I have to say I agree some but over all I think you are judging the game too harshly. As someone pointed out a timing based platformer isn't even out so to hold it against NSMBU that it is something that doesn't exist seems a bit silly and fits into your own post about what bias really is. How is requiring Nintendo to do something nobody else has not an unfair preference?
I don't see how the game is as uninspiring as you claim but it is the first one I played in 25 years probably.

"The co-op is a lot of fun with 2-5 players playing at once on the same screen. " wait what? No you cant play 5 players on screen at once. Whoever uses the game pad is helping the others by tapping on hidden blocks or creating platforms for players..okay you did cover that after that but that part seemed odd at first because 5 player isnt on screen.
How many Mario games are on Wii U? Does that mean you will count off on games in their 5th or 6th run in a single generation if 1 game per console is flooding market?

I don't disagree with your score really. Its just your reasoning behind why you scored it that way just dont seem valid.

I have Mario on now beside me. I hardly call it easy. Sure I beat the game a while back but that is not the same as finishing it. I wont be finished til I have 100% but since you think jumping Goombas til you get 40 one ups is easy you must have completed everything in the game fairly quickly? Or did you skip 7 5% of the game like a casual player would? Does that mean your review is from the casual perspective since you took that approach to the game or did you really 100% so easily?

Oddly, since NSMBU was released, NSMB for the Wii jumped the price up $5 to $64.99 (still currently at that price) at all the EBgames/Gamestops.  How'd that even happen???

I have actually.  Just didnt mention it in the review. That is my fault but it doesnt change the core of the game and the core being way to easy still remains.  it made the entire single player very boring to me.

No. I said i didnt collect all the gold coins. I have the majority including all of them on probably 3-4 worlds but eventually stopped.

So you basically stopped getting the three gold coins just when it would have gotten much more challenging to get them! And you complain about the game being to easy. You miss the point. Mario games are easy, its when you are going for the coins that it gets challenging for the more experienced players.

I understand that a few people may be upset with me giving this game a 7.8 overall.  I did however give it an 8.5 for 2D platformers which means it is still one of the best 2D platformers.  The problem is a number of things and not only how easy it is.  It is a game that offers no improvement to a franchise that has been milked for the last few years.  It has now fatigued the Mario 2D sidescrollers and there is no reason to upgrade to this one.  Also not having online multiplayer is a huge flaw and shows the lack of understanding on nintendo's part for the present day and future of the industry.

You guys say well the gold coins make it more difficult and it does, but not by much either.  Rayman, BattleBlock Theater, Donkey Kong Country all offers a much greater challenge while also not having to make you go out of your way.  You can, but you dont have to because the game already offers a challenge.    Something Mario U does not do.

Mario has shown it is aiming for the everyday player and it does great in that aspect but for the more core players who strive for a challenging but also fun game will find better experiences else where.

Now Im fine if you all disagree, but stop bringing up the coins because yes i did take those into account.

I tend to agree with the mass here where you failed to try one of the most challenging parts of the game which collecting all the Gold Coins and that includes StarRoad (or whatever its name is) which has some of the hardest levels in the game.

I wouldnt go as far as putting this game at a "9" because its not a "9" being too silmar to his other 2D games in recent memory,i would say "8.5" is the perfect score for the game, even a "8.0" would be just fine. All in all Mario's first HD game is a solid game best played with friends for the mass chaos to set in on harder levels.

Personally i would put donkey kong in the same bracket then. If you are not going for the kong letters its an easy game. It just becomes mind numbingly difficult if you choose to get them. I dont see why you are saying dont bring up the coins when you left yourself open to that criticism in your review by saying the game was easy. People are just poining out the contradiction of saying that yet not doing the hardest parts.

DKCR(3D) and SMBU is not even close to the same difficulty curve as each other.

How can you say that when you have, by your own admission not done the hardest parts of nsmbu. I feel like we are going round in circles here. I enjoyed your review but you really need to collect all the coins and do the star world before posting a review of the game.