New Super Mario Bros. Wii Review

By Oli Welsh Published 16 November, 2009

Sibling rivalry.

Version tested: Wii

Shigeru Miyamoto is in the habit of saying he imagined his latest invention years ago, and has been waiting for technology to make it possible. He always wanted Mario to have his dinsosaur companion Yoshi, but it wasn't possible on the NES. Zelda always looked like Ocarina of Time in his head. And, apparently, he'd always envisaged a multiplayer Super Mario Bros., but for some unspecified and difficult-to-imagine reason, it's taken the world 24 years to catch up.

It seems unlikely. But fire up New Super Mario Bros. Wii, with four players, and you have to admit: it really does seem like he planned it all along.

One of the greatest single-player game series of all time has barely had to change at all to accommodate a wildly brilliant multiplayer mode. The camera zooms in and out to track Mario, Luigi and two Toads as they bound, scramble and bop all over the shop. Question blocks dispense as many power-ups as there are players. The level's over if all of you die, but otherwise losing a life brings you back in a bubble like Baby Mario's in Yoshi's Island, which one of your friends can pop to bring you back into the game. And... that's it. Everything else is exactly as it ever was.

The last time Nintendo attempted to inject co-op rivalry into one of its great single-player series - the fantastic but impractical Zelda: Four Swords for the GameCube-GBA link-up - it had to redesign the game so completely that it was a shadow of itself in single-player. But if there's been a change in the philosophy or technique of the level design in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, it's impossible to detect (even if you happen to have spent the previous week playing every Super Mario Bros. game ever made). Fears that the game would be compromised solo vanish in an instant; since nothing has changed, when you take the other players away you're still left with a new Super Mario Bros.

'New Super Mario Bros. Wii' Screenshot 1

Yoshi can eat other players and spit them out, and anyone can pick anyone else up and throw them; cruelty or choreographed co-operation, it's your call.

Well, to be precise, you're left with a new New Super Mario Bros. This Wii game is a straight follow-up to 2006's retro revival on the DS. It has the same 2D-in-3D graphical style, colourful and impeccably animated, but slightly plain and plasticky next to the hand-drawn delights of old. It has an almost identical structure, a run through eight contained world maps in the style of Super Mario Bros. 3: more rote and rigidly-defined than that game, not to mention the ageless classic Super Mario World, but still strewn with shortcuts, secrets and forks in the road.

Toad Houses offer item-gathering mini-games, and the maps also have wandering hazards who'll provoke a short battle for further power-ups if you bump into them, bringing back Super Mario Bros. 3's board-game roll of the dice. Power-ups won in these are kept in an inventory to use at the start of a level, a great help when you're struggling, or hunting secret goals or star coins. As with New Super Mario Bros., each level contains three star coins, often well-hidden or hard to reach - but these are no longer used to unlock pathways on the map.

Instead, they buy hint videos, which offer clues to finding secret goals, useful 1up-gathering tips, or simple showing-off in the outrageously entertaining Super Skills movies. Some will be outraged at the idea of a Mario game that reveals its own secrets, but they are optional and in any case, you can trust Nintendo to choose when it lifts its skirts, and how far, with the judicious care of a veteran tease. More controversial is the Super Guide. When you die eight times on a level in single-player, you have the option of starting an automated run through with Luigi. You can assume control of him at any time, but even if you don't, the level completion counts and you move on.

'New Super Mario Bros. Wii' Screenshot 2

Huge scaling and rotating platforms abound; it's nothing that wasn't done in Yoshi's Island 15 years ago, but it still looks great.

A game that plays itself: it's a brave move. It's also one that might have made more sense in a more story- or puzzle-orientated game than this one, a game where the only real impetus for progress is in summoning the skill to surmount its obstacles, surely? Well, yes and no. The fact is, the Super Guide's implementation is sensitive and smart, and it can cut through the worst of the frustration - those horrible, enraging, self-fulfilling failure loops every Mario player has experienced. The Super Guide is completely appropriate to a game that has a broad appeal but is - and hardcore Mario fans should prepare to have their faith restored - actually quite difficult.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is undoubtedly tougher than its DS counterpart. While it sill doesn't pose the same mighty challenge as the NES games or the later stages of Super Mario World, it doesn't waste time packing dense enemy arrangements and tricky jumping into its compact levels. That's entirely welcome, although in 2009 we could have done without the needlessly stern old-school save structure that only allows you to preserve your progress every five levels or so. At least there's a one-shot quick-save for when you absolutely have to turn the Wii off.

The level design is prone to Mario-by-numbers retreads - genuinely inspired moments are outnumbered by familiar throwbacks. But let's face it, Nintendo's second-best is still better than anyone else's A-game, and you can hardly blame them for having perfected 2D platformers two decades ago. It's formulaic, but it's following a formula for sheer brilliance. You cannot fault New Super Mario Bros. Wii for variety, surprise, intricacy, freedom, tuning, pacing or sheer wealth of ideas.

Another significant improvement is to be found in the new power-ups. The DS game's novelty Mega Mario and underwhelming Blue Shell are gone, the superb Mini Mario returns - underused, if anything - and the classic Fire Flower is joined by the Ice Flower, whose snowballs freeze enemies in ice blocks that can be picked up and thrown, or used as platforms. The stars of the show, though, are the Propeller Suit (super-jump and float) and the Penguin Suit (better handling underwater and on ice, snowballs and a high-speed tummy-slide). Funny, foolishly adorable, wild and flexible, they've got all of the cartoon joy of the power-ups in Mario Bros. 3. Even better: Yoshi's back!

So are the wise additions of the wall-kick and ground-pound that New Super Mario Bros. brought over from the 3D Mario games. It ought to be redundant to mention the controls in a 2D Mario - they're tight, tactile, supple and intoxicating, of course they are - but it is a shame that some moves, notably the propeller jump and picking up some items, require you to shake the remote rather than press a button. It's quick and reliable enough not to let you down, but just awkward enough to break the telepathically instantaneous bond with Mario that you're used to. Other instances of motion control, such as tilting the remote to move certain platforms, are sparingly applied and good fun.

'New Super Mario Bros. Wii' Screenshot 3

Yoshi isn't the only returning feature from Super Mario World; Switch Palaces are back,

Played solo, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is an improvement on the DS game, but it has the same character. It's almost routine in its excellence, resting with ease on Mario's mountain of laurels: a brilliant game, but more tribute than true successor, and an exercise in deja vu for the seasoned Mario fan. With more than one player, however, it's transformed.

It's no more nor less than a chance to share the exuberant, mischievous joy of this magnificent series - and in doing so, to multiply it. The integration is invisible, and total. Up to four players can play through the entire game in the main mode, dropping in and out at any point. You can help or hinder each other as you feel like, but either way, the difficulty balances out perfectly. The tag-team element grants that many more chances to stay alive and keep the level scrolling, but the multiplication of bouncing, free-wheeling chaos sparks off chain reactions of cause and effect that often spiral out of control. When these end in disaster, though, it's always hilarious, slapstick disaster that's impossible to begrudge.

In addition, there are two dedicated multiplayer modes, Free Play and Coin Battle. Levels are unlocked in these as you work through the main game, but both also offer a recommended selection from across the game's eight worlds unlocked at the start. In Free Play you compete for score and enemy kills, displayed on a leaderboard at the end of a level, while Coin Battle is a pure hunt for the most coins. Both work superbly but the purity of Coin Battle wins out; it's a fantastically greedy scramble, even better in the five levels designed specially for it. The replay value added by these modes is immense, as if the hunt for every secret level and Star Coin in the main game wasn't enough.

'New Super Mario Bros. Wii' Screenshot 4

The Propellerheads are great, but where's the Shirley Bassey suit?

It's a shame that you can't compete for score in the same way when playing in the game proper, but that's a structural quibble at best. The lack of online multiplayer is a tougher call, especially since it's available in the similar LittleBigPlanet, but maybe that comparison tells you all you need to know about why Nintendo didn't include it. Great though it is, Sony's game doesn't have anything like the same razor-sharp timing, the same busy complexity to the level design and interactions, the same raw speed. Lag might have thrown Mario a microsecond off perfection, and in this series, that would be unforgivable. Besides, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is such a great social game - not so much balanced between co-operation and competition as embracing them both in a rowdy, rough-and-tumble group hug, full of friendly rivalry but totally free of malice - it is absolutely worth gathering your friends together to play it.

Who knew that, locked in the time-honoured traditions of Super Mario Bros., one of the greatest co-op games ever was waiting to get out? Well, Shigeru Miyamoto did. In unleashing it, Nintendo hasn't moved its classic series forward one jot; it hasn't had to. But it has given it a riotous new lease of life.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (108) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LazyDan #1 2 years ago

    YEAHHH

    So can't wait to get this on Friday. I reckon it'll be half an hour spent on 1-1 with us all throwing each other down holes.

  • giant_frying_pan #2 2 years ago

    Will buy at launch, but keeping for Christmas as the designated focus of Family Fun and Frolics™

    That is, until all the sherry gets downed and the turkey feathers and spiky baubles start to fly...

  • andywilkie35 #3 2 years ago

    This will be the first Wii game I've bought since Smash Bros last year - Nintendo can really knock together a quality game when they bother to try. Really looking forward to it

  • RobTheBuilder #4 2 years ago

    Yet another game on my ever growing list... looks better than expected though.

  • insincere_dave #5 2 years ago

    I shall be purchasing this on Friday.

  • sugapunk #6 2 years ago

    I'm surprisingly surprised at the score. I love 2D Mario but didn't enjoy this at the Eurogamer Expo at all. Seems like you can't judge a game in 10 minutes. Who'd've'thought.

  • Alterego-X #7 2 years ago

    Finally!
    18 years since the previous real console Mario game! What took so long?!

  • George_Robo #8 2 years ago

    I want this soooo much but I have too many presents to buy. I may give in to selfishness though if I see it on a shop shelf...

  • Lionheart #9 2 years ago

    This may sound silly but can you actually play this 1 player?

  • DrDamn #10 2 years ago

    @Lionheart
    This may sound silly but have you read the review?

  • Darren #11 2 years ago

    Edge gave this a 7 and GameTrailers said that the multiplayer isn't all that in their video review, not that I'd have been playing it that way anyway but it surprised me because I assumed the game was intended for multiplayer. Knowing that it isn't makes me more interested in it but I won't be picking it up until next year at the earliest as I've got too many games to play on other formats. Hard luck Wii!

  • iago71 #12 2 years ago

    Great..... Cant wait for Fri. Have 3 others already lined up for it!

    @lionheart -

    "Played solo, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is an improvement on the DS game, but it has the same character. It's almost routine in its excellence, resting with ease on Mario's mountain of laurels: a brilliant game, but more tribute than true successor, and an exercise in deja vu for the seasoned Mario fan. With more than one player, however, it's transformed."

    Guess you didnt read the review yet?

  • JahB #13 2 years ago

    i'm usually the first to bash the wii and complain about its technical shortcomings....

    but i want this game. badly. so badly i might actually buy a wii for it.

  • Mildew #14 2 years ago

    @20charactersmax

    That's an awesome vid :)

  • GamesConnoisseur #15 2 years ago

    Applauding joyfully for a restoration of the Nintendo magic we know they are always capable of producing. Only signings mournfully that we don't get to see this often enough. Third party ident kit me too approaches are pulling Wii down in the eyes of hard core gamers. Ninty didn't help but who can argue they were wrong when they are now in a leading position?

    Just do a bit more of AAA games to keep your name afloat as one of the leading lights of game. I will happily get this game and been starved for this!

  • iago71 #16 2 years ago

    @20charactersmax

    I second that...... Cant wait for Friday to be honest.

    EDIT: Just realised I already said the part about not being able to wait for Friday but hey - I'm pleased!!!!
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/09 @ 15:33

  • Darren #17 2 years ago

    @JahB - Well if it helps this is probably the only new release from Nintendo that is worth buying this year.

    Like andywilkie35, I've been waiting so long for a decent Wii game that it's been almost 18 months since I've bought anything of note (the cheap and cheerful Klonoa, which is an ancient PS game anyway, doesn't really count). It's a crying shame that Nintendo take so damn long to make these kinds of games really. Waiting 18 months between major releases isn't really why I bought my Wii though.

  • Tonka #18 2 years ago

    It looks like a wonderful 2D platformer. Sadly that is a genre I love to hate. But four player office mayhem could be fun.

  • kincaide #19 2 years ago

    I must admit - it was my favourite game at the Eurogamer Expo

  • Canyarion #20 2 years ago

    Great review. In the last weeks I've become more and more excited about it, I think it will be a first day buy now.

  • stevetuck #21 2 years ago

    a game with mario = SOLD!

  • Darkflight #22 2 years ago

    The Giantbomb Quick Look shows that this could either be hilariously fun or goddamn annoying in Multi-player, probably both at the same time: http://ww w.giantbomb.com/quick-look-new-...

  • TonyCocaCola #23 2 years ago

    Ok nintendo you have my attention once again.

  • Santino #24 2 years ago

    Mini Mario FTW,

    20charactersmax that video is awesome.

    oh and am i the only person who finds the poster Darren has become the most annoyingly predictable broken record?
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/09 @ 15:43

  • stevetuck #25 2 years ago

    I demand someone tells me the cheapest place to buy this game!

  • photoboy #26 2 years ago

    Wait. Yoshi's back? Sold.

  • JahB #27 2 years ago

    @Darren

    usually i'd agree with you, but when it comes to this game, i really don't care. yeah, nintendo may take too long to bring out these games, they may have abandoned the hardcore for the casual audience, but still - this is a proper 2D mario game, akin to the jewels of old.

    to hell with all the corporate politics and hardcore opinions, i just wanna sit down and play this.

  • Lionheart #28 2 years ago

    @ DrDamn

    Not yet, waiting til I get home from work mate.

  • iago71 #29 2 years ago

    Darren - I watched the Gametrailers review this morning and I dont recall them saying that. They said it adds another layer to what is a sublime game. Its fun and chaotic to play with friends but best played traditionally.

    I dont see any negativity in there. If the solo play been overlooked for multiplayer then there would be an out cry.

  • Ignatius_Cheese #30 2 years ago

    Very much looking forward to playing this! Have bought a copy for me and my niece. Pure 2D Mario FTW!!

  • Lionheart #31 2 years ago

    @ iago71

    Not as of yet... FYI - my last comment

    Cheers for the snippet though.
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/09 @ 15:52

  • Fletche #32 2 years ago

    @Cheesyman
    You don't have to, it is up to you if you use the help facility on this, it is there to stop frustration more in MP where you are going to be excellent (being an actual "gamer";) but your granny may not be, so what would you rather have, playing in MP and getting pissed off because the people you are playing with are holding you back? Or playing in MP and being able to get through the levels with some help (now remember, this would only be helping the others not you)

    In SP you simply choose not to use it and play it without any help at all, apparently is supposed to be very hard in places so there is no reall dumbing down. I can't wait until Xmas day.

  • b00n #33 2 years ago

    Wasn't expecting it to be any good in singleplayer, so that's all I need. Buy +1.

  • uglygamer #34 2 years ago

    it may never reach the heights of Super Mario World and SMB 3 but it sounds great. Cant wait.

  • Tomo #35 2 years ago

    "I can't imagine finding Mario games entertaining any more. I tried Galaxy and it was fun but it was just the same old stuff over and over, with a new control scheme.

    I've got pretty down on most games these days, even MW2 just looks like yet another FPS update that I have no interest in. Shame, there was a time I'd have been giddy with excitement over this."

    Jesus. Me in agreeing with Owen shocker ;]

    This certainly sounds a bit like me recently, although this game looks great. Dragon Age is the one that's restored my love for games though - there are plenty of RPGs out there, but it does everything so incredibly well. Can't get enough of it.

  • malexous #36 2 years ago

    Haven't bought a Wii game in a while? Go read some f***ing reviews.

    As pointed out by some other EG reader. When a good Wii game is reviewed, a lot of the time, people like Darren and certain trolls are never to be seen.

    stevetuck, Ł29.99 at GamePlay

  • dr_faulk #37 2 years ago

    FFS. Between this and Modern Warafre 2, how am I supposed to be a dutiful husband?

  • originaljohn #38 2 years ago

    sweet

  • iago71 #39 2 years ago

    "FFS. Between this and Modern Warafre 2, how am I supposed to be a dutiful husband?"

    I totally share your concern on that one!!!!

  • TonyHarrison #40 2 years ago

    "FFS. Between this and Modern Warafre 2, how am I supposed to be a dutiful husband?"

    Let her play Mario with you... maybe say you'll stop playing when she beats you... which of course, being a manly man, will never happen...

  • Les #41 2 years ago

    Will get this. Love 2D and I bet my girlfriend will enjoy this as well. :)

  • Velios #42 2 years ago

    Lol Les.... You don't have a girlfriend.

  • KDR_11k #43 2 years ago

    Supposedly there are traces of unfinished coop code in most older Mario games so they were actually trying to get it working before. I doubt it was a hardware constraint that prevented it though.

  • modo_komodo #44 2 years ago

    "Haven't bought a Wii game in a while? Go read some f***ing reviews.

    As pointed out by some other EG reader. When a good Wii game is reviewed, a lot of the time, people like Darren and certain trolls are never to be seen.

    stevetuck, Ł29.99 at GamePlay "

    Can you tell me what these games are?

  • JonFE #45 2 years ago

    @Darren:
    "Waiting 18 months between major releases isn't really why I bought my Wii though."

    Which is exactly why you have also bought an x360, a PS3 and a capable gaming PC - to sort you out during the 'no decent Wii games' drought, right? Yet, when one decent Wii game *does* come along, you pass, as you've got "too many games to play on other formats".

    :-)

  • BartonFink #46 2 years ago

    Sounds an looks great definitely one for the Christmas shopping list for me and the kids.

    Time to dust off the Wii - now if only the flippin thing didn't sound like a hoover :(

  • wez_316 #47 2 years ago

    For those wanting to know good Wii games released this year... I strongly suggest that you play Punch Out and Little King's Story.

    Truly two of the best games of the year.

    I played through Dead Space: Extraction last night as well... and found it to be more enjoyable than the original Dead Space believe it or not.

    Wii Sports Resort, Anno,Lost Winds 2, Swords & Soldiers, Grand Slam Tennis, Tiger Woods 10... all excellent too!

    And now I'm wanting to buy NSMB, Mario & Sonic, A Boy and His Blob, Darkside Chronicles and Rabbids Go Home.

    There's a lot of good on Wii people... just face it!

    EDIT: And when I lay it all out on the table like that... I would probably say that Wii has probably had the best year out of any console
    Edited by 1 at 16/11/09 @ 16:56

  • Macross #48 2 years ago

    now i got 2 games i actually want on the Wii

    This and Boy and his blob

    damn i might have to actually buy a game(s) for it for the first time in a year!

  • jimboton #49 2 years ago

    Nice, I really want to play this...

    .. but wouldn't it be just awesome to see a real Mario World 5? all the overworld detail, convoluted level layouts, ghost houses, secret routes, the star road, etc.. a really EPIC Mario (as Spector would put it) ?

    reading olie's article the other day I realised how badly I want such a game.

    Edited by 1 at 16/11/09 @ 17:18

  • modo_komodo #50 2 years ago

    Please don't get me wrong; I love Mario games and I love Nintendo but I think to say they have had one of the year's best release schedules leaves a bit to be desired.

    Still, this should more than make up for it.

  • smelly #51 2 years ago

    >now i got 2 games i actually want on the Wii

    This xmas - for the first time since i bought the 360.. there are more games i want on the wii this year than 360.

    blob, mario, rabbids, dead space, the musmura game i can never spell, etc

  • MeBrains #52 2 years ago

    which game was slammed again for doing more of the same?

    anyhows... looks like a must-buy then...

  • Lamb #53 2 years ago

    The GOD of videogames has made another masterpiece? I look forward to playing it!

    ALL HAIL SHIGGY!!! ALL HAIL SHIGGY!!!

  • Mortified_Penguin #54 2 years ago

    Well, this is looking better than I expected...But I'm still buying Muramasa: The Demon Blade this friday instead, assuming it isn't pushed back again...

  • smelly #55 2 years ago

    >which game was slammed again for doing more of the same?

    Modern Warfare 2?

  • RedSparrows #56 2 years ago

    *curses that this wasn't out 2 years ago, when he had a friend with a wii at uni and about 10 people around it before going out*

    /weeps

  • tardo #57 2 years ago

    Ooh, this looks cool. Ta for that youtube clip of the bullet bill level- twas stunning stuff!

    and every time I see people moan about there not being any good wii games this year, I always have to mention Little King's Story. 8 out of 10 isn't enough for it!

  • MeBrains #58 2 years ago

    smelly: It's not that A Crack in Time is all fur coat and no knickers. The problem is, it's all fur coat and the same knickers it's been wearing for seven years. Time for a change.

    it was ratchet's crack it was. ok. maybe they are not in the same league indeed...

  • roz123 #59 2 years ago

    @ Lord

    You have to add the Tales of Monkey Island chapters to that list, they are fantastic games. (although i played them on the pc)

  • figaro7 #60 2 years ago

    Couldnt agree more, this game deserves nothing less than a 9, its bloody good and ive only been playing the single player. As for the star coins, they do unlock something.... and not just silly hint movies, something much more than that. Its a brilliant game and deserves to be in everyones wii collection. As for the shake the wiimote, i never had any problems with it, hold 1 and shake wiimote to pick up stuff, having said that i didnt use the spin attack that much at all. I have to say the iceball was the best inclusion in the game for me, its so versitile. But the propeller suit opened the levels up and gave you insane amounts of ideas for finding more secrets. I do agree that mini mario wasnt used enough however, hes like luigi from mario bros 2 all over again!

  • electrolite #61 2 years ago

    EG not reviewed the Wii version of Tiger Woods 10 then?

  • TravisTouchdown #62 2 years ago

    @Crofto: Eurogamer Italy had a word too.

    A confession: I thought NSMB DS was almost wholly devoid of charm. For some reason that doesn't dampen my excitement for this in the slightest. This weekend will be great.

  • Praetorianer #63 2 years ago

    Ok, now I'll buy a black Wii...I just have to play this!

  • figaro7 #64 2 years ago

    Oh and -1 for failing to mention the enemies stop and jigging in time with the music.

  • Charlie_Miso #65 2 years ago

    Had it for almost a week now. Played solo and with the Mrs.

    Score is bang on the $.

  • smelly #66 2 years ago

    @MeBrains : I know, but my point was you can make the same argument against many many games.

  • smelly #67 2 years ago

    @TravisTouchdown : My only complaint against the DS version is that it was too easy (and that includes getting 100%).

    .. but apparently this one is tougher.. so the minute i can find a store here that ISNT sold out, i'll let you know :-)

  • sargulesh #68 2 years ago

    darren there are lots of games on the wii. 2009 has been it's best year to date

    F.F.S.

  • sargulesh #69 2 years ago

    lord there are no games on the wii certainly none in 2009 I'm off to play racing game HD

  • Stugan #70 2 years ago

    Cheesyman wrote:

    ''Sounds like good fun but the dumbing down of modern games really fecking irks me. Can't finish a level? Just get luigo t finish it for you. I mean wtf? Same sort of stuff as the rewind button in forza 3 and no-death in bioshock.''

    I agree that the super guide sounds a bit silly, BUT you will get a speciall reward if you manage to play through the entire game without ever making the super guide appear (Miyamoto said so in an interview). As a hardcore gamer, used to NES and SNES games, I must say that sounds great.
    Edited by 3 at 16/11/09 @ 23:57

  • aphosis #71 2 years ago

    @electrolite
    I have to agree -- why no review of Tiger Woods 10 on Wii from Eurogamer? The reason I bought MP, and a really wonderful game. What do other people think of it? Anyone?

  • SG #72 2 years ago

    figaro7

    Oh and -1 for failing to mention the enemies stop and jigging in time with the music.

    They did this on the DS version too.

  • figaro7 #73 2 years ago

    You dont have to use the super guide, i received it a couple of times but never wanted to use it, i will use it eventually just to see how it works though.

  • elvenearth #74 2 years ago

    There is something about 2d platformers that just works so well. Mario games are at the forefront (sorry, Sonic fans) and this will be another great feel for the whole experience on offer with 2d platformers.

  • Burkey123 #75 2 years ago

    Wow! Oli, great review! Really enjoyable read.

    I seriously cannot wait for this! My most anticipated game this Christmas BY A MILE! It just looks so so fun and me and my bro will have a blast playing this in co-op!
    Great review, great score and by the sounds of it, great game!

  • Ryze #76 2 years ago

    Oooh I might have to buy my 'mum' a Wii.

    Let's hope that Sega can pull off the HD Sonic game without f'ing it up now, eh?
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/09 @ 00:54

  • penhalion #77 2 years ago

    If your looking at this for multiplayer I would strongly suggest you ignore the review score as this does not work as a multiplayer game! As a single player game it's great fun and has all of the Mario must haves. Multiplayer just messes up all of the precision jumps to the point where you'll simply leave your mates in their death bubbles and get on with game. It's either that or arguements over how they seem to be deliberately not taking the game seriously. They are of course it's just that the stop start scrolling of multiplayer will always let you down.

  • Vroom #78 2 years ago

    Well. Wasn't exepecting the score having played the game at the expo. Lacked that certain something IMO.

  • JayScott #79 2 years ago

    @ penhalion

    Never played a co-op game then? Leave your partners in bubbles? Thank christ I never have to play with you.

    @ everyone else

    The game works superbly in multi (played it with 3, not 4 yet). It's great fun.

  • Tonka #80 2 years ago

    Who the fuck is this Darreb you guys keep talking about? Some imaginary foe?

    (Yes Darren you clueless cunt, I've got you on ignore)

  • peteb #81 2 years ago

    Oh my God, its like a Darren witchhunt. Leave the poor fella alone!

  • smelly #82 2 years ago

    >(Yes Darren you clueless cunt, I've got you on ignore)

    I dont see him either.. so must be the same.

    Went to buy this game again tonight.. the local game store had LOADS of copies of Modern Warfare 2 in.. they've even ALREADY started selling it cheap to get rid of stcok.. But mario had sold out again this morning

    So i STILL havent managed ot buy this yet! I hope they provide enough stock for UK owners!

    Edited by 1 at 17/11/09 @ 09:19

  • Big-Swiss #83 2 years ago

    wow, one good game a year, congratulations.................

  • Redeye #84 2 years ago

    Mine on Friday - what more needs be said? :D

  • Santino #85 2 years ago

    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=OsZCxsIrVP0

  • Darren #86 2 years ago

    @peteb - Don't worry about it. You're not allowed to post an opinion on this forum if it in any way contradicts someone elses. Didn't you know that? ;)

    And you can spot a Wii "fan boy" a mile away... apt considering one of them is called 'Smelly'... ;)

    For anyone else reading, I haven't accused this game of being awful; I'm actually interested in buying it now that I know it is not geared toward multiplayer as I was led to believe. I just won't be buying it this year, that's all, as I have far too many other games to play across three other formats.

  • Darren #87 2 years ago

    @JonFE - I'm not passing on it, I intend picking it up when I've worked through the current games I have. I may even add it to my Christmas list. But the point isn't that I have a lot of games now, that's just par for the course at this time of year as you well know, it's that, IMHO, there has been very little of interest on the Wii for me for the best part of 18 months. Where were the great Wii games in the spring or summer for example when I didn't have a lot of games to play... hmmm?

    I bought my Wii mainly for the Nintendo exclusives as I can play third-party games on the other formats but there have been few that have interested me. Wii Music, Wii Fit and Wii Sports Resort don't interest me either; they're all shallow fare made for casual gamers IMO (and, yes, I've tried them all). So, yes, it is nice that we have a great Mario game, I do want it, but it's a shame I've had to wait so long for it. Would have been nice to have had it earlier in the year but then the Wii wouldn't have had any first-party Nintendo games for Christmas if that had been the case...

  • Darren #88 2 years ago

    @lord - That list has at least five games that are re-releases of old GameCube games with motion-controls added so they don't count as new games if, like me, you've played them before. And one of them is a rehash of an ancient NES game for goodness sakes! A lot of those games also failed to sell in large numbers suggesting that many Wii owners either aren't aware of the games or that they have no interest in them.

    I agree with modo_komodo that the Wii has had a relatively poor year for new releases compared with the other formats. New Super Mario Wii at least ends the year on a high note but Nintendo need to do more to appease the core audience with a steady trickle of quality games throughout the year IMO. They've even admiited that much themselves!!!
    Edited by 1 at 17/11/09 @ 15:12

  • Mashum #89 2 years ago

    "old-school save structure that only allows you to preserve your progress every five levels or so"

    The only problem with the DS one a few years ago. Life is too short to play the same three levels for the 15th time just because they end with a difficult bit that takes (dozy me) 15 attempts to master. The alternative of letting the game play that part for you, while innivative, isn't really the most elegant answer - why not just let the player save before the start of each level.

  • MORZTAN #90 2 years ago

    This is to temporarely beat the LFD4 comment sektion

  • Santino #91 2 years ago

    "@Darren: get a blog. Nobody cares about your self-imposed filters. "

    + frickin 1

  • electrolite #92 2 years ago

    @ BigSwiss.

    Move your mouse to the left, click 'Reviews' under where it says 'Wii'. Availing yourself of the most basic knowledge of a subject before you post on it is surely the minimum?

  • Darren #93 2 years ago

    @lord - Oh so the mighty "lord" speaks for everyone does he? I think I can see why you chose that name...

    Anyways... get over yourself, please. If you don't like my posts then use your brain - you've got one haven't you - and click that little Ignore Poster option... just there... you see it? That's what it's there for... then you can stop being so self-righteous. :p

  • Darren #94 2 years ago

    P.S. I've already done the same for you!

  • Dan234 #95 2 years ago

    Moving dangerously back to the game, giving you just one chance to save in between the savepoints every five levels is a bit of a fucker. Doesn't Miyamoto know we're all grown up now?

  • Stompy #96 2 years ago

    "Anyways... get over yourself, please. If you don't like my posts then use your brain - you've got one haven't you - and click that little Ignore Poster option... just there... you see it? That's what it's there for... then you can stop being so self-righteous. :p"

    If you're posting in order to make people press that button, then you would most easily accomplish the aim of not being read at all by never posting.

    That is the way of the ninja.

  • SG #97 2 years ago

    Sory if I've mised something but I seem Darren's post as constructively criticising?

    I may have skimmed over something though...

  • FooAtari #98 2 years ago

    I tend to agree SG.

    I can see why Darrens posts in Wii sections are annoying for some people as they are 99% of the time negative. However there is normally truth in what he says.

  • smelly #99 2 years ago

    I just logged out to read Darrens comments to see wtf everyone was complaining about

    Meh.. At the end of the day if someone wants to come into every wii thread and tell us all about how lacking the wii is of good games every time... i.e.

    1. If good game - Wii sucks, only 1 good game a year
    2. If bad game - Wii sucks, this bad review proves it

    (while ignoring the fact there's actually 3 high scoring wii games on the front page of this very site)..

    i just look at these people and think they're sad.. they obviously have a lot of time on their hands after beating MW2 in 5 hours and are now bored...

  • smelly #100 2 years ago

    * remember - saying you're looking forwards to playing a mario game apparently makes you a nintendo fanboy.

  • tnt_2008smum #101 2 years ago

    God the Wii fanboys are a nasty bunch!

    And smelly you are such a hypocrite! You turn up in just about every thread droning on and spouting your crap about Bioshock/Halo or whatever other game YOU don't like. I mean for the love of God what has MW2 got to do with this game?

    For the record I love Mario games but I'm having reservations about NSMB Wii due to the implementation of pointless waggle controls. This is a legitimate concern for me in the same way the assumed focus on multi player was a legitimate concern for Darren!

    F**king fanboys give me the shits!

  • sargulesh #102 2 years ago

    no tearing on the wii so it's understandable darren dislikes it: this seems to be his main topic of insight

  • SlackMaster #103 2 years ago

    TBH this wasn't really on my radar to buy list until I played it at the expo. I love 2D Mario and this game really reminds me of SMB 3 and World. The four player side of things wasn't really as gimmiky as I was expecting and was a lot of fun to play. Here's hoping this does well and we get more 2D Mario in the future.

  • SlackMaster #104 2 years ago

    @ knobgoblin

    Yeah, I'll probably get stoned for this but I didn't find any of the 3D Mario games all that fun. For me it lost somthing in the jump to 3D.

    SMB3 IMO is the best Mario game of all time. Remember the hype around that game, it was crazy. How many games do you know that have had a whole movie built around them to hype them up before release. Yes, the Wizard was shit in a good way but that got a lot of kids so excited to play SMB3.

    All the NES Mario games for me are still very playable but you can see the massive jumps in the game that were made between each successive sequal.

  • My1stLoveJak #105 2 years ago

    This was TOTALLY a first day, pre-order buy, for me. Oli? I have to say, as a new member to this site, that I loved the article and appreciate your discerning view as a critic. Recently, I read what some editors over at IGN had to say about the game and blew a gasket - just couldn't believe the people saying that this game doesn't innovate, or that the multiplayer breaks the game...any number of moronic comments that makes me wonder how much time they spent with the title.

    IGN is not getting one more iota of my time. Anyways, thanks again for the insightful article, and for respecting one of gamings greatest franchises (not because you have to, but because you recognize that NSMBW is a fantastic title, not a mis-step)

  • geeza2020 #106 2 years ago

    I had forgotten how much fun i used to have playing Mario games (haven't played one since Sunshine *spit*) but after reading this, the memories have come flooding back from the original NES and SNES games up to the outstandingly good Mario 64! Now all i need is a Wii, a copy of this game and i'll be in heaven!

  • captainjax #107 2 years ago

    Any deals on this bundled with a Wii Black edition? GF wants one for Xmas.

  • Jordinho #108 2 years ago

    Great game, it's driving me mad! But I love it, sadly though, I can't figure out how to play multiplayer over the net. This is a MUST for every multiplayer game these days...

    EDIT: just read a comment from someone on about this being a "social" game. Why not include the feature anyway? Surely It's my choice who to play it with? Nobody in my house plays games but my other family members love it, so you're saying I should never be able to play multiplayer, ever? Besides, mario kart supports it. I'm sorry but this is just another reason to leave the wii on stand-by...
    Edited by 2 at 02/01/10 @ 08:43