While NSMB Wii is on a new system, its the direct sequel of NSMB on DS.  It has to be this way to keep the similar gameplay and name.  All part of Nintendos plan to try to catch the same monumental sales for NSMB on Wii like they did on the DS.

Yes, the title looks to be enhancing gameplay in practically all ways (like I stated with Uncharted 2).  But it doesn't have most of the other features critics look for as a 'top quality sequel'.  Namely reinventing the wheel or altering gameplay drastically.  In the case of NSMB Wii, it seems to be improving gameplay on all fronts....by combining all the best elements of past Mario games.  And while that'll make us, the fans, happy, it'll turn off many reviewers as 'old hat'.

And of course, keep it from being anywere close to a 'game of the year'.  And I'm afraid something like Mario Galaxy 2 as well, seeing as it'll be deemed 'more of the same' when it finally releases.

Uncharted 2 will make sure it doesn't win.

It's releasing too late in the year anyway to have a decent shot at Goty...

well if you look at the data HD owners actually represent 50% or so of the gamers on consoles, not 5 or 10%...

But then I doubt  that NSMB will have good reviews too in gaming sites even it came out on the Wii first especially if its a home console 2-d platformer unless its on a DS. Amirite?

Wow... just wow...

OK Ail, if you want to play that game, let's play: what's the total userbase for all the consoles out there?

Last gen, PS2 peaked around 130 millions, and let's say a small part of Xbox and Cube owners didn't have any PS2... add maybe some kids with a GBA and nothing else, and the total userbase was between 160 and 180 millions...

This gen, it's harder to estimate, as Wii and DS have created a new market, and attracted new consumers, and we also have PSP... but many gamers have two or three consoles, if not more, so let's say... between 170 and 200 millions: nearly the same or maybe a little higher than the previous gen...

Now, let's see the most successful games on PS3 and X360, based on VGC numbers:

Most successful exclusive on X360: Halo 3 - 10.3 millions... 5% of the total global userbase...

Most successful exclusive on PS3: MGS 4 - 4.28 millions... 2% of the global userbase...

Most successful HD crossplatforms: GTA IV (5.9+7.28) and Cod 4 (4.7+7.87)... around 13 millions each, so let's say 7% of the global userbase...

Dont' agree with something? Maybe you want to show me some games that sold to nearly 100% of any userbase?

Personally, i know only one: Wii Sports... and it's a very special case, don't even feel to need to point it, I KNOW...   :)

But back to Kenryoku_Maxis comment, he was totally right:

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL HD GAMES EVER DO NOT EVEN PLEASE 10% OF ALL THE GAMERS OUT THERE...

And even the most successful Nintendo games (NSMB DS, Nintendogs, Mario Kart Wii and DS, the main Pokemon games, Wii Fit, Wii Play, Brain Trainings) won't do way better: 5-10-15% of the global userbase, maximum... Wii Sports is the only exception, but it doesn't count because it's bundled...

So you see, the market has room for EVERYONE, but the "hardcore market" and the "hardcore userbase" isn't THAT huge: most of the best PS360 games have sold between 500k and 1.5 million copies, and that's not even 1% of the global gaming market...

But players in that 1% "elite" do really think they're "special", that's for sure... but are they more important than any other gamer out there?

No, not at all... you buy more games than most, maybe, but usually, when you're too young, you don't have the money, and when you're older, you don't have the time anymore... so...

And btw, why don't you try to make a parallel with movies, records, books: don't you think that it's normal that every style has the right to exist, mainstream just as niche, classical or modern, blockbuster or essai?

I think it's normal, they all have a reason to exist: to please all the very, VERY different people living on Earth... and gaming is for EVERYONE as well, it's not THAT special... kids need games too, women need games too, fathers and mothers need games too, people who like platformers, puzzles, rpgs, strategy, simulation, action/adventure, shooters, same thing... EVERYONE...

Get it?

.

EH I was just answering to the guy claiming only 5% of gamers liked pretty graphics.

Based on the HD console adoption, having a console that is able to output stuff like U2 or Gears seems to be important to more than a few percent of the gamers out there.

People need to stop acting like everyone is on a crusade to get the Wii when facts are, this gen, half the gamers haven't gone for the Wii.

And it turns out that those gamers usually are more active in the community and are more involved in votes and stuff for Goty....

Besides before asking if NSMBWii should be Goty, shouldn't you actually wait and see if the game is that good ?
Right now a bunch of people are almost acting like it's a Mario game so it should be a defacto Goty candidate.....

Not a chance. I don't know whether or not it will actually deserve GOTY 2009, but it doesn't matter; even if it does, reviewers won't admit that the Wii is capable of producing a GOTY-caliber game.