Jeff used the dreaded b-word talking about NSMB2 on the Bombcast. I've been playing it for a week or so now (got a review code awhile ago). I normally see eye-to-eye with Jeff on games, but I disagree here. Sure, it's a retread and it's basically just 'more new super mario bros.' but that said, the quality is there and I'd totally recommend it to 3DS owners. I'm an older gamer and am sadly finding fewer and fewer games holding my attention - especially handheld titles. But I'll happily play NSMB2 into the ground. I'm a Mario fan (I played 22 hours of 3D Land, I think) and Mario-wise, there's no dip in quality here. It's solid.

Wondering whether Jeff just whizzed through, or if he went after the 3 gold medallions on each level? I think it makes a big difference. Revisiting levels to grab Gold medallions you missed the first time through makes you experience levels differently, and showcases the game's search and discovery elements, and seeing levels twice instead of once sheds light on how well-designed Mario games always are. How big gaps are, koopa placement, everything in exactly the right spot to maximize fun.

TL;DR it's a different (and much better) game if you task yourself with getting all the medallions, and far from boring.

Edit: yes, the b-word is 'boring.'

jeff said butt?

Opinions.

He seems to have taken issue with the fact that the one big innovation (the coins) is kind of shitty. My experience tends to favour him more than you, but whatever.

Glad you enjoy it.

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word

Bitch?

@Chaser324 said:

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word

Bitch?

Bazinga.

Because it's impossible for anyone to find that game boring.

Nothing you say is contradicting what Jeff has said. Also, did you really have to create a new account to say this?

Jeff is entitled to his opinion. You are not obligated to agree with him.

P.S.: 8.8. OMG. etc.

@Chaser324 said:

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word

Bitch?

Bush?

No, Jeff's right. Sorry.

I don't know. It looked pretty b-word to me. 

@AuthenticM: old account, never post

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word talking about NSMB2 on the Bombcast. I've been playing it for a week or so now (got a review code awhile ago). I normally see eye-to-eye with Jeff on games, but I disagree here. Sure, it's a retread and it's basically just 'more new super mario bros.' but that said, the quality is there and I'd totally recommend it to 3DS owners. I'm an older gamer and am sadly finding fewer and fewer games holding my attention - especially handheld titles. But I'll happily play NSMB2 into the ground.

Wondering whether Jeff just whizzed through, or if he went after the 3 gold medallions on each level? I think it makes a big difference. Revisiting levels to grab Gold medallions you missed the first time through makes you experience levels differently, and showcases the game's search and discovery elements, and seeing levels twice instead of once sheds light on how well-designed Mario games always are. How big gaps are, koopa placement, everything in exactly the right spot to maximize fun.

TL;DR it's a different (and much better) game if you task yourself with getting all the medallions, and far from boring.

Like many games in this generation, the sequel fatigue is really setting in. The game maybe solid, but if there is hardly anything new then what's the point? Getting gold coins and retreading the same level just feels like a cheap way to get more longevity in the game. The game play looks essentially the same in NSMB2 as does in most other Mario games. Playing pretty much the same game for consecutive iterations can get pretty boring. It is a fair criticism and it's not like he said the game is bad. It's just the same.

@haha_dead said:

TL;DR it's a different (and much better) game if you task yourself with getting all the medallions

Didn't the other games also have the three medallions per level hunt? The Wii version certainly did. Personally, I'm in a similar boat to Jeff (and many other people who've played/reviewed the game - this definitely isn't Jeff being all radical and devisive). I LOVE Mario games, but I've played this game to death, twice already. It's awesome that you're enjoying it so much. I've looked at it as a New Super Mario Bros expansion pack and I've certainly enjoyed it to an extent! But I'm doing ten minutes at a time and the one thing that I was really excited about (the craaazy 1 million coin chase!) is actually not very exciting, in my opinion. Meh. Personally, some new enemies/design choices might've been all that was needed.

@Guided_By_Tigers said:

@Chaser324 said:

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word

Bitch?

Bush?

@Hailinel: Hey, I'm allowed to add a contrary opinion to the discussion right? Point is, the game is different when played, vs. experienced in 'content tourist' mode.

Looked pretty boring to me.

But note that I said "looked"; I haven't actually played it so that isn't at all a final opinion. Still, I did not see a single thing that I did not already get in NSMB 1. I don't even think there was much new in the way of levels.

@Chaser324: magnets!

Well from what I have seen I agree with Jeff. I thought the game didn't look bad, it looked ok but I am tired of the "New" style of mario games. The co-op is disappointing along with what happens when you collect a million coins. I know I won't buy it.

I don't always see eye to eye with Jeff on stuff but I'm with him on this one. I dunno what they have to do to make Mario fun again but...I dunno, its absolutely a quality well made game but it is kinda boring. Maybe my tastes have just changed but I think I'm kinda done with 2D mario games. Sorta bums me out but there it is.

Belgium.

I honestly only care about what b-word he's talking about. Bitch? Bush? Broccoli? I NEED ANSWERS.

I think it's just how someone plays games. If you are the type of person that plays games for 20 minutes at a time or plays a lot of iphone games, I bet this mario seems pretty fun. And I think that if you are the type to marathon your entire game in a weekend, that this mario seems really boring.

I think its a perfectly fine mario game but I do feel like the only reason Im enjoying it is because I've only played the other "new" SMB games for a couple minutes. If this was my third, I might take some issue with it.

Bunting.

You have all the right in the world to love a game someone else doesn't find to be any good (as I do with some games that some people seem to dislike), but man personally there is nothing in NSMB2 that screams truly novel to me in freshening up what is to be a growingly stale formula. I don't think they added enough to warrant its existence other than they needed another one out there to sell more units and it is starting to look like the formula itself is wearing thin on a good portion of the gaming audience.

This is just an irrational side-point I will make at the game, but I am dead sick of hearing that awful rendition of the Mario music in the NSMB games. Give me more grand orchestral Mario tunes from galaxy or some retro remix of the classic songs without sounding so childishly bad (I understand the latter makes more financial sense for a handheld game). Again, irrational point as it is just me shitting on music in a subjective fashion.

The game is fine. It's Mario. If you like that, you'll like this game. What Jeff said is pretty dead-on if you ask me.

I don't regret spending 40$ on it at all. A solid Mario title is still better than most other games, for my money.

I'll take bland for 400 Alex.

Are you the guy that made sonic_hedgehog?  

I THINK HE MEANS BORING

I don't know why people need to come on these forums and create 'soap-box' threads every time someone has an opinion they don't share. What is it that causes this? Is it that terrible to think someone thinks differently? Does the OP think that everyone will believe what Jeff says like sheep and he needs to be the differing opinion so that people aren't led astray? I just don't get it. Does the OP think we care what he says? Does he honestly think Jeff saying that he doesn't like a Mario game will keep other people from buying that game or enjoying?

Fuckin'a.

I picked it up today and I'm into world 3. He said it's a boring game and so far, I agree. The 'collect a million  coins' shtick it's got going in isn't really enough to make it stand out from any other Mario game, and I cringe every time Mario speaks (he's been sounding worse and worse as time goes on, he's downright annoying at this point). There's just absolutely nothing memorable about it. Maybe in world 8 it'll be hell-of difficult or something (though that wasn't the case with ether of the first two "New Super Mario Bros" games. I don't know, I paid $40 for it, and I'll probably finish it in two days.

@JasonR86 said:

I don't know why people need to come on these forums and create 'soap-box' threads every time someone has an opinion they don't share. What is it that causes this? Is it that terrible to think someone thinks differently? Does the OP think that everyone will believe what Jeff says like sheep and he needs to be the differing opinion so that people aren't led astray? I just don't get it. Does the OP think we care what he says? Does he honestly think Jeff saying that he doesn't like a Mario game will keep other people from buying that game or enjoying?

Fuckin'a.

Exactly. Looking at it from my angle, I haven't played a "new" Mario game since Mario 64. so NSMB2 might actually be a fun, new experience for me. I, however, also understand where Jeff is coming from. He's played ALL of the Mario games. It's just natural for him to be, you know, BORED of the same damn thing over and over again.

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word talking about NSMB2 on the Bombcast. I've been playing it for a week or so now (got a review code awhile ago). I normally see eye-to-eye with Jeff on games, but I disagree here. Sure, it's a retread and it's basically just 'more new super mario bros.' but that said, the quality is there and I'd totally recommend it to 3DS owners. I'm an older gamer and am sadly finding fewer and fewer games holding my attention - especially handheld titles. But I'll happily play NSMB2 into the ground. I'm a Mario fan (I played 22 hours of 3D Land, I think) and Mario-wise, there's no dip in quality here. It's solid.

Wondering whether Jeff just whizzed through, or if he went after the 3 gold medallions on each level? I think it makes a big difference. Revisiting levels to grab Gold medallions you missed the first time through makes you experience levels differently, and showcases the game's search and discovery elements, and seeing levels twice instead of once sheds light on how well-designed Mario games always are. How big gaps are, koopa placement, everything in exactly the right spot to maximize fun.

TL;DR it's a different (and much better) game if you task yourself with getting all the medallions, and far from boring.

I think Jeff is knocking it because mario is known as a creative and innovative franchise, and new super mario brothers TWO in itself parodies that idea. It's pretty apparent to me that the mario we know and love is running out of tricks, and it's absolutely playing it safe to keep sales up. But in the 90's and 00's, each mario game looked distinctly different, played differently, and had evolving mechanics. Now, with NSMB, the games are almost identical except for the resolution differences. It's sad that Nintendo isn't willing to risk losing it's top spot for platformers.

I haven't played it yet, but I played a fuckton of NSMBWii. NSMB2 looks to be more of that. Personally, 3D Land is the direction I wish Nintendo would keep going in. At least for 3DS.

@Chaser324 said:

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word

Bitch?

Bush?

I haven't beaten the first world yet, but it looks like my experience may be similar to Jeff "B****" Gerstmann's.

I'm glad you're enjoying it though.

@Sackmanjones said:

@Guided_By_Tigers

@Chaser324 said:

@haha_dead said:

Jeff used the dreaded b-word

Bitch?

Bush?

Ballsack

BIG BOOOOOO!

As a huge "Nintendrone" I think this game looks pretty dull in spots, I will probably have fun with it as soon as I get it, NSMB is a bit tired to me, the artstyle is really fucking boring. I'm not excited, but I'll still get it at some point at least. I'm sure I'll get it for christmas if I haven't picked it up by then.

Jeff is of the, if ain't broke, fucking change it anyways, because I already played it. And I agree with him. Though to be honest, while I generally agree with Jeff's attitude and feelings on gaming and gaming culture, our opinions on games rarely actually meet.

@JasonR86: Terrible that someone has a different opinion? Nothing in my post is hostile, man. No contention. He has one opinion and I have another.I think the game's pretty rewarding when you get into it, go after the collectibles, etc. Jeff's comments make a good common thread - we all heard it on the Bombcast.

Yes it's pretty similar to NSMB. But NSMB was for a different system. I'd recommend both NSMB 2 and Super Mario 3D Land to anyone shopping for a 3DS and wanting to pick up a couple of games with it.

After 3D Land, I find it incredibly disappointing. It's so fucking dull compared to that game.

@haha_dead said:

@JasonR86: Terrible that someone has a different opinion? Nothing in my post is hostile, man. No contention. He has one opinion and I have another.I think the game's pretty rewarding when you get into it, go after the collectibles, etc. Jeff's comments make a good common thread - we all heard it on the Bombcast.

Yes it's pretty similar to NSMB. But NSMB was for a different system. I'd recommend both NSMB 2 and Super Mario 3D Land to anyone shopping for a 3DS and wanting to pick up a couple of games with it.

Uh-huh.

The way people are talking about this game, I wonder if this is what it was like when the original Mega Man series creeped past 4 on the NES.

@Azteck said:

I honestly only care about what b-word he's talking about. Bitch? Bush? Broccoli? I NEED ANSWERS.

It's obviously bratwurst. A-duuuuhhhh.

Brony?

@haha_dead said:

Wondering whether Jeff just whizzed through, or if he went after the 3 gold medallions on each level?

With the exception of Vinny "Must Collect Everything" Caravella, I think they all mostly just run through the main mode.

Badger.