Why do everyone hate the New Super Mario Bros. series?

It seems each time I see an social conversation online talking about the series there's always people crappying down on the damn games but they love to praise the classics. Imho, the classics (Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World) are not even that special.

I don't understand it either. And it is not just the New Super Mario Bros series, modern 2D games in general just don't seem to get much respect on gaming forums and I don't understand why. In my opinion, some of the best games that have been released this generation have been 2D games, but on forums like this, I see people acting like modern 2D games somehow have lesser value than 3D games and belong in the bargain bin and are not worthy of being considered a top game.

I have not played all of the Super Mario Bros games, but I think that they are all necessary because they build on the brand that we have now. The first time we see Mario, Donkey Kong, and Peach is in the game Donkey Kong. In that game Mario is called "Jumpman, Donkey Kong is "Donkey Kong" and Pauline is "Peach". It might not be known to everyone that the spring board item in the original Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. games gets carried over to future sequels. It may seem like a minor thing in the bigger picture, but it is all of these little parts that have accumulated over time together that make the series so interesting, and what has eventually led to Super Mario Maker.

GameSpot seems to be friendly toward Nintendo and their games; but it seems the majority of the forum posters are hostile to 2D games and games that are colorful (instead of realistic). Nintendo embodies the action arcade cartoon style and they receive the tip of the spear in the attacks, but Indies Games developer also seems to get a lot disdain for the same reason. There are a lot of easy-going Nintendo fans that are confident about Nintendo and simply just don't reply to the negativity 95% of the time, and there are Nintendo fans that simply do not frequent forums at all. I sometimes think that game developers and some of their associates bad mouth Nintendo and their games because Nintendo is their biggest competition. There might also be a lot of jealousy because Nintendo and Mario is almost the icon for video gaming itself.

@storm_of_swords: Exactly now it's all about 3D.

@Collie_Lover: You make a pretty good point that I never even thought about.

Why does everyone hate the New Super Mario Bros. series?

Don´t count me in that "everyone" pal.

@nintendo4evar: Thanks. Its just my take on the topic. I like the older Mario and Donkey Kong games, though at the moment I don't have the oldest Mario games in my library. That is going to change with the NES Classic Mini when that comes out. But I feel that the Mario games keep getting better and are fresh with each new sequel. One of the criticisms is that there is nothing new about them, but they are really puzzle games with Mario and gang. To use an analogy of crossword puzzles; just because you have finished one puzzle does not mean that you have conquered all future crossword puzzles. Mario games may seem familiar from one sequel to the next, but the obstacles are all rearranged in sequels with new obstacles introduced and in some cases new input methods. It is alright if people don't care about Mario games or (2D) platformers, and it is ok if you don't think the older ones are special. At least Nintendo makes the old games available for people who do not like the new ones, and we still get new ones for those of us that want new ones.

@Collie_Lover: Amen.

@Collie_Lover: Daymn, This guy knows where it's at!!

I like them. But I think people find the visuals to be very uninspired. Which I can agree with.

If they did more experimental visuals, then it'd alleviate the issue. For example, they don't do enough of this (Van Gogh style level):

@trugs26: Yeah I can agree to an extent.

I am not the part of the "everyone" who hates the New Super Mario Bros. series. I like the games ( I played every one from the DS to the Wii U version), but the problem with them is their too familar style. At least the main platformer Mario games (original Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario 3D World) have a diversity of style and gameplay.

Its not everyone, its not even most people. I for one am a big fan of NSMB, the Wii version was a blast playing with family and I love the Wii U version. The handheld versions aren't quite as aspired, but they are still fun games in their own right.

Because they're largely unambitious, cookie-cutter, and generic. They're good games, but they're predictable and by the book.

SMW has much tougher secrets, so does yoshi's island. Not so much in the new games. I have only played the Wii U game though, but I can see that it is all very similar probably.

This! I don't hate the new super mario games really, but they're pretty easy generic games that don't do anything to make themselves better than the originals. I actually played super mario world with my girlfriend last night instead of new super mario wii as it was in the closet somewhere. Not only did we find world to be just as good, we actually had MORE fun with it and it was actually a nice change to watch eachother play (taking turns) as opposed to the chaos of two players on screen at once.

If anything the success of new super mario and dkc returns simply proves that Super Nintendo is still relevant as those games are just as good and playable today as they were 20 years ago.

Did you even play Super Mario Bros 3 & Super Mario World?...if you have...then could you not see how simpler newer NSMB series has gotten? :P

@superbuuman:

Me either.

My son and I greatly enjoy the new Super Mario games....especially 3D World.

What I hate is how the latest installment is still full price years after release.

@superbuuman: I have and they are pretty overrated imo. Especially Super Mario World.

@gopre: They are not that hard. It just depends on your level of skills and/or the way you play.

@Solaryellow: That's the main problem but in Europe NSMBU cost the price of Nintendo selects instead of full price.

@nintendo4evar: Current Mario games are easier than original Mario games.

They are pretty great, IMO. I say this as a big retro fan: I think some people take their "back in the day" schtick too seriously. That being said, I do prefer Super Mario World to pretty much any of the 2D ones. But I think the new ones hold up well

I really liked the first one for the DS, it felt like a breath of fresh air. Then I played New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the 3DS and it just felt so uninspired and boring. Haven't played the Wii or WiiU ones yet.

As for the hate on modern 2D games, I love 2D games! Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is, for me, the best platformer released this generation. I think the problem is that Nintendo has released a ton of 2D games for the WiiU but no 3D games. Tropical Freeze, Yoshi's Woolly World and New Super Mario Bros. U. Then there's Super Mario 3D World, which plays like a 2D game. There should be a nice balance of both.

Since the WiiU is Nintendo's most powerful console yet, it feels like we should be getting at ~least~ one or two great 3D adventure platforming games. Imagine a 3D Mario game in HD exploring the mushroom kingdom! Instead we get... Super Mario 3D World. Which is a great game! But they've made it clear they have no interest in developing large scale 3D platforming games, which is kinda sad.

Maybe if Yooka Laylee is a success, things will turn around for the 3D platforming genre.

@gopre: Hard is subjective not objective.

@gopre: I think you can say that about almost every retro game that is still pumping out sequels. Except Contra 4. Jesus Christ...

I thought NSMBW was an inspired game. I thought it was the best mario game since SMW. Outside of people on forums I never heard anyone say anything bad about the series.

No one hates NSMB, It's just far too generic. Every game follows the exact same formula, and is scared to try anything unique.

It's hard to be excited for the games when you have titles like Shovel Knight, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Rayman Legends, Mighty Switch Force, Mutant Mudds Deluxe, that are honestly doing platforming much better and in more unique ways.

Mario, IMO, is better suited to 3D. He needs another 64 or Sunshine type adventure, with a big open hub that connects to tons of worlds that are all littered with stars and secrets, that to me is when Mario is at his best.

New Super Mario is a pretty good if just familiar ground series.

I like them for what they are, but ain't blowing me away like Galaxy.

i MISS PLAYING SUPER MARIO!

I would love to see the originals remade to todays style!

I like them

I have all of the "New" super Mario brothers games. And most of the classic Super Mario bros games on NES, SNES, N64. except the NES version of SMB 2

The "old" super Mario games are just a bit more interesting than the "New" series. Both series are good. But the old school versions edge out the "New" ones.

I haven't seen this hate.

I believe that "hate" is being over-used and misused on this board. I do not think that no one is "hating" the New Super Mario Bros. series, just that the games are not as original as the 8-bit and 16-bit era games.

I dont know but i dont like the art style of the NSMB series at all.

The reasons are pretty simple:

1. They're 2D. The average modern gamer believes that superior technology equals superior games, and therefor that 3D is better by virtue of being "more advanced." That's why the PS4 is outselling the Xbox One. As an addendum to that, the average gamer dislikes 2D because 2D puts pressure on the player. The average gamer dislikes gameplay, and does not like to be pressured. They don't want to have to learn the system and leverage that skill in order to advance, they just want everything open to them and want to be able to go anywhere and do anything at any time, even if it's painfully shallow.

2. If a Mario game is a 2D sidescroller, then the average gamer automatically considers it to be a re-hash because gamers don't understand gameplay or game design.

@alonditemx: Well said.

I think the hate cones from the fact that they appear lazy. The visuals are simple and look very similar between each iteration.

I'd personally argue that the level designs in the new Super Mario games are largely better than the level designs found in the 3D Mario games. They are much more clever, boast better secrets, and offer a more satisfying challenge.

I think it's because of how standard they feel. Each one is a well designed, solidly crafted platformer with a good difficulty curve. It's exactly what you expect a Mario platformer to be, and I think that's many people's issue with it. They don't really do anything to stand out from the rest of the Mario pack, especially when that franchise has top tier games like Galaxy 1 and 2 in its library. I personally think they're fun, but not mind blowing.

I had to wonder whether we will have another New Super Mario Bros. game, this time for the NX.