Introduction:

Hello, I'm back. Today I'll be reviewing a 2-D Mario saviour, the New Super Mario Bros. or New SMB. I had beaten the game already, collecting all the star coins and unlocking all the shops. But certainly it wasn't easy nor difficult, which makes for a great platformer. Please Nintendo, make another side-scrolling masterpiece. They've also included some mini-games found in Super Mario 64 DS.

Story:

Okay, so basically the story should sound familiar; Bowser captures Princess Peach, or in this case Bowser Jr, and Mario must rescue her by travelling the eight worlds to reach Bowser's Castle for the final showdown.

Gameplay:

New SMB has kept all the original sequences we know and love, such as the standard jump and the whole sliding-down-a-pole-at-the-end-of-the-level gimmick. But they have added a much better twist. For starters, right off the bat it follows a 3-D perspective, with 2-D action. Sorta like SSBM (Super Smash Bros. Melee). They have also added quite a couple of new moves and items. The Ground Pound and the Wall Jump, never seen in a 2-D Mario environment, have been added to Mario's repetoire. Also, new items such as the Blue Shell, enables Mario to have Koopa-like abilities. He will even ricochet off walls as well as crush certain blocks. There's even a super-sized Mega Mushroom capable of turning him into a Godzilla-sized plumber.

I give the gameplay: 9.5/10

Graphics:

Like I said earlier, they've turned it into a 3-D environment. Although it looks blocky and polygonic, Mario has never looked this good on a handheld system. Well, almost never...

I give the graphics: 8.5/10

Sound:

Love the new music. They've even kept a modified version of the original theme tune when you enter a shop. And they actually gave Mario some voice as well, only when he Triple-Jumps.

I give the sound: 9/10

Replayability:

I'd give anything to play this game over and over and over... well not necessarily
anything.

I give the replayability: 7/10

Challenge:

Challenge wasn't as difficult as say the third world of the original. In fact, it was a breeze, for me. I'm not so sure about a seven-year old's abilities.

I give the challenge: 6/10

Frustration:

Nothing frustrating here, except for the fact that you have to face Bowser Jr. like 500 times...

I give the frustration: 3/10

Overall:

Overall it is an excellent game for Mario fans around the world. And the game itself is worth the 40 bucks.

I give New Super Mario Bros.: 9/10

Conclusion:

To reiterate, New SMB is truly out of this world. Take my word for it, it is a side-scrolling masterpiece. If you've got a DS and wish for tons of fun, please for Nintendo's sake, get this game. Until my next review, stay in the Nintenzone!

Written By: Gold Yoshi
E-Mail: nintendo_fan_64@hotmail.com
Date Submitted: March 27th, 2007

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New Super Mario Bros. Screenshots