Game Card
NEW Super Mario Bros. (DS)
- Publisher:
- Nintendo
- Developer:
- Nintendo
- US Release:
- 15.05.2006
- EU Release:
- n/a
- Number of players:
- n/a
Review
We play NEW Super Mario Bros....
Once the nostalgia passes, New Super Mario Bros. is a seemingly average Mario game. When does that happen, right? Sadly, it’s true. Little has changed since even the original Mario on the NES. There are some extras that make gameplay somewhat different, but it doesn’t benefit it in any way.
Amazingly, there’s a new storyline of Princess Peach getting captured and Mario running through multiple worlds to save her and never quite reaching her until the big last battle. Originality is not something that NSMB can be known for. It really just looks like previous Mario games mashed into a small cartridge.
The few new additions like mega mushrooms, mini mushrooms and wearable koopa shells don’t really enhance gameplay. Albeit running through half the level while being the size of a building is fun, it tends to be more of a handicap in finding game secrets.
Eight worlds hold between 7-9 required levels to move on to the next world, but each has extra levels that are either bonus-only or alternate routes. There really isn’t any reason to play through the game to complete it completely (no pun intended). No special ending, no bonus material, nothing. Just extra baddies to jump on and time to kill.
Time to kill is probably a high point, as the DS is a portable system, so that isn’t necessarily bad, but after completing the game normally there was no reason I couldn’t just pick up another title. The human mind can only justify so much. Pushing to complete every level and get every coin was…painful. Some people are masochists though.
Maybe the Mario team realized that boss fights are out of style. There wasn’t a single one that was difficult in any way, especially if I was fully powered and shot fireballs. Not a single one lasted more than a minute. I couldn’t help but wonder why Mario could never save Princess Peach at each castle, but then again, with the bosses that he has to fight, it really wouldn’t bother him for more adventuring.
Levels were filled with plush skylines, heavy in question boxes, enemies, and pipes. Pipes that when you go down drop Mario from the top screen to the bottom. Not that the bottom screen really does anything that a single screen couldn’t do alone. But as stated earlier, nothing was dynamically new save for a few enemies, none of which change gameplay at all.
The graphics are very nice, with the 3d Mario and characters on the 2d maps. Slowdown was nonexistent and everything was nice and smooth. Pretty textures on the small screen are a nice touch, especially compared to the lot of games on the console.
Multiplayer is alright, though seriously nothing special. The mini games requiring the use of the stylus and touch screen are a nice addition, but once again they aren’t anything new. NSMB’s highlights are strictly from the single player campaign.
Lack of originality in gameplay doesn’t really stop the fact that this is Mario. The game is fun for short periods, as any portable game should be. Some frustrating additions don’t really change playing the game, only completing it 100%. New Super Mario Bros. may not be very new, but there is still the Mario gameplay we’ve come to know and love.
Top Game Moment: Making the perfect run-and-jump to the end of the level to get the 1-up after countless attempts.
 |
 |
|
| Be big, run fast, destroy everything. Rampage, eat your heart out | Mario is quick, Mario is nimble. Mario can walk the tightrope like…wait, isn’t he fat? |
Amazingly, there’s a new storyline of Princess Peach getting captured and Mario running through multiple worlds to save her and never quite reaching her until the big last battle. Originality is not something that NSMB can be known for. It really just looks like previous Mario games mashed into a small cartridge.
The few new additions like mega mushrooms, mini mushrooms and wearable koopa shells don’t really enhance gameplay. Albeit running through half the level while being the size of a building is fun, it tends to be more of a handicap in finding game secrets.
Eight worlds hold between 7-9 required levels to move on to the next world, but each has extra levels that are either bonus-only or alternate routes. There really isn’t any reason to play through the game to complete it completely (no pun intended). No special ending, no bonus material, nothing. Just extra baddies to jump on and time to kill.
 |
 |
|
| Some enemies are the size of the screen. Don’t worry, their brains are only the size of Mario | Maps show where every level is in each world, so you’ll always know which ones you missed and how to get to them |
Time to kill is probably a high point, as the DS is a portable system, so that isn’t necessarily bad, but after completing the game normally there was no reason I couldn’t just pick up another title. The human mind can only justify so much. Pushing to complete every level and get every coin was…painful. Some people are masochists though.
Maybe the Mario team realized that boss fights are out of style. There wasn’t a single one that was difficult in any way, especially if I was fully powered and shot fireballs. Not a single one lasted more than a minute. I couldn’t help but wonder why Mario could never save Princess Peach at each castle, but then again, with the bosses that he has to fight, it really wouldn’t bother him for more adventuring.
Levels were filled with plush skylines, heavy in question boxes, enemies, and pipes. Pipes that when you go down drop Mario from the top screen to the bottom. Not that the bottom screen really does anything that a single screen couldn’t do alone. But as stated earlier, nothing was dynamically new save for a few enemies, none of which change gameplay at all.
The graphics are very nice, with the 3d Mario and characters on the 2d maps. Slowdown was nonexistent and everything was nice and smooth. Pretty textures on the small screen are a nice touch, especially compared to the lot of games on the console.
Multiplayer is alright, though seriously nothing special. The mini games requiring the use of the stylus and touch screen are a nice addition, but once again they aren’t anything new. NSMB’s highlights are strictly from the single player campaign.
 |
 |
|
| Ghost houses return with their invulnerable enemies and terrible puzzles. Oogles of fun | Ok, so no fireballs. Doesn’t mean it’s too hard to jump over him and hit the big red button to win |
Lack of originality in gameplay doesn’t really stop the fact that this is Mario. The game is fun for short periods, as any portable game should be. Some frustrating additions don’t really change playing the game, only completing it 100%. New Super Mario Bros. may not be very new, but there is still the Mario gameplay we’ve come to know and love.
Top Game Moment: Making the perfect run-and-jump to the end of the level to get the 1-up after countless attempts.
