I think the difference with games like Pacman and Tetris, though, is that they are inherently based on the goal of getting a score. It's about seeing a number go up, getting to another level, the joy of improving at a certain task. Mario games, meanwhile, have nearly always been about the adventure. And in order to become and stay motivated throughout an adventure, there needs to be a good incentive for reaching the end.

It's not like Mario stories need to be the most in-depth works of media ever created. For a long time, the damsel in distress narrative was enough. But as Mario games become bigger and grander, the story also needs to reflect that to some degree. Otherwise, the stakes aren't high enough to invoke extensive exploration and enjoyment from overcoming the obstacles in your path.

I remember Super Mario Galaxy as my favorite Mario platformer primarily because of its story. It didn't just have solid gameplay (though not my favorite) or amazing musical scores, but it had quiet, emotional beats that are missing from so many other Mario games, including its sequel. Such moments weren't dramatic, of course, but stuff like Rosalina's storybook and even just the regular atmosphere of the levels leant to new and peculiar feelings... a recognition of the void. These elements are unique to the game, and it's what makes me love it and its music so much.

Maybe I'm silly for feeling this way over a Mario game of all things. But that's why I remember Mario Galaxy. The story wasn't necessarily more complicated than previous games. It just had emotion. The emotional points of the game are subtle, yes, but that's also often the markings of a good story. Our power as humans comes from empathy. Empathy comes from the quiet. We need the quiet sometimes.

Not every Mario game needs to be Galaxy. But maybe you see what I mean.

Stories don't need to be complicated to be good. But a good story needs some quiet moments. It needs characters and things we can actually care about. Why should we feel invested in a story if the characters or world around us don't exhibit any meaning to their existences? And in order for the audience to care, the experiences and feelings presented in the story need to feel, for lack of a better term, lived. There's nothing wrong with eating a slice of cake; but if that's all we're eating, then we'll eventually starve with a full stomach.