platform franchise than this. Wario Land 4 and Super Meat Boy are specific platformers that are far far far above anything the mainstream Mario platformers could achieve.

Also I'm seriously getting tired of the NSMB soundtrack as it's the same fucking thing every time.
 
Seeing a revival of traditional SMB 2D platformer, I didn't had too many opinions in the first one or two. However, like many others said, the 3rd and 4th ones didn't go with much changes that are appealing and creative enough. And we're also sick of seeing too many SMB games at one time. Nintendo should put it aside and think more instead of making more of them as soon as possible.

At least some plot or new playable characters can appeal consumers. However not to say new plot, those story bugs still exist after three installments.
 
I was super-pumped for the original NSMB way back when and bought it on launch day. I loved it and thought it was a fun throw back. NSMBWii I thought was a good follow-up with the added World 9 and Koopalings. It felt a tad samey but I still enjoyed it. Then we caught wind of NSMB2 and its ZOMG COINS EVERYWHERE mechanic and I was all "eh". Then NSMBU came along it just annoyed me. I'm sure the latter two are decent platformers in their own right but it's nothing we've never seen before.

I think what bugs me the most is how Nintendo says they don't know how to innovate on a series like F-Zero but they have no problem cranking these out.
 
I remember getting NSMB, which seemed like a good game. I bored of it when I beat it.

Then I saw that there was a NSMBW, and I was like "wow, they're making a four player for that game". I was surprised that they continued the series, but at least it was something my family and I actually played together (though they hate when I try to move us along and start grabbing them and running with them).

Then I saw that NSMB2 was coming out, and I was like "figures", and saw that NSMBU was coming out the same year, and I was disappointed in Nintendo. I swore I wouldn't get NSMB2, but I would get NSMBU since I needed a Mario game for the Wii U when it came out. I didn't get NSMB2 because it just looked lame, and basically the same game as NSMB. Heck, I still don't have NSMB2, and I think it was a good choice because everyone that has it is like "it's a crappy game" or are like "eh".

I do think NSMBU was the best out of all the them, since I thought they made it at least a bit more interesting than the other four did.
 
cryoAwakening said:
Heck, I still don't have NSMB2, and I think it was a good choice because everyone that has it is like "it's a crappy game" or are like "eh".

Like I said in the OP, it's really not all that special. The 3D graphics are barely noticeable when you're concentrating on the game and don't provide a whole lot of difference. The only thing they do is make the background blurry and switch the focus to the things in the level. The whole "go for the gold" gimmick was sorta lame, too, and it really does just feel like an extension of the original NSMB. So you're not missing out on much, don't worry.

cryoAwakening said:
I do think NSMBU was the best out of all the them, since I thought they made it at least a bit more interesting than the other four did.

Yeah, I agree. I like how they made the worlds more like Super Mario World, in the sense that they're all segued together and each have names. I enjoy the GamePad controls too, so that provides a different experience.

cryoAwakening said:
(though they hate when I try to move us along and start grabbing them and running with them).

I tried NSMBWii with a friend once and it was havoc. We kept bumping into each other and when we were resurrected into that bubble, most of the time we kept falling off the course when it popped.

Pyro said:
Also I'm seriously getting tired of the NSMB soundtrack as it's the same fucking thing every time.

oh my god yes

Like I said, they'll occasionally throw in a new track or two like they did with NSMBU, but come on. It's getting annoying.

Dorayaki said:
At least some plot or new playable characters can appeal consumers. However not to say new plot, those story bugs still exist after three installments.

It would seriously be great to see a new damned plot if there's another NSMB game. So far, in all NSMB games it's been the classic "oh shit, Bowser kidnapped Peach again" or replace Bowser in that phrase with Bowser and the Koopalings (seriously, introducing the Koopalings once was pretty cool, but they didn't have to appear in every goddamn game after that). I'd like to see a plot line that doesn't even involve Bowser and the Koopalings. I wouldn't mind if they went Super Mario Land-style and involved Daisy and Tatanga or something.

ThreeThousand said:
I think what bugs me the most is how Nintendo says they don't know how to innovate on a series like F-Zero but they have no problem cranking these out.

Unrelated, but I really wish they'd make an F-Zero title for the Wii U. That F-Zero minigame in Nintendo Land is the closest thing we have.

Zae said:
boss battles were really meh and just overall boring, and the original had some flaws with the mega mushroom and the koopa shell powerup. As those two items can really break the game which is a bit sad, but i usually avoid using those items for that reason.

I'm really getting sick of the boss battles in the NSMB series. All it's been since NSMBWii is a Koopaling utilizing some mechanic, you stomp on him, he goes into his shell, rinse and repeat. Of course they added Reznors in NSMB2, and in NSMB there wasn't even Koopalings and actually had unique bosses (which I praise greatly, I thought the bosses in the first NSMB were neat).
 
I don't really feel like the games worked well on the ds. I liked them better on the consoles. NSMBW was pretty good in my opinion, and NSMBU was ok.
 
Meh, I liked New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Rayman Origins spoiled me and as a result, set me up for disappointment when I picked up New Super Mario Bros. U. I really wanted Rayman Legends instead of New Super Mario Bros. U, but that *bleep*ing delay made me grab it and waste $60.

Well, not really wasted it, but when BLOF and I played it, we complained a lot about the unoriginal level design, the forgettable music, unoriginal bosses, general ugliness of the game (the backgrounds were neat, but so were Kirby's Return to Dream Land's and Rayman Origins's...), and how it didn't pursue the Wii U's limits.

Not to mention, they improved barely on anything; they relied more heavily on hiding stuff behind walls; they brought back lives, which is a dead thing since console video games existed; they removed the compatibility with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk (what were they thinking!?); there was no Wii Controller Pro compatibility; 1st player still had to be Mario; Miis were playable; the World themes were reused. The only thing they made better was that you can now bubble yourself when other people exit the screen via pipe or door, I guess. The Acorn powerup also resulted in a cute plush toy that I have in my bedroom.
 
I feel that while the New Super Mario Bros. titles try to bring back old school Mario with added elements, the series tends to look down at certain stuff. One of the more obvious letdowns is with Bowser's Castle, as it's just too short in New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
 
I like them, But did NSMBW and NSMBU have to have "New" in the title? they could have just called them Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Bros. U.
 
I'm really getting sick of the boss battles in the NSMB series. All it's been since NSMBWii is a Koopaling utilizing some mechanic, you stomp on him, he goes into his shell, rinse and repeat. Of course they added Reznors in NSMB2, and in NSMB there wasn't even Koopalings and actually had unique bosses (which I praise greatly, I thought the bosses in the first NSMB were neat).

i dont even think i liked the bosses in nsmb, then again i only played to world 3.

difficulty overall feels stale in the series from what i played though aside from star coin locations.

which is saying something because i really suck at platformers haha
 
Also, I forgot to mention that I thought Reznors were sad excuses for bosses. I like how they made a comeback and all, but they just weren't very...engaging or anything.

Kingfawful4321 said:
I like them, But did NSMBW and NSMBU have to have "New" in the title? they could have just called them Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Bros. U.

Those names actually sound a lot better. Because like I joked in the OP, they really shouldn't call it New Super Mario Bros. anymore.
 
They are not bad games, they do a decent job of reviving 2D Mario. I agree that they shouldn't have new in them because NSMB2 should had been called Old Super Mario Bros. 2.

NSMB and NSMBW were good and enjoyable games. I've heard NSMBU is the same. NSMB2 was fun but was just Nintendo making sure there was a 2D Mario game on the 3DS. It was forgettable,e asy, horrible bosses, recycled music, too short. Out of the games I have I my 3DS this comes bottom. There are much better 3DS games out there, if you want a good Mario platformer on 3DS, get 3D Land (I still don't think that games was amazing) but I don't hate this game and I've played much worse games i've played.
 
MCS said:
Also, I forgot to mention that I thought Reznors were sad excuses for bosses. I like how they made a comeback and all, but they just weren't very...engaging or anything.

they were never very hard in world so i guess thats not surprising. I kind of got excited over it at first but i remembered how bland their fights felt in world.

Personally i kind of hoped they'd mix it up a bit with the reznors, but after seeing a gameplay video of it, it just seems so underwhelming.

Actually shit i just wish the mario bros series had some good bosses in general besides like some final fights, it seems like they dont put too much effort in mario game boss fights, but back on topic.

Probably the main thing that irritates me about this series is the fact that it had SO MUCH potential but it all felt so wasted.
 
The NSMB games aren't by any means bad, just repetitive and generic as hell. I own all of them (NSMBU being my only Wii U game) and they're pretty fun, despite that I play alone because I don't have anyone to play with. The only problem I have with them is that they are trying to spread their unoriginality over other games. Like Paper Mario, a once-great series shot down by the need to "modernize" (NSMB-ize) everything, resulting in a terrible game. NSMB series by itself isn't bad, but after seeing its effects on outside Mario franchises, I think I'll facepalm if I see any more "New" anything. Do something unique with the 2D Mario series, Nintendo!
 
Have you seen how unappreciated the Hammer Bros. are? Despite being common nuisances in the older Super Mario titles, they've ended up being downgraded to very rare enemies.

For a member of Bowser's elite forces, you'd expect the Hammer Bros. to pop up more frequently than their treatments in NSMB Wii and NSMBU.
 
MCS said:
It would seriously be great to see a new danged plot if there's another NSMB game. So far, in all NSMB games it's been the classic "oh *bleep*, Bowser kidnapped Peach again" or replace Bowser in that phrase with Bowser and the Koopalings (seriously, introducing the Koopalings once was pretty cool, but they didn't have to appear in every goddang game after that). I'd like to see a plot line that doesn't even involve Bowser and the Koopalings. I wouldn't mind if they went Super Mario Land-style and involved Daisy and Tatanga or something.
Ideally speaking, plot can be used to differentiate each SMB title, but in higher standards it is used to introduce other Mario world and characters. Ironically, 2D platformers are more than 3Ds, but Nintendo don't really come up with a unique themes like Sunshine, Galaxy. Though NSMBU made a reverse route, but it should be used earlier in NSMBWii / Galaxy2 and think something new in NSMB2 and NSMBU.

Daisy's problem is mostly her role in Peach's kidnappings, and reusing old stories don't really interest new fans. I think there should be some original bosses sometimes, not Bowser coming to all recent 8 SMB games while King K. Rool absent in the 2 NDKC.

Kooplaings are nice comebacks. Their problem is those old and similar ways of attacks. If Nintendo can't find new ways, we only need new bosses that are not turtle-like species. Those generic co-players seem more unwelcome than Koopalings.
 
MnSG said:
Have you seen how unappreciated the Hammer Bros. are? Despite being common nuisances in the older Super Mario titles, they've ended up being downgraded to very rare enemies.

For a member of Bowser's elite forces, you'd expect the Hammer Bros. to pop up more frequently than their treatments in NSMB Wii and NSMBU.

They appear much more often in Super Mario 3D Land, but at least they're much easier to defeat. You can even jump on their hammers and boomerangs and destroy them. Maybe they're downgraded in that sense, though.
 
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