No matter who you are, chances are you like Mario games. Whether it's the legendary original, the masterpiece that is Super Mario Bros. 3, the goofy racing fun of Mario Kart, or even the many sports games, most every Mario game that Nintendo has put out is awesome. As great as all of his newer games are (Super Mario Galaxy is one of my all-time favorites), I am still partial to the Italian plumber's old side-scrolling games. So when New Super Mario Bros. came out for the DS back in 2007, I was excited beyond words. It was a great game and an amazing return to the old-school roots. But what really took me by surprise was when at this year's E3 Nintendo announced not one, but two new Mario games, one of which being New Super Mario Bros. Wii. A new Mario side-scroller on the Wii!? And it has multiplayer? But I still feared that this would be a re-hash of the DS game with multilayer tacked on. Luckily, I was wrong.
This is an all-new game jam-packed with new and challenging levels (and when I say challenging, I mean it's one of the harder Mario games). New power-ups like the Ice Flower and the Penguin Suit add cool new challenges and add a new spin to an old formula. It's just like any other Mario game: run from point A to point B in the time allowed and try not to die. Old and new enemies abound (including the return of the Koopa Kids!) and new obstacles await you. The graphics look both retro and new, adding a neat flair to the levels. The music is good (basically a re-imagining of the DS game's music) but doesn't match the greatness of Super Mario World or Super Mario Bros. 3.
The game is played best through single player, though multiplayer is good, if not very engaging. It's good for a few laughs, but if you are taking it seriously, you might get frustrated. The stages in the single player game are the exact same in multiplayer, with no new multiplayer-specific additions which is kind of a drag. Also, Nintendo continues it's tradition of not including online multiplayer, which is a letdown considering that this could have been a great online game. So you'll have to be playing with your buddies next to you with this one.
But regardless of those few missteps, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a great game. Just not an incredible one. It's still a ton a fun (though not as much if you play it with 3 other friends) and will take a while to breeze through. As with any other Mario title, there are a ton of secrets to discover and secret levels to find. If you have a Wii, there isn't any reason for you not to own this game. It's fun, fast, entertaining, and above all, nostalgic. I mean, come on! What else do you want in a Mario game?
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