2D Mario Wii Tops Super Mario Galaxy

By Jorge Ba-oh 22.01.2010 32

2D Mario Wii Tops Super Mario Galaxy on Nintendo gaming news, videos and discussion

Nintendo's latest Mario platformer, New Super Mario Bros for Wii has overtaken sales for Super Mario Galaxy in the US.

Since bringing refreshed 2D-styled Mario to the market 45 days ago,the game has sold over 4 million copies and has now snuck past the two year old Super Mario Galaxy, according to NPD sales data.

  • Super Mario Galaxy - 4.1 million
  • New Super Mario Bros. Wii - 4.2 million
Granted the Wii is far more popular with a wider audience than it was back in 2007, but achieving what its 3D brother has done in just over a month can certainly say something about a desire for classic plumber love. New Super Mario Bros. does boast a highly addictive multiplayer mode, has been pimped out to the masses and even comes in its own red box.

Which game and style of Mario do you prefer - the epic grand scale and beautiful worlds set in Mario's 3D adventure, the classic side-on platforming in New Super Mario Bros, or both? What do you think of the sales situation between both games?

Box art for Super Mario Galaxy
Developer

Nintendo

Publisher

Nintendo

Genre

3D Platformer

Players

2

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  10/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  9/10 (133 Votes)

European release date Out now   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date Out now   

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Comments

Simes is offline. Simes 22.01.2010#1

I don't really like NSMB so I'm going SMG.

 
JoshSL is offline. JoshSL 22.01.2010#2

This info is incredibly depressing, and it just goes to show that truly great games never sell what they deserve. It's no wonder Nintendo would rather make something with DS graphics in under a year than concentrate on a 3D masterpiece for years.

Also I prefer 3D Mario infinitely, as that has been around for only about 10 years and has already evolved far more than 2D Mario has in 20.

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Marzeee is offline. Marzeee 22.01.2010#3

I completely agree with Superlink, I don't think there's anything else I could add, apart from the things I've already mentioned in other threads about NSMBWii.

 
Cheesing It Up is offline. Cheesing It Up 22.01.2010#4

3D Mario really is over-rated. 2D is platforming gold.

Of course, NSMB didn't advance the world of 2D gaming and must have been cheap to make, but still, give me 2D Mario any day.

 
L is offline. L 22.01.2010#5

My post got removed probably due to an update to the article.Smilie

So yeah this game has also outsold Halo 3, imo the 2D and 3D games are equal. But when it comes to NSMBW vs Mario Galaxy, Galaxy wins. However if the same amount of time went into developing NSMBW it might have turned out better than galaxy.

 
Ian Lee (guest) 22.01.2010#6

Mario Galaxy easily the best game new one is just the DS one but with four players, and, two of them are toads! Galaxy has more work gone into it, it's got more you can do, it's a huge game and you can even play the game as whats his name!

2D Mario is so repetitive you jump on goombas, koopas and over those fire plants and get to the end. Sonic had so much more like variety in paths and you even went LEFT from time to time how about that!

Andrezao is offline. Andrezao 22.01.2010#7

I prefer 2D mario, and this 2D mario, given the amount of time they made it in ended really good imo. I don't really care who outsells who as long as both sell well which is what's happening here. Good work NSMBWii and Galaxy.

 
knighty is offline. knighty 22.01.2010#8

L said:
My post got removed probably due to an update to the article.Smilie

So yeah this game has also outsold Halo 3, imo the 2D and 3D games are equal. But when it comes to NSMBW vs Mario Galaxy, Galaxy wins. However if the same amount of time went into developing NSMBW it might have turned out better than galaxy.

Halo 3 has sold over 10 million copies buddy....

 
Andrezao is offline. Andrezao 22.01.2010#9

knighty said:
L said:
My post got removed probably due to an update to the article.Smilie

So yeah this game has also outsold Halo 3, imo the 2D and 3D games are equal. But when it comes to NSMBW vs Mario Galaxy, Galaxy wins. However if the same amount of time went into developing NSMBW it might have turned out better than galaxy.

Halo 3 has sold over 10 million copies buddy....

2-3 weeks ago NSMBWii was over 9 million copies...
*Worldwide

( Edited 22.01.2010 00:18 by Andrezao )

 
knighty is offline. knighty 22.01.2010#10

Ooooh right I see, the post is about American sales isn't it. Apologies.

 
WP-Final is offline. WP-Final 22.01.2010#11

SMG has still sold really well. 4 million is very impressive. Just because NSMB Wii has done better doesn't de-value SMG and just means that simple classic gameplay still has a place in today's world.

The gameplay of 2D Mario is amazingly fun. All Nintendo set out to do was to create another bundle of great platforming that anyone can enjoy. There was no need to go all out as that is what the 3D games are for.

Just take it for what it is. Nintendo put all the effort into the 3D games (hence the big development times), and then make the 2D games for a bit of fun.

 
Teetrab is offline. Teetrab 22.01.2010#12

Toon SuperLink said:
This info is incredibly depressing, and it just goes to show that truly great games never sell what they deserve. It's no wonder Nintendo would rather make something with DS graphics in under a year than concentrate on a 3D masterpiece for years.

Also I prefer 3D Mario infinitely, as that has been around for only about 10 years and has already evolved far more than 2D Mario has in 20.


Well the good news is that they were really close to each other and that means that SMG's efforts weren't in vain? In a way I understand where your coming from because SMG is the child of SM64 which was so innovative that it paved the way for most titles of its genre. But on the other hand the old 2D mario bros. did the same for its genre also.

Besides if you asked most of those people who bought NSMB about SMG they'd probably own it too or at least played it already Smilie. And weren't you satisfied with Galaxy? Which means that Nintendo can do both in innovation and some classic for the masses? This is actually really good! Think about it. They made a "truly great game" with Super Mario Galaxy and they were still able to remember their roots. That is a very hard thing to do. You're getting the best of both worlds!


EDIT!!!: UHM YEAH Look at the time that Super Mario Galaxy was released and then the time that NSMB was released. Back then people had less Wii's when SMG came out. Now NSMB came out and people have more Wii's. I think proportionally SMG is better! If this is the case NSMB should have beat SMG out by much more than just 100,000 copies. I don't think this is a good time to be comparing. Maybe we should wait two years so we can measure the time effectively.

( Edited 22.01.2010 00:54 by Teetrab )

Diablo II
"I'll make weapons from your bones!" - The Smith Paladin: I will cleanse this wilderness. Deckard Cain: Stay a while and listen!
 
Andrezao is offline. Andrezao 22.01.2010#13

@ Knighty: No worries it's cool, but yeah it reffers to American Sales only... I think it stands like 4m in US, 3m in Japan and another 3m and anothr 3-4m everywhere else. pretty fast sales...

"

Well the good news is that they were really close to each other and that means that SMG's efforts weren't in vain? In a way I understand where your coming from because SMG is the child of SM64 which was so innovative that it paved the way for most titles of its genre. But on the other hand the old 2D mario bros. did the same for its genre also.

Besides if you asked most of those people who bought NSMB about SMG they'd probably own it too or at least played it already Smilie. And weren't you satisfied with Galaxy? Which means that Nintendo can do both in innovation and some classic for the masses? This is actually really good! Think about it. They made a "truly great game" with Super Mario Galaxy and they were still able to remember their roots. That is a very hard thing to do. You're getting the best of both worlds!" -Very well put, my thoughts exactly! Smilie

( Edited 22.01.2010 00:55 by Andrezao )

 
Glenjamin is offline. Glenjamin 22.01.2010#14

Cheesing it up said:
3D Mario really is over-rated. 2D is platforming gold.

Of course, NSMB didn't advance the world of 2D gaming and must have been cheap to make, but still, give me 2D Mario any day.

Here Here! I second that completely. Still don't mind Super Mario Galaxy 2 though. Smilie

 
Keven is offline. Keven 22.01.2010#15

New Super Mario Bros. does boast a highly addictive multiplayer mode

Ha... Haha.... HAHAHAHA. BAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Oh man, jb, your jokes crack me up.... Smilie


The former top user was Keven! You'd probably give birth to yourself 1000 times over until you sprout wings to fly away into the fading sun, that or you'd just turn into a lesbian. Who knows @_@ - L, 12/06/09
 
meeto_0 is offline. meeto_0 22.01.2010#16

Its a tragedy regardless of the comparative install base. Galaxy had more of a normal sales tail in Japan.
Galaxy is by far the better game and that has nothing to do with it being 3D.
I really feel (in an objective manner not nostalgic) that Super mario world on the Snes had so much depth and hidden details. For a game that uses a world map it felt extremely non linear.

NSMB is good fun but when compared to the mario series as a 2D franchise its really backwards not even multiplayer can mask that)

 
PMD is offline. PMD 22.01.2010#17

Actually, I never thought Super Mario Galaxy was "best game ever" like many people, however NSMBW is so fun to play with other people, I will have to say that is the game I prefer. Two complaints that I have with Galaxy are that it is too slow and the worlds are too small.

I still love SMG and will get SMG2 without a doubt.

 
Canyarion is offline. Canyarion 22.01.2010#18

Thank you for not making me choose between the two. Smilie I enjoy both of them in different ways.

 
Trepe is offline. Trepe 22.01.2010#19

Toon SuperLink said:
This info is incredibly depressing, and it just goes to show that truly great games never sell what they deserve. It's no wonder Nintendo would rather make something with DS graphics in under a year than concentrate on a 3D masterpiece for years.

Also I prefer 3D Mario infinitely, as that has been around for only about 10 years and has already evolved far more than 2D Mario has in 20.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I find it depressing that a game like Mario Galaxy isn't selling more than NSMB. NSMB is good and it's nice to revisit his old game style, but it's a big step backwards. Galaxy is a masterpiece and should be selling like crazy!

 
Luke G (guest) 22.01.2010#20

Mario Galaxy by far its 3d with lots you can do nsmbwii is just the same over again ~ Lucas

Marzeee is offline. Marzeee 22.01.2010#21

It really doesn't have anything to do with 2D or 3D, for me. I enjoy both and some 2D games are in my top videgames of all-time. Super Mario Galaxy is just a far superior game, in my opinion.

( Edited 22.01.2010 12:08 by Marzy )

 
Guest 22.01.2010#22

Both great games, both sold more than enough to warrant sequels, conclusion: everybody should be happy.

 
Teetrab is offline. Teetrab 22.01.2010#23

Uhm hello? When Galaxy was released people had less wii's (the count was still growing). It's only logical now that a new Mario game was released that it would sell more because more people have wii's now than back then.


It barely outsold it anyway not saying that it even matters. Think about it this way a mom walks into a Best Buy or something and asks the worker there
"Ok, I just got a new wii for my son, what do you recommend?"
The guy says "Well there is this new Mario game that's out for the wii that's like...reaaaalyyy cool. I spend hours playing it with my friends. Does he have any brothers or sisters?"
"No, but he has friends that come over all the time!"
"You should get this game it's like reeeaaalllly cool! *snort*"

You see what I mean. The conversation probably didn't even go that far before the mom just bought the newest game out for her kid.

And I agree with Bastardman they're both great games. Just because one sells more than another(barely by that much) doesn't really mean anything. The numbers have to do with the history of wii owners increased over time. You're preference is just that- preference.


What it does show is that more people are willing to play together than alone. More people want multiplayer experience which would lead me to believe that this would have done much better with online capabilities. When will Nintendo get on the online bus? It's really hindering them.

( Edited 22.01.2010 13:38 by Teetrab )

Diablo II
"I'll make weapons from your bones!" - The Smith Paladin: I will cleanse this wilderness. Deckard Cain: Stay a while and listen!
 
dartmonkey is offline. dartmonkey 22.01.2010#24

I wouldn't get too depressed about this. NSMBWii had a big ad push prior to xmas, well tied into the DS version. It has a special eye-catching festive box. They've thrown alot of money at the marketing and it's paid off. It's gonna snare more casuals than Galaxy. I don't remember Galaxy getting that kind of push.

It might not be up with SMG but it's still a solid, well-made fun party game. We should count ourselves lucky that something of this quality is outselling Galaxy and not Game Party or Carnival Games. Their sales-to-date make depressing reading. When they start outselling first-party games then it'll be time to hit the bottle. Until then, it's really not that bad. Galaxy 2's on the way. After that, who knows. But this hardly signals the death of 3D Mario.

Less posty, more gamey.
 
EdEN is offline. EdEN 22.01.2010#25

NSMBW looks like a DS game... really? So the transparecy, lighting, fire and water effects are straight from the DS hardware as are the smooth character models and all the processing power needed to make it so 4 players can interact with each level at the same time?

Look, both are remarkable games. We're getting a sequel to Super Mario Galaxy and you bet Nintendo will release a sequel to NSMB either on DS or on Wii... I think on DS. We're all Nintendo fans, can't we get along without getting all Twilight about how NSMBW has sold more than SMG?

 

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