New Super Mario Bros. Wii Brings the Mario Series Back to Its Roots

Nintendo's New Super Mario Bros. was one of the most anticipated video game releases of 2009. Video gamers were closely watching the game's development and now that it is out, the gaming public has generally received it favorably. That's not too much of a surprise, given how much attention new Super Mario Bros. games get, but in a world of over-hyped video games, New Super Mario Bros. actually lives up to the hype and deserves every bit of praise that it gets. New Super Mario Bros.-out for only a few days-is certainly one of the must-have titles for the Nintendo Wii.

In many ways, New Super Mario Bros. is a return to the series' roots. The game eschews the 3D look of more recent Mario games and goes back to the side scrolling platform style of the original Super Mario Bros. series for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The NES' 8-bit graphics were limited and the game's designers focused on the game play rather than the graphics. New Super Mario Bros. designers took a similar approach with a focus on game play rather than producing the latest and greatest in 3D effects. Consequently, while New Super Mario Bros. looks great and takes advantage of the graphics capabilities of the Nintendo Wii, it doesn't rely on graphical bells and whistles. Instead, the emphasis is on making a great game that is fun to play for hours and hours on end.

For gamers who remember the original Super Mario Bros. games, New Super Mario Bros. will be a nostalgic return to the past. It's a solid platform game, the likes of which haven't been seen for years. Like Mario games of years past, there are several worlds with sub-levels to play, all of which offer unique and fun environments. Moreover, you can play as four different Mario characters-Mario, Luigi, and two different Toad characters. The game also makes use of the Wii controller, adding a new spin jump that uses the Wii's motion capabilities. To further enhance things, there are new power-ups as well as a new four player multi-player mode that will make the game a perfect choice for families looking for a kid-friendly game that parents can play with their children.

Of course, there are a few flaws-no game, not even a Super Mario Bros. game-can be perfect. Even looking back, many of the classic Mario games had flaws. In this sense, New Super Mario Bros. is no different. While it is generally a fun game with few or no problems, I did find its multi-player feature-which has been touted by many-to be a bit problematic. Things get a little chaotic controlling four players on the screen at once. Moreover, there are several places where it is almost impossible to move all four characters in sync-for example, try making them all get on a moving platform at once-which can make the game more than a little frustrating. Similarly, there are times when one or more players may disappear off the screen, which practically ensures their death. This problem doesn't detract from the overall fun of the game, but it does make the cooperative play mode a little disappointing. If you are looking for multi-player Mario action, you would do best to play the competitive modes.

Overall, New Super Mario Bros. is my favorite type of video game. It puts the focus on the game play-not dazzling graphics and extended cut scenes-and is consequently one of my favorite video games for the Nintendo Wii and is one of my favorite games for any console in recent years. This is a must-have game that will surely be a popular holiday gift and for good reason-it will remain fun for years and years owing to Nintendo's attention to game play and detail.