One thing I like about Fire Emblem and I think should be applied to every single game series is the ability to skip any cutscene whatsoever at any time and for any reason.

What if you skip a cutscene by accident, you say?

Simple! Give us a cutscene gallery, perhaps in the form of a magic book in the pause screen. That's really all we need.

I like this thread, like most of Rols threads.

It gives credence to Nintendos high standards when a community debates about a game that has sold an incredible amount and we come up with arguments that say its not as successful as it should be. Pure Awesomeness.

But to get back on topic... I think someone posted that Mario 64 was bundled, was it not? So if you take that into consideration that could skew the argument somewhat.

And if this is not a joke thread, cutscenes or not, most people who are fans of Mario, I think, are more attracted to the 2D aspect of Mario rather than the 3D. Maybe I'm just nostalgic.

This isn't strictly true. I enjoy 3-D Mario games more, by and large. It's just that Galaxy's intro was too long and too restricting.

I agree with you ROL, there is nothing worse than popping in a game and having to wait 15 min to get by all of the cut scenes just to play the game. Especially when its a game like Mario where it is not about store but about game play.

Why wasnt i welcomed to this site? I even had an avatar very early :(.

Well you only have 52 posts, so this probably isn't too late...

Welcome to the site buddy!

What's your avatar anyway?  Is that a pheonix inside of a giant acorn?

The reason 2-D Mario will always outsell 3-D Mario is that 2-D games are more hardcore AND more casual at the same time.

2-D platforming gameplay is on the one hand, so simple anybody can do it (you have a jump button, you move side to side, that's it), but on the other hand allows for much greater precision and timing and difficulty in jumps. There are jumps in 8-1 of Super Mario Bros. 1 that are harder than any jump in any 3-D platforming game. The 3-D environment lets you jump in any direction, which means they have to make platforms gigantic for you to land on. 2-D games have pinpoint jumps that are insane.

I tried to think of the hardest 3-D jump I ever made, and I ultimately decided on one of the Stars in Thwomp Fortress - it was inside a cage, suspended far away from the castle, I believe? Hell of a jump....

But 8-2

8-2

The main thing that hurt Mario Galaxy is Japan. They are growing increasingly disinterested in 3-D Mario, as well a many other previously big hardcore franchises over there. In the western Markets, Galaxy sold just fine. But still, it has to be mentioned, 8.2 million is a lot of sales no matter how you slice it...

NSMB Wii will at least double that amount though, so it doesn't really matter.

Great thread Rol. I have similar feelings on the sales of Galaxy, but you took the time to really look at these games more critically.