This is harder than it looks
Plumbing new heights
Now we've had chance to play the final version of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, it's time to tell you the hard truth about Nintendo's latest plumbing escapades. Well, the hard truth is, it's a lot of fun and impossible to play without a smile on your face.
Although a lot of emphasis has been put on the series-first multiplayer, solo play is still possible and feels exactly like series high-points Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3. You move between levels on a top-down map - though you can play any unlocked level in Free Play mode if you dislike walking about - and once you've cleared the world's final castle you can move onto the next world. There's mid-world castles, piranha plants to climb and all the stuff you would expect in a Mario title, though no sign of any warp whistles.
Propellerheads
From the first instant you push right on the d-pad you'll be right back into the Mario groove as though he never left two dimensions, but that's not to say this is a mere retread of his former glories. Each level is brand new, with rotating floors, swinging platforms and narrow wall-jumping sections all combining with other level elements to craft some devious and genuinely taxing levels. Even with four players looking out for each other, it's rare to pass a level with all your lives intact, although as long as at least one player survives the level continues: if all players are dead simultaneously, the level's over.
There's been a lot of discussion about the game's Super Guide mode helping players to overcome difficult areas, but sadly we weren't given a demonstration of its abilities. One thing we can say is that judging from the difficulty of some of the later levels even the hardcore Mario fans here at Nintendo Life may have to resort to a little Super Guiding. A classic 2D Mario platformer that'll test your gaming skills? Yes please.
Highlights are around every corner: riding Yoshi around and eating apples feels as good as it did in 1990, a dark cave level lets you shine a searchlight by tilting the Wii Remote and using the new Propeller Suit to drill down onto enemies - or friends - is as satisfying as it gets.
Nintendo had to prise the controllers from our fingers to stop us completing the game there and then, but it won't be long until we can all enjoy New Super Mario Bros. Wii together, with its release now just a few weeks away. You will not want to miss this one.
1. cheetahman91
30 Oct 2009, 22:36 GMT
I want this game so bad.
2. buffalobob
30 Oct 2009, 22:38 GMT
20 years...it has been a long time since we saw a 2D real mario on console...welcome back!
3. Luigi-La-Bouncy
30 Oct 2009, 22:39 GMT
Wow! Sounds awesome.
4. Devil_Hunter_Dante
30 Oct 2009, 22:40 GMT
Thanks for posting ! I want to play this so I can use the propeller suit. Not sure why I want to use the propeller suit but I do.
5. quickfingers
30 Oct 2009, 22:40 GMT
I can't wait to start my video series with this game
6. suburban_sensei
30 Oct 2009, 22:41 GMT
Getting close to release...SO glad I pre-ordered this gem.
7. Dazza
30 Oct 2009, 22:45 GMT
Nice first impressions James, I have to say this does sound lovely. I can't wait to get my hands on it now.
Preorder GET!
8. Corbie
30 Oct 2009, 22:49 GMT
Bring it on! Great impressions James. Good stuff!
9. Prosody
30 Oct 2009, 22:55 GMT
It's quite a short article really but that was mainly to stop me gushing over it. I really do think it's something very special and I've no doubt it'll be a big hit for the big N.
And yeah, the propeller suit is awesome, although sliding on your belly in the penguin suit might be even better.
10. y2josh
30 Oct 2009, 23:07 GMT
Thanks for the first impressions. Makes it even harder to wait.
11. firecookie29
30 Oct 2009, 23:11 GMT
This sounds AWSOME! Now if only the Super Leaf was in it. As well as the Tanooki, Frog, and Hammer Bro suits.
12. Mayhem
30 Oct 2009, 23:17 GMT
I like it when I played it but I think it will be better if everyone playing knows the levels and isn't half anticipating what's coming next...
13. Sylverstone
30 Oct 2009, 23:33 GMT
You know it's awesome when the Big N has to pry you from the Wii-mote in order to save all the goodies for November 15!
14. Stevie
30 Oct 2009, 23:52 GMT
You lucky bugger getting to play this already, I don't think I will be able to visit Nintendo Life between November 15th - 20th, my jelousy about NA getting it before EU will get the better of me
15. Mickeymac
31 Oct 2009, 00:05 GMT
Happy to see it'll be good. This still may end up being a rent for me - I'm not a huge fan of the Mario games, and I'm a tad tight on money, anyways. Plus, I still I'm still working on getting past World 1 in the other games, anyways.
16. Hyper Luigi
31 Oct 2009, 00:22 GMT
AWESOME! This Mario game is actually going to be hard? Then this game is a must-buy!
17. ReddLionz72
31 Oct 2009, 00:25 GMT
I'm stuck between this, Modern Warfare: Reflex, and Need for Speed: Nitro. But now I'm leaning more toward this game. It sounds awesome!
18. motang
31 Oct 2009, 00:34 GMT
3 more Sundays and I shall have this game in my hands! Can't wait, as this is all I will be doing once Thanksgiving weekend comes and this time around I have two extra days for Thanksgiving.
19. NintenDude97
31 Oct 2009, 00:38 GMT
This is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20. RevolverLink
31 Oct 2009, 00:49 GMT
At first I wasn't terribly excited about this one, because I really didn't care much for the first NSMB (and I'm someone who grew up on the Mario side-scrollers), but now I can't wait until my cousins, siblings and I get together to play this, it sounds like an absolute blast and like it'll actually give me a real challenge. I just hope it won't instigate as much in-fighting as Four Swords Adventures did (where my brother's GBA SP was destroyed in the chaos).
21. DJ Triforce
31 Oct 2009, 00:56 GMT
I've already reserved the game.
I can't wait for this one!
It would be amazing to see the whistles again...
22. warioswoods
31 Oct 2009, 01:09 GMT
@RevolverLink
" I just hope it won't instigate as much in-fighting as Four Swords Adventures did (where my brother's GBA SP was destroyed in the chaos)."
The in-fighting was my favorite part of 4 Swords. I want more!
23. Twilight Crow
31 Oct 2009, 01:58 GMT
"A classic 2D Mario platformer that'll test your gaming skills? Yes please."
, thanks for the First impressions, I hope I can get this for christmas.
You tell them James
24. MetalMario
31 Oct 2009, 02:02 GMT
I reserved this game immediately.
25. RevolverLink
31 Oct 2009, 02:03 GMT
@warioswoods
I love competitive cooperation, but everybody ends up losing if the whole occasion turns into Lord of the Flies.
26. Machu
31 Oct 2009, 02:19 GMT
James, the man-crush is back on!
you lucky lucky bar steward!
27. Token Girl
31 Oct 2009, 02:50 GMT
Sounds like everything one would expect from a 2D Mario game.
Must purchase, even though I'm still struggling with the old ones I have on VC. Oh, to have been one of the lucky ones with a SNES and a Sega as a child....
28. RaccoonMario
31 Oct 2009, 03:06 GMT
Wow, this will be my videogame highlight of '09!
Quick question for Nintendo Life though:
According to IGN's video preview, you can press the A button to get in a bubble and float around whenever. Is this a useful feature or does it just make the game plain easy?
Like, it would seem as if one could jump in a bubble right before falling to their demise, or even fly around until the other players reach the end of the levels.
How does this ability affect gameplay from your experience playing it?
29. Yosher
31 Oct 2009, 03:13 GMT
This one'll be just awesome. Can't wait to put this into my Wii and have an all-out Mariothon!
30. Swerd_Murd
31 Oct 2009, 03:14 GMT
and Amazon is running a future-10-bucks-off-video-games promo with this one....de-facto 36 dollar NSMBWii? Yes please!
31. Rhansley64
31 Oct 2009, 03:46 GMT
Game of The Year for sure.
32. Objection_Blaster
31 Oct 2009, 04:07 GMT
I can't wait. This is truly this year's Nintendo musthave title.
33. chadthegamer
31 Oct 2009, 04:09 GMT
Cannot wait any longer for this game, I think I'm going to explode.
It looks like tons of fun.
34. super-nintendo
31 Oct 2009, 05:48 GMT
Awesome!
35. Mach-X
31 Oct 2009, 07:27 GMT
@revolverlink you didn't like NSMB DS? wow. I just beat it recently and I'm going through collecting all the coins I missed, I now only have the three in the final castle to collect, if NSMB Wii is at least as good as the DS version, it'll be the most stellar Mario game since SMW, and possibly wrestle with Galaxy as finest Super Mario ever. And that's a very good thing for us Mario fans, not to mention Galaxy 2 is on the horizon......
36. Prosody
31 Oct 2009, 07:34 GMT
@RaccoonMario - that is a feature, although it's basically mimicking the respawn feature. Whenever you die, you float back across screen in a bubble and one of your teammates has to pop it. You can vaguely direct the bubble up or down by shaking the Wii Remote, but there's next to no chance of you actually being able to hover over large gaps or bypass difficult sections using it. Besides, that's what Super Guide is for
37. JimLad
31 Oct 2009, 12:17 GMT
Although I wasn't excited at hearing there'd be another 4 mario games at E3, I am now for this one.
and probably will be for Mario Galaxy 2.
Mario platformers just can't go wrong, no matter how many they make.
and anything that promotes multiplayer gets my vote.
Also I like the red box art very much.
38. mjc0961
31 Oct 2009, 12:20 GMT
Pretty nice. I think I'm going to go place a pre-order now...
39. ryanknight717
31 Oct 2009, 14:00 GMT
happy it turned out well
40. Roebuck
31 Oct 2009, 14:44 GMT
Love it!
41. letsplay
31 Oct 2009, 17:04 GMT
This is on my Christmas list.
42. Metroid133
31 Oct 2009, 17:24 GMT
Getting this withing the first few days of launch! Not sure if I want to make the extra trip just for it or pick it up with God of War Collection. Only problem seems to be the flashlight thing in caves sounds like a gimmick. D:
43. roro44
31 Oct 2009, 17:51 GMT
Christmas, yes, oh, yes.
44. NintenDude97
31 Oct 2009, 18:11 GMT
This is so cool!!
45. redflicky
31 Oct 2009, 19:32 GMT
Must get this game! D:
46. redflicky
31 Oct 2009, 19:33 GMT
Just looks really hard. As well as Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Those 2 games were hard to beat.
47. LEGEND MARIOID
31 Oct 2009, 19:38 GMT
I read the review in ONM. It got 96% and sounded outstanding. I mean in an all time classic kind of way. They don't give marks that high too often btw.
These impressions re-inforce my excitement.
48. Kid_A
31 Oct 2009, 20:10 GMT
This game will be mine. Oh yes...it will be mine.
49. smithers
31 Oct 2009, 21:56 GMT
50. RevolverLink
31 Oct 2009, 22:53 GMT
@Mach-X
It's not something that I can really explain with much coherence. It's not that I hated it or that I think it's a bad game (it's not, by any stretch if the imagination); heck, I still took the time to clear all the levels and find all the coins. But for whatever reason, something just never "clicked" for me with NSMBDS, like it did with Galaxy, SMB3, SMW, etc. I just never found it to be particularly memorable.
However, I still have very high hopes for this new edition of NSMB.
51. WolfLink22
01 Nov 2009, 04:05 GMT
This maybe the first 2D Console Mario game since Yoshi's Island for me.I highly doubt that this game will require you to use the Super Guide.
I've been trial and erroring my way through a new Website Layout for my site so i can do that with NSMB Wii as well.If you are new to Mario's 2D Outings trial and error is your best friend.
52. kvSPACE
01 Nov 2009, 05:09 GMT
YEEEAAAAEEESSS!
53. jkgatling
01 Nov 2009, 10:46 GMT
I WANT THIS GAME!!!!
54. luigiman2
01 Nov 2009, 16:28 GMT
I'm FOR SURE getting this game! I like the part where James said that you can use the propeller suit to drill down into emenies - or friends
.
55. Man with a hat
01 Nov 2009, 16:59 GMT
Good reason to buy wii?
56. Twario
02 Nov 2009, 03:21 GMT
I can't believe edge magazine gave this a 70.....
57. zezhyrule
02 Nov 2009, 04:03 GMT
this is going to be so fun!
58. Kirk
02 Nov 2009, 12:28 GMT
I pray I have as much fun with this as I did with the classic 2D games like SMB3, SMW and Yoshi's Island.
Oh how I long for another classic 2D Mario game...
59. Crunc
02 Nov 2009, 22:27 GMT
I've had this on preorder for a while at amazon. It's my most anticipated game of the year. I loved NSMB DS. I didn't mind the lower difficulty. In fact I think it rekindled my interest in the 2D Mario games and I've since gone back and finally played all the way through SMB3, something I'd never done before. That was a lot harder and I actually hope NSMB Wii isn't quite that hard.
60. Feld0
03 Nov 2009, 00:08 GMT
Looks like the long overdue Super Mario World 3 to me. All the more reason to party!
61. teamdoug
04 Nov 2009, 09:24 GMT
Cant wait for this.
But am I the only one who thinks the graphics looked way better in wario land?
62. cpl1701
06 Nov 2009, 21:33 GMT
Just pre-ordered it on Amazon for $46.99 with free shipping (I can wait a day or 2 more for free shipping)
63. Badknux
07 Nov 2009, 04:59 GMT
Here's my first impression: "Again?"
Leave A Comment
Please login to post a comment.