Review: New Super Mario Bros. (DS)

July 1, 2009 by Jeffrey L. Wilson
Filed under: Action 

DS new super mario bros_box

It brings me much shame as both a gamer and an a somewhat upstanding human being to confess that at one point in time, I was totally skeptical of the Nintendo DS’ ability to deliver a rockin’ mobile game experience. In fact, when the handheld was first unveiled I shouted to everyone within earshot that the dual screen layout was nothing more than gimmick, and the last desperate attempt for Nintendo to prove that it could make excellent hardware in a post-Super NES world. The Nintendo 64, save for Virtual Pro Wrestling 2, was a major downer. The GameCube was a step forward, but fairly bland.

Now, before you villagers storm my home with lighted torches, hear me out. I was one that never saw the appeal of the pea-soup-green display of the original GameBoy, and the Pokemon craze that exploded on the GameBoy Color barely impacted my gaming. From there on out, Nintendo rehashed the GameBoy even further, which combined with my deep love affair with the Neo Geo Pocket Color and its excellent take on SNK’s staples, helped foster my skepticism of the Nintendo DS.

But that was years ago. When the Big N released the slim and sexy DS Lite, I promptly purchased it from J and L Games in NYC’s Chinatown along with a copy of New Super Mario Bros. because you absolutely can not buy a Nintendo machine with treating yourself to the joyous magic of mushrooms, turtles, and adventurous plumbers. So with New Super Mario Bros. in hand, I set out on a mission that I hadn’t undertaken since the days of the SNES: complete a traditional, side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. title.

If you’re one of handful that still hasnt played New Super Marios Bros., take confort in knowing that the title feels familiar to past series entries, which is certainly a mixed blessing. The opening level is shamelessly inspired by the World 1-1 of the original NES Super Mario Bros. complete with blue skies, bricks, and green pipes, but just when you think that you’ve firmly entered the realm of rehash, Nintendo mixes things up by presenting a Mega Mushroom that enables Mario to grow to the height of the screen and run roughsod through the level. It’s superior to the invincibility stars of past games because Giant Mario can juggernaut his way through both enemies and environment a like; bricks and pipes shatter when they come in contact with him. And it’s totally awesome. The power up that shrinks Mario to half his regular size, and the other that sees him wearing a Koopa shell aren’t nearly as cool and lack a “WOW!” factor.

Similarly, World 1-2 takes cues from 1-2 of the original Super Mario Bros, with its subterranean layout and creeping, forbodding baseline. These homages are splattered throughout New Super Marios., and they work marvelously when they pull from the Mario series’ strengths. The game suffers a hair when it duplicates some of its weaknesses. And what are said weakness? The same ones that have plagued the series since Super Mario Bros 2: Vertical levels.

New Super Mario Bros.’ vertical levels slow the game’s pacing and introduces a cramped, claustrophobic element that the series could very much do without. The horizontal levels let you run, hop, and bop your way through levels, but when the path switches to a vertical layout, your avenues of free movement approach a dead end. Still, I recognize that many gamers have not harbor the same ill will toward those particular levels, so I chalk this up to more of my gaming-specific quirks than to a true gameplay flaw.

In terms of music and gameplay, New Super Mario Bros. doesn’t stray far from the path laid by its predecessors. You get the same fun, loopy game music and bright, colorful graphics that are hallmarks of the franchise. Although, polygons are at the heart of the visuals, it adheres to the classic gameplay elements that have made the Mario franchise one of the best in the biz. Extras include a star-collecting multi-player modes, and bonuse touch-screen games that are more forgettable than enthralling.

Certainly, New Super Mario Bros.  is one of the top five action titles on the Nintendo DS – - there’s a reason why it’s one of the few DS titles demanding a $20 trade-in value. It rides a fine line, however, between stunning homage and uninispired rehash; even after a couple hundred hours of gameplay under my belt, I’m still not certain which decription best suits the title. Still, there’s no such thing as a truly weak Super Mario Bros. title, and this one comes highly recommneded for both old school and new school fans. Just don’t expect a radicaly change.


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One Comment on Review: New Super Mario Bros. (DS)

  1. Say Hi To The Blaze 3-in-1 Nintendo DS Lite Game Selector | 2D-X on Wed, 15th Jul 2009 4:50 pm

    2. [...] when I need to release the inner demons and cause carnage in Metal Slug 7, squish turtles in New Super Mario Bros., or go deep in Tecmo Bowl [...]

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