I think that it's just to tie us over for the next big 3D Mario Game. This isn't supposed to be an innovative title. It's just supposed to be a regular Mario game.

No. I'm 99% sure this is Nintendo's vision for Mario going forward. By now, i'm pretty sure they feel the 3d mario audience is not the same as the 2d mario game audience

They're simply not the same people. Sure, there is some overlapping.

Notice how frontloaded galaxy style 3D mario games are, unlike 2D mario games which sell decent for a long time?

I believe the idea for 3D World is to get both audiences to invest in this ONE game, making it for all intents and purposes the definite Mario experience.

Yes. the first levels will be very much like 3D Land, but BAM! There comes a Galaxy style level or 10. BAM! There comes a SM64 style level or 10, and so on.

I can't help but think that the market will reject this game. It does look good but I honestly feel they are putting two very different audiences against each other. While there is some cross over I don't think it's as big as Nintendo is hoping that it is or that they can grow it to. 2D Mario fans will reject this game because it's stealing all of the things they enjoyed in 2d Mario games and putting it in a context they find toxic. 2D mario fans without a doubt compose the largest amount of Mario fans outside of Mario Kart. I'm not so sure that 3D Mario fans want their Mario games to be made more like 2D Mario. I can see how the linearity and less exploration might bother them coming from 3D Mario games. They really ought to just make great quality versions of both games for their separate audiences to consume instead of pissing them off by making Mario games that don't feel quite like the Mario games that either side of the spectrum expects when you say Mario game.

Tbh I think this game is way more similar to Galaxy than 64 or Sunshine.  

I think we will get Super Mario Galaxy 3 on the Wii U

Idk. I think the spinoff Mario's are vastly overrated. Give me Mario universe.

What makes you say that?

Its a "placeholder" game. Well its not the real deal at least. Real marios since Mario64 have larger scale with exploration aspects and also lack the stupid TIMER mechanic (which would just annoy people when they should explore etc).

Nintendo made NSMBU because it was the easiest to make and 3DWorld was the next step. Its simple yet more complex than NSMB and the new "real" Mario game will follow. Nintendo just played it save on a console with small userbase.

I am also pretty sure Nintendo pushed DonkeyKong to 2014 because the small userbase would have to choose between mario and DK. And releasing both platfromers for xmas 2013 would well hurt DK sales alot I guess.

Nintendo probably thinks this game alone can take the holidays. Whether this is true or not, time will tell.

Along with the bundles I would say it was a good move "delaying" DKCTF, as much as I want it,I have to say it was a good business move

I don't think so.  If it was a normal holiday season then maybe, but with 2 huge consoles launching this holiday season they need as much exclusive games out as they can get.  I don't think they choose to delay DKCTF, I think they didn't have a choice because the game wasn't gonna be done in time.