I get a lot of guff for saying this. And I will admit I haven’t played most of Mario’s games (though I have watched many a review and lets play so I feel like I at least have an idea), but Mario has always felt more... safe? Like, it’s to abstract and weird to feel like it’s a consistent world you’re exploring. Whereas DK has always felt more natural. It has more charm than Mario.
Heck. If it makes you feel better, i’ll get the free year of NSO and try out the available Mario games.
To say that the Mario games are safe, is fair imo. To say they are that way without having played the games themselves(especially when the original is so easy to obtain online or through legitimate sources, such as official emulation in Virtual Console) is setting yourself up for controversy.
The main thing about the Mario games is that most of them seem to focus on one particular aspect.
The original didn't really have one(obviously)
Same with Mario 2(aka The Lost Levels)
Mario 3 focused on the map-based level selection
And then we get into the spinoffs
Mario Party, is just Mario Party, really. Has been the same, with a few minor changes here and there.(if that ****ing cart is in MP 12 omg!)
The Paper Mario series is easily the most innovative, and I don't think I can do it justice imo.
Then the Yoshi tie-ins, just exist really, they don't really do much besides include Mario elements with Yoshi movement.
etc etc.