When my 8 year old nephew Jack saw that I had the platformer New Super Mario Bros. in my hand, his eyes widened and he shrieked in glee. Had I known what to expect when my editor handed me the game, I would have done the same. New Super Mario Bros., it turns out, is a beautifully modernized revisiting of the classic NES and Super NES Mario games of my youth!
The Past: I Fall in Love with Mario
My love affair with Mario began long ago. I remember in 1983 putting quarter after quarter into the Mario Bros. game in the arcade at my local shopping mall. I was also a big fan of Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2, both for the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). When Super Mario Bros. 3 was released in 1990 for the Super NES, it immediately became my favorite game. I spent hours firmly planted in front of the television in my boyfriend’s basement, losing my youth to Mario.
I broke up with Mario when I broke up with my boyfriend. Without his Super NES I had no way to play the game, and anyway, I thought, I had grown too old for video games.
For years, I lived a gameless existence, but then the Wii came along and Mario reentered my life. First there was Mario Kart Wii, upon which I spent many hours with a wheel in my hand, racing my friends. I also bought Super Mario 3 for the Wii’s Virtual Console and happily relived old times. I hoped to experience more of the classic Nintendo experience with Super Mario Galaxy, but somehow that one didn’t grab me.
When I started playing New Super Mario Bros, it was just what I always wanted, an extra super Super Mario Bros. game. This game is more old than new, more a revisitation than a revision, but for me, that felt just right.
The Basics: Walk, Jump, Collect Coins, Repeat
The story is the story of every Super Mario game. Princess Peach is captured by the villainous King Bowser and his minions must be rescued by Mario and Luigi. This is all the story I want; anything else would simply be tampering with a classic.
In terms of gameplay and controls, this is the game I know and love. You turn the Wii remote sideways to emulate an old-fashioned Nintendo controller, making Mario walk and jump by pressing the direction pad and the A button. As a concession to the capabilities of the Wii, you can also jump higher by shaking the remote. You explore your surroundings, jumping on enemies and head-butting blocks for coins and powers. In one level you swim, which I have always enjoyed in previous games.
While much of it is familiar, some things are new, such as the ability to throw ice balls at enemies, or ride Yoshi (a small dinosaur), who can be lured from a box with a head butt.
You have eight completely different worlds to explore, with a boss battle at the end of each. You will have to fight off snapping turtles, Goombas and skeletons that disintegrate when you pounce on them.
The New Stuff: Play with Friends, Enjoy the Scenery
While the gameplay is essentially the same gameplay I have loved for decades, the graphics have been given a gorgeous makeover. Everything is bright and bold, caves are festooned with glistening amethysts. The music is equally wonderful, cheerful and fun. It was awe-inspiring to see a favorite game from my youthpolished to such a lustrous sheen; I could never have imagined when I was sitting in my boyfriend’s basement that someday Super Mario Bros. would look like this.
The big gameplay addition in the game is co-op multiplayer. You can work with up to four players to make your way through the game worlds. It really is a lot of fun to play alongside friends, or in my case, my eight-year-old nephew. He begged me to help him defeat Bowser at the end of each level, but alas, fighting above a big fire pit, my contribution battles was repeatedly falling in.
Conclusion: The Ultimate Mario Bros. Game
The game seems like a good choice for novice gamers, as it is relatively straightforward and not as confusing as many games. The game starts off relatively easy, but progresses in difficulty. It was fairly hard for me to beat Bowser whenever I encountered him.
If you were never a fan of Super Mario Bros. games, this spruced-up version is unlikely to change your mind. If you love old-school Mario games the way I do though, this game will make you fall in love all over again. For me, it’s a nostalgic blast from the past that just makes me happy.
If you’ve never experienced any of these games, this is the one to start with. As proved by my nephew, there is a whole new generation ready to gleefully shriek for Mario.
