History YMMV / NewSuperMarioBros

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series did not drastically change the gameplay as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps, Wall Jumps, and Ground Pounds) to 2D ''Mario'' games. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a creative new entry alongside the old-school games. Its not drastic but still significant gameplay changes also helped bridge the gap between both game genres by adding gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games and it still introduced a bunch of new powerups as well though some were either rare and the Mini Mushroom was a [[PowerupLetdown power up letdown]] (though it also could be DifficultButAwesome) and several new enemies and unique Bosses never seen again in its sequels. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, [[CoOpMultiplayer co-op play]], [[TheBusCameBack the return of the Koopalings]], and Yoshi returning as a PowerUpMount, [[NintendoHard more challenging levels]] and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward" and almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. Then when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii predecessor despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released DLC and a UpdatedRerelease for those two games rather than new ones until ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosWonder'' in October 2023 [[SequelGap almost 11 years]] later, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

* ContestedSequel: To the old-school lineage of ''Super Mario Bros'' games from the NES, SNES and (to a lesser extent) Game Boy. The primary reason is because many fans perceive insufficient progress from the games in refreshing the gameplay formula, particularly from the second game onwards. It didn't get this reaction too bad until Nintendo announced a third and fourth game to be released in the same year (namely 2012), and since then people began to deride Nintendo for over-relying on the sub-series, if not ''Mario'' as a whole, derisively being compared to the oversaturation of the ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' series. [[CriticalDissonance Though it hasn't stopped each game from being a commercial success, and while the critical reception has remained highly positive, fan reactions have been more polarized.]]

* SoOkayItsAverage: The general consensus about ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''. There is nothing outright ''awful'' about the game, and even the game's detractors will agree that it is a well-designed, polished, and perfectly serviceable 2D ''Mario'' platformer at its core. However, the [[NewWorkRecycledGraphics reuse of almost all assets]], all VideoGameSettings, and [[RecycledSoundtrack soundtrack]] from ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', the [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks complete lack of new and original ideas and improvements to the core gameplay]], the coin gimmick [[UnderusedGameMechanic not adding much to the formula]], various [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot missed]] [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter opportunities]], and the [[ItsEasySoItSucks overly easy difficulty]], cause it to be this for several fans and critics alike and ultimately make it forgettable, unlike its [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 DS]] and Wii predecessors and even its [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU Wii U successor]], being vastly considered the weakest and most unoriginal game in the ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' sub-series by far and one of the weakest mainline ''Mario'' games, falling short of fulfilling expectations although not an outright bad game in the end, also featuring a few saving graces in its throwbacks to ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' and ''Super Mario World'' in bringing back the Raccoon Leaf and the Reznors and the coin collection gimmick being well implemented in levels (if not actually ''new'' and not adding much to the formula plus having various missed opportunities).

* GameBreaker: Each of the VideoGameFlight ([[NotQuiteFlight or at least something close]]) power-ups: The Propeller Mushroom in ''Wii'' and ''U'', the Super Acorn in ''U'', and the Super Leaf in ''2''.

* SoOkayItsAverage: There is nothing outright ''awful'' about the game, and even the game's detractors will agree that it is a well-designed, polished, and perfectly serviceable 2D ''Mario'' platformer at its core. However, the [[NewWorkRecycledGraphics reuse of almost all assets]], all VideoGameSettings, and [[RecycledSoundtrack soundtrack]] from ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', the [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks complete lack of new and original ideas and improvements to the core gameplay]], the coin gimmick [[UnderusedGameMechanic not adding much to the formula]], various [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot missed]] [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter opportunities]], and the [[ItsEasySoItSucks overly easy difficulty]], cause it to be this for several fans and critics alike and ultimately make it forgettable, unlike its [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 DS]] and Wii predecessors and even its [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU Wii U successor]], being vastly considered the weakest and most unoriginal game in the ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' sub-series by far and one of the weakest mainline ''Mario'' games, falling short of fulfilling expectations although not an outright bad game in the end, also featuring a few saving graces in its throwbacks to ''Super Mario Bros. 3'' and ''Super Mario World'' in bringing back the Raccoon Leaf and the Reznors and the coin collection gimmick being well implemented in levels (if not actually ''new'' and not adding much to the formula plus having various missed opportunities).

* SoOkayItsAverage: The general opinion of ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''. There is nothing outright ''awful'' about the game, and even the game's detractors will agree that it is a well-designed, polished, and perfectly serviceable 2D ''Mario'' platformer at its core, however, the [[NewWorkRecycledGraphics reuse of almost all assets]], all VideoGameSettings, and [[RecycledSoundtrack soundtrack]] from ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks the complete lack of new and original ideas and improvements to the core gameplay]], the coin gimmick [[UnderusedGameMechanic not adding much to the formula]], and the [[ItsEasySoItSucks overly easy difficulty]], cause it to be this for several fans and critics alike and ultimately make it forgettable, unlike its [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 DS]] and Wii predecessors and even its [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU Wii U successor]], being vastly considered the weakest and most unoriginal game in the ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' sub-series by far and one of the weakest mainline ''Mario'' games, falling short of fulfilling expectations although not an outright bad game in the end.

* SoOkayItsAverage: The general opinion of ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''. For the most part, it's not considered a ''bad'' game, but just the weakest and by far most unoriginal entry in an already divisive sub-series.

* HilariousInHindsight: If one reverses Mario's dialogue in ''DS'', Mario will sound like he's saying "Thanos". Guess which character would later be confirmed to be the villain of the Avengers?

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: Though ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' is often lumped in with ''[=NSMB2=]'' as the AudienceAlienatingEra of the sub-series, a subset of fans do see it as an improvement over that game, since it has more originality, modes, and is more challenging. And if ''New Super Luigi U'' counts (given that it's DownloadableContent for, and therefore reuses plenty, from ''New Super Mario Bros. U''), then its seen as a surprising improved sequel to both games, being the one of the most unique entries in the sub-series since the first and second ones.

** The fanbase was pretty hyped for the original ''New Super Mario Bros.'', as it was the 2D Mario revival they had been clamoring for, and it got massive critical and commercial success upon release. It also helped revive 2D platformers on consoles. ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' was similarly celebrated and not long after its release, [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4 other]] [[VideoGame/RaymanOrigins titles]] [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns followed]]. Then the [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU sequels that]] [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2 came after]] were considered uninspired, gimicky in the latter case, and derivative, recycling too much from previous games, making fans consider that the New Super Mario Bros. formula became stale, giving a bad reputation to the original 2006 DS game and especially its sequel on the Wii. Now, with four ''[=NSMB=]'' games released (plus an extensive DLC released later as both a standalone game and a DLC), some fans have grown to view the sub-series as a pointless, boring series of rehashes, and often compare it unfavorably with other ''Mario'' titles (even accusing its "generic" formula of seeping into ''Mario'' games in other genres, perhaps most notably [[VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar the Mario RPGs]]).
** Hardly anyone will mention how the original ''New Super Mario Bros.'' brought gameplay elements introduced in 3D Mario games (namely Triple Jumps, Wall Jumps, and Ground Pounds) to 2D Mario games or the fact that the game still introduced plenty of unique creative Bosses to the franchise. The unique Blue Shell Power-up from the first game will also seldom be mentioned when speaking about franchise.

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series did not drastically change the gameplay as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps, Wall Jumps, and Ground Pounds) to 2D ''Mario'' games. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a creative new entry alongside the old-school games. Its not drastic but still significant gameplay changes also helped bridge the gap between both game genres by adding gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games and it still introduced a bunch of new powerups as well though some were either rare and the Mini Mushroom was a [[PowerupLetdown power up letdown]] (though it also could be DifficultButAwesome) and several new enemies and unique Bosses never seen again in its sequels. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, [[CoOpMultiplayer co-op play]], [[TheBusCameBack the return of the Koopalings]], and Yoshi returning as a PowerUpMount, [[NintendoHard more challenging levels]] and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward" and almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. Then when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released DLC and a UpdatedRerelease for those two games rather than new ones until ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosWonder'' in October 2023 [[SequelGap almost 11 years]] later, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table gameplay-wise as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps, Wall Jumps, and Ground Pounds) to 2D ''Mario'' games, however, the game still introduced several unique bosses and enemies to the franchise and had a bunch of new powerups though some were either rare or some considered them [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]]. Also some of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was considered by many to be Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a creative new entry alongside the old-school games. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, [[CoOpMultiplayer co-op play]], [[TheBusCameBack the return of the Koopalings]], and Yoshi returning as a PowerUpMount, [[NintendoHard more challenging levels]] and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward" and almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. Then when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released DLC and a UpdatedRerelease for those two games rather than new ones until ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosWonder'' in October 2023 [[SequelGap almost 11 years]] later, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

* FirstInstallmentWins: Fans generally prefer the first two games over later entries, with a subset of them considering the very first ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1'' the best in the series, due to its EarlyInstallmentWeirdness which they feel makes the game unique and allows it to stand out far more in hindsight when compared to its sequels. It helps the original Nintendo DS title that future games recycled much more heavily from ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' and ''[[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU U]]'', leaving the original with its own distinct soundtrack and [[MediumBlending blend]] of pixel art and low-poly 3D modeling alongside its unique bosses that never reappeared in any sequel either, instead being replaced by either the Koopalings, the Reznors, or Boom-Boom.

* FirstInstallmentWins: Fans generally prefer the first two games over later entries, with a subset of them considering the very first ''New Super Mario Bros.'' the best in the series, due to its EarlyInstallmentWeirdness which they feel makes the game unique and allows it to stand out far more in hindsight when compared to its sequels. It helps the Nintendo DS title that future games recycled more heavily from ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' and ''[[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU U]]'', leaving the original with its distinct soundtrack and [[MediumBlending blend]] of pixel art and low-poly modeling.

* FirstInstallmentWins: Fans generally prefer the first two games over later entries, with a subset of them considering the very first ''New Super Mario Bros.'' the best in the series, due to its EarlyInstallmentWeirdness which they feel makes the game unique and allows it to stand out far more in hindsight when compared to its sequels.

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table gameplay-wise as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps, Wall Jumps, and Ground Pounds) to 2D ''Mario'' games, however, the game still introduced several unique bosses and enemies to the franchise and had a bunch of new powerups though some were either rare or some considered them [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]]. Also some of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was considered by many to be Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a creative new entry alongside the old-school games. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, [[CoOpMultiplayer co-op play]], [[TheBusCameBack the return of the Koopalings]], and Yoshi returning as a PowerUpMount, [[NintendoHard more challenging levels]] and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward" and almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. Then when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released UpdatedRerelease games rather than new ones, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

* ItsEasySoItSucks: A common complaint of the sub-series, at least the handheld games. The console games, on the other hand, are much more difficult.

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table gameplay-wise as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D ''Mario'' games, however, the game still introduced several unique bosses and enemies to the franchise and had a bunch of new powerups though some were either rare or some considered them [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]]. Also some of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was considered by many to be Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a creative new entry alongside the old-school games. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, [[CoOpMultiplayer co-op play]], [[TheBusCameBack the return of the Koopalings]], and Yoshi returning as a PowerUpMount, [[NintendoHard more challenging levels]] and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward" and almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. Then when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released UpdatedRerelease games rather than new ones, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

** Hardly anyone will mention how the original ''New Super Mario Bros.'' brought gameplay elements introduced in 3D Mario games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D Mario games or the fact that the game still introduced plenty of unique creative Bosses to the franchise. The unique Blue Shell Power-up from the first game will also seldom be mentioned when speaking about franchise.

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: Though ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' is often lumped in with ''[=NSMB2=]'' as the AudienceAlienatingEra of the sub-series, a subset of fans do see it as an improvement over that game, since it has more originality, and is more challenging. And if ''New Super Luigi U'' counts, then its seen as a surprising improved sequel to both games, being the most unique entry in the sub-series since the first one.

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table gameplay-wise as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D ''Mario'' games, however, the game still introduced several unique bosses and enemies to the franchise and had a bunch of new powerups though some were either rare or some considered them [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]]. Also some of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was considered by many to be Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a creative new entry alongside the old-school games. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, [[CoOpMultiplayer co-op play]], [[TheBusCameBack the return of the Koopalings]], and Yoshi returning as a PowerUpMount, [[NintendoHard more challenging levels]] and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward". Not to mention almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. And when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released UpdatedRerelease games rather than new ones, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

** The fanbase was pretty hyped for the original ''New Super Mario Bros.'', as it was the 2D Mario revival they had been clamoring for, and it got massive critical and commercial success upon release. It also helped revive 2D platformers on consoles. Not long after the release of ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4 other]] [[VideoGame/RaymanOrigins titles]] [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountryReturns followed]]. Now, with four ''[=NSMB=]'' games released (plus an extensive DLC released later as both a standalone game and a DLC), some fans have grown to view the sub-series as a pointless, boring series of rehashes, and often compare it unfavorably with other ''Mario'' titles (even accusing its "generic" formula of seeping into ''Mario'' games in other genres, perhaps most notably [[VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar the Mario RPGs]]).

** The Koopalings returning in ''Wii'' was one of the game's biggest selling points, as they hadn't appeared since ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' and had largely been replaced by Bowser Jr, with ''Wii'' being the first game to feature all eight working together. Then the Koopalings came back for ''2'' and ''U'', along with a bunch of other games in the series, and fans started to get tired of them as, due to them being a group of seven, they would typically take up most of the boss roster whenever they appeared and, for the ''New'' games, become part of the originality critiques. Nowadays, the Koopalings have gone from an EnsembleDarkhorse group to a BaseBreakingCharacter one (and in turn boosted Bowser Jr from ReplacementScrappy to BaseBreakingCharacter) and became part of the reason the original game, with its original and more creative boss fights, is still held up while the later games have become controversial.

** Hardly anyone will mention how the original ''New Super Mario Bros.'' brought gameplay elements introduced in 3D Mario games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D Mario games or the fact that the game still introduced plenty of unique Bosses and new Power-ups to the franchise
** The unique creative Bosses and unique Blue Shell Power-up from the first game will also seldom be mentioned when speaking about franchise.

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table gameplay-wise as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D ''Mario'' games, however, the game still introduced several unique bosses and enemies to the franchise and had a bunch of new powerups though some were either rare or some considered them [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]]. Also some of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was considered by many to be Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a new entry alongside the old-school games. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, [[CoOpMultiplayer co-op play]], [[TheBusCameBack the return of the Koopalings]], and Yoshi returning as a PowerUpMount, [[NintendoHard more challenging levels]] and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward". Not to mention almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. And when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released UpdatedRerelease games rather than new ones, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

** Hardly anyone will mention how the original ''New Super Mario Bros.'' brought gameplay elements introduced in 3D Mario games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D Mario games.

** Critics of the franchise that derisively call the series {{Mission Pack Sequel}}s may remember that [[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels the original game's sequel]] had much of the same criticism, and was part of the reason ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' was initially favored for Western release instead.[[note]]That, and the Fuji TV exclusive characters that populated [[VideoGame/DokiDokiPanic the original game]] weren't coming back any time soon, as they were one-offs.[[/note]]

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table gameplay-wise as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D ''Mario'' games, however, the game still introduced several unique bosses and enemies to the franchise and had a bunch of new powerups though some were either rare or some considered them [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]]. Also some of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was considered by many to be Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a new entry alongside the old-school games. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, co-op play, the return of the Koopalings and Yoshi, and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward". Not to mention almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. And when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series, not helping was that Nintendo eventually released UpdatedRerelease games rather than new ones, such as ''New Super Luigi U'' (which focused on Luigi as the main playable and added Nabbit to the roster) and ''New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe'' (the Nintendo Switch rerelease which added ''Luigi U'''s content plus Toadette as a playable character with her own unique powerup).

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table gameplay-wise as far as ''Mario'' platformers went besides bringing gameplay elements introduced in 3D ''Mario'' games (namely Triple Jumps and Wall Jumps) to 2D ''Mario'' games, however, the game still introduced several unique bosses and enemies to the franchise and had a bunch of new powerups though some were either rare or some considered them [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]]. Also some of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade and was considered by many to be Mario's--and the video game industry in general's--[[WinBackTheCrowd grand return]] to the 2D PlatformGame scene and the game still had more than enough content to stand on its own as a new entry alongside the old-school games. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little besides introducing a new Spin Jump [[FanNickname "Twirl"]] move, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured four player simultaneous multiplayer, co-op play, the return of the Koopalings and Yoshi, and was the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience as well. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward". Not to mention almost the entire soundtrack was [[RecycledSoundtrack recycled]] from ''Wii''. And when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had not much to sell itself on, besides Baby Yoshis, a Challenge mode and a few new powerups and briefly-appearing new biomes, still looking and playing basically the same as its Wii prequel despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series.

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table, as ''Mario'' platformers went. There were few original characters or concepts, the few new powerups were either rare or [[PowerupLetdown power up letdowns]], and even most of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured co-op play, the return of the Koopalings, and being the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward." And when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had almost nothing to sell itself on, with only one new briefly-appearing biome and a few new powerups, still looking and playing basically the same as its DS originator despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series.

* ContestedSequel: To the old-school lineage of ''Super Mario Bros'' games from the NES, SNES and (to a lesser extent) Game Boy. The primary reason is because many fans perceive insufficient progress from the games in refreshing the gameplay formula. It didn't get this reaction too bad until Nintendo announced a third and fourth game to be released in the same year (namely 2012), and since then people began to deride Nintendo for over-relying on the sub-series, if not ''Mario'' as a whole, derisively being compared to the oversaturation of the ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' series. [[CriticalDissonance Though it hasn't stopped each game from being a commercial success, and while the critical reception has remained highly positive, fan reactions have been more polarized.]]

* FirstInstallmentWins: Fans generally prefer the first two games over later entries, with a subset of them considering the very first ''New Super Mario Bros.'' the best in the series, due to its EarlyInstallmentWeirdness making it stand out more in hindsight compared to the other games.

** The [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 first game]] in the ''New Super Mario Bros.'' series didn't add much new to the table, as ''Mario'' platformers went. There were few original characters or concepts, the few new powerups were either rare or [[PowerupLetdown useless gimmicks]], and even most of the VideoGameSettings were recycled from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[note]]the PipeMaze and MacroZone biomes were replaced with mountains and jungles[[/note]]. This was generally not seen as a big flaw, as... well, it was in the title; it was the first new major 2D ''Mario'' game in over a decade. When the series got its second entry, the core gameplay and aesthetics changed little, with nearly all the powerups and biomes being recycled, but it featured co-op play, the return of the Koopalings, and being the first ''console'' 2D Mario since ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', all of which were strong enough for the game to sell itself as a new experience. But with ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'', the closest thing to a defining gimmick the game had was "there are lots of coins around for no reason, collect them for a BraggingRightsReward." And when ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosU'' came out (and went on to be rereleased twice), not only did it hit on the same year as ''2'', but it had almost nothing to sell itself on, with only one new briefly-appearing biome and a few new powerups, still looking and playing basically the same as its DS originator despite being a UsefulNotes/WiiU launch title and therefore the first HD ''Mario'' game. The things that had once been novel selling points had now been recycled multiple times over, and as a result, the lack of originality became one of the biggest criticisms for the entire sub-series.

* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: Every game in the series invoked this reaction from people due to it being a 2D platformer with the same artstyle, which reached a peak with ''2'' and ''U''.

* SoOkayItsAverage: The general opinion of ''New Super Mario Bros. 2''. For the most part, it's not considered a ''bad'' game, but just the weakest entry in an already divisive sub-series.

** The Koopalings returning in ''Wii'' was one of the game's biggest selling point, as they hadn't appeared since ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' and had largely been replaced by Bowser Jr, with ''Wii'' being the first game to feature all eight working together. Then the Koopalings came back for ''2'' and ''U'', along with a bunch of other games in the series, and fans started to get tired of them as, due to them being a group of seven, they would typically take up most of the boss roster whenever they appeared and, for the ''New'' games, become part of the originality critiques. Nowadays, the Koopalings have gone from an EnsembleDarkhorse group to a BaseBreakingCharacter one (and in turn boosted Bowser Jr from ReplacementScrappy to BaseBreakingCharacter) and became part of the reason the original game, with its original and more creative boss fights, is still held up while the later games have become controversial.