New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review

The Super Mario Bros. franchise has endured the test of time. Nearly twenty-five years after the original, it is still going strong. New Super Mario Bros. Wii displays just how alive and well it is for today’s generation. Gamers can relive the 2D past of the franchise with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, the first new 2D Super Mario game on consoles since 1995.

In typical Mario style, New Super Mario Bros. Wii has you rescuing a kidnapped Princess Peach from the clutches of Bowser. Similar to the gameplay of Super Mario Bros. 3, the game has an over-world map where you can select from the different levels. Sometimes you will run into obstacles and enemies blocking your path. Overall, there are 88 levels across 9 worlds.

The variety of these worlds is quite impressive, from snow-capped mountains to deserts and beaches. They all bring something unique to the table. Of course, each world has one of Bowser’s children as the castle boss (you actually fight them twice each world). Before you rescue Peach, you then have to take on Bowser himself, which is a lot more difficult than his measly children.

As far as gameplay mechanics go, this is a side-scrolling platform game similar in fashion to the early year Mario games. It is controlled using the Wii Remote sideways as if it were an NES controller. You can do the basic run and jump, but also more advanced slams, wall jumps, and a new spin with the Wii Remote that allows you to gain extra distance, which is especially useful in hitting the flag poles at the end of each level.

While the graphics are 2D, since you play on a flat left-to-right surface, the backgrounds are rendered in 3D and the characters give the appearance of 3D. If you played New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS, then you have a good idea of what you are getting into. This is basically a better-looking version of that game with completely new levels and the addition of multi-player.

One of the first things you will notice when playing New Super Mario Bros. Wii is that it includes multi-player for up to four people on one television. This is both a revolution and a curse, since playing with friends can make a great party game, but it also makes it more difficult to function. Cooperation is not easily attained and since your characters can run into each other, it is quite easy to accidentally (or purposefully) get one of your friends killed.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a fun game to play, particularly with a friend. The levels are long, varied and include a number of surprises. It’s even more fun to run around in a penguin suit or twirly hat that allows you to glide over large areas. The graphical and gameplay styles are a fallback to the pinnacle of 2D gaming over a decade ago. The only things holding it back are the annoyances of running into other players and the fact that it hardly distinguishes itself from New Super Mario Bros. for DS.