Classic. There really isn't any other word to describe New Super Mario Bros., Nintendo's latest, and dare I say greatest game for the Nintendo DS. The game is classic both in its gameplay, which carries with the it the hallmarks of being perhaps the most polished platfromer ever created, as well as in how it makes you feel while playing. I'm over 30 years old and the instant I began playing New Super Mario Bros. I was 11 years old all over again. Some people say Nintendo makes 'kiddy' games. I say they make games that bring out the child in you, as that is exactly what this game does so well.

At its core, New Super Mario Bros. is a traditional 2D side scrolling platformer that dabbles in 3D but never forgets that it is a throwback to a simpler age of gaming. The game is an uncomplicated, yet highly addictive experience that brings together elements from over two decades of the franchise. As remarkable as Nintendo is or has been in the past, here the company is in rare form.

The best way to think of New Super Mario Bros. is as the culmination of all previous Super Mario Bros. adventures. The developers have picked out many of the most remarkable aspects of past games, added in a few new touches, and created a quest that feels familiar yet decidedly new at the same time. For example, classic items like the Mushroom, Fire Flower, and P Switch are found throughout the landscape, but there are new items like the Mini Mushroom that shrinks Mario so that he can squeeze through tiny spaces and down ridiculously small pipes, and a Blue Shell that Mario can wear and dash through enemies like a tossed Koopa. There's also a Mega Mushroom that "Super Sizes" Mario for a short time, allowing him to crash through the level in a way that would make even Godzilla proud.

New Super Mario Bros. features numerous nods to other games from the franchise, such as eight red coins that appear after touching a glowing ring in certain levels, the collection of which yields an item that can either be used right away, or saved for a rainy day. The climbable fences and turn panels that were so prolific in Super Mario World also make a return here, as does the satisfying feeling that comes from knocking a Koopa off the fence from the other side to his timely demise.

Of course that plays into the topic of the number of different environments and things Mario can do in his newest adventure, both of which are numerous. Besides climbing fences, Mario finds himself swimming, swinging on ropes and vines, flying in clouds, sliding along walls, hanging onto ledges for dear life, and going in and out of doors. He also comes complete with several abilities, such as a wall jump, a double jump, the ability to pick up and carry items, butt stomp, and can even slide down hills on his padded posterior, knocking aside enemies on his way down. In short, Mario is just as versatile as ever in his new adventure, and while he is able to perform numerous acrobatic feats, each is simple to pull off so that you can focus on and get lost in the fun of the game without getting bogged down in the mechanics.

Plus, it's not as if the game is a cakewalk. Unlike the previously released Super Princess Peach - a great game but generally regarded as being far too easy - New Super Mario Bros. is at times quite challenging. It seldom approaches frustrating, however, instead offering a near perfect blend of difficulty and the satisfaction that comes from overcoming a particularly troublesome obstacle. Most players will still find themselves under this game's spell from start to finish, and will see it through to completion in just a couple days. This isn't a slam against the game by any means however, rather that it is so good that most will be unwilling or unable to put it down until they have completed the adventure.

And even after completing the game, most players still will not have seen all it has to offer. As the game features branching paths and numerous secrets, I ended up skipping over a couple entire worlds my first time through. New Super Mario Bros. lets you revisit areas you have beaten previously, and through the touch screen you can simply tap a world you have unlocked to jump back and forth and explore the different levels. There are a ton of secrets in this game, some of which are particularly well hidden.

When it comes to control, New Super Mario Bros.is good, in some ways quite good. In fact, the game controls almost exactly like past games in the series, if only slightly more sluggish. The developers have implemented a kind of physics into the game, making Mario slow to get up to speed, and slower still at going up inclines, while he will gain speed while running down ramps and oftentimes be unable to come to a complete stop exactly where you might want him to. Essentially, this is the same control scheme, sans the 3D, that we experienced with Mario 64, and most will agree that perfection was not far removed from what Nintendo put together there. It can, however, be a bit disconcerting to see Mario take those few extra steps and then fall to his doom when you know full well you let up on the controls in time. Thankfully it doesn't take long to acclimate to the way the game controls, and you soon discover when to let up on the controls in time for the plumber to not meet his untimely end.

There are a number of other features in the game as well, such as a few two player levels that see both Mario and Luigi competing to collect Big Stars while beating the pulp out of each other and stealing each other's loot before the level's conditions are met. There are also several mini-games as well, although many are holdovers from Super Mario 64 DS. Disappointing, perhaps, but these extra modes only serve to add more flavor to the already delicious core game, which as said is the best thing going on Nintendo's touchable handheld.

Any way you slice it, this is a superb platfromer that proves the staying power of not only the franchise, but the genre as a whole. The game is destined to be an instant classic, and with the recently announced Yoshi's Island 2 on the way, fans looking to return to the magical land of mushrooms and flying turtles have quite a lot to look forward to. For me? I'm just enjoying being a kid again. Now if you'll excuse me, the Princess is in another castle.

May 17, 2006 | 2 comments
Jason Dobson