Gaming Generations :: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

DeuceGG · Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:13 am Post subject:

Honestly Nintendo, you could have saved me the mouthful and just called this Super Mario 4. There is very little that is "New" but really, why fix what isn't broken right?

The Good
Classic Gameplay
Like I said in the opening, there really isn't anything new here in storyline. That ridiculously easy to capture princess gets captured again, and you have to go through 8 worlds to get her back. In time of writing, I haven't even beaten the 1st world, and can already tell you what is going to happen. The game is a 2.5D sidescroller, that features 3D models of characters on a 2D plain. The controls are so old school in fact, that they only use the Wiimote held sideways to mimic the layout of the first 3 games on the NES. New items like the propeller hat and ice flower mix things up a bit, and motion controls make an appearance (surprise, surprise) to add to the minimalist control scheme. Its a formula that works and is fun, and I can't fault it for not being good. I guess I wanted a bit more from the game by way of story/characters/location. I guess that is what the Paper Mario series is for, and I am going to take this time to demand a sequel to Super Mario RPG, THE greatest Mario game ever and also one of the best RPGs ever on a console.

...now with Co-Op!
Need to justify the purchase of 3 extra Wiimotes? New Super Mario Bros Wii lets you jump in and out of a friends game whenever you want, making it fun for parties or just hanging out and blowing a couple of hours stomping goombas. The Wii is the "family console" in that it brings people together and lets you play together. NSMBW does this well and will be welcomed by any guy that has been trying to get his girlfriend to play games, but she refuses to play anything more recent than Donkey Kong on the SNES.

Super Guide
If you happen to be really bad at these sorts of games, a new feature called the Super Guide will help you out. Basically, if you die in one place over and over (8 times in a row I believe), you can hit a green block, from which Luigi will pop out of and beat the level for you. He only does a very basic run through, and you can stop and control him at any point, so if there is a string of piranha plants that keep messing you up, you can always let him get by it and then continue as normal. I personally am not trying to play the game by smashing my face with the controller, so I didn't have to use this feature, but it is nice I suppose if you are the kind of person that needs an Action Replay to enjoy a game or you are 5...

The Bad
Fan Service
This game is an obvious attempt from Nintendo to get back on top and be the console it was 2 years ago. The one you couldn't find anywhere and on the top of everyone's Christmas lists. Yes it is fun, but I was actually alive when Mario 1, 2 and 3 came out, and if I wanted to revisit them, Id just play them again. I am getting sick of all the revivalism in gaming companies today, and this may be the reason Im getting on this game's case. It is the oldest franchise still making good games, and is starting to use that as a free pass to rehash. The technical limitations of the early consoles were a reason to keep things 2D, and I respect that, but ever since Mario 64, there has been no reason to do 2 of the same game. And now, not only do we get what is basically a remake of the original games, but Super Mario Galaxy 2 coming out. Nintendo has always been the company to do things no one else has done, and I fear they are starting to fall into the same trap as the other companies. Resist Nintendo, RESIST!

The Ugly
Friendly Feuds
Playing by yourself in a 2D Mario game is the classic way of doing it, and you can now play with 4 people at once. Fun idea, but the games can quickly get hectic with intentional sabotage. Its fun, and really I suppose that's what its all about. Just don't get too mad...

NSMBW is by no means a bad game. This review is coming from a 23 year old guy that has been there and done that. If you have a Wii, and are looking for a game to play with family or friends, give this one a look. Just because I am looking for a story, doesn't mean that you shouldn't miss out on what is definitely going to be considered a classic in the Mario franchise. As long as you can stand the stupid red box that is...
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