Why can't there be multiple Mario 3D platformers? It's like Mario isn't in like 50 other games every gen, half of which no one cares about (anyone dying for Mario & Sonic Rio Olympics? Mario x Puzzles & Dragons).

We should be able to have a more open world style 3D Mario and a more linear 3D Mario too.

If NX has a unified library EAD Tokyo won't have to make a Mario 3D Land and Mario 3D World too ... they could just make one of those and then make a Mario 64 or Mario Galaxy style game next.

They're not wrong though as 64 and Sunshine are different in approach to Galaxy and Galaxy 2 which in turn are different from 3DL and 3DW. The reason the whole conflict is stupid is not because the games are distinct it's because more often than not the same people who call for Nintendo to change things up often turn around and want every game in a series to be exactly like a certain previous game, it's been going on in the Zelda fan base for almost 20 years now.

They often think a game being distinct from others in the series means it's bad.

3D World fans are pretty interesting.
I can't blame them for being defensive.
We know 3D World is not in the same vein as the other 3 3D Mario released before, but they are trying hard to make it fit there rather than praise it for creating a new brand, instead of following a pre-established one.
3D World will never be the same kind of 3D Mario like 64, Sunshine and Galaxy.


Note: Galaxy DLC does not count.

1) Your first mistake was using the words "good 3D Mario" and Sunshine in the same sentence.

2) You have to play 3D World first to say it is a "bad game".

Unrelated: If you guys want to get all specific then call stuff by their true name.

Example: Super Mario Galaxy is a 3D action platforming collectible marathon videogame. New Super Mario Bros is a 2D side scrolling action platforming collectible marathon videogame.Super Mario 3D World  is a 3D movement action platforming collectible marathon with some occasional 2D side views videogame.

It's the same as saying someone isn't a true gamer if he doesn't play a predefined set of games. 3D Mario platformer is a vague term and both Mario 64 and Mario 3D World fit into it so neither one is truer than the other.  Max's definition of platform/exploration 3D Mario games for 64, Sunshine and Galaxy is a more precise one and using that term you could say 3D World is not a true platform/exploration 3D Mario game without offending anyone.

Eh ... Sunshine is the outsider there.

I remember even when it came out, a lot of people and critics said the platformer focused FLUDD-free bonus levels were the best part of the game, that's basically what Mario Galaxy and 3D World are. EAD Tokyo learned from that. Also a Mario game with all tropical themed levels ... ugh. Gotta have grass, desert, ice, fire castle, and tropical to be a real Mario game, it just feels like a weird spin-off otherwise.

I liked Mario 64, but I think any more exploration than that and it doesn't really suit Mario. Mario is not Metroid or Zelda, Mario is about kinectic platforming, tight level design, and bopping on generously placed enemies.

It isn't. Sunshine fits perfectly. 3D World doesn't.

To me and many others it doesn't. It was really a monumental dissapointment after Mario 64. For years on end I remember Nintendo fans begging for that mythical "Mario 128" (as in the "real" sequel to Mario 64, because Sunshine wasn't it). Every E3 for several years after 2002 was "maybe we'll get Mario 128 this year!".

To be honest it felt like they didn't really want to make a Mario game. All tropical levels? FLUDD based floating around everywhere? No many traditional Mario enemies?

I mean really you could have just replaced Mario with a generic different character and no one would really say "hey this is a Mario game!", because it just didn't feel like it. It could have been easily a new character IP.

Maybe for people who grew up with the GameCube as their first Nintendo console or one of their earlier Nintendo consoles, I can see why it would occupy a soft spot in their heart ... but I've been playing Mario since the old school NES days, and Sunshine just feels like an alien entry in the franchise to this day.

The FLUDD mechanics were cool, but I almost feel like it would've been better served as a new I.P.

I honestly don't love the main-Mario Games since the SNES versions. I hated the jump to 3D. Mario 64 felt terrible for me, I know im in the minority here, most people love M64. Yet I really liked Galaxy. And I really liked the simplicity of 3D World, in very own simple, maybe non-ambitious way, it's a very good game. It delivers. Can't say that for every other Mario game.

It always annoys when fans think they get to decide which is a "true" franchise game. I don't think it's up to them. Big franchises change and try new things to make their games different from each other in one way or another.

My bad then, since I realized you never played Sunshine I assumed you didn't play 3D World either.

PS: Still that's an unpopular opinion, I doubt everyone thinks as you in that regard. 3D World was a great game (you might have a point if you played it alone, it feels like something is missing.)