I'm 1,000% sure that they will release a 3rd 3D Series game. I felt the same way about 3D Land when it first came out, and yes, the existance of 3D Land does influence that. The fact that a game (SM3DW) is so derivative of a game (SM3DL) that is already derivative of an almost completely derivative series (NSMB) speaks for itself. SM3DW doesn't just borrow concepts - it borrows concepts of borrowed concepts from concepts borrowed four times before. I'm sorry, but SM3DW doesn't do nearly enough for itself to be considered original.

And it's definitely not an evolution of the Galaxy games. It's just an isometric platformer with borrowed concepts from nearly every other Mario game, with pretty blatant Galaxy pandering in the latter worlds. No "compromises" were made for the purpose of multiplayer, as made crystal clear by the fact that 3D Land existed as a singleplayer game first. 3D World is good, but it's a farcry from a unique Mario game.

And I think that's just PR speak to excuse the reuse of iconic assets. There's no reason why an isometric Mario game needs to "bring the 2D classic Mario games into the third dimention." The linear path does that enough, and being an isometric platformer is enough to set them apart from the two games. Having a flag pole at the end of every level doesn't "bridge the gap between 2D and 3D;" it copies a unique idea from one (now 7) Mario game and unenthusiastically pastes it onto another, now less unique, one. They do that constantly and almost exclusively.

They definitely do not have their own personality, with 3D World having only a half personality because of it's soundtrack. Every Mario game introduces new mechanics. The 3D series don't somehow do more of this. They copy most of their powerups, as do most Mario games. The few that are different don't give them personalities. And every Mario game has varied levels. Even the NSMB games. 3D World may have more variety than most, but that is completely undermined by the fact that most of the variety comes from borrowed concepts from other games.

Woops. Sorry about that!

I actually think increment difference in visual is okay with the 3D series because it's pleasing to look at and isn't generic like the NSMB series. I wouldn't mind if 3D World 2 has the same art style but with much better shaders and finer texture details. 

I will be a little annoyed if the gameplay mechanics in 3D world 2 are exactly the same as the original (especially because I hate Super Mario World's jump boost for enemy stomping). But I wouldn't mind it if it was different by being compilation of previous Mario mechanics tied together to feel different. Especially if it has online multiplayer! To be honest, I don't expect much in terms of art style and gameplay mechanics in the NSMB series and 3D series anyway as long as the game doesn't look too generic (see NSMB) and the game plays right.  I care more about the level design and music for those games. I reserve my expectation for new art style and game play mechanics for games like Super Mario 64 - Galaxy 2.

Mario has so many games now and the addition of the 3D series makes it extremely difficult for Nintendo to find new art styles and game play mechanics for each platformer series. Hell just look at how long each console Zelda game takes because they always strive for new art style and gameplay mechanices since the original NES game! But I agree in that new game play mechanics and artstyle for all Mario platformers should be achieved if possible.

Nintendo frankly doesn't care about our opinions when it comes to making money and not making money. NSMB sells very well so they keep making them. Just like Call of Duty, Halo, or any other popular franchise. I wish all of the old generation would just accept the fact that you've grown up and you've seen mostly everything there is to see. I honestly think a return to a Star Collecting Mario would ease the minds of millions of Mario fans. We need another epic adventure that rivals that of Mario 64 and Galaxy. We need a new Nintendo.

That's just it, though. The 3D series is, by definition, generic. Their incremental differences in visuals are all almost entirely based off of what have now become common Mario themes.

The gameplay in 3D World is already exacly the same as world, so I don't quite understand why it would take a third repeat to anger you. Mario controls the same and has the same vanilla arcenal, with the only difference coming from power ups, something that was never the case between two consecutive games prior to NSMB. The fact that you don't even expect much in terms of art style and gameplay mechanics, to me, is extremely sad. That used to by why Mario games were a big deal to begin with. 2D Mario is now this lesser franchise of platforming level packs, when it became the king of platformers because of so much more.

Now it only applies to the 3D games, and Nintendo ruined that too by making Galaxy 2. Now instead of anticipating the possibilities of something new, people damn near expect another regurgitation of the first Galaxy in a Galaxy 3. Not only do I not think it's "hard" to come up with new styles and gameplay mechanics, but even if it was, it wouldn't matter. That's their job, as game designers. I don't care if it takes longer, or produces less games. It creates better games, and would greatly deminish the increasingly accurate sentiment that Mario is rehashing itself.

ALBW is cool because it's a celebration of ALttP. If every future top down Zelda game then became based off the world of ALttP's overworld, with only completely new dungeons, borrowed races and characters from other Zelda games, and new gimmicks to "differentiate" it, you'd get NSMB. If they then decided to take that same concept of a world based off the overworld of ALttP, but made it in first person, and said that this is trying to "bridge the gap between top down and 3D Zelda," and made a console version later with far more unique dungeons, a slighly futuristic themed area, and a completely techno soundtrack that strangely fit perfectly with the game, but was unique from any other Zelda game, you'd get 3D Land and 3D World.

It's not necessary to have a flag pole at the end of every level, but, I wouldn't say it's unoriginal. They could perfectly put another "item", like the box in Super Mario Bros. 3, or a new one to end the levels, it's not that hard to think. But the flag pole is the most iconic one, and they chose to stick with that. New players will indentified inmediatly the end of the level, I don't think this is a big deal. It wouldn't hurt change the end of the level, but it doesn't add anything special or original to the game... Super Mario Galaxy has an "star-ending", like Mario-64, and it's one of the most original games of its generation. 

I agree, the soundtrack gives 3DWorld a lot of its personality. But I think the new power-ups (Super Bell and Double Cherry) add a lot to its gameplay. You can split Mario to solve puzzles. You can now explore the height with the Super Bell. Cat Mario/ Cat Bowser are unique of this game. Plus it's the first multiplayer Mario 3D game. It introduces new scenarios (Bowser theme park is a standout). I don't know, when I'm playing it, I feel like I'm playing something fresh and unique, as it was Galaxy back then, but, at the sime time, classic. But I understand your concerns, you stated your points and they're valid. Better than "When will Nintendo release a proper 3D Mario"...

I didn't expect such a pertinent read on an April 1st to be honest. Completely agree, even though I think SM3DW is pretty amazing and really original, with a few references to the originals SM.

Super Mario Sunshine and Super Mario Galaxy were incredible, I hope we'll get to see other games like this in the series.

The only NSMB game which was above mediocre was U imo. But the series is lacking in innovation in general.

They shouldn't have stuck with any one. That's the thing - it's only become iconic because of NSMB. Before that, it say just that one thing that was trademark of that one Mario game. Now it's synonimous with 2D Mario games as a whole, because it's in everything. New players would have identified with something new just as easily, and that would have been the unique thing about that Mario game. They adjusted to launch stars just fine in Galaxy. And even with Galaxy ending with collecting the stars, at least they had the sense to make the stars look different from the ones in 64.

I've never once argued that the new power ups or being multiplayer don't add to their gameplay, but they just don't have the same impact that a unique setting and soundtrack do, two features that were intimatly tied to the advent of new Mario games in the past. They just aren't an excuse, at all.

And when I say "proper 3D Mario," I'm not referring to this topic at all. There's no problem with 3D World being an isometric platformer instead of a proper 3D platformer. We just don't have a 3D platformer Mario game on Wii U yet. If the Wii U came out with the next 3D Mario, but it was just Super Mario Galaxy 3, I'd complain about literally the same thing. And I did in the OP, when I brought up Galaxy 2. If SM3DW was actually unique, it wouldn't have been mentioned in the OP, and I still would have asked for a real 3D Mario and called it an isometric platformer.

This post isn't about the games being mediore. It's about them having an identity. I think SM3DW is a better platformer than SM64, for example, but I think 64 is a far more unique, iconic, memorable, and interesting game that I respect far more because if that.