I played the game today at E3. Like others have said, the game feels like a slow hybrid of Super Mario 64 and New Super Mario Bros. It feels strange to have to hold down a button to run, because in games like Super Mario 64 and Mario Galaxy, there is no run button, you just use the analog stick. 
 
Also, what is the point of the tanooki suit if you can't fly or turn into a statue? Isn't that what fans remember the suit for? That being said, almost any lesser Mario game is still better than 90% of video games out there.

Nintendo have been innovating Mario back to its side scrolling basics since Sunshine did not so hot.

@HandsomeDead said:

Nintendo have been innovating Mario back to its side scrolling basics since Sunshine did not so hot.

You're forgetting about a couple of Galaxy games, there.

@HandsomeDead said:

Nintendo have been innovating Mario back to its side scrolling basics since Sunshine did not so hot.

You're forgetting about a couple of Galaxy games, there.

@HandsomeDead: Ummm there was some small planets but also some huge ones and you was jumping around to all different ones during the stage. Plus I was usually not just running in a straight line. Galaxy was probably the best Mario game there has ever been.

i personally think most new mario games feel abit weird but nintendo still makes them more playible than most shooters and other popular games out their plus the fun factor is whats gonna draw people a mario game is supposed to be at its core the perfict blend of fun and challenge that draws you back again and again  if they fail to do that then their implementing a new formula that wont be successful but the reason why it fees like a blend of other recent mario titles is cause it probibly is nintendo cares about their fans WAAY more than sony or microsoft so they keep the nostalgia alive

I liked mario sunshine almost as much as 64 or even the galaxy games, im looking forward to seeing what they do on the 3ds