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New Super Mario Bros.Reviewed by Alex Tiedemann
As the first side-scrolling Mario game in a long while, New SMB has some high expectations to live up to from fans. As usual, Princess Peach has been kidnapped and Mario must run, jump and fireball his way through roughly 40 levels on his way to a final confrontation with Bowser. Along the way, there are numerous power-ups to collect as well as Star Coins, which can be used to unlock gates on the world map. The iconic Mario power-ups such as the super mushroom, fire flower and starman all return, but are joined by three new items. The mini-mushroom makes Mario tiny, giving him access to smaller warp-pipes in some areas as well as giving him extra air when jumping, though at the cost of reduced damage to enemies. The mega-mushroom causes Mario to practically fill the screen, giving him the power to crush nearly all on-screen obstacles and to shrug off all damage. The final power-up is a blue turtle shell that grants increased mobility underwater and makes Mario invulnerable while tucked inside. All essential elements of a 2D platform game are present and executed perfectly in New SMB. The controls are tight and responsive, giving the player a sense of connection with the on-screen action, which is vital to this kind of game. Enemy placement throughout each level is similarly well done, with few “gotcha” moments from unseen or hidden foes. In addition to the single player story, there is Mario vs. Luigi. In this mode, two players duke it out on one of five looping maps, trying to be the first to collect five stars. There is also a collection of mini-games that will be familiar to anyone who played Super Mario DS. The new twist is that these games can be played against friends in a Mario Party style game without the annoying board game part. In addition, some of the mini-games are ONLY available via multiplayer. Blackjack, Reversi (an Othello clone) and Speed are just a few of the games that can be played. Though nearly perfect, this game does have a few sour points. Compared to other Mario games (Super Mario World for example), New SMB seems short. Though not a requirement, unlockable content is expected in most games these days. Beating the final castle gives you a code to play as Luigi, but he plays exactly like his brother in every way. Collecting every star coin earns you alternate wallpapers for the bottom screen, but nothing substantive like new levels or additional characters are available. More Screenshots (click image to enlarge):
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Developer:
Nintendo
The addition of the competitive Mario vs. Luigi multiplayer mode helps to extend the fun beyond the conclusion of the single player mode. By far the best use of your multiplayer-time is the mini-game mode.
