Topic: Would you classify Mario Galaxy and 3D Land as open-world games like Mario 64/Sunshine?

For some reason, I hesitate to call the Galaxy games and 3D Land/World as open-world games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, because when I think about the last time we got a true 3D experience, I always think of Sunshine, not the the Wii or 3DS games. IDK, am I just wrong when I say it isn't open-world, when really, it is open-world?

Those games are, by definition not open world. They're level based, and the levels themselves are pretty much completely linear (3D Land wise at least). Super Mario 64 was open world to some extent; not as much as it could have been, but definitely much more so than most Mario games.

I'd say the Galaxy games are somewhere in between 64/Sunshine and 3d Land. There are some levels that are pretty big and free for exploration, but there's also large parts of the game that are fairly linear. Not as linear as 3d Land though..

I definitely wouldn't for 3D Land, that is one of the most linear games I have ever played. I also wouldn't for Galaxy 1 and 2, because there is close to zero exploration and things to do in the hub other than getting to the other levels. In 64 and especially Sunshine you had secret stars hidden in the hub, and it was a challenge at some points to even find out where the levels were without a guide. The Galaxy games just hand them to you on a plate.

Galaxy 1- Yes
Galaxy 2- Nope

And as for the 3D Land/World games, think for yourself.

Defintely not 3D Land or SMG2.

I'd say SMG is pretty equal to sunshine/64 due to the HUB.

The Mario Galaxy games and 3D Land are linear, level-based games, so they're not open world.

Nope. Galaxy 1 had a tiny bit of that but even then...no.

It isn't like 64 or Sunshine were the defining examples of open world or anything but that type of openness would be appreciated in a new Mario.

And that's why I sighed when I saw the trailer for Super Mario 3D World.

I know they're able to make open-world Mario games on handhelds, because they released Super Mario 64 DS, and that was nine years ago.

Big resounding no to 3D Land.

...Were 3D Mario games ever considered open world? I mean, yeah, the stages in the earlier games allowed for a tiny bit of exploration, but generally those games still wanted the player to go down a certain path and ignore the other parts. And if we're talking about overworlds, then only one mechanic has really changed in the overall scheme of playing the games (the act of choosing the level instead of traveling to that level). I can understand if you are concerned over total linearity in 3D Mario games (3D Land does lose lots of replayability on a second playthrough), but I've never viewed the 3D Mario games as "Open World". Maybe that's just me and maybe I'm tired.

Well not open world exactly but the fact that there was any feeling of openness at all felt like it took Mario to a new level and basically turned 3D Mario into its own genre (considering the insane amount of 3D platformers with some level of non-linear gameplay during that time)

I've got to agree with V8_Ninja. The "open world" games of the past seemed less about letting you go to a bunch of places and freely explore than just a way to reuse art assets and save memory.

I view each of 64 and Sunshine's levels as just very large areas, and also view the Galaxy and 3D Land levels as a series of relatively small areas which loosely connect together, which is fine, but it doesn't give that sense of just being dumped in just one huge land, being overwhelmed by all the wonders and possibilities that you can do in that one land. I know that the recent games have a few levels which could relate to that, but ultimately, it's levels are mostly small areas which loosely connect together in that level.

Open World means more like GTA or Minecraft usually, so I'd have to agree with V8_Ninja and actually meant to make that very point earlier, but couldn't put it into words at the time. Those 3D Marios may have been more "open" than the other Mario games, but they still don't fit the definition for Open World very well at all.

No, and whoever said Galaxy was an open world game doesn't know what an open world game is.

All the 3D Marios have had a hub level connected to a bunch of other linear levels (that reuse a setting) that rarely allow you to explore freely if I remember correctly.

So it's not open world.

Glad I'm here to help.