There’s apparently some method to the madness of why Nintendo did not attempt to cash-in on the Wii’s beloved Super Mario Galaxy franchise – it was all about multiplayer. IGN’s executive editor Rich spoke to Super Mario 3D World’s director Koichi Hayashida and producer Yoshiaki Koizumi after the Nintendo E3 Direct to find out exactly why. Here’s what Rich had to say in his article:

“In short, the answer lies in 3D World’s emphasis on simultaneous 4-player local (only) gameplay. Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi and Director Koichi Hayashida told me that when Super Mario 3D Land was in development, they believed a multiplayer element would be a fantastic addition to that style of game. Though the concept didn’t make it into that 3DS game, they believed the power of Wii U would allow them to fully realize those mechanics.

“Despite having its roots in 3D Land, Hayashida and Koizumi stressed that they are…