Nintendo's 2D Ambivalence: Is New Super Mario Bros. Stuck in a Loop?

Post date: April 12, 2026 · Discovered: April 17, 2026 · 3 posts, 7 comments

The discussion centers on the creative viability of modern 2D Mario platformers, analyzing mechanics across titles like *New Super Mario Bros.* and *Mario Maker 2*.

Opinion is split on the overall quality of Nintendo’s 2D output. Some viewers feel the mechanics are 'petty basic and bland' (Side A). Conversely, 'pastaPersona' defends the DS version as a necessary, novel entry for players new to the series's history. Other specific mechanical jabs include 'the16bitgamer' stating the current iteration is 'mechanically weak' due to lack of power-ups, while 'hamburglar26' pointed out the improvement of true couch co-op.

The consensus leans toward stagnation. While the Wii release holds significant nostalgic value for some ('the16bitgamer' scoring it highest), the overarching sentiment is that the series struggles with genuine innovation in its 2D output. The only uncontested technical win noted was 'plsplaymymariomodel' observing that the Switch 2 hardware noticeably speeds up the respawn cycle in *Mario Maker 2*.

Key Points

OPPOSE

New Super Mario Bros. lacks mechanical depth.

'the16bitgamer' argued the current installment is mechanically weak, citing too few power-ups and overly linear progression.

SUPPORT

The Wii version is regarded as peak experience.

'the16bitgamer' personally rated the original Wii release as the best installment in the franchise.

SUPPORT

The DS version provided necessary historical introduction.

'pastaPersona' viewed the DS version as a valuable novelty introduction for newcomers to the series.

SUPPORT

Couch co-op mechanics saw tangible improvement.

'hamburglar26' noted that true couch co-op in modern games is a marked step up from previous turn-based mechanics.

SUPPORT

Switch 2 hardware offers direct gameplay improvement.

'plsplaymymariomodel' observed the respawn ability in *Mario Maker 2* is demonstrably faster on the Switch 2 hardware.

Source Discussions (3)

This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.

26
points
Just finished Replaying New Super Mario Bros for the first time since I think it came out. And here are my thoughts on it.
[email protected]·7 comments·12/23/2023·by the16bitgamer·lemmy.world
17
points
Been Playing Mario Maker 2 again
[email protected]·0 comments·7/22/2025·by PlsPlayMyMarioLevels
10
points
[Eurogamer] The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review
[email protected]·3 comments·4/12/2026·by GamingBot·eurogamer.net