Mario is slipping

[ungibbed]

In the magical year that the Nintendo 64 released, Super Mario 64 was a instant success which nobody could argue. It was a killer app and on shelves right at launch day. It was a beautiful formula that worked well with new (back in 1996) analog control and the game played so smoothly on the N64 due to not trying to stuff the texture cache compared to games that shoveled too much on the data bus. Turok 2 with the expansion pak was a perfect example of how to kill a great looking game...

Back to Mario, the first 3D adventure is a timeless classic even if the graphics didn't age well but nobody really cared and kept on playing. The original DS had the same game with improved level data and textured characters that were only goraud shaded in the past.

I love a great side scrolling platform game like many others (wish Clockwork Knight would see a comeback) but Nintendo has proven well that the 3D formula works extremely well. I loved Sunshine despite being a bit more work than fun but it showed that Gamecube owners wait did pay off with a full 3D platformer with far more complex levels than before and rather great graphics.

A NSMB game in 3D is what Nintendo needs to keep something fresh for the Wii U! The console just launched and us Wii owners got a lot of Super Mario love when you think about it. It's easy to hate on the Wii, but the games have no other system other than the 3DS to play on.

I'm certain that Nintendo will focus on a new Mario game but the largest concern is bringing back third parties to the new system. Software sales are the real money maker and Nintendo can't afford to nearly go it alone again like they have with the Wii.

[Nameless 24]

I want to express my disappointment in Sticker Star since I feel like for a game with so much potential with stickers...the plot as well as the means to get stickers has really frustrated me.

The battles are pointless (unless you count story events/boss battles), you are ONLY rewarded coins (stickers if you block exactly at the right time), and these stickers are found EVERYWHERE on the overworld...but I fail to see the point of using these as moves and NEVER gaining experience points. (I guess the battles have a purpose if you get stronger every time)

The story is also all over the place....it's like a wild goose chase in terms of getting all the puzzle pieces together (literally) just to progress in the levels/game.

Miyamoto apparently made changes to the system that worked so well in Thousand Year Door...so why change it?

I know people hated Super Paper Mario, and I didn't mind it until I got stuck...but this is both tedious and meaningless....the best thing for me to do is not to play due to how unfun it is for me...but I spent £30 (I was hyped...not as much as Transformed, but I assumed the sticker idea would work).

I asked a Nintendo fan her opinion as she finished the game...and she comes to the same conclusion...she will be wary of future Nintendo titles (only Paper Mario for me)...and it's a shame as Paper Mario is the only Mario series I like (I tell a lie, I like Superstar Saga also), and Miyamoto decided to put his ideas into it, which don't work here...I guess the casual crowd got to him with SPM selling so well....

Ah well....I guess I'll have a look around for a light RPG that has some basic, but fun elements.