Re-exploring 3D Mario

[Banzai Bill]

When Mario platformers jumped to the third dimension, there were many who yearned for a classical throwback to the 2D Mario sidescroller. After that wish was granted in 2006's New Super Mario Bros., Nintendo executives must have been surprised by the financial success that was. Not only is 2D Mario consistently alive today, but even the 3D adventures have been designed more like the 2D ones. Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 3D Land are more like 2D platformers with a z-axis than the open-world exploration of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Now, it seems like the opposite has happened; Mario fans are hungry for a 3D platformer that allows players to explore a sandbox world without a confined path. Can Nintendo go back to exploration-based 3D platforming like they went back to classic 2D platforming?
Let's be realistic: look at the financial success of Super Mario 3D Land. Nintendo is a business looking to make a profit. It wouldn't make sense for them to make a mass-appealing Mario game for a niche audience. So let's just say that the next 3D Mario platformer will follow 3D Land's "2D platformer with a z-axis" mentality. With this in mind, I think the developers can still incorporate exploration elements into the game design. Just imagine a 3D Land sequel where, after you finish a "2D platformer with a z-axis" action level, you go to a 3D overworld rather than a map screen. Let's use Bob-omb's Battlefield. Instead of running around looking for Power Stars, you'd be exploring the battlefield, looking for Warp Pipes that would lead you to the next "2D-like" action level. And if you beat Koopa the Quick in a race, he'd give you a portion of a Warp Pipe--find them all to create a new pipe to a new level.
Now, I know some of you are already objecting to the probability of this. Look at Super Mario Galaxy 2; the game designers moved away from a hub to a map screen. Why would they suddenly turn back now and alienate casual players who might get hopelessly lost in huge 3D overworlds? Well, Nintendo consoles and handhelds have something now that they didn't always have before: a touch screen. Imagine if the touch screen served as a map. After finishing a level, you can just tap the icon and instantly warp to the next level. Exploring the 3D hub or overworld would be optional: you could get through the "main game" without doing any exploration. But those who choose to step out and explore would be rewarded with secret, harder levels and 100% completion. Nintendo could even play with players' psychology to encourage the casuals to explore. Imagine a forest world with a giant temple in the middle. All the levels on the map would be forest levels surrounding the temple. But what is in the temple? What secrets or danger may lie inside? It wouldn't be on the map; curious players would have to step out of their comfort zone to enter the temple and find out for themselves. But hey, if they ever get lost or too confused, they could always tap the map screen and get warped back to familiar territory.
These are just a few thoughts in my heads on how Nintendo could merge nonlinear 3D exploration with more 2D-minded action levels. Do you have other ideas? How else could Nintendo re-explore 3D Mario?

[Indigo]

I am so glad you made this topic, because it's a subject that's been tugging at me for the longest time, and I've had some of my own ideas concerning merging Mario's linear 2D roots with a more explorable 3D world.

First, I'd just like to say that, personally, when it comes to platforming, I much prefer linearity to openness. Linearity lends itself well to focused, tight level design where the developer's ideas are neatly placed into fun obstacle courses. Open worlds, in platforming, can easily turn into collect-a-thons, and often have you running around the same worlds multiple times instead of experiencing numerous, shorter worlds. This is why I much prefer the Galaxies and 3D Land to 64 and Sunshine; the smaller, more focused levels are not only better for platforming, but they allow for great variety in terms of worlds. I mean, I can't speak for anyone else, but I'd rather explore 49 Galaxies only twice or thrice each (a la Galaxy 2) than explore 7 courses about ten times each (a la Sunshine).

Banzai, I really like your idea. It's streamlined for sure - picking linear levels from a map is quick and easy for casual gamers to understand - and yet the explore-at-your-own-pace-if-you-want-to aspect adds a great amount of content and sense of cohesiveness. It'd be a fantastic way to reward more involved gamers, and as you said, might even convince more casual gamers to step outside their comfort zone.

All that being said, I'd like to throw my idea into the mix.

Imagine beginning at Mario's House. After Toad frantically tells you that Peach's Castle is under attack (or some other such nonsense), you (that is, Mario) hop into a pipe, which takes you to an expansive grassland - your very first course. You're being tasked with a linear objective - "reach Toad Town" - and indeed, this Mushroom Plains area stretches out in a generally straightforward manner. You see plenty of Mario-ish obstacles and features; moving platforms over chasms, Goombas and Koopas, and fields of Brick Blocks stand between you and the castle. However, while you notice the silhouette of the Castle far in the distance, you also see that there are plenty of other directions to head in; it's not strictly limiting your ability to explore at your own pace. I'd liken this to a sort of 3D analog to Super Mario World; each course has multiple exits - not necessarily two - and each "exit" would take you to another area on the World Map. But it's not as though each "course" is its own enclosed space, like the courses in 3DL or the Galaxies in SMG; the entire game would have a single seamless world.

Once you reach the end of the course, you're not taken to a hub or World Map; rather, you simply reach the next area. The Flagpole (or whatever) at the end of each course acts as a warp point, similarly to the Warp Pipes in Superstar Saga or the Chakroads in BIS; you're able to access the World Map from these Flagpole warp points and instantly travel to any area you've previously completed. This way, you're encouraged to explore while progressing through the world, but also have a quick way of accessing places you've already been to. Taking my Mushroom Plains example, say you decide to venture off the road to Peach's Castle and discover a hidden mountain trail. Hiking to the top of the grassy mountain leads you to an item of great importance, perhaps similar to a Power Star or a Shine Sprite. Again, I'd compare it to the beginning of SMW; deciding to complete Yoshi's Island 1 instead of Yoshi's Island 2, which progresses you through the game, leads you to the Yellow Switch Palace, which is very useful.

So basically, my idea is to combine the linear aspects of SMG and 3DL with the more explorable worlds of 64 and Sunshine by providing a fairly linear path with plenty of side roads branching off into new areas. Your objective is always straightforward - "get to Toad Town," "infiltrate the Koopaling's Fortress" - but physically, the world is expansive and conducive to exploring if you're feeling bold. No hubs, and no picking levels via a map; progression is natural and seamless. What do you think of my idea? I know it's sort of a wall of text; sorry about that. :S

[Banzai Bill]

I love the idea of merging the levels with the 'overworld,' creating a more cohesive gaming world! But I wonder if Nintendo would really go with it, with their whole streamlining mentality. Guess we'll have to wait and see how they approach the next 3D Mario. I hope they try some sort of merging of traditional 2D Mario with more 3D exploration rather than a straight up sequel to 3D Land or another Super Mario Galaxy.

[thedude3445]

I have been definitely looking forward to the next Mario adventure game. It was about 2 years ago that I posted that Mario 256 idea, and I still wish something like that would come out. I'm just not as big a fan of the linear platformers, which is ironic since I usually prefer shorter/faster-paced video games that I can pick up and play. But Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine were some of my favorite games as a kid; just one more like those would be great.

[thedude3445]

A year later, and it seems Nintendo is keeping still at making linear Mario games, with New Super Mario 3D World. But I really miss the collect a thon genre. Open World Sandbox games are fun, but nowadays they're usually just third-person shooters. Why can't we have larger-scale platformers anymore? A Hat In Time, which was recently funded via Kickstarter, is looking to be great, but other than that we are somewhat barren.