 "Photo: Photos courtesy of Nintendo")
 "Photo: Photos courtesy of Nintendo")
It is not surprising that, every year, Nintendo releases a new Super Mario game. It has been over 18 years since a 2D style Mario game appeared on a Nintendo console. That streak has finally been broken with Nintendo’s release of New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
At first glance, New Super Mario Bros. Wii does not seem very different, for it relies on the nostalgia of the older games with which players grew up. Game play stays very true to the older Mario games where players go from point A to point B while grabbing coins, jumping over enemies and destroying big bosses. A nice aspect is that Nintendo took elements from all the 2D Mario games and put them into this installation. Mario can grab items, like in Super Mario Bros. 2, go through castle levels, like those in Super Mario World, and has boss battles very reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Yoshi’s Island.
Mario returns with his signature moves: running, jumping and spin jumping;. He also kept several classic power ups like the Mushroom that makes him grow taller and the Fire Flower that causes him to shoot fireballs. Thankfully, Mario also has some new tricks up his sleeve like the Ice Flower, which causes him to freeze enemies, that he can throw at people, and the Propeller Mushroom, which causes Mario to don a propeller hat that helps him fly. These new items add a lot of new game play tactics, like in a level where he has to freeze the enemies and use them as a bridge to get across an otherwise dangerous ocean level.
The story is also something that is not new to gamers. At Princess Peach’s birthday party, she is presented with a cake, which ends up being a trap as Bowser’s son, Bowser Junior, appears from the cake. He is not alone, as he has returned with the Koopa Kids whom fans of the old Mario games will instantly recognize. With their help, Bowser Junior traps Peach in the cake and kidnaps her, and it is up to Mario and his gang to save the Princess once again.
Mario’s adventure takes place in the Mushroom Kingdom, where the sights are very familiar. There is, of course, the simple first world that instructs game play. The next worlds start to take on different themes. Desert World, Ice World and Ocean World are some of the new additions, and they seem to have been present in many Mario games. While the sights are not very original, the levels are still well constructed and provide many fun challenges to get through, especially if the players are trying to grab all three star coins hidden in each level.
Visually, Nintendo chose to keep this game in the 2D style with 3D rendered character models. This helps make the game appear new and old and the same time. The levels retain the bright colors and catchy music that players expect from Nintendo. Also, many older Mario themes like the Super Mario Bros. 3 boss battle music and the New Super Mario Bros. over world theme make comebacks in this game.
With all of this familiarity, it is easy to wonder what the game offers as far as originality. The answer is simple: multiplayer game play.
While multiplayer has always existed in the Mario games, it has always consisted of playing as Mario until he dies and the player two takes over the level as Luigi. Well this pattern has come to an end, as the game offers four players, at the same time: Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad and Yellow Toad.
This is where the fun comes in. The game is very good on its own, but with three other players, it is an experience that is not like anything else. New Super Mario Bros. Wii goes from being a moderately difficult single player game to an insanely difficult, but enjoyable, multiplayer experience. The game becomes difficult because no two players play Mario games the same way. Some players are item grabbers and some are sprinters who just try to get across as fast as possible, others are explorers who like to find every nook and cranny, and some are too scared to do anything. Getting four players with four different playing techniques creates some crazy moments.
If the player wants to play this seriously with others, they will not enjoy multiplayer since the players will die a lot due to poor communication and others jumping head. However, there is fun that lies within that. Trying to get four players across a floating platform without dying becomes a greater challenge. And coming up with strategies like having one person be the human shield while the others run for it or carrying slow player across the level so they will not die is a lot of the fun.
The game offers enough enjoyment for any new or old fan of Mario. There are only a few problems with the game. While the game is enjoyable on its own, it is nowhere nearly as enjoyable as playing with other players.
Another problem with the game is the graphics. While the backgrounds and enemies are colorful and visually pleasing, the rest of the game is not. The game graphically is not that much better than the 2006 DS game New Super Mario Bros. and the game looks even worse if playing on an HD TV. It would also have been nice if Nintendo would have included online play, since it is not every day that four people will get together to play this game.
Critics Conclusion: While the mediocre graphics and frustrating game play may turn some players off, the enjoyably chaotic multiplayer experience and high nostalgia factors alone make this a must for any party. Even after the game is finished, there are enough challenges and modes to add an extensive replay value. Just try and beat a level without screaming at another player. It is quite challenging. A
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