I think you are missing the point. We are not talking sales; we're talking reception. The game has been met with a mixed at best reception as many gamers recognize it for what it is. Critics have given it around 10% lower scores than any other main Mario game in recent years. And much of us feel the game just did not live up to all the hype.
Sure, any game that is a main franchise Mario platformer will sell, but that doesn't mean it is a good game. And it doesn't mean that people don't regret buying it.
No, I am
not missing the point.
Its average score is slightly lower than most other Super Mario games, I realize that. But how is that a "BIG PROBLEM"?
In my humble opinon, it's not. Not at all. I get the impression that some people just can't stop complaining and whining, no matter what, either because they are too jaded or just bored or just too intent on focusing on the negative, for whatever personal reason. Now, of course, everybody is entitled to their opinions, sure, but MOST people love the game... just not as much as some other Mario games. So what? It's not 100% perfect, but it's still a good--yes, even great--game. Get over it, and enjoy the good stuff, I say. After all, it's not every day (or even every year!) that we get a new Super Mario game. Or at least when you need to point out all its deficiencies and mention again and again how medicore the game is, at least have the courtesy to mention the good stuff as well (if you can think of any, that is).
No hard feelings.
(And trust me, if it was a truly bad or mediocre game, I would be among the first to point it out. And this is, really, not.)
Some official reviews here, and when you go through them, you can see that it's not the disaster that some people make it out to be. Hell, Famitsu awarded it 36/40!
New Super Mario Bros. 2 has received mostly positive reviews. It holds an aggregated score of 78.12% on
GameRankings and 78/100 on
Metacritic. The game was given a 36/40 by
Famitsu with 9's from all four reviewers
. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game a 9/10, stating "
This platforming perfection is what makes Mario games so fun, and in that regard, New Super Mario Bros. 2 definitely succeeds with its own share of secrets, collectibles, and branching pathways that can be unlocked depending on how you should advance through the game".
NintendoLife gave the game 9 out of 10 stars, saying "
It’s immense fun, boasts brilliant level design and offers enough repeat play appeal to keep you glued to your 3DS system for weeks". However,
CheatCodes.com gave it a 6.5 out of 10, saying they were "pretty sure [they] played this game already", referencing the fact that many
Mario games play similarly.
