New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review

Back in the NES era, one of the first games that I’ve played when I was a little kid was Super Mario Bros. Even now I still sometimes pop it into my NES and relive the glory days of gaming.  Whenever a new Mario game released, everyone had to have it. Mario has come a long way since then, making the jump to 3D and continuing to innovate the platformer genre. Now Nintendo has a new Mario title for us on the Nintendo Wii that goes back to the series roots, New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

We first saw the New Super Mario Bros. game on the Nintendo DS and that game was well received. Now that the Wii version of New Super Mario Bros. is out, what should we expect? Should we expect a more innovative adventure?

Let’s check out the HOTs and the NOTs of the New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Wii:

HOT

Classic Platformer Is Back
Fans of the classic Super Mario Bros. rejoice, the classic Mario gameplay makes a return once more. If you are familiar with the franchise, you should know what to expect. The classic jump and stomp is back where Mario has to save Princess Peach from the evil King Bowser. The objective of the game is to get through eight unique worlds and take down that King Bowser. This has been the theme of all Super Mario Bros games and I am glad that the Wii version manages to keep that classic feel.

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Presentation
Comparing the graphics to the New Super Mario Bros. on DS I can tell you that nothing has changed except the graphics on the Wii is more vibrant. The game offers eight worlds that Mario and Luigi can explore. If you are a fan of the Super Mario Bros soundtrack then you’ll love this game, there’s several remixes of classic Mario tunes.

The environments are beautifully rendered and everything we’ve come to expect from Nintendo. From the hot dessert, to the beautiful islands, you’ll love all the excellent locations. As for the enemies, they are all back but they are some new additions such as the Green Goomba the new colored Golden Fish that dances like the Little Mermaid in the sea..

Extras; Star Coins, Mushroom House, and more!
Aside from going stage to stage, there are some extras things that you can do. Similar to the DS version, there are Star Coins that you can collect to obtain bonuses later in the game. There are three coins in each stage and getting them will benefit you as you play the game. The Mushroom House in the game is a place where Mario and the gang can play a little match making mini game that lets you obtain power ups. The Power Ups that you’ve collected can be used in any stage but make sure that you use them before entering the stage.

One newly added extra is the ability to rescue the Toads when a Goomba kidnaps them in the World Map. When this happens, just approach the big brown Goomba and use Mario and Luigi’s super stomp skills. Sometimes Toad will just be in the [?] box in random stages. If that happens, rescue him and you will be awarded with plenty of Mushrooms.

There are new Power Ups that Mario and the gang can use to make their adventure even more fun. To make Mario hover in the air, there is a glowing orange Mushroom that allows him to spin upwards using a propeller and fly for a short amount of time. This is helpful when you want to reach high places and get that Star Coin. Just remember in each stage, you might use specific power ups to unlock a secret passage. Another power up is the Penguin suit and the Ice Flower. Instead of Fire coming out from Mario’s flower, ice comes out and freezes the enemy. He can pick it up and throw it away to other goombas. The Penguin suit allows Mario and the gang to glide over the snowy areas in a certain stage in the game.

Wii Remote Utilization
There is no need for a nunchuck here. The Wii Remote controls in this game is indeed great. To make Mario and the gang hover in the air using the glowing orange mushroom, you need to tilt the Wii remote upwards. There are certain parts in the game where you will need to use the Wii Remote to leverage yourself to reach places. When Goombas, koopas, or any other nemesis of Mario is hit by the Ice Flower, you have to press 1 and tilt the Wii Remote down to pick it up. In other words, you will have to use the Wii remote effectively if you want to survive in this game.

Four Player Multiplayer Action
Up to four people can play simultaneously, Mario, Luigi, and the other two Toads are the playable characters. You can add or drop players while in the World Map. Just remember when you play this game, you will have to share the power ups in that area. There are two more multiplayer games that you can jump in and play, free and coin Battle. The Coin Battle’s objective is to collect as many coins as you can, collect the most and you’re the winner. Just remember that stages may shift around when you play.

Save Anywhere
New Super Mario Bros Wii should take you no longer than six hours to complete. If you need to quickly save and stop you can quick save. The Quick Save feature will save your progress and get you back to the Title Screen, which is nice to have when you need to quit playing in a  hurry but don’t want to lose your spot.

NOT

Pretty Hard.. Challenging..
Super Mario Bros. games have always been known to have a fun and easy run through. With the Wii version, expect more of a challenge than in previous games. Even I, an experienced gamer, had a hard time finishing this game due to its difficulty. This is not a bad thing (There’s a Super Guide option in the game that allows you to watch Luigi plays through the level), but since Nintendo is aiming this game towards younger audiences, some players might have a hard time playing this game. Maybe that’s why they have multiplayer in this game so that families can help each other out. Nevertheless, this game is seriously hard.

VERDICT

Overall, New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Wii is a fun game that will surely please veteran gamers and newcomers alike. The reunion with Yoshi and the new power ups are just a few of the things that I loved in this game. The increased difficulty may turn off some of the younger crowd, but the multiplayer should help with that a bit. If you are looking for a fun game for this holiday on the Nintendo Wii, then look no father than New Super Mario Bros. Wii . Finally, the Mario that we all love is back!