Is Paper Mario 3DS going to struggle with a summer release date?

[CM30]

Because part of me suspects that's not really a good time of year to be releasing such a game. Not only is there no holiday rush like there'd be if it were released in November/December time, but it's also likely being released around the same month as New Super Mario Bros 2.

That worries me a bit, because;

For the general Nintendo/Mario audience, that's a time of year when they might only be able to afford one game. But New Super Mario Bros 2 is probably going to be more mainstream, more well known and generally seen (for right or wrong) as more worthy of a purchase than Paper Mario 3DS. If it was Christmas people might have bought both, but in the middle of the year?

There's also the worrying chance that the media will give a lot more coverage to the 2D platformer than the RPG, hence the latter will find it pretty difficult to get advertising. Are IGN or Gamespot really going to devote lots of time to promoting Paper Mario over New Super Mario Bros 2?

Am I the only person who thinks one or more of these games should have been delayed until at least November?

 

[Pocodudeface]

I don't think it will affect Paper Mario's sales very much, although I do agree that NSMB2 will sell a lot better. I'd like to see Paper Mario early August and NSMB2 early Late November personally.

 

[ALEX21]

paper mario sucked

 

[CM30]

^Which one?

Not that I'd agree any of them sucked.

 

[Yoshi64Mario]

If I ended up only being able to afford one, I would go for Paper Mario. But it doesn't matter if I can only afford one, since Paper Mario is already pre-ordered and paid for and has been since last year.

 

[Fillfall]

I can probably afford both of them, so doesn't matter.

 

[Audacity]

I think you're right, or at least have a point. I think NSMB2 will probably take the spotlight and most of the attention away from Paper Mario. A lot of people on these forums will probably get both, but I wouldn't expect that to be true of the public at large.

Just the same, SM3Dland and Mario Kart released just a month apart, and they both did well. But there may be some Mario fatigue setting in where Paper Mario just won't be able to create the same level of excitement.

 

[CM30]

Difference with Mario Kart and Mario 3D Land is release date, they were both released near Christmas. As a result, people had disposable income and people could just get both.

They're also equally 'important' Mario games to Nintendo, hence neither got shafted in marketing. But let's face it, whether you like it or not, Paper Mario is basically a C list Nintendo series as far as priority goes. Only a million or two people buy each game in the series, compared to the 20 million who'll probably buy New Super Mario Bros 2.

 

[Fillfall]

Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land are completily different. Paper Mario and New Super Mario Bros 2 is both 2D platformers..

 

[Audacity]

They're also equally 'important' Mario games to Nintendo, hence neither got shafted in marketing. But let's face it, whether you like it or not, Paper Mario is basically a C list Nintendo series as far as priority goes. Only a million or two people buy each game in the series, compared to the 20 million who'll probably buy New Super Mario Bros 2.

True, but Paper Mario probably doesn't have to sell millions to be a success. I'm sure Nintendo have a fairly good idea what to expect.

Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land are completily different.

I know that, but they're both Mario games, and both appeal to much the same audience without really splitting it. Nintendo probably think Paper Mario is quite different from NSMB2 as well. I think it's more of an RPG than a platformer. To be honest I haven't played previous entries in the series.