New Super Mario Bros. Review

New Super Mario Bros.

Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Platform: DS Players: 1 (Adventure), 2 (Mario vs. Luigi), 1-4 (minigames) Release: 2006 Genre: 2D Platformer Rating: 9.5 / 10.0: Masterful
                                    

This game proves you can’t underestimate Mario (in fact, this specific game got me into Mario)— it’s downright amazing! At the time, a 2D Mario platformer hadn't been released for 15 years. This game was meant to reboot Mario's career as the king of sides-scrollers, and did it fantastically. The plot, slightly straying from previous titles, has Mario and Princess Peach taking a walk, when suddenly, ominous clouds form above the Mushroom Castle and strike it with lightning. Mario rushes to the castle, and Bowser Jr., Bowser's son who debuted in  the 2002 GameCube classic, Super Mario Sunshine, appears from behind a bush and snatches Peach. Don't worry though-- you'll still see some action from Bowser. The gameplay, which is inspired by that of the original Super Mario Bros., adds many new levels, as well as two new power-ups: the Blue Shell, which equips you with a near-indestructible blue Koopa shell that protects you from most enemy attacks when you crouch; and the Micro Mushroom, which shrinks you down to molecular size, allowing you to jump much higher and run on water by holding down the B or Y button. But in micro form, you can only deal damage to baddies with a ground pound, which is performed by jumping (press A or X) and pressing the Down Arrow on the Control Pad. Not only is the gameplay great, but so are most of the included minigames, which are an fun way to kill time. They make excellent use of the system’s touchscreen, and most of them are easy to adapt learn— take for instance my favorite, Bob-omb Squad, in which you use the stylus to slingshot cannonballs into the sky and knock down parachuting Bob-Ombs that really hate gardens. My high score went from a number in the high 1,000s the mid 10,000s— my high score is currently 74,600, which is quite a feat. There are also two Download Play modes— one allows you to play minigames with up to four people; the other, Mario vs. Luigi, lets two players face off against each other as Mario and his sibling, Luigi in a variety of stages attempting to collect three, five, or 10 stars. However, the visuals look a little dated and okay at best today, and some of the stages can be somewhat dull or frustrating. There are many great Mario games out there, but this is one of the greatest. This is also one of the first video games I ever played, and it changed my life and made me a gamer. Years from now, when I recall my gaming past, I'll think of the time I used to suck at this game but loved it anyway, and when I used to call Goombas "poop-heads" because I couldn't tell they were mushrooms. If you enjoy platformers, than you'll enjoy this game whether or not you feel nostalgia towards it.

Ups
Great gameplay
New power-ups
Fun minigames
Download Play modes

Downs
Dated visuals
Some dull stages

Also available on Wii U

ESRB: E Content: Comic Mischief Price: $19.99 (Retail)