I have seen nothing from Nintendo that says it returns you to the start, are you sure you're not just misunderstanding what Nintendo has been saying?

Also the reason why it would make sense to let the game run through, is some things just can't be shown, some people don't have the skill to pull off a move, so even if the guide shows them, they still won't be able to do it, it makes more sense to just have the guide do it for them.

In this case, I trust Kotaku. They watched it in action. Most of the other stuff implying that it was only a guide that did not progress you in the game comes off as just placeholder text from people who didn't know how it really worked. Not everything from Nintendo is from someone who is informed on game development.

For example, just a few days ago GoNintendo ran this story:

http://www.gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=99039

"New Super Mario Bros. Wii is also the first Nintendo game to feature a dynamic help system, which allows you to access a mode showing how a level can be completed if you are stuck. The best thing about this mode is that you are free to jump into the action you’re watching on screen at any time! - Nintendo of Europe product page"

That seems to imply it is just a "guide," but if random NoE website copywriter knew how the system worked, he would have at least known that it's called Super Guide and that it is based around Luigi. He clearly was not informed to how the feature was implemented.

Ok, any one of these should be proof enough even for the stubbornest

It was called 'Demo play' note how demo is short for demonstration, not skip
It is called Super Guide, super being a word that Nintendo put on the front of everything, and guide saying that it will GUIDE
They patented the idea of demo play as I described it, they have not patented the idea of 'pla for you' as you described - see here http://kotaku.com/5127251/nintendo-patent-reveals-potential-paradigm-shift-in-design (oh look, Kotaku don't even read their own articles :P)

If you wish to continue debating (although I'm lost as to how you will attempt that) Then I shall be willing to oblige, but right now I have a delicious combination of dinner and beer to attend, so I shall be afk, as they say

Just one question: If it won't count anyways, what's the point of being able to take over Luigi at any time?

And what's the point of having it in-engine, if it was just a guide a prerecorded run through would be the best idea

Pizza and Beer was excellent, and Scottie is back

It is in engine because otherwise you couldn't take over from Luigi at any time, so Avinash your question is answered, assuming I can then answer Erik's question

Erik Aston, your question has several answers, surely you can see the advantages. I assume many times in your gaming career you have encountered a level with 2 hard bits, and it's difficult to get practice at the 2nd hard bit because you keep dying at the first one. Not any more. By allowing us to take over at any time, we are given complete control of which bits of the level we practice, and which we observe. That is surely a grand thing?

Still doesn't address the issue though, any part that a person can do on their own, doesn't need to be practiced, if the guide was only to show how to do a hard part, and not run through a stage, then it wouldn't need to let a person take control, since they would just have to wait a couple of minutes at most to see the walkthrough. Not to mention they wouldn't make it so you couldn't go back into the walkthrough after you left it. Also having just a wlakthorugh wouldn't address the issue of some people not being able to perform a stage even if you show them.

No the point of making it in game and ability to take control is because it can run though the stage for you completing it if you prefer or are unable to do it on your own.

The issue has been well and truly addressed
"any part that a person can do on their own, doesn't need to be practiced" - this is hilarious and incorrect, I can cook and play soccer, should I stop practicing both? If there is one bit that you have a 50% chance of getting through, then a harder bit later that you want to practice, this demo mode will essentially halve the time it takes to learn to get through the level.

You are not allowed to reenter the super guide because then people would activate it when they were half way down a chasm, then blame Nintendo when the super guide died

Having a walkthrough doesn't address the issue of people sucking at video games, but neither does simply letting them go on to the next (ie harder) level. Nintendo's solution is much better than the one you propose

If it were just to skip through a part why do they bother with then making you watch it?

No actually playing through it for real, not just as a practice that doesn't count is far more effective at teaching, it won't help the time because you'll have to redo it for real.

Yeah that's not a legitimate reason to not let people restart the guide, even if the guide died, it could respawn in seconds without a problem.

No actually it does, because not every level will necessarily be too hard for the player to need the guide, so that player can enjoy the parts that they can play, and not have to worry about the parts that they don't. Your way just leaves them stuck and they give up and never play again, your way equals failure, also your way isn't what Nintendo is proposing, since I haven't seen anything from Nintendo that supports your argument.

The reason to make them watch, is if they want to retake control and finish the level they can, if one part gives them a problem but the rest of the level they feel they can do, they can take control and start playing and finish the level and move on to the next.

Yes, it does take slightly longer because you have to complete it for real as well, but the amount of time saved by not being killed by an earlier peril is often going to be greater (and if its not then just don't use the guide)

Yeah, cos reviewers and players are totally going to say that. No they aren't of course, reviewers will detract points and players will get frustrated and start to distrust the guide. Obviously Nintendo think it's not a viable solutions as well

Sure, its not exactly perfect linear trend, but the later levels are generally harder. Nintendo's way (ie what you refer to as my way) isn't perfect, but its a great improvement. Your way was tried, and was very disliked, I can't remember the name of the game - it was for the Wii, a horror game, set in New York I think? It was pretty bad I hear, and allowed you to skip levels, which lost it about 10 points on metacritic. Nintendo have said many things that state it is as I have said, such as patenting exactly what I said (and not patenting what you said)