Most Anticipated Video Games

[gunswordfist]

My backlog is going to get that much heavier...

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I wasn't even going to bother listening to critics' reviews in the first place, but it's good to know that so far, at least one of them genuinely finds it to be a good game.

[Foggle]

Yeah, I'm not really listening to their opinions, more their descriptions of what the game is like. REmake + Resident Evil 4 + Silent Hill 1-3 sounds positively exquisite, to me.

[gunswordfist]

Doom 4, Wayforward TMNT, Hover, MGS IV The Phantom Pain, Odallus, The Iconoclasts, River City Ransom, Hong Kong Massacre, Ubusuna and the next Hitman are my other anticipated video games.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, Bayonetta 2 is more than a week away from release, and it's already getting amazing reviews, with many claiming that it's the new killer app for the Wii-U. It's basically everything great about the first game but even more refined than ever before, with no frame rate issues (something that actually was a minor problem in the first game), and even tighter pacing. I really hope that this game sells well for Platinum. It really deserves to be a hit, and after The Wonderful 101 was such a financial flop, they could really use the support. I'd have specifically saved up for this and bought it day 1 if I actually had a Wii-U, even if I couldn't really play it until a couple of months from now due to my inflexible schedule.

The game kind of makes me sad in a way, though. Don't get me wrong, I'm beyond pleased to hear that it's great and that even the notoriously bad critics can see this for the gem of a game that it is. It's just that seeing how successful this is only makes it so much harder to stomach how my previously favorite hack n' slash series has fallen so goddamn hard. THIS is the kind of thing that I would love to hear people say about a Ninja Gaiden sequel. Instead it has been reduced to the laughing stock of the genre.

That said, I'm still so glad to at least see this game get so well-received. Like I said, this is easily going to be GOTY in my book. I can't see anything else topping it in terms of games that I would love to play.

[Spark Of Spirit]

It already bombed in Japan. Big surprise there.

The fact that Nintendo rescued this game (and is offering the original FOR FREE in the package) should be an incentive for all those whiners to pick the game up and put their money where their mouth is to make the series a success. At the very least, at least Platinum got to finish their game this time. I do hope Nintendo continues to work with Platinum (and others like Valhalla) after this for more new games after this, just as I wish Suda would get off the pot and make NMH3 for the Wii U already.

Going up against Smash, MK8, and Tropical Freeze gives it stiff competition for GOTY, but that just says more to the quality of games that came out this year. It's been a pretty good year for gaming outside of dealing with the actual industry.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I think that Nintendo knows that Platinum Games' titles wouldn't be super bit sellers to begin with. What I believe they are doing by helping rescue games from companies like this and Valhalla is to slowly but properly build themselves a dedicated hardcore fan base. At this point, while Sony and Microsoft are technically considered the consoles to cater more to hardcore gamers, they are slowly losing touch with that audience, IMO. I think that if Nintendo at least builds a better reputation for themselves this gen, then they'll once again be able to overtake the other two companies by next gen, since or at least Microsoft, who have really managed to piss off the hardcore fan base even before the XBONE came out.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, I was thinking lately of how there aren't that many games that I'm excited for to come out on the whole compared to previous generations when I was way more into what games had on offer. It also brought back memories of games that I was SUPER excited for back when they were still in the process of coming out. To be quite frank, while there are plenty of games that I've looked forward to and been excited for in recent years, none have managed to hype me up to the levels of something like MGS5 for Foggle, or the next new Mario game for Desensitized. Yet, I can remember the specific times when I was ultra hyped for games to come out, and I have compiled this list of the games that I've very been the most excited for in my life. Now, mind you, this is not reflective of their actual quality ups release, as some of these were disappointments when I finally played them, but in terms of how pumped I was to play them before release, these are unrivaled to me in terms of the sheer hype factor behind them:

10. Mass Effect

The Anticipation- I fucking loved KOTOR, and while not as good as the original, I still really enjoyed KOTOR 2 as well. So, when I heard that the team behind that was making a brand new IP,  I was super ecstatic. It was the first game that I was truly excited for last gen, and at that, I was way more excited than I ever was for ANY other game that gen EXCEPT for one. This looked to me like it was Gears of War combined with KOTOR, and since I loved Gears of War at the time, it looked like a match made in Heaven, to me.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- Hell no! I REALLY, REALLY tried to love this game, but I was really disappointed. The side quests were so dull and boring, the combat felt really clunky, and the abilities felt tacked on and strategically useless, unlike in the KOTOR games in which I felt rewarded for using them creatively in battle. And the weapons upgrading in this game just felt so pitiful to how it worked in KOTOR. Of course, to be fair, this game wasn't really meant to be KOTOR, but in my mind back then I couldn't look past that, and was disappointed, however, when I tried to replay the game years later, I still felt that it was boring, so really, it's just not my type of game.

9. Sonic the Hedgehog 2

The Anticipation- Alright, so this one is kind of cheating since the game was already out for quite a while, by this point, but I was 4 years old and very impressionable. My brother was hyping it up to me so much, since he said that we would be getting it with a BRAND NEW CONSOLE on Christmas, and he explained how Sonic was super cool and even better than Mario (and mind you, Mario was like one of the only 2 gaming icons that I even knew anything about at that point, with the other being Donkey Kong, and not even the DKC version either, which naturally blew my mind since anything that my older brother said just HAD to be true (that was my 4-year-old logic speaking). Naturally, I was so excited to play a game that I had honestly never even seen in action outside of some old commercials.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- I was fucking 4 years old. It could've been complete garbage and I would've convinced myself that it was the best thing ever just because my brother told me it was. Fortunately, the game was actually fucking awesome, and as my first Sonic game ever  got me to fall in love with the series and really managed to surpass any expectations that I was even capable of conceiving at that point in time. The addition of 2-players with the ability to control Tails AT THE SAME TIME as Sonic also blew my mind, as I was just used to Mario's lackluster spin on 2-player mode at that point, so for once my brother and I didn't have to fight over who's turn it was to play the game (but naturally, we still did, anyways, just because we were brats).

8. Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

The Anticipation- Like I just said, Mario and Donkey Kong were my first 2 gaming icons ever, and DKC was the only other game besides Super Mario World which I had actually ever beaten by that point in time (admittedly only with help from my brother,though, because I sucked). No shit was I going to be excited for its sequel.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- Initially, yes, it totally impressed me. But then it got incredibly hard, and I hated hard, so I went through a period of hating the game and thinking that the first was better. However, it was more than 10 years later when I finally replayed the first 3 games and realized just how brilliant the game really was, so you could say that it did live up to my expectations, even if it took me more than a decade to realize that.

7. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II

The Anticipation- I loved the first game. I already went I to that when I explained Mass Effect. The only thing stopping me from anticipating it even more was that it literally came out just a year later, and for me it was less than a year since I didn't even play the first game until earlier that same year, so I didn't quite have long enough of a wait to satiate my anticipation of it.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- it was slightly weaker than what I wanted, and I felt that it dragged in some parts, but honestly I was still pleased with the game, overall. It's definitely way better than Mass Effect at least, in my eyes.

6. Soul Calibur 2

The Anticipation- I played the fucking hell out of Soul Calibur on the DC. I bear Missions Mode, unlocked every character, and regularly played against my cousin and my brother in matches. I have never been more hyped for any other fighting game in my entire life.

Did it Live Up to Expectation- Was George Washington the first President of the United States of America? No fucking shit. If you know anything about me, you know that it's my favorite fighting game of all time. It's just fact.

5. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

The Anticipation- It should be understood that I used to watch my brother play these sorts of adventure games way before I ever tried them on my own. So, by the time that I actually played and completed OoT for myself, it was less than a year before MM came out, so much like with KOTOR 2, I didn't have quite enough time to satiate my hype level for it, which is the only reason that it's not higher than this. That, and the fact that it was just about kid Link kind of lowered my expectations at the time, since I was shallow and thought that adult Link was super cool. Still, it was a direct sequel to my favorite game of all time up to that point. Of course I was excited for if.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- Initially, I was disappointed. I didn't like the 3-day system replacing the standard save feature, and didn't even understand how the owl statues worked. I got stuck early on in the game and gave up on it. It wasn't until I dug out my old N64 and a copy of this game a few years later when I finally played it from start to finish and learned to appreciate it. In truth, it's an excellent game, and a very worthy successor to OoT, though the former is still my favorite Zelda game in the entire series.

4. Sonic Adventure 2

The Anticipation- At this point in time, unlike with the original Sonic 2, I was actually a HUGE fan of the Sonic games. I also loved the first Sonic Adventure to death, which was previously one of my favorite games, so when this one was in the process of coming out, I could barely wait. In fact, this is the first game that was ever actually painful for me to wait for. I really wanted to play it that badly.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- Hell yes! At least, initially. Now that my nostalgia goggles are off? Well, I can fully admit that both of the SA games are incredibly flawed, but I still love them both and will never agree with ANYONE who calls them bad games. I still appreciate them for what they are and the rest of you ass-holes need to stop being such dicks to them.

3. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

The Anticipation- Super Mario World was the first game that I ever played in my entire life, or at the very least the first game that I ever remember having played since I was born. Just let that fact sink in for a moment. I really shouldn't need to explain more than that. The only other thing to say was that, this was before the Internet was the common go-to place for videogames news, so how did I learn about this game? Through a magazine, of course! My brother used to subscribe to a monthly videogame magazine, but the funny thing is that, admittedly, I don't even remember which one it was! It was either Nintendo Power or EGM, but honestly, the magazine itself wasn't important. As soon as I learned that they were making a game with Super Mario World 2 in the title, I lost my mind in the best way possible (mind you, this also caused DKC2 to be much lower on my list, since it absolutely DWARFED it in comparison when it came to my anticipation levels).

Did it Live Up To Expectations- Just look at ANY top 10 list of my favorite games of all time that I have posted up anywhere in this board. Question answered.

2. Halo 2

The Anticipation- I already discussed this extensively on the Halo thread, but I fucking loved Halo: Combat Evolved. It singlehandedly got me into the first person shooter genre. The campaign mode was excellent and I had played it many times over, both in single-player and co-op. The multiplayer was the freshest gaming experience that I had ever had up to that point in my life. I had to wait 3 years for this game to come out, and believe me, that wait felt like an eternity for me.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- I REALLY wanted to love this game. Initially I convinced myself that it was great. In retrospect, though, it was the weakest Bungie-developed Campaign mode in the series, by far. The bad levels just really outweighed the good ones. The mutiplayer was great, but I'm one of the few who finds both Halo 1 and 3 to be legitimately more fun due to less balance issues, and even with a great multiplayer, I didn't have XBOX Live at that time, so I could really only enjoy it split screen unless I went to a friend's house who did have XBL. It's not a bad game, by any means, but compare to the original,and for how hyped I was for this game, it was a massive disappointment for me.

1. Ninja Gaiden 2 (XBOX360)

The Anticipation- Ninja Gaiden Black is the greatest action game ever made. Anyone who says otherwise is wrong. That was my mindset ever since I first played that game, and when I finally heard a sequel announced to it, and better yet saw actual gameplay footage of it at TGS 2007, my hype levels were through the roof. I have NEVER been even CLOSE to being as excited for ANY other game in history, and I doubt that I'll ever feel that excited for any game ever again. This was the equivalent of anticipating what you were expecting to be the greatest game ever made in your entire life.

Did it Live Up to Expectations- Well, it certainly wasn't the greatest game ever made, nor my new favorite video game. I slowly came to the realization that the game was rushed out the door in order to meet a deadline, and thus a game with the potential to be amazing fell far short of what it was truly capable if because it quite frankly just wasn't even finished, being full of balance issues and glitches. It's an incredibly flawed game, and in the grand scheme of things, is no doubt a massive disappointment for me. Yet the game found its cult. It hit a sweet spot that earned it a niche fan base, a and do you know what? I'm one of those fans. For all of its problems, I really did learn to love the game for what it is, rather than what I wanted it to be. It may be a bit of a mess, but it's a really, really good mess with a lot of heart put behind its design. It's about as far from perfect as you can get for a game that should've been so much better than it is in the first place, but it also has my favorite combat in any game ever made, has some truly awesome and creative enemies to fight, and overall just makes me feel good do play....when it's working right, which admittedly isn't all of the time. Still, it's a game that I do truly appreciate now, but as a sequel to my favorite game ever and the game that I anticipated more than any other game ever made, yeah, it inevitably couldn't meet up to my insanely high expectations.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Games we were hyped by? Okay, I'll try some.


10. Halo 2

The anticipation - Halo 1 was, after Perfect Dark, our most played multiplayer FPS. Not to mention, the single player was incredibly engrossing with lots of open areas, multiple ways to play and explore, and different combat situations. It was THE reason to get the original Xbox. Suffice to say, I was just as hyped as EVERYONE was when it was in development. At the time, Bungie could really do no wrong.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - Not at all. Unfortunately, neither my friends nor I played much online multiplayer, so online didn't mean much to us. I didn't really like the weapon balance, either. Then came the single player. It was the only Halo campaign I've never replayed, nor played through co-op. Bungie more than dropped the ball. They fumbled it off the field and into oncoming traffic. That said, it was a well-made game, but still one of my biggest disappointments.


9. Super Mario 64

The anticipation - It was 3D Mario. Early impressions called it revolutionary and the greatest game of all time. What was more to be said? You ran and jump as Mario but it was in THREE DIMENSIONS! This was the era where all you had to say was that the game was 3D and it earned instant accolades. This was the 32 bit generation where more power meant better games. A mantra that has never died since.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - I'm the only person in the world who would say "No." Super Mario 64 is the game that nearly killed my interest in platforming games. Or I should say, it's copies did by aping everything it did only worse. That said, the game has been overpraised everywhere as the greatest platformer or game ever made and I have never been able to shake my initial dissatisfaction with it. Too many things jarred with me. You can move and jump in a bunch of different directions, which is nice, but none of the level design calls for it. You replay the same level six times with minor variations which gets more aggravating as the game goes because the level design deteriorates as the game goes on. There are no power-ups that aren't timed, which is a downgrade from the 2D games. There are levels with barely any platforming outside of "collect things" and none of the platforming is very inventive outside of a small handful of levels. The hub world is boring and a waste of time. About the only thing about this game I thought was great was the Bob-omb Battlefield track. The worst part? It took over two generations for me to finally get Mario platformers I liked again.


8. Jak & Daxter

The anticipation - The creators of the PS1 Crash Bandicoot games are not only making a new series, but it's open world platforming! Go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want! No loading times! Tight controls! Considering the Crash games were some of my favorites at the time (still think those games rock) I couldn't have been more hyped.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - Initially no. I thought it lacked excitement and was boring. Then the sequel came up with its changed tone and I kind of lost interest with the series. Then I replayed it years later and realized I had projected it to be Crash 4 instead of its own thing. What I found was a carefully designed platformer with a lot of personality and character and the game that nailed the collectathon thing Mario 64 started and made it engaging. I eventually even ended up playing and beating the sequels. So, this entry would be my fault for missing the boat.


7. Timesplitters

The anticipation - PS2 launch title made by Rare's FPS team. If there was a way to measure hype, I'm sure mine still would have been off the charts. Custom levels. Different time periods. This was like my dream FPS. It was one of the first games I put in my PS2.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - I essentially bought a beta for Timesplitters 2. The multiplayer was excellent, though. The weapons, time periods, and gameplay, was tight enough that it didn't entirely disappoint me, but it was the next two games that finally delivered on the game I really wanted this to be.


6. Sonic Colors / Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

The anticipation - There really wasn't any for Colors. Sonic Unleashed wasn't that good, but I was expecting this to be at least mediocre. Then Sonic 4 was announced and I went ballistic. Yet, as impressions floated in as the game's went along in development, my opinions and anticipation on both switched. Sonic 4 botched something as simple as controls and basic platforming psychics (I'm not talking about rolling here, but basic movements like losing all momentum when letting go of the control pad) while Sonic Colors was directly addressing all the issue I had with 3D Sonic games since Heroes came out. It was a weird situation.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - Sonic 4 ended up being the biggest disappointment in the Sonic series. Sonic Colors ended up being the blueprint that brought Sonic back from irrelevance and made it a fun platformer again. Sonic Colors was great, not perfect, but a HUGE step up from the games he was getting shoehorned in for a long time. Sonic 4 was a mediocre platformer that became forgotten 15 seconds after release.


5. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

The anticipation - The first traditional top down Zelda since Minish Cap had me at the first reveal. The more they announced, the more my interest grew. No gimmicks like the DS games. No bloat like TP. No corridors like SS. Just going back to old school top down design and working from there. Being that top down Zeldas are some of my favorite games, I was more than excited for this. You could explore any dungeon you want! Buy any tool you wanted from the get-go! All this and the clever (as always) dungeon designs had me on edge! The most excited I had been for a Zelda game since Minish Cap.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - YES. ALBW not only exceeded my hype, it proved to be one of the very best Zelda games. After worrying for so long that the Zelda team would never get back to basics, they finally did with this game, which brings new anticipation for the Wii U game that they will do the same there.


4. Mega Man 9

The anticipation - Mega Man is back. Classic Mega Man. They cut the fat and bloat of Mega Man 8 and went back to Mega Man 2's simple jump and shoot pattern. Sure it's a download, but it's Mega Man! It's not like it could be very long, right? After suffering through MMX6 and X7, the end of the Zero series, the disappointment of ZX, the death of Legends, and the tumble into irrelevance the blue bomber was suffering due to horrendous brand management, this was my great white hope.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - Mega Man 9 is one of my all-time favorite games. So what does that tell you? This was the Mega Man 4 I never got on the NES. Every weapon, every level, every enemy, every boss, every track, is the most polished ever in the series leading to the sharpest game in the series since the NES and one of the best of all. It's only such a shame that some people couldn't get passed the "It's too hard" complaint to enjoy one of the best games of the previous generation.


3. Super Mario Galaxy 2

The anticipation - The reason I didn't list the original Galaxy here is because I wasn't anticipating it. Super Mario 64 still disappointed me (I have never given a game more chances, I swear) and Super Mario Sunshine enhanced everything I disliked about it while adding MORE problems. So when Galaxy came out as pure obstacle course platforming in three dimensions, I was taken aback. THIS was the game I wanted back on my N64. Why did it take Miyamoto, Koizumi, et all, to finally make this game? So when Nintendo announced a sequel to the best 3D Mario game, I flipped out. Could they make it even better? Could this be the SMB1 to SMB3 for the 3D series? For the first time since SM64, a new 3D Mario was an exciting prospect to me.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - I consider Super Mario Galaxy 2 to be the best 3D platformer ever made. Not only did they iron out the small things I disliked about the first game (random comet stars, timed power-ups, a boring hub), they made the level design even better and finally in a 3D Mario game do we get Yoshi who doesn't dissolve in water, power-ups that last until you get hit (Don't you just like being rewarded for having skill?), and a straightforward world map without a dull hub to traverse. About the only thing I disliked were getting some of the green stars and two or three of the later levels, but even then, those were optional. SMG2 is one of the best games ever. Haters step back.


2. Sonic the Hedgehog 3

The anticipation - You know, it's weird. I know so many people who liked Sonic 2, and own Sonic & Knuckles, yet few who seemed to play this game. I mean, I was hyped so much for this to come out. Screenshots looked tight, the game looked fun, and it was more Sonic. Who wouldn't be excited?

Did it Live Up to Expectations - People complain about the length now, but no one really noticed at the time. It took me forever to even get to Launch Base, never mind see the credits. Everything about this game exceeded my expectations. More exploration, I could fly as Tails, the way the story was done, the soundtrack. I was more than happy as this for a Sonic 2 sequel. Then I locked it on to Sonic & Knuckles when that came out. Whole new level of hype there.


1. Super Mario Bros. 3

The anticipation - I don't remember when I started playing video games, but I had always been playing Super Mario Bros. since I could remember. I also, like everyone I knew, thought SMB2 was awesome. So when I heard the third game would be out soon, naturally I assumed it would be the best game ever.

Did it Live Up to Expectations - It was the best game ever. As you can see from earlier games on my list, I had been disappointed both because the developers dropped the ball and due to my own skewed perceptions. But even as an over-hyped little kid who had ridiculous expectations, Super Mario Bros. 3 did everything I wanted it to do. It controlled better than the original, it had more level types and more to do, and every play-through yielded something new. I can still play this game and enjoy as much now as I did back then. It's just a fantastic game all around. Sometimes a good amount of hype can be a good thing. 

[talonmalon333]

3. Super Mario Galaxy 2

Haters step back.

They exist?

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Interesting choices.

I remember that Sonic 3 literally JUST released like a month or two after my brother and I first got Sonic 2, and I hadn't even beaten that game yet. The funny thing is that I still would've wanted Sonic 2, anyways, but I didn't even know that it was coming out because I was VERY out of the loop of gaming news at that age.

Also, seeing you list SMB3 makes me realize just how young I am. I wasn't even born when that game came out in Japan (and it came out on the exact day and month of my birthday, so it's EXACTLY 1 year older than I am), and I was barely a few months old when it finally came out in North America.

As for SM64, I do personally find that game to be a lot of fun, but I think the problem is that it was never really meant to be like the 2D Mario games in a 3D setting. I feel like Miyamoto wanted to create something completely new by experimenting with the possibilities of creating a game in a 3D world. That said, fans of the 2D games wanted a game that felt more like the traditional Mario, so they were left disappointed. In that regard, I can understand why you dislike it. That said. I disagree with the notion that it was inky so highly praised because it was in 3D and had more power than any of the SNES games to generate a bigger world. If that were true, the game wouldn't still have such a devoted fan base and be so fondly remembered. The game was praised because it was legitimately well-designed for its time and helped pave the way for many future 3D platformers. It's just that it wasn't the game that you and other Mario fans actually wanted, hence why I can understand the the disdain for it, but at the same time, don't view it as being over praised.

[Spark Of Spirit]

3. Super Mario Galaxy 2

Haters step back.

They exist?

There are people who not only consider it worse than the original, but the worst 3D Mario game overall.

I guess it just can't compete with the silly challenges of Sunshine or 64. Those compulsory blue coins, am I right?

[Spark Of Spirit]

As for SM64, I do personally find that game to be a lot of fun, but I think the problem is that it was never really meant to be like the 2D Mario games in a 3D setting. I feel like Miyamoto wanted to create something completely new by experimenting with the possibilities of creating a game in a 3D world. That said, fans of the 2D games wanted a game that felt more like the traditional Mario, so they were left disappointed. In that regard, I can understand why you dislike it. That said. I disagree with the notion that it was inky so highly praised because it was in 3D and had more power than any of the SNES games to generate a bigger world. If that were true, the game wouldn't still have such a devoted fan base and be so fondly remembered. The game was praised because it was legitimately well-designed for its time and helped pave the way for many future 3D platformers. It's just that it wasn't the game that you and other Mario fans actually wanted, hence why I can understand the the disdain for it, but at the same time, don't view it as being over praised.

I have tried so hard to like this game. I've never had it click with me even so long after it came out and have given it countless chances. I tease you about SMW every now and then, but I played so much of that when it came out and, even if I didn't think it topped SMB3, I still thought it was an incredible game. I still do now.

SM64 just doesn't really do anything I particularly like. Some levels like Tick Tock Clock or Whomp's Fortress show flashes of what I imagined from a 3D platformer (Get to the top! Don't fall!) but most of the time I was just hobbling through levels that bored me. Coming off of a streak of SMB3, SMW, and YI, I couldn't help but be disappointed.

Though at least it was no Yoshi Story.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Like I said, I understand that, and I like those games better as well. I'm just saying that I personally find SM64 to be fun because I see it as its own thing and don't directly compare it to any other Mario game. I'm not trying to explain why you or anyone else should like it. I'm just explaining why I (and others) enjoy it for what it is. I enjoyed the levels because I liked exploring them and playing through them, platforming or not.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Like I said, I understand that, and I like those games better as well. I'm just saying that I personally find SM64 to be fun because I see it as it's own thing and don't directly compare it to any other Mario game. I'm not trying to explain why you or anyone else should like it. I'm just explaining why I (and others) enjoy it for what it is. I enjoyed the levels because I liked exploring them and playing through them, platforming or not.

Out of curiosity, what did you think of Sunshine?