Malstrom: "I blame Mario Galaxy for the Wii´s problems in Japan".

[theRepublic]

Interesting, but I still don't see where he makes the connection. I would call Super MK the least 'richly textured world' of all the console Mario Karts with a possible exception of MK 64. I would also call SMW the most 'richly textured world' of the console 2D Mario platformers, not SMB3. I find it surprising that he praises SMB3 over SMW considering that SMW sold more.

I just find it frustrating that he doesn't adequately support some of the points he makes. Especially so when I think those points are wrong! ;)

Your post above about Galaxy was great, by the way. I think we could use this 'richly textured world' concept to explain some of the sales of the 3D Mario platformers. For Sunshine, instead of exploring the established 'Mario Universe,' we are taken to a completely world. Perhaps people didn't want to explore the Isle of Delphino, but to continue to explore the Mushroom Kingdom. The same problem could be said of Galaxy. Instead of exploring the established Mushroom Kingdom, we are exploring the galaxy. Although some parts of the game felt similar to the Mushroom Kingdom, a lot was new and different.

(I just remembered that SMW actually took place in Dinosaur World. That puts a bit of a damper on the above theory. However, I do think Dinosaur World looks and feels a lot like the Mushroom Kingdom, so maybe it still fits the theory.)

For Mario 64, we actually get to explore the castle. Some of the levels feel very much like the Mushroom Kingdom, with some new places. I think the technology probably held this one back from feeling as 'richly textured' as the 2D versions though.

What do you think?