Thumbs Up – New Super Mario Brothers Wii

I recently had the privilege of playing “New Super Mario Brothers Wii” and I must say, it was one of the most fun games I have played in a long time.  Now, I don’t have much Mario experience outside of the Nintendo and Super NES versions of Mario games.  But, playing this game was a bit of nostalgia for me, as I’m sure it was for many people, and that is where the excitement and pleasure come from playing the game.

“New Super Mario Brothers Wii” resembles the older Nintendo versions of Mario all rolled up into a more modern type.  Like all the others, the Wii version is comprised of different worlds, from Sand Land to Wintry Wonderland (don’t know what their technical titles are, but you know what I’m talking about if you’re a Mario lover).  Levels exist underwater or high atop the mushrooms.  And, the video game utilizes the familiar 2-D platform that the first versions originally used.  Each world finishes with the Castle level, where a member of King Koopa’s army is waiting at the end, guarding the Princess from Mario.  All of these older elements are enough to suck me into playing the game for hours on end.

However, it is the mixture of older elements and newer elements which make this game a fantastic buy.  For example, instead of the feather power-up, the newer version has introduced the propeller suit.  While wearing the suit, when the player shakes the Wii controller, Mario is then shot into the sky, giving him the ability to reach secret landings where coins are more than abundant.  Instead of the frog suit, now Mario has the penguin suit, which is sweet beyond belief.  Yoshi has made his return to Mario, this time in different colors with abilities to swallow enemies, items and even balls of fire.  Other power-ups include the Mega Mushroom, the Mini Mushroom, and the Koopa Shell, all which boost secret powers of busting through anything in the level, floating and running on water, and smashing through enemies like Koopa shell.  Finally, and probably one of the most exciting new features of the game, is the multiplayer mode.  Now, up to four people can play a level at a time, either to cooperate with each other and help one another reach new heights and stay safe from danger, or to compete with each other for coin supremacy and toss them into the pits of despair.

“New Super Mario Brothers Wii” gives gamers all of the great elements of past Mario games in addition to the newer capabilities that the Wii system has to offer.  For Mario lovers (and all lovers of old school Nintendo games) “New Super Mario Brothers Wii” is a definite buy.  Here’s a trailer video of the game.  If seeing the greatness that is “New Super Mario Brothers Wii” doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.