Hey Danne! Thanks for popping by.

So, I agree that not pushing the envelope is reason for gripe. If you notice in my OP, I mention that. I also mention the generic nature of some of the art in these early screens. It makes me thing Nintendo is not putting in the effort they should on their biggest-selling game.

As Lord Ciansworth pointed out, this might be intentional to preserve the winning formula of the title (NSMB). If that's the case though Danne, I really don't want to play it, I'm not big on cash-ins.

I'm not surprised at all that Happy is getting a bit of flak for this thread, it's a very bold move to open up a debate about such a beloved franchise, but good on him for having the confidence to do so. It would be the same for anybody opening the same thread on the new Halo game, or the new Uncharted game, etc. 

I have no doubts that the game will be good. Not bad, but a good game.

This issue that arises, or that many people see, is from the perception of Nintendo as a company. People like to think that their Nintendo games (especially flagship Mario titles) are a product of creativity and inspiration; a product that is created out of a desire to create amazing new experiences and treated as such.

What the perception surrounding NSMB 3DS is, purely off of screenshots and in context of all the other NSMB titles we've seen, is that the series is no longer driven by strong ideas or creativity, but rather used primarily as a platform to sell hardware, from the evidence of the minimal changes and fresh approaches on every iteration. 

If you can accept that the game is just going to be a decent Mario platformer, and that releasing a quick title for (almost) solely business reasons is Nintendo's strategy, then you'll be absolutely fine with this game, and that is also a completely fine opinion to hold.

What people that are not dedicated to Nintendo titles see, however, is a game that they have played before, with presentation that they have seen before, and music that they have heard before (we haven't heard that yet, sure, but take a wild guess at what it will be like. wha wha). And really, that is what a 2d mario game is made of; platforming, graphics and music are its components.

If a game is more story driven, or if the game's physics are a more principal component, or if the community and online multiplayer are it's main draw, then small upgrades in presentation are not such an indicator of a lack of creativity. Here however, the presentation is the only aspect of a Mario game aside from the platforming. And the platforming hasn't changed. In fact, what I am seeing many people cite as the thing differentiating this NSMB from others is the P bar and flying Mario. I.e., something I could have played decades ago. 

Gamers that have no preset predisposition to Mario games see a game they've played before. They have a wealth of original and creative platformers available to them on other devices, driven by individual ideas and passion, something they believed was Nintendo's specialty. Why should they bother with this new title? I think that is the reason for the initial backlash. 

^I love this post. Five stars.

As a dedicated Nintendo gamer, I can tell you, I am starting to be either frustrated at Nintendo, or upset at myself.

1) Frustrated at Nintendo because they are not giving me what I'm expecting, i.e. top top quality on their AAA game here.
2) Upset at myself for not realizing this sooner, that NSMB is not made to push gaming, it's made to push a buck.

Having said that, I'm sure the platforming side of NSMB 2 will be fun, it will be great, it will likely see a much needed return to faster-paced classic 2D mario action, but when it comes to presentation, I am completely underwhelmed, EVEN when it pertains to the simplistic theme of NSMB. The presentation reaks of cash-in.

Over a certain level, graphics just don't need to improve anymore.
It's not very useful to put more detail into an arcade 2D Mario, the point of the game is not about immersion. Also too much detail can make the visual confusing, expecially if you're playing a fast-paced game on a low-res screen.
The 3DS iteration will look better anyway, thanks to higher resolution (compared to DS), better shaped 3D models, 16:9 ratio and streroscopic 3D.

@ happy

Ah yes, when I commented on the platforming I didn't intend to put words in your mouth about what you disliked/expected, sorry! I was just taking the general case of the initial backlash I've seen.

Good question, but it's hard to answer until we have more information besides a few screenshots.

@freebs2.

I completely agree with this.

I believe there is a delicate balance between graphical overload and basic generic graphics.

What we have here is no the Nintendo I'm accustomed to, and I really don't enjoy it. If that's the truth and the direction for the future, I'll just cut my losses and enjoy my classic games, and join the mod community.

You're absolutely right, it's something I tried to address with this sentence:  "What the perception surrounding NSMB 3DS is, purely off of screenshots and in context of all the other NSMB titles we've seen." 

@Wiibox3. True it is early to tell. But as much as some are praising it this far, some of us are underwhelmed. For sure things can change till then, or new info we didn't know will take our breath away, but when it comes to graphics, unless an unexpected change of direction is given, I believe I will be underwhelmed in the presentation department of this massive installment.

It's also one of the reasons why I bought my 3DS, for upcoming massive installments such as this one... it was wishful thinking if this is any indicator of it.

There is nothing wrong with this. You should play what you enjoy. If Nintendo doesn't produce something that apeals to you then they shouldn't get your $$. Plus the mod community could always use more people, a lot of great ideas are created there.