Super Mario 3DS

[gaz@manc]

I have to admit I'd set my expectations a little too high - when they originally said it was a 3D platformer I was expecting something more along the lines of Super Mario 64/Super Mario Galaxy, whereas previews are suggesting its a much more simple game with (according to IGN) levels that are a similar length to iPhone games. No doubt as the release nears my expectations with readjust and I'll be more enthusiastic, but right now Kid Icarus and Luigi's Mansion 2 are my most wanted.

[Nu-Eclipse]

I'm a little disappointed - hoping for for something more Mario 64. I'm sure it'll be good, but I wish Nintendo would let us control the camera again rather than having fixed perspectives.

Agreed.

Super Mario 64 STILL has the best camerawork of ALL the 3D Mario games, hands down.

[Dogg Thang]

As far as I'm concerned, if you need to hand over control of the camera to the player, the devs haven't worked hard enough at getting it right. The camera in Mario64 tried to kill me at times. Sunshine was way worse. Never really found I had much of a problem in Galaxy though, that I can remember.

[sj33]

In all fairness, a Mario game is something that you can rely on to be cracking, even if we do all want a true sequel to Mario 64. Maybe on the WiiU eh? I think this is looking like good stuff.

[H-Man]

As far as I'm concerned, if you need to hand over control of the camera to the player, the devs haven't worked hard enough at getting it right. The camera in Mario64 tried to kill me at times. Sunshine was way worse. Never really found I had much of a problem in Galaxy though, that I can remember.

The problem is - for me anyways - that Mario Galaxy never felt fully 3D. It would alternate between Crash Bandicoot style fixed 3D, 2D, and occasionally Mario 64 3D. In Mario 64 I was the director - constantly changing the camera angle and jumping towards the camera, away from it, side to side. It felt like I was controlling Mario in a little 3D world and it came alive all the more for it. We haven't had anything like that since.

[Nu-Eclipse]

As far as I'm concerned, if you need to hand over control of the camera to the player, the devs haven't worked hard enough at getting it right.

Flipping that argument around, it could be suggested that judging by the COUNTLESS epic failures of camerawork in 3D games over the last 15 years or so, it probably wouldn't hurt to go back to basics more often and hand full control of the camera back to the actual player - the one who depends on the camerawork being spot-on.

In Mario 64 I was the director - constantly changing the camera angle and jumping towards the camera, away from it, side to side. It felt like I was controlling Mario in a little 3D world and it came alive all the more for it. We haven't had anything like that since.

Is correct.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Initial joy at the return of the Tanooki Suit replaced by disappointment that Mario won't be able to fully fly in it ? la SMB3.

[Cock Henry]

The problem is - for me anyways - that Mario Galaxy never felt fully 3D. It would alternate between Crash Bandicoot style fixed 3D, 2D, and occasionally Mario 64 3D. In Mario 64 I was the director - constantly changing the camera angle and jumping towards the camera, away from it, side to side. It felt like I was controlling Mario in a little 3D world and it came alive all the more for it. We haven't had anything like that since.

Totally agree -- bang on, sir!

[rmoxon]

Ive never had a problem with the camera in any 3D mario game, I'm sure there wont be a problem in this one either.

I have to say though that Ive always considered a good camera to be one that you dont really notice. In mario 64 the camera is almost a gameplay device in itself... so i'm not sure that actualy counts as a "good" camera, becuase you had to actualy control it half the time.

[SuperBeatBoy]

The only game i have played to feature any sort of camera problems is Super Mario Sunshine. It was godawful in that. They seemed to have learned from that as the camera in Galaxy is great.

[Party boy]

This looks like a cross between Super Paper Mario and Mario 3 and the graphics look very bland at the moment, not what I was hoping for... I hope it's more Mario Galaxy than New Mario quality-wise.

[H-Man]

I have to say though that Ive always considered a good camera to be one that you dont really notice. In mario 64 the camera is almost a gameplay device in itself... so i'm not sure that actualy counts as a "good" camera, becuase you had to actualy control it half the time.

I think that's what it comes down to - some people want a camera that gives you the 'best' view at all times and others want to control it themselves. I'm firmly in the latter camp. Being able to zoom in/out and rotate as you saw fit in Mario 64 added a whole extra layer to the experience and once I was familiar with the game the camera was never still. You're spot on about it being a gameplay device all on its own, and Mario 64 was that much more involving and exciting for it. As much as I love Galaxy, from a pure gameplay and mechanics point of view it felt a little bit dull compared to Mario 64.

[nakamura]

I just think it looks really bland. The levels shown feel really empty and lifeless. I have also never been keen on the floating world style of the levels, I much prefer a more solid game world.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, I'd agree that it looks bland. It's like there's no real sense of design here at all. Strange considering how much the style obviously enhanced games like Yoshi's Island and, more recently, Mario Galaxy. But I still think it looks like loads of fun and the bland look certainly wouldn't stop me buying it. And I really appreciate that it does seem to be its own Mario game - not a sequel, remake or update.

[Sam The Man]

Looks like being the worst 3d Mario game yet. As Nakamura mentioned the levels look very bland, lifeless, empty and from those videos there appears to be nothing creative going on.