A Mario Retrospective - Part VII

NEW SUPER MARIO BROS.

It was a hard call to make the decision whether or not to include this game, but then I realized that this was basically Super Mario Bros. 5, which is what the series started out as to begin with. That, and it was a really fun game anyway. So sure, I'll include it.

This game basically takes everything that was good about the original Super Mario Bros. games and puts it all together, except for the fact that there is no ability to fly. That was kind of a bummer. But other than that, the rest is pretty much pure gaming gold.

Let's start with the music. Well, here's the thing about the music - I'm humming the main theme of the game right now. The music is full of that Mario personality, with all the bounciness and general good vibes you'd expect. Even better about the music is that it tends to affect what goes on in the game. You can tell which beat will affect Mario's surroundings by the weird "bah" note that plays. For example, enemies and items will hop to the beat, and the box monsters in the Sand World will leap high into the air whenever the music approaches the "bah" beat. I thought that whole thing was pretty neat.

The gameplay is pretty much nothing new; it's all classic Mario fare. Though everything is in 3D, the game actually functions on a 2D plane, a la the original Super Mario Bros. games. Mario's been given a few tricks from his 3D excursions, such as the triple jump, executed whilst running, and the wall kick, which entails sliding down a wall and kicking off of it to jump. Mario has once again been given the ability to dash, use a ground pound, and, of course, jump.

Mario's abilities are enhanced when he is given a power-up, as in most earlier Mario games. Perennial favorites the Mushroom, Fireflower and Starman make their triumphant returns to the Mario universe with a few more new powerups make their Mario debut, as well. Technically, we've seen this before in Super Mario 64 DS, but the Mega Mushroom, which turns Mario into a giant wrecking machine, is established here, as is the Mini Mushroom, which shrinks Mario, allowing him to fit into otherwise inaccessible areas. But perhaps the most unique addition to Mario's repertoire is the Koopa Shell, which transforms Mario into a Koopa Troopa. In this form, Mario can build up his speed until he recedes into his shell and slides along the stage. He can also crouch to make himself invulnerable to attacks.

Boss battles are a fun little diversion here, as all of the boss fights are unique and fun in their own way. Each boss takes three hits to defeat, as has been established in the Super Mario series. In between the bosses you'll fight Bowser Jr., the game's primary miniboss. Let me get this out of the way - I don't like this guy. He's fun to fight, sure, but he just makes me feel like the Mario team has jumped the shark. Why not just stick with the original 7 Koopalings? There's a ton of variation right there. It feels like they just kinda killed them all off after Super Mario World. Sure, they showed up in Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, but that was the last we've seen of the Koopa Kids.

Minigames kinda sorta make their return in NSMB, as you'll encounter Mushroom Houses in which Toadsworth, the lame mushroom butler, resides. Once inside a Mushroom House, you'll either play one of two games or just be presented with a gigantic block that harbors a Mega Mushroom. You'll find a rotating block containing every powerup in the game in a house with a red roof; in a house with a green roof, you'll play a game in which you'll hit blocks to gain 1-Up mushrooms until you hit a block containing a Bowser card. In a house with an orange and red roof, a la the Mega Mushroom, you'll find the block containing a Mega Mushroom. Kinda makes sense, doesn't it?

The game is big, with 8 worlds containing at least 10 levels, and with lots and lots to uncover. You'll even have to access certain worlds by discovering secret exits. If you can manage to defeat two of the game's bosses as Tiny Mario (via a Mini Mushroom), you'll unlock those secret worlds.

Once you've beaten the game (or once you've looked up NSMB's cheat codes), you'll learn the ability to play as Luigi, which is as easy as pressing L, R, and A as you select the file in which you'll play. There's no difference between Mario and Luigi in this game, but it's a cool little novelty.

If you want a true-blue Mario game but are strapped for cash, look no further than here, as it's definitely worth whatever money you put into it. Not only is it genuine Mario goodness, but it's also portable. Sounds worth the price for me.