We have actually discussed the possibility that this might just be a simple way for nintendo to make some easy cash... It's not all about graphics :P More importantly is the fact that we're also discussing the actual art style of the games... Some finds it... cheesy :P

Care to explain, we would be so interested to hear your PoV.

From the first images I honestly thought it looked really good, it seems to me it's going to be a very fun game. Tanooki Mario? Golden Mario? Golden enemies? I admit the graphics could be a bit better, they look nice to me but Nintendo should at least try to put more effort, anyway I don't have any problem with them, they're simplistic but nice.
I already showed the pictures to 2 of my friends and they said "wow, it looks good!". One of them played Mario 3D Land the other day for like 5 minutes and got bored (he's not casual gamer as he plays a lot of Xbox360 but he isn't a very avid game either)

What I would like to be improved is:

1. Graphics are ok, but what about adding some special effect, like in DKC Returns, remember the level where the waves crashing in the screen, things like that should be added.

2. Music, more variety of music and not the same tones, doesn't matter if they're not orchestrated but add more variety Nintendo!

3. World map, I really don't like the world map of the recent Marios, specially Mario 3DLand, Super Mario World world map was great, something like that should be done again cause it makes you feel you're really traveling in a big world, right now it just feels odd, like a disconnection between the game and the levels, you're playing levels but not in a world.... or maybe is just me =/

When I look at the screenshots I see a Mario game, complete with things that I would expect to find in a Mario game. I have no idea what you are seeing.

I'd also hazard a guess that the Princess will still be in another castle...

Man, the real option is lagging way behind in the poll :(

Tradition is not what is bothering me milky. It's the cheesyness of certain aspects, those I listed:

1) The Voice acting

2) The new storylines

3) The cinematics (when existent)

4) The backdrops and characters

It's all from the new Mario and I really hate it. It smells 0 depth, and that's not something you do with your #1 franchises. To put it in d21's frame of mind, imagine if Beauty and the Beast or The Little Mermaid were stripped of their plot twists, stripped of the emotions they convey, stripped of the sheer artwork and effort, stripped of the glorious orchestrals, stripped of on and on and on and on, and you get, the New Mario...

One game was fine, we all needed a new 2D Mario, I was excited for NSMB. But this is borderline capitalism, and I resent it.

this thread makes me sad.

Yeah, you finally figured it out... I know how you feel. Give it some time, you'll get smarter eventually.

The graphics are not what bothers me. What does bother me is the same art style over and over again. If you look back at the NES or SNES Mario games each one was unique and had a different art style. Today not much changes at all and we get the same look on DS/ Wii/ 3DS/ Wii U. Another thing that bothers me is that Nintendo is rushing out Mario games faster than Activision is with Call of Duty. As long as the quality remains high this won't really bother me, but I think that even Mario games can become boring to me if we get a new one more than once a year/ once a year...

^That's so true sm128! And looking at the jump from SMB to SMB3, it's hard to say that Lord Ciansworth's view on it is so far-fetched. You seem interested in the topic, take a look!

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/post.php?id=4532035
(I also provided my response, food for thought )