Giant Bombcast 812: Sam Raimi Mode

We need timestamps for when Dan starts and stops talking about mainline Mario games. Please, I'm begging here.

I'm sorry but playing Mario Kart Wii without the wheel is blasphemy. All the others Gamecube controller ftw but Wii wheel hit different at the time.

Dan please don't give in just because their brains can't comprehend the mainline Mario series. Like you've said, it has nothing to do with quality. Wonder can be better than any mainline game but that has nothing to do with it being in the mainline of games.

Now, would Miyamoto also say Super Mario USA is a mainline game and not Super Mario Bros. 2?

Dan's argument for "what is a mainline game" can be summed up in one word:

Vibes

Things get infuriating here between Dan going on his "Mainline Mario" diatribe and later asking what cream is and what it's for.

"Mainline Mario" has yet to be defined in any sort of clear manner, so it's just conjecture BS. I used to be in agreement with Dan's mindset, but once I realized it cannot be defined, I exited the troll train.

Mainline, I would reasonably conclude, is any Mario game with a clear emphasis on moving the ball forward for the franchise. There's a higher focus on quality. New characters that we see consistently in other games within the franchise. But even that doesn't work because Mario Tennis introduced franchise staple Waluigi, so is that mainline?

If multiplayer is what disqualifies a mainline game, then is Odyssey disqualified for having a two-player mode? The argument is stupid and it's clear what games Nintendo is putting more resources into -- e.g., Super Mario 3D World, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario Odyssey.

Dan says Super Mario Galaxy 2 is mainline, but Super Mario 3D World is not. His reasoning is that "3D" is its own spin-off, similar to the "New" Super Mario Bros. line of games. By his own logic, Galaxy 2 cannot be mainline because it's a sequel within the "Galaxy" line of games (and, therefore, neither Galaxy game is mainline).

Dan also cites Shigeru Miyamoto, but I think there's a reasonable doubt regarding the validity of that interview, such as translation. Also, assuming that's not the case, ideas and interpretations change with time. It stands to reason that Miyamoto would answer the question differently more than a decade later.

It just doesn't make sense and I've now given this more time than it deserves.

EDIT: Toadette debuted in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and also appears in Super Mario Odyssey. Does this make Double Dash!! mainline? Or does this make Odyssey a spin-off? Dan's argument is outdated and bad.

How would Switch be the best console? Almost every third party game runs like ass on there, I always pick a different platform when available.

I get Dan's logic here on the mainline Mario thing, but his mistake was counting Mario 64 as the next mainline Mario when it was the beginning of a new series, aka the 3D Mario series. They're a completely different style of game from a traditional 2D Mario platformer where instead of moving to the right and jumping on a flag pole or a goal at the end you're navigating a 3D space and collecting Stars or SHINEs and usually re-entering the same location immediately to play a different permutation of the same stage. NSMB and Wonder are entries in the mainline 2D Mario series and it's as simple as that.