Launch Primer -- New Super Mario Bros. Wii

5 Comments Posted November 13, 2009 - By Andrew Pfister

Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

New Super Mario Bros. Help System Has Real Name:

New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Nintendo Wii
MSRP: $49.99
ESRB Rating: Everyone

All New Super Mario Bros. Wii Content

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What kind of game is it?

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a 2D side-scrolling platformer in the grand tradition of the Super Mario Bros. games, dating back to the mid-1980s on the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Who's the developer?

Nintendo internal teams are responsible for the main Mario series, most notable of which is EAD ("Entertainment, Analysis, and Design"). This is Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto's original design team.

What's the story?

Something about a missing princess...? (You run and jump on things.) The game is broken up into 8 worlds, with multiple levels in each world.

Why's it "New?"

Before New Super Mario Bros. hit on the DS a couple years back, it had been a long, long time since a traditional Mario platformer -- everything was pretty much 3D. Nintendo chose to go back to the series' roots, re-imagine a few things, spruce up the graphics and introduce a new generation to the bliss that is 2D Mario.

Multiplayer/Online?

Like most Nintendo first-party games, there's no online. But the main hook of NSMB Wii is simultaneous four-player cooperative play. It can either be competitive (best score, most coins, etc.) or cooperative (sharing items, boosting each other's jumps). But yeah, we're all going to try to throw each other into pits.

What'd we say?

X-Play's Rob Manuel reviewed New Super Mario Bros. Wii and scored it a 4/5:

"New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a love note to the 2D series, and in that sense, it evokes the wonderful splendor of the game’s past. Enemies long forgotten and mechanics which kept this plumber employed even during the hard times are all present in this title. However, Mario is not without his missteps. The game’s multiplayer mayhem, varying difficulty, and sometimes uninspiring level design hurt the experience. It’s built on one of the most sound foundations you can get, but it really makes me hungry for the next Mario title to come out."

See it in action:

Watch Larger Version of this Video

Tags: Launch Primer, Videogames, Wii

Comments

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Displaying 1–5 of 5

SirCitadel

and you're obviously new at this

Posted: November 13, 2009 5:03 PM | Reply | Report

+7 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies
Joe22

I don't horrible mind 2D, the same way I don't horrible mind black and white TVs and dial up internet connections. Stick to 3D games Nintendo, and stop living in the past, you aren't as you used to be.

Posted: November 13, 2009 5:26 PM | Reply | Report

-8 thumbs up thumbs down

2 Replies
lilangel8932

I CAN"T WAIT FOR THIS GAME. I love mario whether 2d/3d it doesn't matter. I play the classics all the time, and I see all of it in this game. I am going to go ahead and pick it up for my DSi too. WHOOO Mario FTW!

Posted: November 13, 2009 6:47 PM | Reply | Report

+3 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies
ZeroKadaver

I love 2D games and developers as well as consumers should realize how detailed and fun a game with a 2D environment can be for both. It's a design choice and more people should understand.

Posted: November 13, 2009 7:01 PM | Reply | Report

+5 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies
Mancer1516

What I want to know is if the Princess is from the mushroom kingdom, why doesn't she look like everyone else from the mushroom kingdom (i.e no mushroom head) <.< there is something they aren't telling us over at Nintendo >.>

Posted: November 14, 2009 1:30 PM | Reply | Report

+2 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies