New Super Mario Bros.

The Good
It's hard to say what is exactly right about this game without providing the simple of "everything", and moving on. But it can't be that simple. Mario takes everything that made him so beloved in his 2D adventures, mixes in a few of his newer 3D moves, and there is New Super Mario Bros.

Mario is simply a joy to play. It's the plumber in his most pure form, running left to right, growing big and throwing fireballs, jumping huge pits and exploring underground tunnels. Swimming. Floating. Finding hidden areas. Saving Princess Peach for the 10,000th time, and you still have a reason to keep playing. All to a catchy musical beat, cheery animations, and some trippy new power-ups to boot. This is Mario back from the NES and SNES days, and after stepping back into 2D, he doesn't miss a beat. It is like wearing a comfortable and well enjoyed pair of old shoes. You know what to expect, but it's not a problem going back to it. The game is just incredibly well-designed and a lot of fun.

The game succeeds just because it shows why Mario was (and remains) king of the 2D platform game. Whereas Sega has taken Sonic to too many weird places with its title character at times, it ruined the fun of what it meant to be Sonic. Nintendo simply lets Mario play in new levels, without changing the character or motivation. He's a hefty little plumber that hops to do almost anything in the game. They just made sure the graphics were colorful and cheery, and that the gameplay was fun.

The Bad
The new Mario seems a little easy and generous on the 1UPs, but again, I've had two decades of Mario play under my belt, so I'm all too familiar with the game mechanics. The game also does not feel as long as Super Mario World, or as complex as some of the other titles, but it's forgivable.

There's not really anything "New" or innovative in this title. It's a "New" Mario side-scroller that offers nothing really non-gimmicky to do with the touch screen outside of the mini-games, many of which were already introduced in the DS Super Mario 64. If you've played a "Mario" game, you know exactly what to expect from gameplay, and know exactly what to do. Story still seems a moot point, but not many people play Mario games with epic quests in mind.

The Bottom Line
In a time where remakes are by far all too common, and more often than not nowhere near as good as the original titles, Mario feels like revisiting an old friend with a fresh coat of paint. He's the same game as you always remember with a few "ooh and "ahh" moments that won't wow you with the advances in technology, but will make you smile with nostalgia. It also shows that 2D platform games still have a relevant place in current gaming, where so much emphasis is still placed on 3D everything. The DS version of Mario is a wonderful showcase to prove that this genre is still very much alive, and still just as relevant.

Here's hoping this will not be Mario's last return to his 2D roots. One of the best games of the DS and of last year as a whole.

The Good
It's a fun little game. Naturally with the game being featured on the DS, the developers had to scale things back a bit compared to a console Mario release. The playing area is smaller, so this limits the amount of carnage that can occur on the screen. In short, the general feel of this game is a little different from previous Mario platformers. But under these constraints, Nintendo has released the finest Mario game since Super Mario World, which as you know was the flagship release for the SNES back in 1992. So -- the best Mario game in fourteen years. Not bad.

The first thing that comes to mind when queried 'what did I like about this game?' is the excellent use of 3D graphics is a 2D sidescroller. Beyond that, the bosses are very cool (if not a bit easy), the overworld map is very cute, the new Mario suits are cool, particularly Shell Mario, and the overall level design is top-flight.

The Bad
There's not a lot to nit-pick. The intrinsic difficulty of Mario games -- one or two mistakes and you're dead -- dictates that you can get very frustrated on a particularly difficult map, but this is the nature of the beast. The game is a good length, but I still would have been happier with twice as much content. But this is not a flaw -- I'm just greedy for more gameplay.

The Bottom Line
I bought a DS immediately after seeing a television commercial for New Super Mario Bros. This was a good decision. Although it doesn't have the replay value of Mario Kart DS, Tetris, or even Nintendogs, this is still an obligatory purchase for any old-school gamer who remembers the glory days of Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, and the years when platformers were the bread and butter of the gaming business.

The Good
In a way, it's the sign of the times. Everyone, young and old, can't get enough of the old school charm of the classics that, for many of us, helped to shape the industry as we grew up with it. So it makes sense that, 20 years after he first appeared, Mario and company return to once again prove his worth. And prove it he does.

Simply put, the 'New' in New Super Mario Bros. equates to a visual overhaul, a few moves based on those added via Super Mario 64 and a mash of different level designs based on those seen through-out the franchise's history. The game plays out much like Super Mario 3 and Super Mario World, in which you travel across 8 levels (2 must be unlocked via secret exists) towards the goal of saving Princess Peach. From an outsider looking in, it doesn't sound like a huge advancement from the last 2D titles before Mario went 3D, but when you look closely, the change is obvious.

You could say 'everything old becomes new again', right down to some of the levels playing out almost the same as the original Mario. The very first level, for example, is 99% identical to that of Super Mario Bros. What's the 1% difference? One 'mega' mushroom, which transforms Mario into an invincible giant who can plow through everything in his path. It's a nice touch, which also helps to show off some of the detail in Mario himself.

Speaking of which, this has to be the most colourful NDS title on the system to date, outside of, say, Mario Kart DS. There's barely a glitch in sight, with some impressive touches all over the place. It's a 2D game at heart, but all of the characters are 3D in design and, in many ways, movement.

You can't have a Mario game without the trademark musical score, and it's here in spades. There's plenty of new tunes mixed in with the familiar of old, and if you dig deep enough, the classic end tune (which appeared when you reach the flag) can also be uncovered.

I have to applaud Nintendo's decision to add some of the moves Mario inherited from Mario 64, including the butt stomp and wall jumps. I loved the wall jumps before, and within this game, they're even better, adding to the creative design of some of the levels.

NSMB must also be credited for adding an addictive multiplayer mode. Players compete as Mario and Luigi across a number of different levels based on those in the single player experience, and man it's fun! I had the opportunity to briefly compete in a multiplayer tournament at a recent Nintendo DS Connection Tour event locally. People cheered on their respective characters (I always went for Luigi, to be honest), and some of the one-on-one battles were very intense. It's loosely based on the Mario Bros. arcade game (which has appeared on the GBA on a number of occasions), but I think this rendition is far more fun.

There's also some addictive mini-games. Some already appeared on Mario 64 DS, but this time there's a multiplayer option. They're nice to have as part of the package.

The Bad
Just like all those before it, alot of the earlier levels and boss battles are easy enough to clear without too much hassle, which reduces the playtime by a fair margin. I guess I'm really only picking on it from my perspective, since many younger gamers will find it far more a challenge. Having said that, finding the second exits to open up the other two worlds is far more a challenge then Bowser Jr., so that makes up for it.

The second screen/touchscreen are also barely used, besides a quick tap to use a stowed away power-up when required. It would have been nice to have a few touch-screen challenges or boss battles to add some spice to the game, but I can't complain. It really isn't built for that purpose, it's a pure 2D platform game.

I mentioned those mini-games before. My one complaint there is that, besides multiplayer, a majority of them have already appeared before. It would have been nice to have a completely new set of games, maybe some based on NSMB's design.

The Bottom Line
It's great to have Mario back in his familiar surroundings, perhaps a long overdue return too. The Game Boy Advance acted as a re-release point for all the SNES/NES games, but apart from Mario Vs Donkey Kong, there weren't any original Mario platform games. Thankfully, that long period of absence was worth the wait.

I hope that, with this return, there will be more of this to come. Super Mario World still stands as the pinnacle of the 2D franchise (in my opinion), with a huge number of levels and challenges. NSMB comes close to knocking it off the podium, but it fell a tad short, mainly because it's single player is just that ... a tad short.

But when you throw in the addictive battle modes and mini-games, plus the option to play as Luigi and the hidden coins to find in each level, it's a well rounded package overall. Throw in the nostalgia of playing Mario in his 'true' form, and you've got a clear cut winner.

20 years sure is a long time, but with Mario Galaxy on the way, it just keeps getting better and better as each year passes. I love you Mario!! ... well ... not as much as Luigi... :p