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10 years ago Nintendo released two New Super Mario Bros. games on the same year: NSMB2 and NSMBU. These releases kickstarted a backlash against the entire NSMB series, which centered on the aesthetic of said games and often compared them unfavorably to Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Unlike Wii Sports and other controversial "Wii era games", not even zoomer Nintendo fans have warmed to the NSMB series yet, as those titles are still regarded as soulless by many. Two other Mario games got similar reactions to the NSMB series: Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, however the backlash to these was not as strong as the one aimed at its 2D siblings.
Although the NSMB games, SM3DL and SM3DW have been criticized for many things, the quality of their level design and game-feel is mostly undisputed. When NSMBU was rereleased for the Switch, Tim Rogers released the most elaborate review of the game, where he claims that the level design of NSMBU is significantly better than SMW, and on the same level of SMB3 (an opinion I fully agree with).
In 2017 the NSMB games found their counterpart: Super Mario Odyssey. In the E3 of that same year, SMO's "T-Rex trailer" amazed many and convinced NSMB critics that the Mario brand finally broke free from its so-called "safe" image of the Wii and WiiU eras. SMO was a massive hit, both critically and commercially, but despite all of this the game found a very vocal group of critics. SMO's critics argue that the game is style over substance, and that it isn't a worthy entry in the Mario series as it lacks the tight level design of its Wii / WiiU predecessors. This sentiment is similar to that around Super Mario Sunshine, where its critics appreciate its atmosphere and art direction, but believe that the game is ultimately subpar because of its poor controls and jankiness.
With all that being said, what is your stance on this issue? Which is the lesser evil: the plastic ungodliness of NSMB or the soulful jankiness of Mario Sunshine?
Although the NSMB games, SM3DL and SM3DW have been criticized for many things, the quality of their level design and game-feel is mostly undisputed. When NSMBU was rereleased for the Switch, Tim Rogers released the most elaborate review of the game, where he claims that the level design of NSMBU is significantly better than SMW, and on the same level of SMB3 (an opinion I fully agree with).
In 2017 the NSMB games found their counterpart: Super Mario Odyssey. In the E3 of that same year, SMO's "T-Rex trailer" amazed many and convinced NSMB critics that the Mario brand finally broke free from its so-called "safe" image of the Wii and WiiU eras. SMO was a massive hit, both critically and commercially, but despite all of this the game found a very vocal group of critics. SMO's critics argue that the game is style over substance, and that it isn't a worthy entry in the Mario series as it lacks the tight level design of its Wii / WiiU predecessors. This sentiment is similar to that around Super Mario Sunshine, where its critics appreciate its atmosphere and art direction, but believe that the game is ultimately subpar because of its poor controls and jankiness.
With all that being said, what is your stance on this issue? Which is the lesser evil: the plastic ungodliness of NSMB or the soulful jankiness of Mario Sunshine?
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