Mario shot to stardom as a flat sprite hopping and bopping his way through side-scrolling 2D levels. Only later did he leave the two-dimensional platform realm behind to lead the charge into console 3D action/adventure gaming with Mario 64.
Since then, with the exception of some retro titles and GameBoy ports, Mario and brother Luigi have led the swashbuckling lives of 3D adventure characters, exploring imaginary lands and taking on daring missions.
With New Super Mario Bros., Mario returns to his roots, and updates them in spectacular fashion. Playing on the dual screens of the Nintendo DS, NSMB is a spectacular, colorful reinvention of the classic 2D side-scroller.
With New Super Mario Bros., Mario returns to his roots, and updates them in spectacular fashion. Playing on the dual screens of the Nintendo DS, NSMB is a spectacular, colorful reinvention of the classic 2D side-scroller.
The top screen displays a detailed hybrid 2D/3D polygonal view of the gameworld, while the bottom touchscreen is relegated to a linear map of the level, a few stats, and a display of any power-ups you may collect.
Unlike many DS titles, this game is played almost entirely with the control pad and buttons, with the touch pad largely relegated to activating power-ups. The classic control scheme means that old hands can slip into the gameplay as they would a well-worn glove.
Aside from the astonishing visuals, there won’t be too many surprises for longtime fans. Mario’s quest is hung on the merest tissue of a plot. (Guess what? Bowser Jr. has kidnapped Peach and She Must Be Rescued! And if even that much plot matters to you, then you’ve picked up the wrong game.)
Aside from the astonishing visuals, there won’t be too many surprises for longtime fans. Mario’s quest is hung on the merest tissue of a plot. (Guess what? Bowser Jr. has kidnapped Peach and She Must Be Rescued! And if even that much plot matters to you, then you’ve picked up the wrong game.)
Mario’s move list is mostly confined to the classics: he can run, jump, and ground-pound. Taking a page from the later games, NSMB also allows him to cling to walls and wall-jump in order to reach out-of-the-way areas.
More important are the power-ups collected along the way. These give him the ability to shoot fireballs, shrink to mini-Mario in order to access tight quarters, sprout a turtle shell, and (most entertainingly) grow to gargantuan size and simply stomp through all obstacles.
The real joy, however, comes from the quality of the levels. There are eight worlds in all, with Mario journeying on the surface, underground, and in water, desert, and ice worlds.
The real joy, however, comes from the quality of the levels. There are eight worlds in all, with Mario journeying on the surface, underground, and in water, desert, and ice worlds.
Each is atiny marvel of side-scrolling goodness, and though the game is brief, it’s packed with the kind of quality neo-retro gameplay we just don’t see often enough.
A solid multiplayer mode pits Luigi versus Mario in WiFi-connected head-to-head contests, thus stretching the game’s lifespan a bit.
Even given its brevity, New Super Mario Bros. is easily one of the best handheld titles of the year, and a must-have for Nintendo DS owners.—Thomas L. McDonald
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