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A Classic Plumber Really Reborn

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 208 / 239
Date: May 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

There are sometimes where you look at classic video games, and how much they've impacting the gaming industry. While there are great games out there that have been well-receieved like Halo, Doom, Madden '06, and others that've really shown a great depth of universal appeal. That has definitely also been the case with Mario. Since 1981, as Jumpman in Donkey Kong, Mario has been the most universal of all the video game characters and personas ever, and continues to develop with the times. That also has been shown with the Nintendo DS as well. The breakout success of Nintendo's latest handheld system has really been a great transition to how we play video games on hand with the stylus, and appeal of the dual screen action. Now, Mario is set to have that classic feeling all over again.

New Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo DS brings a updated appeal to Mario, loosely based on the classic 2-D games he has been widely known for from Super Mario Brothers 1, 2, 3. and Super Mario World from the Super NES era. The object is just like the object from before, as you play Mario or Luigi, and try to go after Bowser and Bowser Jr. from stealing Princess Toadstool a.k.a. Peach. The game features over 80 different levels of exciting, and enjoyable gameplay. The game includes the classic moves from previous titles like the ground pounding (Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine), and the carrying turtle shells to defeat Koopa Troopas and Goombas (Super Mario Brothers), as well as new features like the mega mushroom which can turn Mario into a King Kong size, to really pound and knockout your competition. The graphics and the gameplay are just absolutely breathtaking and amazing, and really delivers what had been done from the early Mario titles before, while the sound is just purely classic. The control also is percise and in tune to each movement of Mario and company.

All in all, this is the second full length Mario adventure title to really deliver well for the Nintendo DS. Like what happened with Super Mario 64 DS did to showcase the brilliance of the DS, New Super Mario Brothers delivers the fun and appeal of a classic game, to a whole new generation of gamers. I definitely think this is one of the most definitive titles available for the Nintendo DS, and I really definitely think it should be a standard to your Nintendo DS library.

Graphics: A

Sound: A-

Control: A+

Fun & Enjoyment: A+

Overall: A 1/2+

Just Super

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 11
Date: May 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

It's been fifteen years since Mario had a completely original 2D side-scroller with him as the star. There were ports of his 2D adventures brought to the Gameboy Advance, but that was about it. There was also Yoshi's Island on the Super Nintendo (and later released on the Gameboy Advance), but really, that was more of a "Yoshi" game. Anyway, New Super Mario Bros. is without a doubt one of the finest Nintendo DS games out there. Fans of the classic Mario games will absolutely love this.

As usual, Princess Toadstool has been kidnapped. By Bowser Jr. who is just like his father. Now the brothers have to go and save her and defeat the King Koopa, along with his son. For those expecting a storyline... there is none! This is where the classic feel begins to come in. Mario, you've got to understand, isn't about story. It's about gameplay, and that's where New Super Mario Bros. hits high.

The game spans eight worlds, and a lot of classic gameplay comes back along with new additions that make the game interesting to play. Mario still has basics such as the flower, but he also has some new moves he can do as well. For one, he can grab a Mega-Mushroom and become the size of the DS screen and trample through all his enemies and the environment. Mario can also hop inside a blue koopa troopa shell. The shell allows him to traverse across the landscape just like a shell would if he were to kick it. There is also a Mini-Mushroom that once Mario grabs a hold of, he'll shrink to be able to fit into places that otherwise can't be accessed. Mario also has some moves from Super Mario 64. The ground pound, for stomping blocks from atop and the wall jump. These moves aren't just there, either. There will be times in the game when you'll have to use them. Also from Super Mario 64 is the triple jump. The only downside the vast amount of moves and items Mario can hold is simple: There's no item that allows him to fly.

The touchscreen isn't really needed to play the game at all. Mario can store an item on the bottom screen. Touching it with your stylus simply makes it fall from the sky for him to grab. Very similar to Super Mario World. That's all the touch screen is used for in this game. It's not really a bad thing unless you happen to be someone who thrives on the touch screen.

The eight worlds are huge as well. There's an overworld map very similar to Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Select a stage and jump right in. For those only going to the goal, the game isn't all that hard at all. If you just want to go for the goal, the game is rather simple. However, just going for the goal will cause you to miss out on half the fun of the game. Two worlds, for example, aren't accessed by traditional means. In other words, if you want to see all of the game, you can't just go to the flagpole in every level. You'll have to actually work to see all the game has to offer. There's a lot of work to be done to master New Super Mario Bros. For starters, some levels, much like Super Mario World, have more than one exit. There are also special coins scattered throughout levels that you'll have to collect in order to reach secret pathways along the world map. This is where most of the games challenge comes from. Most of these special coins aren't easy to grab and involve you taking a few risks. The game manages to keep you busy for a while, provided you're not just heading for the goal. All together, this game presents you with 80 levels, all of them full of secrets.

Each level also has it's own natural disasters. There are some of your normal enemies. Also along the way are natural disasters such as rolling hills and whirlpools in the underwater levels. Enemies also come in various sizes. So just because you've seen one goomba one size, doesn't mean he can't be bigger. Most boss fights, however, are a little on the predictable side, but they're still a lot of fun to play.

The only other thing that keeps New Super Mario Bros. down is how save management is done. You can save after a castle, warp, tower or after you've spent five star coins to bypass a sign. But you can only save from each spot once. So if you find yourself having to save and you've already cleared a castle, you can't clear that same castle again to save. This doesn't really cause problems, but if you find yourself in a tight situation you'll wish it was just like the Mario Advance games when you could save just about anywhere.

Aside from the games spectacular levels, there is also a multiplayer feature that allows one person to be Mario and the other to be Luigi in a competition. Competing against your friend is a lot of fun. You'll both go into an arena and try to collect five stars. There are five arenas in all, and collecting stars from your friend can be a fun task. It can be addicting as well. Also thrown in are those mini-games from Super Mario 64 DS. However, even these mini-games have been tweaked, and trust me, it's for the better. The mini-games from Super Mario 64 DS can also be used in wireless play now for you to compete against your friends. If you already found these mini-games addictive before, you might want to try them in multiplayer mode. They get better. Even better, to play multiplayer only requires that one person have the game. The rest is done through the DS's download play.

Graphic wise, New Super Mario Bros. looks great. One of the best-looking side scrolling games out there. It's a perfect bland of 2D side scrolling with 3D effects. The enemies are all 3D, and so are most of the landscapes. But you'll tackle them in classic side-scrolling feel. Most of the background effects are 2D, and they look fantastic as well. Everything is colorful and vibrant. It's also thanks to this 3D engine that Mario can do half the things he can do.

And then there's the music. Mario fans can bask in nostalgia. Most of the music is remixed, and it's remixed quite well, I must say. Some enemies will also change their behavior based on the background music (they might jump to the beat). The soundtrack is just a blast to listen to, and might fill old school gamers with a lot of fond memories. Mario also has a voice, as usual. And like some of his games on the Gameboy Advance, they get old after a while. Most gamers probably won't mind, though.

Overall, this is by far one of the best title to reach the Nintendo DS. Mario is back to his side-scrolling roots and it's more impressive than any of us could've dreamed. New antics and level designs keep it from being a repeat of what Mario could do in his 16-bit and 8-bit days. Put simple, there's a new adventure here for everyone, those new to the series as well as those who are long time fans. New Super Mario Bros. is a treat. This is a DS title everyone should own.

The Good
+Nostalgia
+Superb Graphics
+Fantastic Gameplay
+Great Multiplayer elements
+There's a lot of stuff to do
+The mini-games of Super Mario 64 DS are now multiplayer
+A long lasting adventure with 80 levels
+A great remixed soundtrack
+Mario has a lot of new moves
+More than just a repeat of the classic Mario formula

The Bad
-There's no item that allows Mario to fly
-Mario's voice gets old and tiresome to hear after a while
-No Save Anywhere Feature

This is an experience every DS owner should partake in.

Great game for a portable

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 16
Date: May 16, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Back in the day, I played the original super mario brothers and loved it. I always wanted to take it along on car trips and when I wintered in Aspen. Now that the game has made it's way to the DS, I played it for 12+ hours a day. Great graphics, gameplay, and of course, unforgetable Nintendo characters.

The King of Side-Scrolling is back

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 14
Date: May 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

In the beginning Nintendo created Mario, and he was good. So good in fact that he's often credited with saving video gaming in the mid 80's. Mario wrote the book on side scrolling platformers but after years of ruling the roost decided to move on to the realm of 3D leaving others to carry on the tradition. Some pretenders to the throne were good and some not so good but in the back of our collective minds we all knew that Elvis had left the building. Well, the King is back and it's as if he never even left.

The oddly named "New" Super Mario Bros launches players' right into the action. After a short 10 second cut scene of the princess being kidnapped (AGAIN) `World 1-1' is ready to go and it feels so right after 15 years of waiting. There are Goomba's and Koopa Troopa's, toadstools and green pipes, swimming levels and fire plants and coins galore. To all those people who think that the graphics are only a slight improvement on Mario's previous side scrolling adventures I would urge them to pop Mario 2 or 3 into the DS and be amazed at the difference. The new adventure is much more vibrant, colorful and organic with toadstools that dance and sway and water graphics that are absolutely stunning. Mario has some new snazzy moves including the ability to bounce of walls and my favorite, the [...] stomp. Instead of smashing bricks from the bottom Mario can now drop from above and in the case of multi-coin bricks Mario can smack down on it and coins just pour out. Both of these are awesome additions that open up all new playing potential.

I have a few slight issues with the game. First, the side to side movement doesn't seem as tight as I remember from previous Mario games. Mario doesn't stop on a dime anymore, he kind of slides to a stop as if the levels were coated in a thin layer of ice. I suppose this is more realistic but it gave the game sort of a loose, floaty feel until I got used to it. The other issue I have is with saving. Rather than saving after every level you save intermittently when you cash in coins or finish a tower or castle. I'm not sure why they made this change but it seems like a rather poor decision on a system that's intended to be played in potentially short bursts.

Despite a couple of griping points NSMB may well be the greatest side scroller ever and a welcome addition to the Mario legacy. I can't tell you how much joy it brought me to play a new side scrolling Mario game and this has definitely been one of the toughest games on the DS to peel myself away from. Go get it and relive the glory years of Mario with an all new adventure.

must-have DS greatness...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: May 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

new super mario bros is a really impressive game. the graphics are very beautiful, and the gameplay is top notch side-scrolling action. the only minor complaint i've got is that i would like to save anywhere, but other than that it's a great DS game.

Back to Basics

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: May 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

For people like me who basically grew up gaming with the Mario Brothers, Nintendo's latest title featuring the plumbing pair is a godsend. If you didn't already know, while Mario and Luigi are immensely popular even till this day, it has been almost 15 years since they last appeared in a side-scrolling adventure. The brothers have ventured into racing, golf, tennis, soccer, and what have you. They've taken on aliens and travelled through time in other outings. They've even suffered the fate of being captured by their nemesis, only to be rescued by Princess Peach. All these are notable expansions of the brothers' career, but what many fans really wanted was to simply play through a brand new side-scrolling Mario game, updated with current technologies. And Nintendo have responded. New Super Mario Bros. for the DS is the game that brings the brothers back to where they began, and boy, what a ride it is!

All the ingredients that made the early Super Mario Bros. games great are found in New Super Mario Bros. The storyline, the gameplay and the level designs are all reminiscent of the classic titles. The plot goes that Princess Peach is (once again) captured, and Mario is (once again) on his way to save her. Zero marks for creativity here, but that's beside the point. The franchise is never well known for groundbreaking story-telling, and for a game returning to its roots, it's only right that Nintendo are sticking to a tested-and-trusted formula. What really stands out in this game is that, apart from the expected involvement of simpler features from the originals, it also includes a large amount of advancements. Now, the DS may not be a PSP, but it's still strong enough to carry out the ideas that Nintendo wanted. The result is an instant hit featuring great gameplay, killer presentations, and a whole lot of fun.

Mario's quest is broken up into eight worlds, and as usual, these worlds are in turn broken up into various levels. You'll approach these levels in a linear fashion via a world map, much like how you used to (and I hope you've!) approach Super Mario Bros. III. Within these levels, you'll then have to do the mandatory running, jumping and bouncing to reach the end of the level within a time limit. Along the way, Mario will encounter familiar enemies, bricks that contain power-ups and coins, as well as the secret areas and shortcuts. Of course, the path to the end of each level isn't a bed of roses, and the game does throw in some difficult challenges as you progress further into it. As such, despite the game's simplicity, you may find yourself running out of time as you attempt to navigate environmental puzzles, explore secrets in each level, collect rewards and beat enemies, while trying to reach the flag pole in time. All in a day's work for Mario, I guess. And, if you're wondering whether you've read correctly, yes, I mentioned the term "flag pole". This end-of-the-level checkpoint is, of course, homage to the original Super Mario Bros. game. And, if you happen to do something right during the level, you'll also trigger the end-of-level fireworks, which is yet another tribute to its origins.

Within a level itself, you'll come across some sort of a "midway point". Not all levels have midway points, but once you reach one, the game will inform you by showing off a flag icon. The beauty of this feature is that, if you fail to get to the flag pole successfully thereafter, you can restart the level from this point, instead of having to engage the level right from the start. A similar feature appears on the world map, in the form of a tower. This tower is primarily the midway point of a world, and it's mostly (if not all) guarded by Baby Bowser. Defeating him will lead to an opportunity for you to save your game. At the end of a world, a castle beckons, and, as you may've expected, they're are guarded by a host of bosses. The surprise here is that these end-of-level boss fights do not consist solely of battles against Bowser Sr., which would be too cheap a trick to borrow from the past. Defeating a boss will bring you to the next world, as well as provide you with another opportunity to save your game. The distance between the save points, at times, may appear too far away. This is especially evident when you're playing on the run, and may not have the luxury to beat a few levels at one go. Considering that the DS is a handheld, Nintendo would do well to provide more save points along the way to cater for players who prefer to play the levels on short bursts.

To make it easier for you to reach these save points, Mario is given an array of skills and items. He has his usual dashing, jumping and bouncing abilities. On top of that, he has some new skills that are mostly lifted from his later adventures. These include a wall-jump move, which allows him to bounce from wall-to-wall to reach higher grounds, as well as a downward pounce that he can use to do a (literally) ground-breaking action if the ground texture is made of bricks. The environments also provide many opportunities for Mario. Some pipes, like previous games, lead Mario into secret areas and shortcuts, while others simply toss him up into the air (a new feature). It's usually not a bad thing when that happens, because some obstacles can't be crossed without having Mario going air-borne,

Talking about obstacles, New Super Mario Bros. also throws in some new traps that are previously unseen. One of these is a rocking mushroom that doubles up as a platform for Mario to manoeuvre. This sways from side-to-side, which essentially means that on each platform itself, Mario will have to experience an upward and downward slope in quick succession. Failing to jump to the next platform will simply result in a fall to death, so sharp reflexes are definitely a must if you want to end the level unscathed.

Thankfully, the game does supply a fair amount of 1-Up mushrooms for you. Amassing 100 coins will net Mario another life. Unlocking a Toad House may net you a chance for many, many 1-Up mushrooms. Bearing in mind that an additional 1-Up mushroom equates to an additional chance for you to make it to the next save point alive, you'll just have to hope that you can figure out how to unlock a green Toad House regularly!

On the subject of mushrooms, Mario is also given some news power-ups. The usual Power-up Mushrooms and Fire Flowers are still around, but Mario can now use a Mega Mushroom to transform himself into a supersized menace. In this size, Mario can bulldoze through a level without having to avoid any enemies, since they'll bounce off him and meet their maker when they're in his way. When Mario goes on a run in this size, blocks and pipes get destroyed along the way. A five-notched meter also grows at the top of the screen as he goes on the rampage. Each notch on this meter will drop 1-Up Mushroom when the giant-sized effect is up, giving you yet more chances of staying alive.

Apart from the Mega Mushroom, Mario can pick up a Koopa Shell, and turn himself into... a Koopa! The selling point of this power-up is that Mario can hide within the shell and do a quick dash, sweeping any enemies along the way like what a Koopa Shell usually does. The shrinking concept in Zelda: The Minish Cap also finds a way into New Super Mario Bros. as another form of power-up. A Mini Mushroom will shrink Mario down to ant-sized, and in this form, he can go past small gaps, and enter small pipes. Because he's so light in this size, he can walk on water, and also jump higher than before. All these power-ups are scattered around each level, so, depending on the need, you'll find Mario changing into many forms even within a level. The only pity is that the Racoon Suit power-up, so useful in Super Mario Bros. III, is not in the game. Nevertheless, the innovative use of power-ups makes the game a more than lively experience.

Games incorporating a multi-player mode are common nowadays. New Super Mario Bros. has one as well, and it's called the Mario vs. Luigi mode. No prize for guessing what that means! This mode allows two players to face off wirelessly in customized levels. In these games, both players must fight against each other in the quest to amass Big Stars. You can set the number of wins required to win a Mario vs. Luigi game; the numbers of Big Stars required for victory; as well as the number of lives each brother will have. You can also select from a few designated levels to do the battles in, so the choice is entirely up to you. The good thing is, a Mario vs. Luigi game can be played on a single card via download play, so all you need is a friend with a DS, and a New Super Mario Bros. cartridge to begin your quest for boasting rights.

New Super Mario Bros. also has a 4-player Minigames mode. As with the Mario vs. Luigi mode, this also allows for a single cartridge to host 4 players simultaneously. These games are mostly recycled from Super Mario 64 DS, but they're equally fun when you're engaging them with friends. Unfortunately, the game doesn't support online play like Mario Kart DS. It's not exactly a big loss, but not everyone has the time to meet up for a wireless multi-playing session.

While the game is billed as a "2D side-scrolling adventure", its graphics are actually made up of a mixture of 2D and 3D images. Mario himself, for example, is a fully 3D model. The backgrounds are mostly 2D, but some side effects are 3D as well. I mean, since the DS does have the engine to run 3D graphics, why lay it to waste? This combination works wonder in providing more depth to the otherwise bland 2D nature of the earlier Mario games. Yet, the 3D features are not too overwhelming to an extent that the look and feel of these games are lost. The audios in New Super Mario Bros. are also gloriously composed, providing a fair amount of old and new music and effects to complement the various levels nicely. Some of the boss fights even include Zelda-styled boss themes, which add tremendous appeal to the game.

For all its goodness, New Super Mario Bros. falls short in the length department. Even with eight worlds to engage, some clever use of blast cannons, warp zones and short-cuts will cut your play time even shorter. The game can probably be completed in a day, so gamers who prefer a long and epic adventure may be critical of its overly short game time. Nevertheless, Nintendo has gone on record saying that they'd like to make shorter, simpler games, so it's not exactly a surprise when this game actually backs the company's vision up.

I must admit that "New Super Mario Bros." is not a very appealing title. The game, however, turns out to be an awesome adventure that not only plays well, but also pays great tribute to the series' origins without making you feel that it's overdoing it. The game is a testament of how a 2D side-scroller should be; and, regardless of how you feel about its short lifespan, seeing Mario back in a side-scrolling platformer should be incentive enough for you to pick this one up.

Sidetrack: The design of first level of New Super Mario Bros. is loosely based on the first level of the original Super Mario Bros., albeit enhanced with modern touches. Breezing through it brings back the memory of me trying to "hit a brick for coins" after playing the game. Ouch.

God I Miss Mario

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: May 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

It's been a really long time since we've seen Mario in his 2D roots. I remember back in the good ol' days when 8-bit graphics were king, save points were a rarity, MIDI tunes were the bomb, and games that froze could be fixed (temporarily) by literally blowing the dust out of them; those were the glory days of video games. Although things are fun now, and with the next gen systems including the Wii on the way, nothing nowadays equates to that feeling that you had when playing old school 2D sidescrollers. Mario 64 was a blast, don't get me wrong, but this is how Mario became a video game household name.

GAME CONCEPT: Back to the basics folks; this is the good ol' "sidescrolling, get to the end of the level while stomping on goombas before the time runs out, finding secret warp pipes, and trying to get the timer's last digit to read 6 when you get to the finish flag" Mario. Think of the feel of all of the Mario All Star games (1, 3, and World, anyway) rolled into one, but with a lot more horsepower behind it. Essentially, it plays like Mario 1 and 3, with the overworld level selection similar to 3. Each world has multiple levels, and each with a tower where you will fight Baby Bowser, and a castle to mark the end of the World where you will fight different bosses. The super mushroom and fire flower have returned for powerups, along with a few new ones as well. The one item that most people who have been keeping an eye on this game have noticed, and are aware of by now, is the Mega Mushroom, which grows Mario to the size of the screen and you can obliterate pretty much anything in your path, warp pipes and blocks included. There is also the Mini Mushroom, which allows you to navigate pathways that are too small for even normal Mario. These are actually required to find some of the secrets in the levels. Finally, there is Shell Mario, where he'll don a costume similar to the Hammer Brother outfit from Mario 3, but his maneuver is to roll into a shell (a la' a stomped and then kicked shell) and take out anything in your way. One nice feature is the ability to save items, like you could in Mario World, if you were already maxed out on power, but rather than pulling into the screen after getting hit, you have to manually bring them in by touching the item's icon on the touch screen.

At face value, the levels are very similar to the ones found in Mario 3. However, to keep up with the times, there are a lot of secrets stored in each stage, so hardcore gamers who can't help but complete every possible thing in the game will be pleased. One of the secrets that is common to every level are the Star Coins. Each level has 3 of these coins that you can collect, which is optional, but definitely adds to the replay value. Rather than being there for the potential for a 1-up, as the Yoshi Coins were in Mario World, these coins will allow you to unlock different pathways in the overworld maps, allowing you to take alternate pathways to get to the World's end level castle, or to other levels that are isolated from the main path. These items are similar to Yoshi coins in their placement, and you will need to use your head as well as have a keen eye to find them. The good thing is that when you collect one (and you haven't died afterwards in that level) you never have to find that one again, so the frustration factor is kept to a minimum. Another thing that keeps the levels going is the hidden exits, which aren't totally new to Mario games, but they are really well hidden this time around, and this always gives gamers reason to come back for more.

The touch screen is rarely used in the game itself, only to be used for pulling in the item from your saved item box, and selecting a different World from the main map screen. Other than that, it really only serves the purpose of the level's map, so you can see how far along you are, and what Star Coins you have collected in the level. It is used extensively in the minigames, however. A note on the mini-games that come with the game...they are pretty much pulled straight from Mario 64 DS. Nothing new there.

GRAPHICS: 2D Mario has never looked this good; obviously since it's been so long since a 2D Mario, but since all the characters are 3D models on the stage, rather than sprites, the animation is far more fluid. I have yet to see the game's frame rate drop at all.

SOUND: Many of the basic sounds, like the jump and the coins and the fireballs, seem to be pulled directly from the first Super Mario Bros. Definite nostalgia factor with that, and a definite plus in my book. If you finish a level and hit the pole at the right time so you get fireworks, it will play the Super Mario Bros end level theme that we all know and love (it sounds direct too, not a remake of it...ah, that brings back memories). Some more recent sounds show as well, such as Mario 64's Feather Hat music for the Invicibility Star. The music is typical Mario fare; catchy, but not obnoxious.

CONTROLS: Another thing I miss about Mario games are the simple controls. You should know what to do within the first three seconds of the game. The only new things that you should really be aware of is the triple jump (dash and jump three times), the butt-stomp (press down while in the air), and the wall jump (hold the direction of the wall you're on, and press jump). Just a note, I felt that the wall jump was kind of odd at first, because I've played almost all Metroid games to death, and the wall jump in those games required you to push AWAY from the wall you were on, not towards it. If you think that will be a problem, you'll get over it quickly. I did.

OVERALL: This is a must own, no question. If you're thinking about it, just get it. Rarely do I feel that way about games unless I read other reviews first, but being the Mario fan that I am, I just had to pick it up for old times sake. I'm glad I did, and you'll be glad you did.

Fantastic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: May 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is a fantastic game. I have always loved the Mario Bros. I am only on level 5. The graphics are wonderful and the game fun. I do wish there was more areas to save a game though. Takes me awhile to get from one save to another and if I have to stop playing you have to do the areas over again. Still it is alot of fun.

The Best 2D Mario Game since Super Mario Bros 3!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: May 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is by far one of the best Mario games ever! It does everything right. This is one of the best examples of creating a game with phenominal graphics while still maintaining the classic feel. I'll try to give you the basic feel of the game without going into too much details or spoiling any surprises.

Gameplay: Perfect! Honestly couldn't be better. There are still just the right amount of glitches to keep the nerds guessing how to get perfect in the level, and also has the same amazing response time as every other Mario game. Platformers don't get much better than this. It's a wonder why Nintendo doesn't make a Metroid game like this. Two new moves are added to this game, [...] stomp and wall jump, both of great use. Also in this game are two new mushrooms, one that increases your size to fit the screen so you can dominate everything, and one to minimize you to fit into small crevaces and pipes. Both are rare appearces, but exciting when you get them. Also new is the ability to have a secondary item, similar to Super Mario World. All in all, it's an exciting experience.

Graphics: Beautiful. Engaging worlds, great 2D AND 3D effects, great/smooth framerate, and bright, vivid colors. There isn't more you could want. Character models are great, as well as vehicles, mushrooms, and bosses. One of the best looking DS games to date!

Sound: CLASSIC. Using 3 types of sound, Surrond, Stereo, and Mono, you can choose what type of sound you want to get out of your speakers or headset. Every crisp and clear and those old tunes never get old. Very appropriate for each level, and very familiar.

Replay Value: EXCELLENT!!! Especially if you didn't play Super Mario 64 DS. There are tons of minigames to play if you get tired of playing the regular mode. But then again, the regular mode is so fun, I don't know how you'd ever get to the minigames. You can also do vs mode via Wi-Fi hook-up. There is PLENTY to do in this game, you won't get bored.

BOTTOM LINE: If you own a DS, this is the game you've been waiting for! The Best 2D Mario game since Super Mario Bros 3. 16 years later... 2D is REVIVED!

Fun, but lacking

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 9 / 14
Date: May 20, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This past week I have been playing the New Super Mario Bros. I must say it is rather superbly crafted, but it seems a bit short overall. SOme of the stages seem too short, but there are plenty of stages. An interesting game that is an excellent homage to most of the Marios in the series; not just a rehash of been-there done-that gameplay, though. There were also some elements of exploration.

The game is beautiful overall, and not just from a graphical standpoint. The game uses 3D modeled sprites in a 2D setting (So Mario and other characters are made of polygons, while the background are standard, 2D backgrounds). This makes for some very interesting effects, and I like how the programmers actually incorporated the flexibility of the sprites when making gameplay (e.g. gigantic mario, giant versions of some enemies, more flexibility in the way characters are modeled, making logs roll, &c.) It's a rather interesting design, and it's not so much a gimmick as it is essential to some of the gameplay. ALso included were some nods to the lighthearted nature of the Mario series: enemies move in tune with the music that's playing, for example.

The gameplay, again, is very much a Mario game, and the difficulty is definitely there, especially in the latter areas of the game. Finding all the coins in every level, as well as all the alternate routes, is really what makes this game fun. Albeit, I found this not as fun at times because of the way one could save at almost any point. While Mario has no abilities to fly (except grabbing a Lakitu cloud), the new powerups make for interesting effects. Shell Mario seems primarily a defensive power-up, as he is impervious while crouched (in his shell). Likewise, he can spin like a koopa shell on the ground, but controlling him is difficult. Gigantic Mario is an interesting power-up that's fun to play with in more closed areas: Mario plows through his surroundings without hindrance, but the effect lasts temporarily; afterwards, Mario is awarded so many 1-Ups based on how much he destroyed. Finally, Mini-Mario is an interesting form. I've found navigating stages much more fun using Mini Mario, but he's super-vulnerable in this form, and attacking enemies requires a correctly timed ground-pound. The fact that using mini mario for a few areas in the game is necessary made the experience more interesting.

The biggest complaint I have with this game is length. It's way too short. Some levels are definitely too short, and sometimes seem uninspired because of this. Though there are 80 stages, sometimes it feels like you're only playing them JUST to play them. The existence of alternate routes made getting to and beating the final boss a really easy feat (I did it in the first night of playing). After that, it was just beating levels. The fact that two of the Worlds in the game are optional (found only by a certain trick) also makes playing through the levels seem a bit forced. Indeed, the alternate routes seemed a bit linear to find, and really had too much of an exploration type element to them. In Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, I recall actually having to go out of the way I was going to the exit to find an alternate route, and often this new route was more difficult than the regular one. The lack of subtlety in finding most of the alternate routes (which, too often, led only to Mushroom Houses) made me dislike the way they set this up. If they could have made the game longer, with a greater level of difficulty, I would have enjoyed it more. There was a decent amount of "themed" levels, but I think there could have been more of them, which would help to distinguish levels from each other. Finally, it would be cooler if the player were rewarded for completing the game enitrely, and indeed, I would have liked to see some challenging levels, to the effect of SMW's Special World.

Overall, this game is fun, but really lacks some depth and breadth that I would have liked to see in it. I give the game a 7.5/10 (with 5/10 being an "average" game).

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