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Nintendo Defends The Rapid Release Of Mario Games

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We are now on track to have three Mario games released in two years, which has caused many to question whether we are simply getting too many. Nintendo of America senior director of corporate communications Charlie Scibetta says that it’s what the fans are asking for and the company is ultimately delivering. Scibetta claims that as long as the titles keep innovating and showcasing new features then it simply isn’t an issue. Here’s what he had to say.

“We think we’re putting out the right number of Mario games based on what fans are asking for, based on what our own developers’ creative visions are. The key to that is as long as there’s innovation is occurring within the gameplay, as long as there’s new features, then marrying the characters and the IPs that people love is the right call from our standpoint.”

“If you look at something like Super Mario 3D World, the gameplay on that one that I find really cool is those transparent warp points. Usually you used to go into one and pop out the other, and that was the end of the gameplay experience. Now, there’s a whole dynamic there where you can navigate in there, try to avoid enemies, try to get a better advantage. You could theoretically make a whole new game with those kind of gameplay dynamics.”

153 thoughts on “Nintendo Defends The Rapid Release Of Mario Games”

    1. Take a water bottle or a glass cup (or any glass/clear object) and place it on a table.
      Yeah, there’s a shadow.

      1. LOLOLOL
        This is like what activision say after releasing cod every year! come on nintendo, these new mario brothers games are not any where near as good as say, super mario bros 3, or super mario world!! and what the hell is up with using the same damn music through the whole game? new super mario bros u was terrible in this regard, WTF happened?
        Nintendo and sega have allways been great when it comes to making awesome melodies,and catchy tunes, which would get stuck in your head, and make you hum them for months after finishing the game, and today all we get is one or 2 generic tracks which loop for every stage? come off it nintendo, how hard can it be?

        Not much, my brothers a dj/producer and makes beats by the hundreds regularly, and i am not talking about those garbage crap you hear on youtube by tone deaf idiots!

  1. I agree that Nintendo isn’t making “too many” Mario games. It used to be even more frequent back in the day and they’re still really fun to play. So, right on Nintendo!

    1. And It isn’t like they are all the same play style. NSMB is completely different from a 3D Mario. Unlike Call of Duty where it is the same game over and over and over again . Even my brother, who is a Microsoft fanboy, says Call of Duty has gone down hill.(FYI we argue A LOT, because we both have completely opposite gaming opinions, but this time we agreed on something!). 💋

      1. No need to compare Mario and COD >___> One is a platformer and the other is a FPS.
        You can say that 2D Mario games or 3D Mario games are the same thing >:P Just like COD? I won’t call either of them “The same thing” as they’re new games, which brings new content. But I will agree that even if you just compare the Call of Duty series to the 2D Mario game series, COD is by far more repetitive, as Mario brings a new “element” to the gameplay, where COD is more about new maps and weapons with some new things to shoot/kill people with.
        And it’s pretty obvious 3D Mario game series aren’t repetitive at all, since people often ask why this new 3D Mario platformer isn’t like this older 3D Mario platformer :3
        I don’t know if I made my point clear, but just in case I will say it again (xD) I don’t find it fair to compare Mario and COD :3
        Oh… I went and made this comment a bit too long… My apologies :3

        1. I’m not comparing Mario and CoD’s gameplay though. I’m comparing their innovation. Jesus, people have it in their head that if you mention Mario and Call of Duty in the same sentence than everything you just said is automatically disregarded… LISTEN TO WHAT I AM SAYING AND STOP BEING NUMB IN THE HEAD. 💋

          1. Hmmmm… maybe I didn’t express myself greatly enough then :3 Well then I will try to say it again.
            I didn’t say you were comparing them in gameplay, and I was obviously full aware. I said it’s not fair to compare their innovation and repetitiveness because of their gameplay >_____>
            And now you made me a very say panda by saying (or more like typing) I’m numb in the head :C

            1. Oh I’m sorry :( I got a little hot tempered. I truely didn’t wish to offend you. I just get mad when people use the excuse “You can’t compare two unlike things.” There are many ways to compare things and sometimes people just need to think harder about what others have to say. Thats all I ask. :) 💋

  2. “We think we’re putting out the right number of Mario games based on what fans are asking for”. Really? Because I think what we were asking for was a game that was a true successor to the Galaxy games.

    1. Nintendo: what? No no u definitely asked for a HD 3d land with local only multiplayer, we have the sales figures right here, silly toad

    2. I think Nintendo is talking about Game Sales. Sales speak louder than words as it turns out and the sales of Super Mario 3D Land has SPOKEN! 💋

  3. They should just get the system sellers out of the way and then proceed to make games the hardcore are clamoring for like F-Zero, Star Fox and maybe some new IP. More partnerships like the ones with Platinum Games and Sega would be most welcome.

    1. Thats probably what they are doing. That is why we got a DK game instead of Metroid for right now. All the 3rd party devs are watching Wii U this Christmas. If it doesn’t push high numbers we can kiss all 3rd party support bye bye. 💋

      1. I hope it increases 3rd-party support.

        I’m still holding out hope that Namco can finally be convinced to be a Wii U Tales.

  4. I really don’t care! I fucking love Mario so damn much that spend full price for all of them! I also love Zelda, Kirby, Pokemon, Smash Bros, Mario Kart, and Donkey Kong!

  5. “We are now on track to have three Mario games released in two years”

    That’s actually four games, and that’s counting platformers only, no?
    Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)
    New Super Mario Bros 2 (3DS)
    New Super Mario Bros U (3DS)
    Super Mario 3D World (3DS)

    If we count other types, I recall
    Paper Mario: Sticker Star (3DS)
    Mario Kart 7 (3DS)
    Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (Wii/3DS)
    Mario Golf (3DS)
    Mario & Luigi: Dream Team (3DS)

    That’s a lot of Mario, sure. OTOH, I think there’s merit to the claim the fans want it. People have always complained when a Nintendo system was released with no Mario game at launch. Nintendo responded with Mario games for the 3DS and Wii U at launch and key decisive points in each system’s lifecycle (like the holidays next year to boost sales). Can’t blame them.

    1. Notice most of the Mario games have completely DIFFERENT play styles. Super Mario 3D Land is not even remotely the same compared to NSMBU and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games is not even remotely the same to Mario Kart 7, or Mario Tennis, or any other Mario game. The only thing that is the same is they have MARIO! Ohter than that, they are all different play styles. 💋

    1. Ignoring the fact that Pikmin 3, DKC TF and other great games are coming out this year. Your point is invalid. Why bother putting the N64 logo as your image if you don’t even like Nintendo?

  6. Oh please. These games are obviously too easy to make. In my opinion this isn’t anything remotely groundbreaking or innovative like SMG was. It’s a cheap combination of Super Mario 3D Land and NSMB.

    1. I’ll assume you haven’t played the demo? Because the demo shows barely any similarity between this and both 3D Land and NSMB. If anything, it’s a multiplayer Galaxy game without the spin jump.

      1. Without the spin jump AND triple jump. If it’s anything like 3D Land, then the long jump and backflip should be nerfed as well, significantly reducing the amazing 3D feel the other games had.

    2. He’s got a point though. Wii had this huge drought because “LOLZ IT HAZ NO GAMEZ IT NEEDZ GAMEZ GIMME GIMME GIMME!”

      So Nintendo found their answer to that.

      I do have the feeling that 3D World is just something to hold us off for a while, meanwhile they’re likely making another more groundbreaking 3D Mario that’s more open, but they just need time. Creating worlds that have depth and breathe life like Super Mario 64 and Sunshine require LOTS of time.

    1. Miyamoto already said that they can’t think of where to go with the franchise and it will be a very long time before a new F-Zero game comes out…. so don’t hold your breath. 💋

  7. If Nintendo really listens to their fans and makes games they ask for WHY THE HELL IS RETRO MAKING A DONKEY KONG GAME THEN !?!?!

    Also is he really calling transparent pipes a new innovative gameplay experience.

    Nintendo, if you do damage control then please do it properly. Watch some DrTre81 and you will know better excuses.

    1. You are so correct Doctre81 should be hired by nintendo’s PR team in America. He does give great answers for nintendo’s path and directional choices :).

    2. You and the Metroid fanbase are the only real people disappointed with Donkey Kong, and when comparing its sales with the Prime series, the accumulation of these two factors show fans are fine with Donkey Kong.

      1. The sales have nothing to do with fans being fine with DKC:TF. They are an excuse, (and not even a good one,) and a popular red-herring Nintendrones use for damage-control purposes. If…

        Game and Wario
        New! Super Luigi U
        Pikmin 3
        Wonderful 101
        Windwaker HD
        Wii Fit U
        Wii Party U
        Super Mario 3D World
        and
        Sonic: Lost World are not enough to “boost Wii U sales” what the he is Donkey Kong gonna do? At least a new IP, StarFox, or Metroid in native 1080p HD next-gen graphics would have attracted more core gamers to pull the trigger on buying s Wii U this holiday season. O Now you’ll have to wait until sometime next year and hope those people even still care when Bayonetta 2, X, Smash Bros, and Mario Kart 8 come out. If this barrage of platform games doesn’t work the Wii U may be damaged beyond repair

    3. Well, because here’s the thing. Donkey Kong Country went on a decade-or-so-long hiatus. Once Retro was done with Metroid, they made DKC, and then they entered development on another one because they know fans like Donkey Kong.

      So, first people were angry at Nintendo for not making Donkey Kong Country games, now they’re making two in the span of 3-4 years, and now that’s unacceptable?

      Goodness, you people are spoiled rotten.

      1. U do know the metriod and donkey kong fanbases are 2 different fanbases right(granted some belong to both)? You’re speaking as if they’re the same people. The donkey kong fanbase complained to Nintendo and the metriod fanbases are the ones complaining about Retro’s decision

        1. Sure, Retro may not be making another Metroid game, but who’s to say a Metroid game isn’t coming? It could be a team back at Nintendo making a new Metroid game all on their own, like how they did Metroid Fusion.

          As long as it delivers on the same basic things, like gameplay over gimmicks, then what’s there to complain about? At least it’s coming.

          I brought up Donkey Kong because people waited YEARS for that game. I mean, we had a Metroid back in 2010, and whether it was good or not, we still had one back in 2010.

          Meanwhile before 2010, we hadn’t had a Donkey Kong Country game since 1995. So after that long drought, we’re getting two of them. That’s my point.

          Also, you act as if the “Donkey Kong fan base” are full of people that ONLY love Donkey Kong and nothing else. It COULD also be that we have a hybrid of people that happen to really love both franchises. And perhaps the same people that are complaining about the lack of Donkey Kong are also complaining again about Nintendo “NOT MAKING METROID FAST ENOUGH LOLOLOLOL”.

          Wouldn’t be the first case of this silly fanbase and its hypocrisy. ;)

          “NINTENDO PLEASE GIVE US MORE GAMES, WE ONLY GET ONE TRUE MARIO ADVENTURE GAME EVERY 5-6 YEARS!”

          And then…

          “NINTENDO PLEASE STOP MAKING MARIO, YOU’RE MAKING TOO MANY OF THEM!”

          1. I didn’t think I’d see anyone with common sense on this site.
            Thank goodness.
            I completely agree, it’s been ages since the last DK Country and we finally get two within three or four years.
            Whereas with Metroid, we got one three years ago, I’m sure an extra year or a few months of waiting won’t hurt.

            Same goes for Mario. People complained about no “real” Mario and too many spin-offs, now that we get plenty of main games, there are “too many being released”.
            Never ask a fanbase what they want because they have no idea what they want.

      2. The issue with Donkey Kong is its a low profile game it was a waste of Retro Studios talent. ANYONE BUT RETRO COULD HAVE MADE A DK GAME.

        1. Low profile!? Dude get out of here with that shit. I’m a fan of Metroid AND Donkey Kong. It was not a waste of their talent. Anyone can make a Metroid game as well. To say DK is a low profile game is ignorance at it’s best.

  8. Mark Cerny the lead developer of Sony platstation 4’s architecture like Super
    Mario brothers and nintendo’s legacy of close knit-ness and technical marvel. If he likes Mario, why should you Sony fans not?

  9. big three are overrated

    The only reason why there is so many mario games is because they sell. If it has Mario on it it sells crap or quality it doesnt matter they sell. Now what about if Nintendo would be so nice and answers for the prayers of new Star Fox,F-Zero or whole new ip oh yeah i almost forgotted apparently its hard to “innovative” games that are risks. Seriously as a long time Nintendo fan im tired for the same old Mario,Zelda,Mario,Zelda cycle that they have had god knows how long. I dont get that excited about Mario anymore because there is always 10000 mario games on one platform. Do somethin fresh nintendo.

    1. Nintendo makes new ips all the time. X, Dillion’s Rolling Westward, Pushmo/Crashmo, Steel Diver, the Operation Rainbow games, etc.

    2. How can you get sick of Zelda we basically get 1 main Zelda per generation… 2 on N64, but GC had 2 though Twilight Princess on GC was not a GC exclusive. Wii had Twilight at Launch then 4 years later Skyward Sword lol. Wii U gets a remake and the 1 new Zelda.

      1. big three are overrated

        Sorry i put it in wrong way. I love Zelda games, but what i meant was that i dont get that excited about them because it is expected that it comes to every Nintendo console.

  10. mario GAMES NO

    DIFFERANT TYPES OF GAMES WERE MARIO IS THE FIGURE HEAD TO THE SWEET GAMING MECHANICS UNDERNEATH

    LOL DIFFERANT FRANCHIZES YET THE GAMES ARE ALL IDENTICLE

  11. I never asked for a 3D LAND rehash, way to put ”the fan asked for it” excuse nintendo. everyone had high expectations for a innovate mario 3D game, since your ”fans” call nintendo innovation. i clearly see a innovation on rehashing that clearly no one wants. if you want to rehash do it on a must wanted games.

    1. No, but people wanted more adventure games than spinoffs, so they’re delivering.

      It’s impossible to spit out a Mario Galaxy-quality title every year.

      1. Yeah I agree. I didn’t even know how Nintendo could top Super Mario Galaxy. That game was so creative!

    1. Keep saying that and five years down the line we’ll have that request answered. Mass-produce Zelda and diminish the quality. Sounds like a plan!

      *eyeroll*

      1. titan7.The problem is everyone one this site will buy all the mario games and a new star fox and f zero but the masses will only buy mario.Do the math we the core nintendo fans are out numbered buy the millions.But they do have project X for us and that alone looks like enough to justify every last cent I payed for the wii u And don’t forget Pikmin 3 thats a game they have not made a new one of since gamecube right there.

    2. You’re gonna complain that there are “too many” being released and ask for a different series to be rapidly delivered. Say, they make this many F-Zero titles. Or Metroid games.

      People will complain then.
      Just play the game if you want, don’t if you don’t, but if you’re gonna skip it, you’ll miss out on something that could be really fun.

  12. I’m not one to purchase a Nintendo console and gripe about the Mario titles.

    Mainly because I’m not retarded.

  13. sounds very similer to mario sun shine when you go down in the sewers in the city except all you saw was a shadow figire of mario.

  14. as much as i like miiverse, you tend to find this is where the fans tend to beg for mario, its like Navi “Hey, Listen”

  15. yeah the fans want it!!!! exactly the fans only want the same old shit (spit!!) or is it because it prints you money!!!! (pukes!!!) this is all what nintendo gets now days and who is it to blame for….. the retarded fanboys!!!!! wonder why 3rd party doesnt sell, the fans only want mario!!!!!

  16. Ok I love Mario games as much as the next guy, but ENOUGH can we go a WHOLE CONSOLE WITHOUT A MARIO GAME? Like how NO STARFOX AND F-ZERO last gen. I dare you Nintendo try to go 1 gen WITHOUT MARIO. Build up other IP’s like Metroid, Starfox, Kirby, F-Zero and make them as big as Mario. These days Mario is nothing but easy money for Nintendo. Im not getting 3D World cause it simply isnt worth it. Its not what the 3D Mario for Wii U should have been. Add online then sure I’ll get it, online co-op would be good. You have a good online now Nintendo yet YOU DONT WANT TO USE IT FOR SOME RETARDED REASON. The last time I didnt buy a main Mario game was Sunshine. I rented that. Besides Mario Kart and Mario Party lets see you (Nintendo) do a whole gen whether its the next handheld or home console WITHOUT A MARIO GAME.

    1. virgin socially inept nintendork.

      Are you seriously asking for Nintendo to forget Mario for an enyire console generation? 5-9 years without mario? Are you insane?

    2. A lack of Mario games wouldn’t effect me too much as I’m more of a Fire Emblem and Kirby fan, but the unfortunate truth is that, unlike Mario, Metroid and Kirby don’t sell 10’s of millions of copies. Metroid and Kirby are lucky to see 1 to 2 million most of the time unfortunately.

    3. Actually, we did get one Star Fox last gen.
      People are so quick to dismiss Star Fox Command, but we did get a Star Fox game.

  17. Respectfully, while I like Mario games and I found many to be inventive, some have just seemed like a quick cash in. For example, New Super Mario U wasn’t that special to me. While it was a fun game, it also felt like something that I’ve played before. The same could be said for games like Call of Duty or Battlefield. I think when Nintendo has the time, they can create a special Mario game like Galaxy, Sunshine, or 64. But with the Wii U sales being sluggish and their late adoption of HD, I think the Mario games coming out at the moment is to spur sells. Now, I think Mario 3d world looks cool, but it’s to early to tell if it’s truly inventive, or a quick cash in.

  18. Dear rest of Nintendo fanbase.
    Nintendo has many better franchises than Mario that are underused, try to wish for those more strongly.
    Moreover, if they had the talent to bring you all those games that you love, don’t you think they’d be able to create even more incredible IPs if you actually asked for those?

    Sincerely, a long-time Nintendo fan who believes Mario is on the same level as Call of Duty when it comes milking.

  19. I don’t know about Super Mario 3D Land. It doesn’t big, expansive, open world enough and no context, no story. The cat suit is interesting, but not enough to carry the game, maybe if it had a FLUDD backpack power-up that was influenced by fire flowers to shoot flames and ice flowers to shoot ice and so on, the FLUDD opened up gameplay so you could make level huge and vertically high and more challenging.

    1. I mean World not Land. Also I wish Nintendo would make a new Star Tropics, Earthbound and the Wii U needs a Wii U Sports to sell the console. Please make a new Star Tropics and a new Earthbound. And buy Sega and make a new Phantasy Star, those games were my favorite.

  20. Idc what he says I really don’t think a transparent pipe is anything so innovative. And no u can’t make a new game with that little addition. Tired of Mario platformers already we need to see the other ips

  21. If I were Nintendo I would just rehash the same thing over again and delude myself by calling it “innovative” every time too. Nintendo fans will always buy Nintendo games. The issue is that it simply doesn’t interest other gamers or bring in new players. So if Nintendo are happy with that, then they should continue what they’re doing. But there is no denying that as a creative developer, they are fresh out of ideas, and they are stagnating. Their games don’t have an ounce of the “wow” factor they once had.

  22. Remember when everyone complained about too many Mario spin-offs and no “real” Mario games? (Mario Party, Mario Kart, etc. as opposed to main platformers?)
    We then proceeded to get four main Mario titles last gen. (NSMB DS and Wii, plus the two Galaxy games) Meanwhile, DK Country had been in a decade + some years drought, so they brought that back. An old, hardly used series? You know, something you begged and pleaded for?
    Now that we got four more main Mario games, with more possibly down the “pipe”line, (Pun intended) there are “too many”. Donkey Kong Country is getting some love as well after being neglected for around 15 years and two games is “too many”?

    If Nintendo released this many Metroid games or so, or did the same with Star Fox and released five or six games per gen and went back to treating Mario the way they did before with only spin-offs and no platformers, everyone would complain just as much and ask for more Mario platforming.

    1. I’m reasonably happy about DKCR:TF. I just wish that Retro had tried a little harder to make it a sequel and not DKCR1.5. Remember how different DKC and DKC2:DKK were? I don’t get that feeling from the new ones.

      1. Have you played Tropical Freeze? It was just revealed and there aren’t too many details yet. We have to play games to properly judge them.
        We’ll have to wait.

  23. Pingback: Nintendo says it’s not releasing too many Mario games | Read360

  24. Nintendo, enough with the typical casual crap. You know what would have been better than 3D Land HD? An open world Mario game, tons of characters like Wario and Daisy, HAVE A STORY BESIDES THE PRINCESS BEING CAPTURED, darker storyline, something that could attract the hardcore gamers and the casual gamer.
    Also, advertise the shit out of your games. I see tons of The Last of Us ads, I’ve seen some CoD ads, put an ad for The Wonderful 101, that game looks fantastic.

  25. Mario is sort of like Nintendo’s Call of Duty (or whatever sport game you prefer). The quality is there every time, they like making the games, or I certainly hope that they do, and most of their target audience eats them up. As mentioned above by blerp2, though, they could certainly use a more interesting story line occasion, because, I mean, come on Peach, Bowser has been kidnapping you for like thirty years now. Lock your door, dude.

  26. Pingback: Nintendo defende o lançamento rápido de jogos do Mario | A Casa do Cogumelo

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