New Super Mario Bros (DS)

Gamecow’s Price	RRP $69.95     Save $6.95 $63.00
Availability
Genre	Action Adventure
Platform	Nintendo DS
Release Date	08/06/2006
Rated

New Super Mario Bros is another string in the Mario bow.  Join Mario and Luigi in a great platformer for the Nintendo DS.  Fans will love this game and new gamers will come to love the antics of Mario and Luigi.

This is the best platformer on the DS, and dare I say it, another must have in your collection.

New Super Mario Bros (DS) Product Information

It's been more than 20 years since Super Mario Bros. first arrived, and now Mario and Luigi are back in an all-new platformer for Nintendo DS. Boasting incredible 3D graphics to accompany classic 2D game-play, this fast-paced adventure will have Mario fans cheering as they make their way over fields, under water, through castles and into the air.

New Super Mario Bros. is loaded with features and characters that could only exist in the Mushroom Kingdom, including all-new power-ups like the Blue Shell, in which Mario can ride, and a massive Mushroom that makes him ultra-huge. Not only that, but players can link wirelessly with a friend to play as both Mario and Luigi in multiplayer mode.

Jump, bounce and power-up through visually stunning side-scrolling worlds filled with Mushroom Kingdom madness. The worlds are swarming with classic enemies like Goombas and Koopas, but watch out for new foes, big bosses and unbelievable challenges made possible by the dual screens of the Nintendo DS. Not only that, but players can link wirelessly with a friend to play as Mario and Luigi in multiplayer mode.
• The Mario Bros. are back in the first new Mario platform game in over a decade.
• All new side-scrolling platform game-play based on the classic and very popular Super Mario Bros on the NES.
• All new look with a hybrid of 2D backgrounds and 3-D characters.
• 2 player multiplayer mode using 1 game card, which allows a second player to compete as Luigi in a race against Mario.
• Includes eighteen 1-4 player touch screen mini-games from Super Mario 64 DS.
• Features classic enemies, locations and power-ups from a variety of titles in the series.

New Super Mario Bros (DS) Review

New Super Mario Bros. begins with a very basic introductory scene, where Bowser Jnr. summons a storm to attack Peach’s castle in order to lure Mario away. He then promptly snatches Peach, catching Mario’s attention. Mario gives chase, only to be stomped down into his not-so-super form, but continues in pursuit of the younger Bowser. It all happens in the space of about 20 seconds, but it’s the most appropriate way to begin the game. At the start of each world, he’ll run to the nearest castle – Mario will be required to make his way through each stage to the sub-castle, and once he defeats Bowser Jnr. there, the bugger will run off to the main castle, where you’ll face an intense boss encounter. Beat the boss and he’ll run off again – repeat until you make it to the end.

There’s a distinct feeling of consolidation in New Super Mario Bros., with the play mechanics taking inspiration from Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World, but also incorporating some of the new moves from Mario’s 3D adventures. Nintendo’s amalgamation of these Mario game elements is not an incomprehensible mish-mash, like many other games that pinch bits from others – in fact, it’s a seemingly ideal aggregation of previous Super Mario efforts, yet feels quite fresh.

Perhaps the most outstanding feature of New Super Mario Bros. is the level design, which again reflects the melding of various elements from previous Super Mario titles. Players will encounter a variety of different levels – horizontal, vertical, underwater, forced scrolling both vertically and horizontally, and even more unconventional level types featuring things such as bouncy mushrooms, crazy bending mushrooms and all manner of weird and wonderful things that very few developers are able to pull off effectively. Many levels have a number of secret exits which will lead to hidden levels, as well as a number of collectibles – 3 giant coins in each stage, and a hoop which will trigger 8 red coins. The giant coins will allow players to buy their way onto new paths, which lead to new levels and the toadstool houses, which hold power ups and 1Ups.

It’s not easy to put a final score on New Super Mario Bros. – while the game kicks the crap out of everything else currently available on both current generation handheld systems, it’s over a little too quickly. Some might argue that the game doesn’t have many innovative features, but in reality, all one really needs is a fun game, and fun is something that New Super Mario Bros. has truckloads of. The game manages to deliver what feels like a fresh experience, despite the fact that many of the elements can be traced back to earlier entries in the series. It’s great to see that Nintendo still has plenty of ideas for 2D versions of the Mario franchise, and we wait with baited breath to see what they can do in the future.

Full review PALGN