Super Mario Galaxy 2 essentially took what Super Mario Galaxy started, and expanded it to greater and more exciting levels with much more variety. New Super Mario Bros 2 did not do this by any means.
Another thing about Mario Galaxy 2 is that each level is stand out and memorable; whereas New Super Mario Brothers 2 doesn't have more than a handful of those.
Mario Galaxy 2 also feels like a world that is moving forward and that Mario is on an adventure; but New Super Mario Bros 2 just feels like levels.
I also don't agree with the assessment in the first post. If Mario Galaxy 2 is used as a standard for New Super Mario Bros 2, then the answers should be no for all of the questions in regards to New Super Mario Bros 2.
I am not saying that 2D Mario is bad, but I am saying that Super Mario 3 and even Mario World were WAAAAY better than any of the NSMB games so far. I am also saying that NSMB2 has its place as perhaps the best game released last week; but Super Mario Galaxy 2 is arguably one of the best games of all time.
I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.
