New Super Mario Bros.
Platforms: DS
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s): May 15 2006(US), Jun 30 2006(EU), Jun 8 2006(AU), May 25 2006(JP)
The first original handheld Mario game to be released in over a decade and it makes the end of the ports being made for older Mario games, although it share more in common with the older games than it does with any of the 3D games as it goes back to basics and is a mixture of the pure platforming of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.
Presentation
As old school Mario as you can get, and a game that doesn't try to do anything radically new but takes some of the best elements from the best games of the past and blends them all into one package with one or two unique twists.
It is certainly not going to win any awards for the story Princess Peach gets kidnapped by Bowser Jr this time in an attempt to gain revenge for his father, progression is much the same as it was in Mario games of the past via the world map screen, completing levels to progress and collect coins on each level to gain extra lives as well as the large gold coins per level to unlock extras through out the game. None of this is original by any stretch of the imagination but it is its back to basics approach which makes it most appealing.
Graphics
Very much an old school look about the game that takes the old spite based NES games and builds it up in polygons not a bad thing at all as the game looks just how you would expect it to be with a very simple and basic Mario look but also enough to make it stand out and have its own identity.
Seeing as this is not only the first original handheld Mario game in over a decade but also the first side scrolling Mario platformer at the same time so making the look quite fresh because it is the first time in a long time a Mario game has looked this way but also will bring back fond memories for those who played the older games as apposed to just the 3D outings.
Sound
Pretty much your typical classic style Mario music with your typical classic style Mario sound effects and that really can't be said to be a bad thing as it brings back both fond memories and at the same time manages to feel fresh, it's not going to win any awards for best musical score but it fits the classic Mario style like it always used to.
Gameplay
Much like the classic look and sound of this game this is all about going back to the roots of the series and unlike the 3D games for the most part that don't always feel as challenging and often can be muddled through in places New Super Mario Bros. is all about remembering the layout of levels and precision jumping just like the older games were making it much more of a challenge than most platform games are these days, but not hard enough that you feel cheated at any point.
If you have ever played any of the NES or SNES Mario games you will know exactly how this game plays simple and effective yet a surprising amount of depth pretty much perfect as it has been for so many years.
A new Mario game also wouldn't be complete without its own collection of new power ups and New Super Mario Bros. is no exception it has two new mushrooms Mini and Mega and they kind of give away what they do one makes you very tiny while the other makes you grow to gigantic proportions. The Mini mushroom allows you to access areas you couldn't before by fitting through tiny gaps and ever being able to run across water because you are so light, and the Mega mushroom allows you to go on a rampage through the level destroying not only the enemies but all obstacles within the level whether it be blocks warp pipes and pretty much anything else that stand in your way.
Lasting Appeal
Not only is just beating the game a decent enough challenge but then there is the challenge of also collect the three large gold coins on each level and this may seem easy at first but on some of the later levels it can be quite difficult to get certain ones as you only have a brief time to do it, but the more you collect the more you can unlock in the game like extra levels and extra worlds too.
The there is always the fact that once you beat the game you will probably play through at least once more or at least come back to play your favourite levels, but much like Mario games of the past playing it again never seems to get old.
Overall
The rebirth of the Mario side scrolling platform games and just in time too as it not only helped take the plumber back to his roots but also show that they still have their place in gaming and in many ways offer much more of a challenge than the 3D outings, it also just happens to be the finest original Mario game on a handheld system at the time of release proving that Mario games can be just as big, or is that small in this case, as any home console Mario games that come out.
A great game that every Mario fan should own or anyone who wants a great platformer, or just anyone who wants a great game in general and one that you can pick up and play any time.
Scores
Players: 1
Original Release Date(s): May 15 2006(US), Jun 30 2006(EU), Jun 8 2006(AU), May 25 2006(JP)
The first original handheld Mario game to be released in over a decade and it makes the end of the ports being made for older Mario games, although it share more in common with the older games than it does with any of the 3D games as it goes back to basics and is a mixture of the pure platforming of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.
Presentation
As old school Mario as you can get, and a game that doesn't try to do anything radically new but takes some of the best elements from the best games of the past and blends them all into one package with one or two unique twists.
It is certainly not going to win any awards for the story Princess Peach gets kidnapped by Bowser Jr this time in an attempt to gain revenge for his father, progression is much the same as it was in Mario games of the past via the world map screen, completing levels to progress and collect coins on each level to gain extra lives as well as the large gold coins per level to unlock extras through out the game. None of this is original by any stretch of the imagination but it is its back to basics approach which makes it most appealing.
Graphics
Very much an old school look about the game that takes the old spite based NES games and builds it up in polygons not a bad thing at all as the game looks just how you would expect it to be with a very simple and basic Mario look but also enough to make it stand out and have its own identity.
Seeing as this is not only the first original handheld Mario game in over a decade but also the first side scrolling Mario platformer at the same time so making the look quite fresh because it is the first time in a long time a Mario game has looked this way but also will bring back fond memories for those who played the older games as apposed to just the 3D outings.
Sound
Pretty much your typical classic style Mario music with your typical classic style Mario sound effects and that really can't be said to be a bad thing as it brings back both fond memories and at the same time manages to feel fresh, it's not going to win any awards for best musical score but it fits the classic Mario style like it always used to.
Gameplay
Much like the classic look and sound of this game this is all about going back to the roots of the series and unlike the 3D games for the most part that don't always feel as challenging and often can be muddled through in places New Super Mario Bros. is all about remembering the layout of levels and precision jumping just like the older games were making it much more of a challenge than most platform games are these days, but not hard enough that you feel cheated at any point.
If you have ever played any of the NES or SNES Mario games you will know exactly how this game plays simple and effective yet a surprising amount of depth pretty much perfect as it has been for so many years.
A new Mario game also wouldn't be complete without its own collection of new power ups and New Super Mario Bros. is no exception it has two new mushrooms Mini and Mega and they kind of give away what they do one makes you very tiny while the other makes you grow to gigantic proportions. The Mini mushroom allows you to access areas you couldn't before by fitting through tiny gaps and ever being able to run across water because you are so light, and the Mega mushroom allows you to go on a rampage through the level destroying not only the enemies but all obstacles within the level whether it be blocks warp pipes and pretty much anything else that stand in your way.
Lasting Appeal
Not only is just beating the game a decent enough challenge but then there is the challenge of also collect the three large gold coins on each level and this may seem easy at first but on some of the later levels it can be quite difficult to get certain ones as you only have a brief time to do it, but the more you collect the more you can unlock in the game like extra levels and extra worlds too.
The there is always the fact that once you beat the game you will probably play through at least once more or at least come back to play your favourite levels, but much like Mario games of the past playing it again never seems to get old.
Overall
The rebirth of the Mario side scrolling platform games and just in time too as it not only helped take the plumber back to his roots but also show that they still have their place in gaming and in many ways offer much more of a challenge than the 3D outings, it also just happens to be the finest original Mario game on a handheld system at the time of release proving that Mario games can be just as big, or is that small in this case, as any home console Mario games that come out.
A great game that every Mario fan should own or anyone who wants a great platformer, or just anyone who wants a great game in general and one that you can pick up and play any time.
Scores
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