haxxiy

User Score
8.0

Presentation - 7.0
Gameplay - 9.0
Value - 7.0

The undeniable success of the Mario series automatically makes a new game by Italian plumber one the most anticipated titles by the owners of Nintendo consoles. However, the transition from the 2D world to 3D in Super Mario 64, released in 1996 for the Nintendo 64 game, the younger players probably missed the character in its classic form, seen in games like Super Mario bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Not only that, many older games felt that, Mario, like Sonic but to a much lesser extent, simply was not suited for a 3D environment. And after three games of basically the same premise...

New super mario bros. Wii arrives trying to fill that gap, bringing the classic 2D gameplay for the new generations and ressurecting the same gameplay. In the surface, New super mario bros. Wii is very similar to the game released for the Nintendo DS in 2006, but it brings welcome new influences from games like Yoshi's Island (Red coins! Hovering Yoshi!) The levels and commands ressemble the old Mario games of the past, bringing the same kind of challenges, but with the already-mentioned news.

It is virtually impossible to put the game on the Wii and pass through all levels without problems at all. Who said Nintendo isn't hardcore? The controls are simple and follow the same pattern of the classic games. With one button the player can jump to kill enemies or pass through obstacles. With the other button can run faster. The news here is that the player can shake the Wii Remote to the character whirl and can jump higher and glide for some time during a leap - something that helps a lot more advanced scenarios. A bit like the A button on SMW. 

To be honest, the game can entertain players of all ages and all levels to present distinct challenges. The newbie player can play just to complete each of the many stages spread throughout the worlds of New super mario bros. Wii, while the more experienced will suffer to be able to find all three Star Coins coins scattered through the level. There are many hidden places and pieces of hard to reach gamers that will test their skills at all times. 

There are new power-ups, but unfortunately, the game missed the giant mode found on NSMB DS. In addition to the well-know mushroom that makes Mario turns Super Mario, the greeny 1-up that gives an extra life, and the flower that allows a character to throw fireballs, there is the Propeller mushroom that makes our dear hero wear a helmet with a propeller to fly for a moment, a blue flower that allows it to freeze enemies and a penguin suit. Yep, you heard it right - a penguin. In the levels where ice and snow prevail, Mario is able to take a belly ride.

Yoshi's back too - but unfortunately, he appears in about five levels and that's it. Deception for his fans...

To make life a little bit easier for those who are exploring all that the game has to offer, the game features a system called the Super Video Guide. They can be purchased by a number of Star Coins. It's not like the auto-win button many feared to appear in the game! The video only gives a hint on how to reach the secret passages or earn many lives, or get a difficult coin.

A new feature of New super mario bros. Wii is the ability to have four players at the same time beating levels, koopalings and other stuff that shows up in the way to Bowser. The four - Mario, Luigi, Toad 1 and Toad 2, can help each other through the levels, allowing another jump higher or to ressurrect them. Because in the multiplayer is really hard to die - you can enter an indestructive bubble and float around until rescued. It is rather useful if just one player can pass through a difficult section or such, since the bubbles hover towards living players. 

In the minigame called Coin Battle, the rivalry between friends can be tested. The goal is to get as many coins possible before your rival does. You can use turtle shells and other items against the other players to be the winner to reach the final stage. Who does not like this kind of dispute? You can also have fun in the "Free-for-all, which requires only complete phases next to friends. 

Remember that in any game mode a friend can enter or leave the game at any time. 

The look of New super mario bros. wii is not brilliant, but this was not the concern of Nintendo, of course. Revisiting the classic series using new graphics was good enough for the title. All scenarios are very colorful and each world the game presents unique characteristics. There are levels in the snow, in the forest and in deserts and mountains - each with a specific challenge. The scenarios in contrast with the 2D characters modeled in 3D, the so called 2.5D.

One of the weaknesses of the game is the music. The songs may be quite familiar to fans, but the endless loops will annoy you given time enough. Moreover, they could be performed by true orchestras as in Super Mario Galaxy and not by an apparent MIDI synthesizer, like games in the 90s. 

Well, how could I end this review? I tried to focus in the game features instead of critics like I did in SMG. Still is worthy to say that New super Mario Bros. Wii does not innovate as Super Mario Galaxy, nor many of the titles released nowadays because it is a tribute to classic games and that's it. Fans of the classic Mario game will enjoy the nostalgic feeling, and children will have the chance to know how Mario games were like in the 80's and 90's. Is a solid Nintendo game, and possibly the best multiplayer experience on the Wii, but personally I'm more excited for SMG2 than another NSMB.