New Super Mario Bros. U

Blog Post: New Super Mario Bros. U: Grounded in Familiarity, But Still A Blast

Jack Treese — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:45:00 GMT

I know I'm a bit late to the party on this, but New Super Mario Bros. U is a terrific platformer despite its all-too familiar territory and design.

Each New Super Mario Bros. title is a slightly different experience with one overall idea; to bring the nostalgic joy of yesterday's Mario games into today's generation of gamers young and old. The DS original introduced this idea, the Wii iteration added couch co-op to the mix, and the 3DS edition is much the same as its DS counterpart, except it has an emphasis on coin-grabbing. So how does the Wii U iteration fare in comparison?

From the outside, it looks like the same game with an HD coat of paint. However, upon picking up the Wii U GamePad and plugging away by yourself or with a friend, it eventually becomes clear that it's like the Wii edition with the added twist of being able to place platforms for your friends to go for those hard-to-reach items or coins. For the solo player this doesn't add too much to the table unless you're using a Wii remote in conjunction with the GamePad's screen, but for co-op sessions it's a godsend.

Obviously, there's not to much in the way of story--a castle party with Peach is rudely interrupted by Bowser and his cohorts who hold Peach hostage while sending Mario, Luigi and their toad friends away. However, whereas New Super Mario Bros. Wii reminded me more of Super Mario Bros. 3 in its design, the Wii U game reminds me more of my favorite, Super Mario World. At any point, you can look over the entire world map to see how much more you have to go, and it seems like a lot of platforming is ahead of you.

The game introduces a new item in the form of a flying squirrel mushroom. Like the name implies, this item gives you the ability to fly temporarily after giving yourself a good running start. In addition, Yoshi makes a comeback, and he's brought his little Baby Yoshi friends that can grant you different abilities for stages. For example, the magenta (fuschia? pink/purple? Whatever.) Yoshis can turn into air balloons at the tap of a button to help you over gaps in certain levels. These abilities become very useful without ever feeling shoehorned into the gameplay.

In addition, there is a whole new challenge mode that gives players different challenges and types of challenges to try besting themselves or their friends with. For example, there are speed run challenges that obviously challenge you to get through a certain level within a specific time frame. Another mode has you reaching for as many (or as few) coins as possible. Then there's a new Boost Rush mode that puts Mario veterans to the test with challenges that require the Wii U GamePad's ability to add platforms.

All of this is an old-school Mario fan's wildest dreams come true. However, there are a couple things about the game that bother me. The GamePad's implementation is awesome for couch co-op, but it can become a borderline annoyance for solo gamers, especially the ones that want to play the game in its entirety using the GamePad. Since the game fully supports Off-TV Play, having two displays can become annoying and rather distracting.

Also, given that Nintendo released this as a Wii U launch title, it does bug me a little bit that the Wii U Pro Controller isn't compatible with this title. You would think that a game like this would be excellent for it, but I guess someone at Nintendo didn't see things that way. On another note regarding the console's launch, since the Wii U boasts an all-new online system it would have made sense to add an online co-op mode. The fact that no online play mode is present is sort of a disappointment, especially since I currently have seventeen friends on my Wii U and I can't play this with a single one of them.

New Super Mario Bros. U, overall, isn't a bad game. In fact, it's one of the most solid games for the Wii U that I can recommend for now. However, its lack of a few things that would seem common-place in today's gaming community makes it difficult for me to give this any higher of a score than 8.75 out of 10.

Blog Post: Our princess is in her own castle

Drew Navarre — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 02:26:00 GMT

Since the DS Nintendo has known that New Super Mario games sell, and this time that put that knowledge into strategy, releasing New Super Mario Bros. U on day 1 with the Wii U. Nintendo also knows not to mess with the formula. NSMBU is like the rest of the side-scrolling Mario games: a blast to play and easy to pick up. Multiplayer returns, helping prove that the mode will stick for years to come, though some of the levels are still hard to complete with more than one person. Four players can again take on the roles of Mario, Luigi, and two toads, but now a fifth player can use the GamePad to activate boost mode, popping up to four platforms in the level at will that can take a single jump before rapidly shrinking. For non-gamers who can't even tackle Mario, a more skilled player can sit backseat and protect them from a deadly fall. For solo players, the game can be played entirely on the GamePad with no need for a TV, with only minor hiccups.

The power-ups have also changed. While mushrooms of course return, and fire and ice flowers, players can get acquainted with the new super acorns will give the characters flying squirrel suits with which they can glide and latch on to walls. Green Yoshis also return, but are kept to certain levels. More important and mobile are the baby blue and pink Yoshis, who Mario and co. can carry through levels, using to blow bubbles that capture enemies or inflate like a balloon that can be used to glide, respectively. These two new Yoshis, along with a more strict yellow one that controls light and only appears in certain levels, are basically new power-ups.

The game world itself is one large, connected map, with multiple and splitting paths, as well as hidden exits in levels, that give players the opportunity to skip entire worlds. Returning as world bosses are the Koopalings, though none of them should be feared, little more than Boom-Boom who shows up in almost every world. Some levels are tough even for Mario veterans, but the game throws enough lives at you that you can reach the max of 99 halfway through the game, even after losing several.

Outside of the game, players can participate in challenges that are extremely tough even when their difficulty is ranked low. These challenges range from speedruns of level segments to attempting to glide a distance without touching the ground by bouncing off enemies, and there are plenty to keep you busy.

NSMBU is a welcome launch title, and one that can't be beat. It doesn't try to show off the GamePad, and doesn't even require one except to start the game, and anyone can play it. Unfortunately, while there are plenty of throwbacks to classic Mario games (one world is a giant world, similar to world 3 in Mario Bros. 3), only the power-ups and challenges are new, and neither are game-changing. Even when completing every level, the game isn't terribly long, able to be beaten in well under 10 hours if the player isn't occupied with getting the 3 special coins in each level. One thing is for sure, while fun, NSMBU isn't trying to change the formula like most of the main Mario games do.

Blog Post: New Super Mario Bros. U - Same Old Mario Bros. U

DesertOcelot — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 05:24:00 GMT

When the New Super Mario Bros. series debuted nearly eight years ago, Nintendo promised a classic and nostalgic look back at Mario's 2D platforming roots. The first installment was received with great praise and sales; Nintendo's focus on nostalgia for its advertising worked and rightfully so. The series offered classic sidescrolling gameplay with new power-ups and modern mechanics (such as the triple jump) and melded it all into a formula that worked.

With every installment that followed, the nostalgia moniker began to fade while the implementation of innovative ideas remained at a near stand still; New Super Mario Bros. Wii offered four player cooperation and New Super Mario Bros. 2 gave the player the ground breaking opportunity to gather as many coins as possible. While it did offer a lot more than 2 had, New Super Mario Bros. U left me with a desire for something more. Much more.

Nintendo's key launch game for the Wii U, Mario U's biggest innovation is the utilization of the Wii U gamepad not for controlling Mario or any of the other players but for creating platforms and halting enemies for your friends who are actually having fun playing the game. It's a neat idea if there are five people around that want to get in on some 2D Mario action but I cannot fathom why anybody would want to play in Boost Mode for any other reason than to just "check out how it is." Boost Mode can also be used to help you out with all your speed running needs but good luck convincing your friend to sit down and waste time just so he could poke the gamepad to make useless platforms that you probably won't even use anyway because none of the levels are designed with Boost Mode in mind.

The core game revolves around a gripping tale of woe, loss, and redemption where Mario and friends cross fire, ice, and valley to overcome not just the hellfire Bowser inflicts but the doubts and darkness within the heroes' heart themselves. JUST KIDDING! It's about rescuing stupid Peach again but this time everything looks like Super Mario World!

Actually the aesthetics in the game are really gorgeous. The art style of the backgrounds show off the theme of a modern Super Mario World that the developers intended to achieve. The levels, Accorn Plains and The Painted Swampland in particular, display a potential in creativity that I hoped to see throughout every aspect of the game. Unfortunately, everything in the foreground and all of the character models look just like they were ripped out from the Mario Wii and glazed over with a shinier finish.

Despite all of my complaints, Mario U does give the player a solid platformer. The final levels are tough especially if you're trying for a 3 star coin run (which is the only true way to play the game) and call for some quick thinking and tricky jumping. I replayed Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World before getting my hands on Mario U and found the difficulty to be on par and at times even harder than those Nintendo classics.

New Super Mario Bros. U stays true to the Mario formula, perhaps too true. The strategic platforming and nostalgic homages are held down by static innovation and it's apparent need to play it safe. If you've never played a New Super Mario Bros. game is definitely worth a buy as it is, without a doubt, the best in the series but if you're looking for a unique experience that truly builds upon the classic side-scrolling foundation then you best take your hopes and dreams elsewhere because Mario U is just the same old Mario game you've been playing for eight years.

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Statistics:

Gameplay:
7/10
Reused mechanics and virtually nothing new brought to the table. The core Mario game remains solid.

Playability:
10/10
Feels just as great as it it always had. Wiimote waggling to spin jump has been put to a trigger input.

Camera:
10/10
Great panning in and out for visual emphasis and stays with the character throughout.

Fun:
8/10
Questionable cooperative play and reused gameplay mechanics but otherwise a joyful platform experience.

Lasting Appeal:
10/10
Plenty of extras collectibles to gain, secrets to discover, and new modes other than the single player to sink your teeth into.

Graphics:
7.5/10
The graphics look that they were copy-and-pasted straight from the Wii. The backgrounds are the only sign of artistic and graphical power. The HD makes the game look more colorful and vibrant.

Difficulty:
10/10
The beginning world is very Baby Mode easy but the final few levels see it that you discover what true hell is.

Sound:
5/10
The memorable chimes and jingles are dragged down with uninspired tunes and awkward Mario vocals.

Flow:
10/10
The game won't halt or stop you on your way kick Bowser's butt.

RANK: B

Blog Post: New Mario U - Same Game, New Tricks

Nathan Powers — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:07:00 GMT

While I have enjoyed the New Mario series, I was not a huge fan. Yes it provided me with my platforming fun, but it seemed to miss something. I was not a fan of the single world maps, which has been around since Mario 3. While it worked in that game, after Super Mario World, I personally thought they were the easy way out. Also I usually thought the games were too easy unless you strived for every single Star Coin, which never really did it for me.

I, like many others, grew up with Mario. Among the great debate I believe that Super Mario World is the ruling champ of 2D Mario games, with Super Mario Bros 3 being second, as is typical of a lot of gamers. The good news is that with New Super Mario Bros. U, you will not have to worry about missing elements from either.

The first and most noticable change is they finally brought back the open world setup that came from Mario World. This works wonderfully and I can't understand why they waited so long to bring it back unless they knew that in the 4th New Mario game they would need to do something major. Hell for all we know they were planning this when the first one came out. This world is massive with tons of levels, and each world is hiding a secret level, which between those and the Superstar Road (again harkening back to Mario World) provide some of the most fun and challenging levels in the game.

Like other New Mario games, Star Coins are present here, three to each level including all of the hidden levels. You must collect every start coin in a world to open the corresponding level in the Superstar Road, so you better get searching cause it is worth it to play those levels. Also helps get more play time out of the game since it seemed like it didn't take all that long to get through it. Then again I played it for what seemed like 3-4 hours a day for a week, so who knows.

Another big thing about this game is it's the first time seeing Mario in HD. Honestly this did not impress me. Yes, the game looks amazing, but that's not any different than any previous New Mario games. They all looked good, all had the same art style, this time it's simply more detailed. Nothing special here in my opinion in terms of graphics, give me another 3D Mario game and we'll see how I feel.

Now as for individual level design they touch back to old school Mario by having flying fish and ship battles. Even the little music note boxes make a return in some levels. Also, there are levels that feature enemies that are unique to only those levels, which really impressed as you are used to seeing enemies repeatedly. One swimming level has you dodging a giant eel/dragon thing as it circles around you, while another hidden level has you swimming for your life while being chased by a fat purplish fish. Another that comes to mind are mini goombas that are featured in a lava level. They don't kill, just stick to you and weigh you down.

For those of you like me who felt that the New Mario series was a tad too easy, never fear. As you progress the levels get increasingly difficult and challenging, as well as more creative and entertaining. About 3/4s through I stopped accumulating lives and started slowly losing them. At which time I smiled with happiness thinking “about damn time.” Also some of the Superstar levels are particularly hair-pulling disasters clearly created by evil people. Thank you evil people because it always feels like an achievement getting through those.

Whether a Mario veteran or a new comer, everybody will find things to enjoy here. You will find amazing and unique level design, the always tight gameplay, and plenty of extras. Also if you like an extra challenge, they included a challenge mode, which I did not spend much time in. Here you will find different things like sprinting through the level or completing it in the squirrel suit without touching the ground. While these were fun, you earn nothing other than medals. Not to mention the multiplayer, which honestly I never touched, but I know a lot of people enjoy this feature in these games. Simply put, if you get a Wii U and not get this game, you’re missing out on the best launch game.

I give this game 9 sad goombas out of 10. I would give it higher, but considering this is the highest profile launch game, I’m disappointed that there is nothing on it that couldn’t have been done on the Wii. They made no use of the touchscreen other than as a keyboard. Come on Nintendo, I know you can do better.

Blog Post: The Mario Bros. grab the top of the flag pole once again.

James — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:19:00 GMT

A solid platformer featuring the most reckognizable italian plumbers in history. NSMB Wii U does not dissapoint its packed with fun levels, challenges and multiplayer modes to keep you coming back. In my opinion this game shines its brightest when played cooperativly. Having a pal accompany you while trashing bowsers minions is a blast and the hilarious moments when you become the bane of each others pixaleted existance become pricless. my only gripe with it so far is that you cannot use the gamepad with 2+ players in anything other than the not so fun boost mode which was kinda dissapointing after getting home with the new system and not being able to toy with the gamepad while playing the game with my wife.

Blog Post: Fresh and Nostalgic

The Eggman — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 04:45:00 GMT

I haven't had this much fun since Mario World 3 and the graphics are simply gorgeous. However, the game was not as challenging as previous Mario games and the play through was rather short. Now that may be because it's purely skill based now and not just dumb luck because everything that has been wrong in the past games seem to have completely vanished. The game flows like a majestic river the entire time. I recommend to any gamer and especially to a vet.

Blog Post: Nintendo’s Hero Returns With The Best New Super Mario Bros. Game Yet

Bryan Vore — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 17:30:00 GMT

After playing through New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS a few months ago, I was concerned that the “New” series had run its course. The levels didn’t feel as fresh and the coin collection gimmick didn’t make much of an impact. I feared this dip in quality signaled stormy skies for New Super Mario Bros. U on Nintendo’s next home console, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.[Excerpt]

Right out of the gate you can’t help but notice the new high-definition visuals. Everything is so clean and bright now. Nintendo didn’t just settle for up-rezzing old assets (though plenty of that still happened); the artists went wild with imaginative background imagery and the koopalings’ airships are loaded with little details. A particularly gorgeous stage was clearly inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s painting “The Starry Night.”

New enemies and themes are constantly popping up, and each only appears once or twice. A massive sea snake chases you all throughout a water level and never shows up again. The same goes for rare classic enemies like the stomping Sumo Bros, who haven’t surfaced since Super Mario World. All of these factors keep things fresh as you progress through the main game.

Boss battles are all familiar faces from the Koopaling crew, but their new powers allow for fresh and clever battles. A special clash at the halfway point stands out from the rest, and the thrilling final boss is one of the best in the entire Mario series.

The now-standard lineup of Mario, Luigi, and two generic Toads offer the same undeniable raw multiplayer fun. At any given moment, your friends and family seesaw from greatest ally to worst enemy. Playing this game in silence is impossible; constant cries of pain and glory mean that you probably don’t want to pop this in if someone in the house/apartment/dorm has to get up early in the morning.

The new twist this time around adds in a fifth player for boost mode. This person watches everything play out on the GamePad screen and can tap to add platforms, stun enemies, and destroy projectiles. It strikes a great balance of luring in players who aren’t confident in their platforming skills while still giving them a satisfying job to do. After some practice, a skilled boost player can rescue the bros from certain doom and help them get hidden star coins. If characters jump on the boost platforms a certain number of times in a row, the boost player can earn a purple star that grants the ability to kill onscreen enemies with a tap. It feels even more empowering than the traditional invincibility speed run. Boost players also have the power to be just as evil as the rest of the onscreen characters (if not more) by blocking jumps with platforms, so they really are included in every way.

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Standard power-ups return, like the fire flowers, ice flowers, and mini mushrooms. The new super acorns stuff Mario into a flying squirrel costume that allows him to glide, cling to walls briefly, and perform a slight jump boost in mid-air. Players accustomed to the raccoon tail or cape from previous games will need to practice to make the most of the suit, but it becomes a handy tool in the arsenal. I only wish that it featured some kind of attack like the raccoon tail whip.

Some rare power-ups appear, and they add a unique flavor to the stages they’re used in. A special version of the acorn grants infinite fly time and can only be obtained by catching Nabbit. Players must chase this new rabbit thief who occasionally appears in completed levels. Upon catching him, they are rewarded with the special P-Acorn that only lasts a single level. This mechanic works similarly to the treasure chest chases in Rayman Origins, but you can easily bypass any challenge by equipping star power before starting the stage.

Yoshis appear for a handful of levels and work the same as they did in the Wii prequel. Baby Yoshis return from a lengthy hiatus, and add interesting twists to a few stages. One inflates to enhance your jump, another shoots bubbles from its mouth to trap foes, and a third lights up dark cave stages and stuns enemies. They never grow to full size no matter how much you feed them, but they give you a 1-up if you keep them alive until the end of the stage.

Outside of the main quest, you can tinker with a few alternate modes. Coin rush returns from the previous Wii game in which players compete to collect the most. Challenges put your skill to the test with speed runs, coin collection, boost mode team up tests, and more. Trying to perfect these is tempting, but without any in-game rewards or an online leaderboard to gauge your skills against others, it’s just not worth it. The same issue exists with the Boost Rush Mode that tasks you with beating levels that auto-scroll at different speeds based on how many coins you have.

I’d much rather spend time searching out hidden stages and collecting star coins in order to unlock the special content that appears after beating the game. I won’t spoil what it is, but it will keep old-school Mario fans playing long after Princess Peach is safe and sound.

Online Functionality

While couch co-op is great, it's still disappointing that Nintendo didn't include online multiplayer on Mario's Wii U debut. You can turn on Miiverse functionality to see other players' brief messages or drawings tied to specific stages on the world map, however. It's possible to open your settings to the whole world, but I enjoyed limiting these messages to just friends and people I follow. It's pretty cool to see your buddies' thoughts on a particularly tough stage or bragging if they beat it without taking damage. As I said in the main review, it's disappointing that none of these features appear to be in the Challenge or Boost Rush modes.

File: New Super Mario Bros. U Review

Bryan Vore — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:55:00 GMT

screens

File: New Super Mario Bros. U Review

Bryan Vore — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:55:00 GMT

screens

File: New Super Mario Bros. U Review

Bryan Vore — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:55:00 GMT

screens

File: New Super Mario Bros. U Review

Bryan Vore — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:55:00 GMT

screens

File: New Super Mario Bros. U Review

Bryan Vore — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:55:00 GMT

screens

File: New Super Mario Bros. U Review

Bryan Vore — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:55:00 GMT

screens

File: New Super Mario Bros. U Review