Super Mario Series

[Spark Of Spirit]

The argument for best Mario game always centers around SMB3, SMW, SM64, SMG1, and SMG2. (Yoshi's Island sometimes, but it usually isn't brought into the argument.)

Anyone arguing for any other game in the series as the best is an outlier as far as I can tell.

[talonmalon333]

Even SM64, at this point, seems to kind of go back to nostalgia. For the most part, I feel like most fans recognized how Galaxy blew it away.

[Spark Of Spirit]

The same thing with Mario Kart 64. Of course there are people who think it is the best because they prefer it, but I find less and less people as the years go by as claiming it to be the best. It could have something to do with nostalgia.

However, OoT and MM still enjoy high acclaim and mention among fans old and new, so maybe SM64 is losing a lot of supporters for best Mario game.

[talonmalon333]

Ocarina of Time was regarded as the best when it came out. But on the other hand, it seems like, when Mario 64 came out, that game still wasn't the fan favorite over 3 or World.

[Avaitor]

It seems like only game journalists considered 64 to be the best Mario.

[talonmalon333]

It seems like only game journalists considered 64 to be the best Mario.

Probably because it's revolutionary.

[Spark Of Spirit]

And innovation is about all reviewers care about.

Console-wise, anyway. FPS-wise they'll praise things the genre had been doing for a long time already. See anything involving the incredibly overrated Killzone 2.

It seems like only game journalists considered 64 to be the best Mario.

Nowadays, I usually see them bring it up in a context like "This new Mario isn't quite as good as Super Mario 64, but..." which were basically what the less favorable reviews of the Galaxy games consisted of.

If anything, I think a lot of reviewers overlooked SMG2 to an almost absurd degree. I don't mean ratings-wise, I mean in coverage and conversation pieces. Find a GOTY discussion on a mainstream site that even seriously considers it (outside of Wii specific awards) and I would be surprised. Even A Crack in Time went virtually ignored in that aspect.

[talonmalon333]

Didn't GameTrailers call SMG2 their 2010 choice?

[Spark Of Spirit]

Didn't GameTrailers call SMG2 their 2010 choice?

It's possible it was nominated, but I would be surprised if it won.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Gametrailers picked SMG as their GOTY in 2007, and nominated SMG2 in 2010, though ultimately gave the award to Mass Effect 2 instead, though I give them props for picking literally anything other than the massively overrated Read Dead Redemption that most journalists couldn't seem to get enough of at the time. Here's a bit more info regarding SMG2's award status, anyways.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 received Game of the Year 2010 awards from Nintendo Power, GamesMaster,[49] Official Nintendo Magazine,[49] Edge,[49] GamesTM,[50] Destructoid and Metacritic.[65] It was named best "Wii Game of the Year" by IGN,[66] GameTrailers,[67] GameSpot,[68] 1UP.com,[69] and many other media outlets. As of December 2010, IGN awarded Super Mario Galaxy 2 the number 1 Wii game, overtaking its predecessor.[70] And on top of that, in 2012, Official Nintendo Magazine had named Super Mario Galaxy 2 the 'Greatest Nintendo Game Ever Made' ranking at #1.

Honestly, it seems a bit silly to complain about SMG2 not getting enough recognition from critics, to me. Awards aside, it is one of the highest reviewed games of all time, and has sold incredibly well since its release. The people who have complained about the game are clearly in the minority.

If you want to talk about a great game getting snubbed from awards, I could easily make a much better case for Ninja Gaiden on the XBOX, which received critical acclaim but barely got nominated for any significant award from a major game site or publication, EVEN FOR ITS OWN CONSOLE! The massively disappointing Halo 2 was there to steal all of its glory. Compared to that, SMG2 had it great.

At any rate, GOTY awards mean about as much as film awards: which is diddly squat. I never even see people recall which publication or site picked which games for GOTY for any given year. When people recall popular games, it's usually because of their general reviews being very positive. Not because they won some pointless awards.

[Avaitor]

(That last one was a joke. Anyone that thinks any Sonic game is better than Mario World needs to seek help.)

Um.

[gunswordfist]

lol

[Spark Of Spirit]

(That last one was a joke. Anyone that thinks any Sonic game is better than Mario World needs to seek help.)

Um.

Sega fans are used to it by now.

[Avaitor]

Obviously Super Mario World was an incredible game. I grew up with both and have nothing but love for the Mario and Sonic games from that era, but the joke is old.

Seriously, the SMW's and Genesis Sonic games were all great.

[Spark Of Spirit]

In defense of Ninja Gaiden not winning GOTY, it lost to Resident Evil 4. Half Life 2, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and, uh, Halo 2. It had a lot of competition and hype. Even so many years later, I'm pretty sure its losses are understandable.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 lost to Skyrim, Mass Effect 2, and Red Dead Redemption. Outside of Wii specific awards and places like Metacritic, Mobygames, and Gamerankings (which HAVE to give to the highest rated game on review average) it didn't pop up a whole lot in discussions that year.