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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+

Fun for kids and adults alike!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 133 / 158
Date: May 25, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I need to warn everyone that my wife and I are both old enough to have been fans of the orginal Mario... but we are still young to love the newest version in the series.


Sometimes you just have to get back to the basics - and that is exactly what happens with this newest Mario installment. Nintendo has taken the best features of the first three Super Marios (with some new features too!) and blended them into one great game.

Pros-

- All new version of an great favorite
- Interesting twists
- nice graphics for a hand held game
- Decent game length
- very fun mini games

Cons-

- Game isn't too challenging for your average gamer
- Most of the mini games are repeats

As a whole - the game is well worth the $35 and will supply many hours of great game play.

Great Enhanced Remix of Classic Games

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 31 / 33
Date: July 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Super Mario Brothers was one of my favorite games when it first came out. With New Super Mario Bros DS, you get the game fun gameplay - enhanced - in a nice portable system.

This isn't just a remake - it is sort of like how the Wizard of Oz starts out in black and white in a gritty, quiet town and then turns into multi-color, sparkling larger than life song-filled splendour. You get the NES versions of the game with similar - but not exactly the same - levels that have been updated from 2D to 3D. You get extra features like ground pounds, and mushrooms that make you SUPER large - you don't have to jump to break blocks any more, you can just walk and crash into them. Other mushrooms make you incredibly tiny, to reach places you could not before.

The combination of old style classic gameplay and updated graphic, sounds, and features is really quite good. These games were stellar in the first place, with their addictive levels that were just the right balance of challenging and fun. Add in the easy to carry with you DS gameplay, the new features and hidden things to look for, and I really found this just about perfect for an arcade game.

Yes, you could complain that you can zap through the game in a full day of gameplaying. However, this game series wasn't ever meant to be a "month long role playing complex adventure". It was always meant to be short, easily playable sessions that you could fit in while you waited for dinner to be ready. You could save and exit when you had to run to school, and then pick up again when you had time the next day without having to review 8 pages of storyline notes.

This makes the game PERFECT for carrying around in your DS. If you end up waiting in line for 20 minutes, you get through another section. If your bus gets stuck in traffic, that's another level you can get through.

Plus, there is replayability here, while you try to track down the hidden items and coins.

I enjoyed the minigames as well. Certainly you wouldn't buy this game FOR the minigames, but heck, if they're going to throw them in for free, you might as well enjoy them! I'm not usually one for DS multiplayer games, but it's nice that they did include that as well for those who want to play with a friend.

In general I was quite impressed with this, and recommend it heartily!

I find myself sneaking my son's DS away when he isn't using it to play this...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 12
Date: December 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I grew up on Super Mario Bros... Super Mario Bros 2... Super Mario Bros 3... Super Mario World... Super Mario 64... and then for a while I quit playing Nintendo. It was the time of PS2 and XBox, and I have not played a Nintendo game in several years now.

I bought my youngest son a Nintendo DS not long ago - and this was one of the games I got him for it.

Unlike most nostalgic feelings - this has been a real treat to revisit this part of my childhood. My son was playing it, and asked me to get him past a certain part. I was immediately hooked and continued playing until I had beat several more levels. Since then I have been grabbing his DS at every opportunity and playing further along - and am about halfway through the game so far.

It is classic Mario - if you ever played any of the original games you'll know the score - however new music, some new moves (downward slams, wall jumping, etc.) as well as delightful moments such as getting the super big mushroom which makes Mario as tall as the screen - while you laugh like crazy and burst through everything - walls, blocks, enemies, etc. like King Kong on crack add a whole new depth to the game - and keep the 80's classic fresh in its newest form. If you grew up on the old games like I did - you will squeal with delight when you see a new enemy that was only in a select level or two from one of the older games - that brings the memories back fresh.

I am extremely pleased at how such a classic character can be brought back in a fresh new way - and invigorate this franchise which is still going strong after two, nearly three decades.

I had absolutely no interest in the Nintendo DS and only bought my son one because he had been really good this year. Now that I've tried out this game - I find myself browsing through Amazon for new DS games to try.

I wholeheartedly recommend this game for the DS... although I will warn you that you will find yourself wanting to feed your new addiction with more games for the system.

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.

This hit will never go out of style

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: June 01, 2006
Author: Amazon User

So far I'm on world 4. I bought this game the day it came out (actually, I preordered it before that) and have enjoyed it since though haven't found the time to completely indulge in it.

If you like Mario, if you like video games, you'll like this one. I was honestly surprised at how challenging the game is (I rated the 'fun' a 4 because I sometimes get very frustrated when I can't beat a level and thus it turns out to not be so fun). This is probably because I also have Super Princess Peach and, while I loved playing that game (I have since completed it), it was much much easier than Super Mario Brothers by far. When falling into a hole with Peach, you can just hit her joy emotion and she will fly upwards. Mario, on the other hand, will do no such thing except fall in the hole and die (bummer).

The 2D adventure plays like older Mario games with some new twists. The levels are very cool and have incorporated a few new enemies as well as new abilities. There is now a mushroom that makes Mario very tiny so that he can fit into special pipes which are also very small. This is primarily a new feature. This, I believe, is also the first side scrolling Mario where Mario is able to do the wall kick jump. You'll remember that move from Mario 64. There is also a box on the touch screen that holds one power (i.e. fire) so that you can grow larger in case you mess up (and you will). I like this feature, but it is not new. What is new are the minigames and the versus mode.

Super Mario Brothers for the DS does not use the touch screen very often. You can use the touch screen to switch to different worlds (you can do this easily - you don't need any special equipment to switch worlds) or to get your extra power that I mentioned before.

One thing that annoys me about SMDS is the fact that you can only save the game after a castle, ghost house, or if you use your coins (5 coins are usually required - there are 3 per stage). This often keeps me from playing the game when I only have small periods of time because I know it may be a little bit until I get to save it and there is no point in wasting my time and efforts (or coins) to beat a stage when it will just get lost. This is not new to Mario really, but some of his games will allow you to save at any time (Super Princess Peach does).

All in all I'm very happy with the game. It's a fun investment and one of the top games out for the DS. Mario games do dominate the DS.

Alright, now when will there be a Donkey Kong DS?

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.

The best action game for the DS right now

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 19
Date: July 31, 2006
Author: Amazon User

You can't go wrong with any of the original Super Mario Bros. games, and New Super Mario Bros. is a prime example. The only thing that's relatively "new" to the classic Mario side scrolling formula here is that the graphics have been revamped using 3-D models, and it looks glorious. The gameplay is the simple yet addictive kind of fun that those of us who grew up with the original 8-bit Nintendo know and love, as you can play as Mario and Luigi and travel through 8 worlds to save the Princess from Bowser. There's some new power ups here worth mentioning, including a turtle shell which gives you some extra strength, and the giant mushroom which makes you so big you take up the whole screen as you trample through the level stomping everything in your path. The game makes decent use of the touch screen, particularly in the mini-games featured here, all of which help make New Super Mario Bros. the best action game for the DS right now. All in all, as if DS owners don't already know, New Super Mario Bros. is a must own, and it's one of those games that you just can't go wrong with.

Mario in his best

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: November 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have always loved Mario, and when I purchased my new Nintendo DS Lite, I bought this with it. This game is absolutely amazingly fun! The graphics, sound, and the game itself are incredible. This game is good for any adult or child. Although for a younger child, it might be a bit more difficult and possibly frustrating. ;) With this game you have to try some of the harder levels over again, and possibly again after that. But every time you try again, you understand something new about the level, and it really is fun. There also are the features of becoming Mega Mario and Mini Mario which mixes things up every once and a while. This game is wonderful, definitely a great buy.

Fun even if you suck (like me)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 25
Date: July 29, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I have several strikes against me in the gaming world: I'm female and over 30, plus I never even played much as a kid. I remember Mario from my brother's original NES, so I wasn't totally unfamiliar with gameplay, and yet I still am no good at it whatsoever.

Several reviewers have noted how easy it is, for me this is not true but it is still fun. Honestly, it challenges the heck out of me. But, unlike many other games that challenge me (which is most of them) I still find this fun and I'm still drawn to trying again and again.

Honestly, even if the minigames are repeats (I was not aware that they were, but that's what I see in other reviews), they are FUN and there are LOTS of them. I've barely scratched the surface of the single-player minigames and I think they'd be worth the $35 all by themselves! Very fun, very addictive, and great to play if you just have a few minutes to burn while waiting in the doctor's office or something.

I can't speak for anyone who's actually an accomplished gamer, maybe it would be boring even though Nintendo has added some fun new twists and incorporated the DS touchpad and even the microphone in unique ways. If you are not that great at games and just looking for something fun to keep you occupied until the end of time, this should fill the bill nicely!

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