Review by Anthony Bacchus

Does Mario even need an introduction? What else can honestly be said about everyone’s favorite plumber? He’s somehow a pro at nearly everything these days; Tennis, soccer, baseball, kart racing. Hell, the only thing he seems to struggle with is keeping an eye on his woman, but that’s a whole other topic all together.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the direct sequel to the smash hit DS game in 2006. For the six of you out there that do not own a DS, Nintendo took the franchise back to its 2D roots with a few new twists that proved that Nintendo was and always will be king at platform gaming. Following the success of the DS game, Nintendo wants to prove it

once more on the Wii with a strong emphasis on multiplayer this time around. The result is a better, larger, fun but albeit sometimes frustrating experience on the Wii. Hands down, this is the game that will have friends and family members urging to play over this Christmas holidays.

-Graphics-

This is essentially an upgraded 3D engine the DS game had with a few extra bells and whistles. While the game is nice to look at, the games’ visuals aren’t really anything to write home about and we have seen a better detailed Mario already (Super Mario Galaxy) but the graphics still have that charm to them. It’s instantly recognizable as a Mario game and perhaps that’s how Nintendo wants it to be viewed as. Aside from a few nice lighting effects and different world variety, the visuals are pretty standard fair for the Wii.

-Sound-

Super Mario Galaxy this ain’t; Don’t expect an epic soundtrack this time around. Nintendo chose to stick with the classics. Like its DS predecessor, remixed versions of old Mario tunes are present here and they are a welcome treat. It’s amazing how popular these songs remain even to this day. The Mario ditties are just as recognizable as the mascot himself. Mario, Luigi and Toad all make the same cute sound effects we all enjoy and I don’t care what anyone else says but Toad’s jumping noise is always good for a laugh.

-Gameplay-

Ah, here we go; the meat and potatoes of any Mario title. Nintendo has added multiplayer as a primary focus in NSMB Wii. This time around, any player(s) can drop in or out on the fly as they aid each other across 8 challenging worlds collecting coins, mushrooms, 1ups and various other power-ups to once again, save Princess Peach. If all of that sounds like it can get hectic pretty fast, you’re right on the money, but man, is it a blast. There are new power-ups like the Ice Flower which allows the freezing of enemies. The Propeller Suit which keeps players extended in the air and the Penguin Suit to assist on those tricky and icy terrains. These new additions are perfectly implemented and all of them work brilliantly. With 4 players on screen at once, prepare to have your wits and patience tested, as the co-op transforms the core gameplay mechanics.

When one character dies, they will re-appear on screen trapped in a bubble and can only join in with everyone else when the bubble is popped by another player. With extra players on screen, that means all players not only need to manage their own character, but also everyone else. It still remains a challenge not to jump on your teammates’ head and no matter how much your buddies help you out on levels, it’s always a race to grab the best power-up when they appear. Unlike other similar 4 player experiences (Little Big Planet), NSMB Wii actually has everyone co-operating with one another to tackle certain situations as well as making sure any novices can still have a good time. Is a beginner having trouble making a jump? Easy, have an experienced player pick them up then make the jump for them. Wanna skip an entire section altogether? Fine, just press A and stay in a bubble until the remaining players are passed it. All of this showcases Nintendo’s brilliant multiplayer strategy of team-based gameplay as well as competitive gameplay.

Even as a single-player game, the game is a challenge which is especially welcoming since the DS game was arguably a little too easy. Nintendo added a great “Super Guide” feature as well. If players die more than 8 times during a single level, they are given the option on having a Luigi bot show them the easiest way to tackle a level.

There are some setbacks to an already stellar package. There is an odd pause in gameplay every time a character dies. It is roughly half a second long but it can be distracting when you’re in mid-air trying to make a jump to the next platform. While it can be annoying at first, it’s easily overlooked and never hurts the overall experience with friends. And lastly why oh WHY did Nintendo have 2 identical Toad’s as playable characters? “Hmmm….should I be the yellow one or the blue one?” is the only question you will ask. Why not have fan favorite Wario be a playable character? Or even being able to play as a Koopa Troopa would have allowed for something new and fresh. While these are all small complaints, they should be considered in the inevitable next installment.

-Final Thoughts-

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a fantastic entry in the growing Mario franchise. It’s certainly nice for Nintendo to bring Mario back to his roots now and again and it definitely stands apart from the 3D entries. NSMB Wii will challenge gamers whether they play alone or with friends. The game is not perfect and online play would have been a nice addition, but Nintendo chose to make this a more intimate gaming experience and that’s where the game succeeds. The Wii has had a disappointing library this year, but this game will be played for years to come. Every Wii owner needs to do themselves a favor and play this game.

Rating

A-