anyway he is on sony"s side so screw him

Basically, he says "awesome game, hard for ME to get into because it doesn't have a compelling storyline, but then again, it's a mario game."

Valid points. If a guy has a hard time getting into games that aren't heavy on the story, then that's his business. I personally thought galaxy was easily the best game of the year, but the storyline isn't a strong point in the game.

If they changed the story of Mario wouldn't there be a few people kind of pissed off? It wouldn't feel like Mario anymore if they changed the basic story. If Nintendo wanted to make a game with a better story, they could just make a new game that is not Mario.

No way, Mario obviously needs to adapt to the 21st century. I mean, just look at what adding a strong, overarching story and a ton of cutscenes did for other venerable platforming franchises, like, say, http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/929717.asp?q=sonic%20the%20hedgehog ! Clearly improved, right?

"strong, overarching story"

and Sonic the Hedgehog in one sentence. Wow I would have never believed to see this.

But you are right the worst thing they could do would be to take the Mario setting and try to squeeze in a storyline. An italian plumber who frees a kidnapped princess from a turtle. There is simply no way to make a good story out of this setup. But thats not the point. Its a great game because you can just play and because it allows them to create all kinds of awesome settings. A story would remove some of their freedom in creating worlds.

Just throwing out a couple of my opinions.

If a video game is bought as much for its story line as any other reason, (if not more so, since a 'compelling reason to care about pushing on') is needed, doesn't that mean after you played the game once, unless it was a masterpiece (in your opinion) you're done with that game? After all, yes, there are books and movies you would read or watch more than once, but how many? So, GoW2 should only be played thru once and that's it?

Now some, like the FF series, have the storyline in them, and at least I cared about the characters, and mourned the ones that died. But it was a RPG, and is sort of mandatory to HAVE a storyline. It would be nearly impossible for a character like Mario to be in a deep storyline like that, equivalent to saying that you want Scooby Doo to be in a Tom Clancy triller. Of course, a lighter storyline, like Super Paper Mario has Mario in it, but a masterpiece storyline? No, it's fluff.

Finally, I agree with those that want to be able to skip the already watched cut scenes or the long conversations that go on forever, but don't help with the game play (ie, telling you were to go next, etc). There are places to tell very good stories, and places not to. SMG is close enough to a place not to. And what if there HAD been a story? And it was a crappy one or at least not a 9.8 story? Then, the overall game drops down a bit and cost more to do so!

See I hate voice acting.  I've never seen one game that's had even halfway decent voiceacting.

Unless it's quirky or comicly bad i turn off the sound at voice acting scenes. 

 Eh i stopped playing Megaman after they stopped with Dr. Wily and went to X.

A new story just would not work after so many games of saving the princess.

 It'd be like Mario Sunshine, or Majora's mask.

does anyone found her voice annoying?

To me it sounds like a certain God of War director is envyous of Nintendo :) .  Ppl say the darndest things when they are jealous :)

@ Legend I think your stuck in the 80's. :)
PS3 is so leet its 2010...ROFL
Mario isnt an epic storytelling game.
Nintendo's formula is what makes Nintendo the champion it is today..By a landslide :)
Legend is in running for blind fan boy comments leader 2008 :)

Im loving Nintendo on top! Best thing to happen to gaming sinice Nes came out. LOL