that's kind of how I feel about the console Mario games since Mario 64.  Galaxy and the new one is great, but they lack that exploration that I found so satisfying in 64. 

I know what you mean. Jumping into Bob-omb Battlefield for the first time and being able to run all over the place is one of my top gaming memories. I liked Galaxy but being restricted to a tiny sphere just didn't do it for me.

yeah, me too, Peter.  And I like how they had the hub world of the castle which you could explore to find levels.  so cool.

I really want to jump back into SM64, but I think that they have perfected the controls with the Glaxy games.  If they were to remake Super Mario 64 in the Galaxy engine...  that would be awesome.

That would be really cool and I would buy it all over again

I would too...  that is coming from somebody who already has the N64 version, the DS version and possibly the VC version.

Yep, me too.

Galaxy is one of my favourites.  I think that they found a happy medium between the complete freedom of 64 and the linear nature of the most recent games.  

Agree with this. Galaxy had some linearity in the levels and some missions, but there's was much freedom to do whatever you wanted.

This. A thousand times this. SM64 will probably always be my favorite Mario unless they decide to recreate its relatively open style - and improve on it - in a future release.

I really wish all my games had the original box, box art, and instruction booklets.

Well, the times are a changing.  When I picked up MGS:  Ground Zeroes and inFamous:  Second Son I don't think that they has an actual instruction booklet.  There were download codes and a seizure warning sheet in the game and that was it.  The one cool thing is that they both have awesome reversible covers.

I do love reversible covers...

I felt the same way. It was fun, but didn't have the magic of the Galaxy games.

I think that it has to do with the fact that they took the New SMB formula and put it in 3D courses.  I think that 3D Mario's need a little bit more freedom than just running to the flag at the end.

After playing all the 16 bit Marios I never could get into the 3d ones even with Zelda it took Wind Walker to convert me over but what a great game that was ;)

I will always prefer the 16-bit games over the 3D ones.  Super Mario World and A Link to the Past are my favourite games in their respective series.  I can appreciate the 3D entries, but they just don't do it for me like the 16-bit ones.

Thor:  God of Thunder done by Wayforward? Cool. On my wishlist now. Thanks.

Which means that the game is gorgeous...  if you are into pixel art.  This is only the DS version of the game.  The Wii, PS3, 360, and 3DS games are developed by some other company(s).

Oh, then I'll add the DS version.

I only order new games from GameStop online because of the "box lottery".   For any manuals or boxes you don't have, you could try going to the local GS and getting them from the store.  GS doesn't care about the manuals.  If you see them, just ask can you have'em.  As for the boxes, they have to do work of replacing them with a fake box, so getting those are a tricky unless you know some one that works there and doesn't mind. 

I've been having mixed feelings about Mario games for years.  I think Nintendo is putting too many of them out too fast.  Playing through the game again, sounds like something they'd do during the NES era to extend a game.  I think Nintendo should hold off from the Mario games for a few years or so.  Take their time and make an awesome game.  At least give us a chance to miss Mario.  

I have to look at the Mario games as two different series at this point.  There is the "NEW" series that while fun doesn't hold a candle to the core Mario series that contains the 3D Land/World, Galaxy, 64, the NES and SNES games...

You don't have to go through all the second set of levels in Mario 3-D Land to rescue Luigi, just a few.

I will come back to it.  I just need a short break for the time being.

Yeah, you get him at the end of World 1, I think. I still haven't finished my second run of the game. Somewhere in World 7 but I've been playing as Luigi ever since getting him.

I think 3D Land is tailored really well to its platform. The levels are short and the 3D is actually useful. It's different than the Marios that came before but it's supposed to be, hence the name not following an established Mario "series." I'm glad you enjoyed it at least. I wonder if you'd think 3D World is more Mario-y.

Looks like you made some good choices there. I was wondering why you got Thor but now it makes sense. WayForward does good work 

If I know that 3D World is in the same "series"  as 3D Land, then I go into it with proper expectations.  I don't know when I will be able to play it though.  By the time I might have an opportunity at the in-laws, Mario Kart 8 will most likely be out and we all will play that.  And I know that I won't be able to convince my wife to get a Wii U anytime soon...  eventhough she would have definitely said yes, had I not gone and gotten a PS4 without her permission.

I think that the average price per game that I paid was pretty darn good.  Especially since the online store sold things at B3G2.  Which, if my math is correct, is a better deal than B2G1.

I will eventually continue SM3DL and beat it, but I feel like you, even if i'm more slightly positive about the game. I respect and admire how they managed to put the NSMB level structure in 3D, but the linearity and easiness doesn't really suit me. I admit that the first Galaxy was easy in some parts, but not enough to make it feel like a walk in the park and even with the linearity, you still had some room for exploration and you could do the levels and missions in which ever order you wanted. That said, i'm still excited to play 3DW because maybe Nintendo improved on the 3DL formula.

Okami and Wario Land: Shake It are good buys.

I haven't played 3D Land in a while, think I'm still stuck on the last bonus level that doesn't have any checkpoints. Need to get back to it eventually.

Dead Space Extraction: great on rails shooter I've enjoyed on the Wii. still debating about getting the PS3 version since I don't have PS move.

I'll still debating about getting that mario game. I did enjoy the demo I played at a store but not sure if I can get into the game if i have to have the 3D turned on the whole time.