I felt I have heard them talk about this on the bombcast and it is an interesting theory. 
 
If Super Mario Bros 4 is announced either for the wii or a launch title for the next nintendo platform or any other, what is the reaction of the entire gaming community? 
 
Would it become the highest selling game ever, would people rush out to get it? Would you be excited even though you do not have a wii or played a proper "mario" game in awhile?

My reaction would be apathy. We have had two side-scrolling 2d Mario games in the past five years. That said, I would make sure I played it, and I am sure it would sell marginally better than NSMB Wii.

People would expect it to be the best Mario game ever, and most everyone would expect it to contain every single thing they ever loved about a Mario game.
 
Sales are another matter but it'd sell like recent Mario games have, give or take.  I'd be interested but skeptical like I am for every Mario game that comes out.  I'd be more excited if it was 2D like NSMBW, unless they absolutely blew it out of the park in 3D (that is, made Super Mario Galaxy 2 look like they weren't even trying).

Erm...
New Super Mario Bros. was basically this.

I'd cum.

That would be New Mario bros 2, New Mario Wii was fun but there could've been even more effort put into it, so I wouldn't mind a sequel.

I would expect more of a direct evolution of Super Mario World, which itself is evidence enough that a SMB with the number '4' on it will almost certainly never happen. They had alread y abandoned that idea in the early 90s. That said, I would kill for another side-scrolling Mario that is more in the vein of SMW, with the multiple exits through levels and flying ability akin to the cape, if not better.

If Super Mario Bros 4 was on a new system, a new HD system with a hard drive and a normal-ass controller, then I would actually begin caring about Nintendo again.

I'd be a little surprised that they dumped the 'New Super Mario Bros.' name to make just another 'Super Mario Bros.' but I'd be somewhat expectant to see what the game is like.

I'd love to see another NSMBW. That game was so fucking awesome.

Confused. What makes it SMB 4 instead of NSMBW 2 or SMW 3?  Is it be 8 bit or what?  I'd be happy to play it regardless.

Mario doesn't need to do some desperate nascon throwback. Mario games are never shitty. 
PS I'd rather have a directo followup to Mario 2, with the giant eagle heads and such.

" My reaction would be apathy. We have had two side-scrolling 2d Mario games in the past five years. That said, I would make sure I played it, and I am sure it would sell marginally better than NSMB Wii. "

NSMB was basically Mario 4. 
Unlike Sonic, Mario has been in consistently good games, both 2D and 3D.  I don't think tacking a number onto the end would build excitement in the same way as it did with Sonic, when the typical reaction was "Oh my god, Sonic is going to be good again?"

All I have to say it keep em coming!

Okay. 
Never saw or played a Nintendo game or product until the Gameboy advance and even then I didn't play one of Nintendo's own games. I just have no feelings for the Nintendo characters. 
Now if this was a new Lost Vikings game I'd be effin happy.

" I would expect more of a direct evolution of Super Mario World, which itself is evidence enough that a SMB with the number '4' on it will almost certainly never happen. They had alread y abandoned that idea in the early 90s. That said, I would kill for another side-scrolling Mario that is more in the vein of SMW, with the multiple exits through levels and flying ability akin to the cape, if not better. "

I would be curious.

Partly because there's still a part of me that loves the classic Mario games.

Partly because I want to see that part of me die if they decide to call it New Super Mario Brothers Wii 2, or worse: New Super Mario Brothers WII.

It could be awesome if it used real 2D sprites with a retro feel to it in glorious HD on their next console!

I'd need a new pair of pants,

"im getten a divorce, peach can die for all i care"

I'd much rather have a new proper Paper Mario rpg (instead of the platformer hybrid we got with SPM). On the Wii I mean. I realize that "Bowser's Inside Story" kind of already covered that direction on the DS.

Id ask what about it makes it 4 and why wasnt all the other 2d mario games since 3 not technically 4.

I'd laugh at Nintendo for stooping as low as to imitate Sega.

New Super Mario Brothers Wii was Mario 4. At least that's what it should have been called.

I think it was closer to being a "Super Mario World" entry. Unofficiailly it's kind of SMW3.ported over Wii from the DS

I would hope Nintendo has more dignity with Mario than to pull what Sega did with Sonic the Hedgehog.

" I think it was closer to being a "Super Mario World" entry. Unofficiailly it's kind of SMW3.ported over Wii from the DS "

The Internet would implode. 
 
So would my ass.

Meh. I'd rent it from gamefly, but I'd doubt I'd buy.

It's called Super Mario World.

it honestly depends what they do with it, whether or not it can be a good seller.

My reaction would be to smack them around the head for trying to pretend that Super Mario World and Super Mario 64 (two of the best games of all time by most accounts) aren't part of the main series. Its absurd.
 
Nintendo does not get a free ride on innovation just because they know how to add. Especially considering they already made New Super Mario Bros...twice...

If it was episodic like Sonic 4 I would laugh and think it is hilarious.

I'm not sure where some of you were in 1990 but Super Mario World is Super Mario Bros 4, Look at the Japanese Box Art for the game. 

Game naming conventions are super awesome. I'd play it, me and Mario are tight like that.

I'd definitely be curious.

My initial response would result in the loss of bowel control... then 3 minutes later when I read the article properly "Super Mario Brothers 4: Episode 1", I'd take the remnants and start flinging them at the screen.

"

                    

   Already happened.

                   

                "

Super Mario World WAS Super Mario Bros. 4. It was called Super Mario Bros. 4 in Japan.