Another note; Mario's popularity didn't start with the jump to 3D. It began with Super Mario Bros. In fact, it can be said that Mario's popularity dropped the moment the jump to 3D was made.
3D Mario is not the Mario the masses fell in love with. No matter how deprived the devs make 2D Mario in favor of 3D it doesn't change the fact that 2D is more popular.
Look at Pac-Man. What happened when he made the jump to 3D? The game is no longer Pac-man, it is something else. Sonic, same thing, the jump to 3D killed him, because the phenom started with 2D.
Bet between Slimbeast and Arius Dion about Wii sales 2009:
If the Wii sells less than 20 million in 2009 (as defined by VGC sales between week ending 3d Jan 2009 to week ending 4th Jan 2010) Slimebeast wins and get to control Arius Dion's sig for 1 month.
If the Wii sells more than 20 million in 2009 (as defined above) Arius Dion wins and gets to control Slimebeast's sig for 1 month.
