Postby krakin » Tue Jul 18, 2023 11:48 am
Oh man, that's a tough one! World maps and hub worlds in Mario games both have their charms, and they've been part of the series for ages. World maps have a sort of classic feel to them, Super Mario Bros. 3 pioneered the world map, making it feel like you were embarking on a grand adventure, navigating through different lands and levels. It added a nice sense of progression and exploration as you moved from one area to another. Subsequent games like the New Super Mario Bros. series also make use of a world map like this; you'd hop around on the map, picking levels and branching paths – straightforward and familiar. NSMBU took it up a notch and connected all of the worlds together, with dynamic map music that changed instruments when you traveled across worlds. There were also powerups that you could collect on the map, as well as Baby Yoshis.
On the other hand, hub worlds bring a more immersive experience. Take Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, for instance. The Comet Observatory and Starship Mario were not only breathtakingly beautiful but also interactive. It felt like you were living inside the Mario universe, which was super cool. Plus, you could access different galaxies and levels right from the different domes on the Comet Observatory. Super Mario 64 (the other game you mentioned) took place in Princess Peach's Castle as the hub world where you could jump into different paintings to go to levels.
Honestly, I think it comes down to personal preference. Some folks love the open-ended feel of hub worlds, while others adore the nostalgia and sense of adventure that world maps offer. Fortunately, Nintendo has been doing a fantastic job blending the two styles in their recent titles, giving players a variety of experiences. In the end, both world maps and hub worlds are pretty awesome in their own ways, and it's great that Mario games keep exploring different gameplay styles.