‘Super Mario Galaxy 2’ is why one 3D Mario game per console may be enough
With each new flagship iteration of Mario’s 3D adventures, you can sense Nintendo’s master designers dreading those four little words escaping the player’s lips. From Mario 64 to the latest (and best) example, Super Mario 3D World, the mustachioed plumber’s console titles have adhered to a strict regime of fresh, introducing unique concepts in one level , developing and building on mechanics and ideas only to scrap them at the flagpole, sometimes never to be seen again, no matter how successful. It’s a well-documented philosophy, and one that has bled into to other franchises, not only helping keep a 100-stage game from going stale, but also a 30-year old series. Unfortunately this excellent way of thinking did not apply to the only same-system Mario sequel since the NES: Super Mario Galaxy 2.
