You know what I'm a bit curious about?

What the storyline is here. Is Bowser still involved? Does someone get kidnapped now that Peach is playable? Or is it like a spiritual successor to Super Mario Bros 2 complete with the return of Wart?

Let's hope this game gets a fully original soundtrack.

Check out World 6-3 gameplay:
http://www.gamexplain.com/article-1060-1371014469-e3-2013-sup...
This vertical style of level design gets me more excited than walking around spheres and cylinders.

Also cat tree suits will greatly up the replayability of this mario for me more than most 3D Mario's to say nothing of the multiplayer features.

Still hyped!

Ah yes, forgot about that Bowser icon when you die. But it does make me wonder what his plan is here. Take over the world? Some universe threatening plot?

OMG tiny Peach was so cute!

I'm wondering how many worlds there's going to be. Obviously there will probably be 8 main worlds, with a boss fight (probably not always Bowser or Bowser Jr.) at the end of each. But will there be 8 full special worlds, like Super Mario 3D Land, or just one, like Super Mario Galaxy 2/NSMB? I'm leaning towards the latter, it seems like it would take way too long to make full-sized special worlds for the Wii U, but who knows. 8 special worlds would be insanely cool.

I'm assuming there'll be lots of new secret worlds in this game. After all, it seems more and more have been added in every major Mario title to date, so I'm expecting more than two extra worlds this time around.

Didn't NSMB U only have one secret world, though?

I wonder what the print ads will be. I love print ads.

Agreed. Recently, Nintendo seems to care more about money and pleasing the casual gamers than making truly amazing games.

[quote=Bulby]

I say 2016 at latest. Galaxy 2 released 3 years after 1.

I don't even know that it's trying to please the casual gamer as much as it is doubling down on the multiplayer landscape. All of these games look good, yeah, but there's really not been much of anything offered to the single-player out there for the Wii U in terms of a new experience. For me, and I feel safe in saying for many others, it's going to take the big, grand, single-player adventure to sell us a console.

That being said, in today's demographic, single-player households without gamer buddies at the ready for multi-player action are most likely in the minority, so it makes sense to address us later down the line from a business standpoint. Doesn't make this any less disappointing, though.

I kind of hope we get something more like Mario Sunshine, where it's similar to Mario 64 but with a unique twist ("gimmick" if you feel like being derisive). That said, the team that made 3D World is the same team that made Galaxy 2 and 3D Land (Tokyo Software Dev Group No. 2), so it seems unlikely that they've even started on a new 3D Mario game, unless one of the other main Dev Groups has been working on something in secret.

The reason for lukewarm reception boils down to bloated expectations due to the saturation of 'peripheral' Mario games. It's the spectre of Mario 128 that still haunts even now. Up until World, a Mario game was just that: the next installment in the series. Even while he was karting or golfing or whatever, the next 'proper' Mario game was easy to define. The problem arose after Mario 64, specifically at Spaceworld 2000. Mario 128 was little more than a tech exercise to show some ideas and demonstrate the capabilities of new hardware but the name stuck in peoples' minds. Those ideas went into several different games but the name hung around until Galaxy, butstill it feels like it's hanging around. The gut reaction to 3D World is 'oh, it's not a real Mario game - it's a filler one while they're working on the genre-melting proper one.'
Galaxy 1 and 2 were incredible, true evolutions. This will be brilliant too and rationally I know it's legitimately Mario. But the 128 numbered kid part of me is hankering for... something. I have no idea what it would be though, and maybe Nintendo don't either. Holograms? After Galaxy I don't see what you could do without a fundamental change in tech. I thought the second screen would be integral to any new Mario - that was the route to evolution - but I guess we're still waiting for the true second screen killer app.

This is how I feel. But I've decided there's no use complaining anymore. The single-player gamer just really isn't a priority anymore. As long as Nintendo puts in a gimmick like a cat suit, clear pipes, and mediocre multiplayer they know they will sell games. No matter how generic or uninspired. Majority rules.

I'm thankful for the past 17 years since Mario 64, but I just have to come to terms with the fact that those days are over and this is what we're getting from now on.

Give it a shot (3D Land, that is). I despised it at first but ended up loving it.

I will love this no doubt. Cat suit looks amazing and the frog suit is returning as well.

Super Mario 64 was okay to me, but to me it hardly felt a ton like a Mario game. Had like no challenge and platforming. Super Mario Sunshine is honestly one of the worst games I ever played in my honest opinion.

Peach using her hover ability with her dress reminds me of Super Mario Advanced for the Game boy, she did it there too.

Sunshine was awesome!