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Video Game Review: New Mario Bros. 2

Posted by admin | Posted on 04-09-2012

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Video Game Review: New Mario Bros. 2

BY SAM STEWART | AUGUST 30, 2012 6:30 AM

Just as we all begin to quell our Olympic gold lust, New Super Mario Bros. 2 tempts us into relapse. As the sequel to New Super Mario Bros. for the DS, Mario Bros. 2 continues the series’ classic side scrolling game play but with a twist.

While the goal is still to defeat Bowser and rescue Princess Peach, collecting coins is now a focus, rather than just an aside, as you attempt to collect 1 million in total. Although this quest for gold certainly adds something new to the play and level design, it isn’t enough to set the game apart from the other games in the series.

As always, controlling Mario is a dream. By keeping the controls simple (run, jump, move left and right) the game retains the “simple to learn, harder to master” play.

The level design is top notch, and even though the world themes are all retreads (desert, swamp, snow) the coin collecting manages to keep the levels feeling fresh. You will rarely find yourself on a screen lacking at least a few coins, enemies drop coins when killed, and there are three special star coins to find in every level. If that’s not enough, new coin-related power ups have been added to facilitate your newfound addiction.

Coin block hats award you coins for moving at a fast pace, and golden rings scattered through the levels will temporarily turn all enemies golden, awarding you extra coins for defeating them and making them leave coins in their wake.

A new Golden Fire Flower turns your fireballs golden and causes them to turn blocks and enemies into more gold coins. Be sure to tinker with the new mechanics and figure out what works best to maximize your gold count.

Despite the new features, upgrades are one of the places where Mario Bros. falls short.

Your arsenal consists of three main power ups: the Mushroom, the Fire Flower, and the Super Leaf, which was recently resurrected in Super Mario 3D Land and is a blast to use. But sadly, that enjoyment won’t last for six worlds. Where are the Penguin Suits and Propeller Caps from Mario Bros. Wii? Or the Frog and Hammer Bros. Suits from Super Mario Bros. 3?

The Mini and Mega Mushrooms make a comeback, but they are rarely used. The game sorely needs more item variety, even if it is only five to six hours long.

In an attempt to keep you playing, the game also features three secret worlds, two-player co-op, and a new mode called Coin Rush. The three secret worlds are welcome additions; they can add a few more hours to the painfully short game. They also inject a dose of difficulty that the main game rarely provides. You can connect wirelessly to a local friend (sorry, no online) for two-player co-op, but it is plagued by many of the same problems as Mario Bros. Wii.

Mario and Luigi bump into each other and bounce off each other’s heads when they collide, which makes precision platforming nearly impossible. This is a problem that could be easily solved by allowing the characters to pass through each other. Also, for some reason the second player must always stay on the same screen as player one, despite their being played on different screens. This bizarre decision makes co-op a mess, and it is unlikely you will want to play with a friend.

Coin Rush mode is undoubtedly the best reason of the three to keep playing. In Coin Rush, you are tasked to complete three randomly selected levels with a single life, all while collecting as many coins as possible. You are also only given about one-half the regular time to complete each level.

You are given coin multipliers for completing levels, which allows you collect an insane number of coins in a short time. This mode is very intense but also a lot of fun. High Scores can be traded through Street Pass, allowing you to challenge others.

The game looks and sounds great, even if it feels similar to older versions.

Its graphics are comparable with those of its Wii counterpart. Very colorful and very detailed, you will feel right at home if you are a veteran fan of the series.

As far as the soundtrack goes, expect a lot of remixes of classic Mario songs. I didn’t notice a single original song in the entire game, from the level music to the boss themes. The Mario series has always had amazing music, but I must admit I have grown tired of a couple of these songs.

The reality is it just isn’t original. Every single Super Mario game has dared to be different, dared to try something new, whether it was full 3D levels in Super Mario 64 or four-player co-op in Super Mario Wii. Super Mario 2 seems to be content with being nothing more than a level pack for the series.

New Super Mario Bros. 2
Nintendo 3DS
Released: Aug. 19
Cost: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E
Reviewer Rating: 8/10

In today’s issue:

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New Super Mario Bros. 2 Review

Posted by admin | Posted on 03-09-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Mario has returned to the Nintendo 3DS New Super Mario Bros. 2. After a stellar outing the first time around in Super Mario 3D Land, can the title live up to the success of Mario’s first 3DS entry or does it jump into a pit of fail?

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a sequel to the Nintendo Wii entry of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Besides being on a handheld a few new features are added and a heavy focus on coins is made. To aid the Mario brothers on their journey, as well as the ultimate goal for the player (to collect one million coins), they have added new power-ups to help in coin hoarding. Bowser is at it again using his many little Koopa Kids to deter Mario and his brother away from rescuing the ever-in-distress Princess Peach.

This entry in the series has almost nothing to do with Super Mario 3D Land other than to borrow a few features. The Tanooki suit, as well as the White Tanooki suit for failing more than five times in a level, also returns to help players out reach their goal while new suits and some older fan-favourites coming to help Mario on coin hoarding pursuit across the Mushroom Kingdom to save the helpless Princess; A Golden Fire Flower being one of them. This shimmering bit of argriculture turns Mario – you guessed it – gold and allows him to shoot golden fireballs which converts impacted enemies and blocks into even more golden currency. Then there is the Golden Brick Mask which is sometimes garnered within levels or rewarded upon completion of certain levels to be used in the next level that the player chooses to access. Once worn, the mask allows a trail of coins to flow into Mario’s pocket for a set amount of time or until the player is hit by an enemy. Finally there is the Golden Ring; Similar in style to the red coin rings except the Golden one turns all enemies Gold; This is best used with a koopa, so you can throw his shell and take out a group of enemies and reap the rewards of a coin chain left in its hard-shelled destructive path.

Being a side-scrolling platformer as opposed to the more recent 3D outings gameplay is a lot more akin to the old Super Mario games rather than the 3D titles, despite it making use of the 2.5D style brought in during the original New Super Mario Bros. revival . The dual screens now show more of the map at the bottom of the screen; a top down view to be exact complete with Toad house locations. Star coins are still accessible via three per stage and play a larger part as Toad houses require five to unlock, however most players are best to hang onto them as they are harder to gather up than in Super Mario 3D Land.

A good amount of the game world is made up of hidden areas. Two hidden worlds again require your hard thought process to figure out their entrances while the obligatory “Star World” awaits your completion at the climax of the game. Unlike Super Mario 3D Land, the game only features six main worlds and two hidden ones with a single measly Star World as opposed to the usual 8. This is just a minor fault as the majority of the focus is now on coin hunting like a greedy under-working, over charging corrupt plumber – Though Mario has done his fair share to request such a hefty fee for his efforts.

Moving onto “Coin Rush” now, a new mode made especially for this new money grabbing Mario gameplay. The mode unlocks upon completion of World 1 and adds new levels to the randomly generated sets as you complete them. You’ll play sets of three levels, each with one-hundred seconds and one life to try and collect as many coins as possible. Once completed your score will be posted on the online leaderboards as well as given to friends via Street Pass as challenges, as you’ll pick up those challenges set by others on the road. Co-op mode allows two players with two cartridges, and of course, two Nintendo 3DS’, to play with each other gallivanting throughout the levels and salvaging even more cash. It’s fun for local play with a friend, however it would have been nice to be able to play online via Wi-Fi.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 adds a lot of new features to the rather same old Mario we have come to love over the years. It may not be as jam packed with content as other entries on the handheld, but it offers a nice option when you want your platform hopping fun in short bursts or if you just want to find out what happened to Mario Peach after New Super Mario Bros Wii (take a guess). It’s another solid entry from Nintendo’s part, but let us hope that the next entry may finally give us co-op via Wi-Fi. And Yoshi. I miss Yoshi.

Audio/Visual – 4/5: As with all Mario titles the music is classic and the colors pop. The 3D works great on the Nintendo 3DS where the coins at times can fly at you which creates a cool effect.

Gameplay – 4/5: Same Mario gameplay we have come to love, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Mario is something that is sacred to many gamers and rightfully so, as it gives the most fulfilling and honest fun a gamer can have.

Innovation –3/5: Addition of new gameplay elements focused on something we have taken for granted over the years such as coin collecting was unique and interesting. It is a step in the right direction and hopefully future tiles will incorporate more of this type of gameplay element. However, the lack of Wi-Fi features is a bummer.

Value – 3/5: Again, not the most content packed entry but it is still a total of around eight worlds when all is said and done, a ton of collectible coins and the ultimate goal of reaching one million gold coins. It will keep younger Mario fans busy for a while but seasoned fans may grow tired after a few weeks.

Final Score: 3.5/5

FEATURE: Fanart Friday, Do the Mario Edition

Posted by admin | Posted on 02-09-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Fanart Friday returns, more than ready for Olive Garden’s Neverending Pasta Bowl. Last week, we checked out some of the coolest signature weapons from our favorite titles, but this week is all about a guy who only needs two weapons: his feet. While Mario may not exactly be a Tony Jaa-type spin-kicking dervish of death, his mighty jumps have propelled us to some of the greatest adventures in all of gaming. Without Mario, video games wouldn’t be half of what they are today.

Video games were single-screen affairs until Super Mario Bros. pioneered the actual side-scroller–a staple genre of two generations and a hardcore favorite ever since. 3D platforming has come a long way since Super Mario 64, but where would we be without its ideas on controlling a character in a three-dimensional space? I’ve been gaming for close to thirty years now, and while they’re not always perfect, I always look forward to the next Mario game. Case in point: New Super Mario Bros. 2 hits the 3DS this coming Sunday, so join us in celebrating our favorite portly plumber and all his friends (and enemies!) in this week’s Fanart Friday!

DISCLAIMER: None of the art presented is the property of myself or Crunchyroll. All characters and series are ^tm and © their respective creators and corporate owners. All art is the creative property of their respective artists. Any artists who wish to have their work removed from this article may contact me, and appropriate action will be immediately taken.

by ikuyoan

And what better way to start than by–wait, what? Dammit Snake, you’ll get your own installment in a couple months! Get outta here!

by 宗早

There we go! Mario and Luigi, bros to the end, always ready to step up and stomp whoever’s causing trouble in the Mushroom Kingdom–and beyond!

by SilentKV

Well, y’know… at least that’s what it seems like on the outside. Nobody ever really covers this side of the war.

by Robotpencil

Okay, I’m no longer sympathetic about crushing Goombas and beating up Koopa Troopas. They work for this guy–and this artist is able to make Bowser Koopa seem so overwhelmingly evil that it’s frightening.

by sangheili117

This is what I think of whenever I’m in Bowser’s territory. This is what you have to work through in World 8. Actually, this is a beautiful Mario level done using the Unreal Development Kit, the same engine that powers most major games today. Makes you kinda long for cute trees and bushes with eyes, doesn’t it?

by いなかかえる@リクエスト消化3

Princess Peach is generally the driving force of a Mario game–she gets kidnapped and Mario (often with Luigi in tow) has to go rescue her. Surprisingly, Bowser is kind enough to let her use the postal service, so she can send Mario gifts–one day she’s gonna get fed up, mail Mario a submachine gun and call it a day.

by botjira

Papercraft is always pretty slick, especially when a good artist (like this) can use different textures for a variety of effects. In a lot of ways, doing a collage like this is one of the best ways to express Mario’s trippy, surrealistic feel.

by MikePMitchell

Resident Evil is about people fighting an evil corporation and its deadly experiments. Street Fighter is about martial artists battling in a global tournament. Mario games are about a plumber who sometimes rides dinosaurs and fights an evil dinosaur/turtle to rescue the (human) ruler of a kingdom of mushroom people. And you wonder why the movie sucked so bad.

by slimu

Bringing the topic back to Princess Peach and her constantly getting kidnapped, she’s shown in three games that she’s quite capable of rescuing herself. Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario RPG, and even her own game Super Princess Peach all let her cut loose and save the kingdom with her own hands. Maybe she’s just lazy?

by EiffelArt

Y’know, I’ve thought a lot about the Fire Flower. In a lot of ways, it’s a surprisingly terrifying power for Mario to have! But also thinking about Mario as a character, it’s also a very handy power with a lot of practical uses…

by 森川ちゃば

…like making dinner!

by わたあめ

Without a doubt, one of my all-time favorite Mario games is the SNES collaboration with Squaresoft, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Equally funny, exciting, and heartwarming, it’s a nice and light alternative to the excellent (but heavy) Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger.

by Vana

The only times the game didn’t feel light were when you were taking on Smithy’s weapon-based minions–these guys were scary!

by LordDonovan

If you have never played Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, you’re missing out. In my opinion, it’s probably the best title ever put on the Gamecube, and one of the best titles of the last console generation. Another Mario RPG, Thousand Year Door is also one of the best comedies I’ve ever played, with dynamic gameplay and incredibly likeable characters.

by tvskyle

Okay, so after Joseph Luster took us way back with his NostalJoe on Nintendo cartoons, you’d think somebody would get around to making another Mario cartoon–one that didn’t suck. Hell, if anything I’d hope it would look like this. I’d watch the hell out of a show like this.

by アネイ

Or, y’know… we could go with something like this!

by ロジー

So I’ve got kind of a bad habit in Mario games–I obsessively grab every coin possible while barrelling through the levels at top speed. It’s almost like I’m playing some crazy hybrid of Mario and Sonic. New Super Mario Bros. 2 has a power-up that lets you make all the money you want. That’s not cool, Nintendo.

by まるな

Peach isn’t the only heroine in the Mario universe–the Galaxy games introduced Rosalina, who gets to chill on her giant space station while Mario careens around the universe fighting Bowser’s forces and somehow not getting killed. Space is lethal in those games!

by Shortpacked

But, uh… the less said about Daisy, the better. Poor Luigi, this’ll break his heart.

by yassy

Someone, somewhere on the internet, is going to look at this picture and say “that is hot.” I don’t even have a joke for that. I’m gonna go curl up in the corner and cry now.

by ken-wong

You can buy prints of this? That’s awesome! Going for the digital papercraft style is always cool, and I love how he’s able to get the entire NES era, Super Mario World, and Super Mario Kart in there!

by コスモス

There are three sounds that gamers fear just for how annoying they are: Navi saying anything (although you need her to play the game), Ashley screaming “HEEEEEEEEELP! LEOOOOOOOOOOOON!” in Resident Evil 4, and Baby Mario’s crying in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island. One of the most beautiful video games ever made, but man I wanted to just let that baby float off into the void.

by MasaBowser

A little detail I didn’t notice at first–there’s a Monty Mole at the bottom of the screen handing Morton a wrench. It was great to see the Koopa Kids return in Super Mario 3D Land–Bowser Jr. just doesn’t have as much character.

by プラリネ

While Super Princess Peach was a great game, it was also kinda on the easy side. Same goes for New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario 3D Land. I’m kinda hoping that New Super Mario Bros. 2 up and kicks my ass from the start.

by Orioto

In the end, this is what Mario is all about to me. A bright, beautifully-designed world that’s basically just an acrobatic platforming playground. How does Shigeru Miyamoto come up with this stuff? How was Mario created? I mean, we all know the story about Nintendo of America’s landlord, but…

by TsaoShin

…eesh. Sorry I asked.

And that’s all for this week! Mario’s world and games are so vast that I know I missed a few faces–who are some of your favorite Mario characters? What about power-ups, or your favorite moments from the games? Let us know in the comments!

And as always, your art is welcome here, no matter your skill level or experience–PM me a link to your work and I’ll make sure to include it in a future installment of Fanart Friday, along with a little READER SUBMISSION notation next to your name! Crayon drawings, clay sculptures, recording yourself playing the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack on a kazoo–just send it in and I’ll find some way to use it! Next week, we’re scouring the archives of anime, manga, games and more for our favorite MASTERS AND STUDENTS!

Thanks for checking out Fanart Friday, and I hope you have an awesome weekend!

It’s-a da same game

Posted by admin | Posted on 01-09-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

When Nintendo released “New Super Mario Bros.” in 2006, it marked the return of everyone’s favorite Italian plumber to his 2D roots. The simplicity of running from left to right, hopping on goombas and turtles, and grabbing the flag at the end of every level is basic video game joy.

Unfortunately, “New Super Mario Bros. 2″ — which is actually the third installment of the series, as the Wii version isn’t numbered — is basically the same game with redesigned levels and a coating of 3D gloss.

Bowser has again taken Princess Peach, who refuses to increase her security detail despite repeated kidnappings. Mario, the typical boyfriend, pays more attention to the Princess when she’s with another guy, and again makes chase.

What follows is nine very well designed levels of hopping and bopping through ghost houses, castles and pastel-colored landscapes. And every other area of the Mushroom Kingdom you’ve seen before.

It sounds like I didn’t enjoy “New Super Mario Bros. 2,” but that’s not the case. Every level is perfectly laid out, with just the right increase in difficulty as you proceed through the game.

Power-ups are plentiful and include the usual mushroom and fire flower, as well as the raccoon suit that allows Mario to take flight. Also returning are the big and small mushrooms that turn Mario into a powerful giant and a tiny spec, respectively.

I enjoy every Mario game, no matter how familiar because I like the characters and enjoy the action. But that doesn’t excuse the complete lack of innovation. Anything new here — a new power-up, a world with a new theme, a few new enemies — would have freshened up the game at least a little.

Instead, we get more of the same, with the addition of 3D, a nice but completely unnecessary feature. If you want a 3D Mario game, get “Super Mario 3D Land,” a very innovative take on the franchise.

“New Super Mario Bros. 2″

From: Nintendo

Rated: E

Who’s it for: Mario fans that don’t mind the same old, same old

Console: Nintendo 3DS

Grade: B

“Sleeping Dogs”

From: Square Enix

Rated: A

Who’s it for: Anyone who enjoys a top-notch open-world action game

Console: Xbox 360/PS3

Grade: A

Review: Mario’s latest gold rush doesn’t pan out

Posted by admin | Posted on 31-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Whenever video-game companies stretch out popular franchises for financial reasons rather than creative ones, disenchanted customers call it a “money grab.” It’s a charge Nintendo has largely been immune to, even though its most popular character, Mario, has starred in hundreds of games.

That changes with “New Super Mario Bros. 2″ (Nintendo, for the 3DS, $39.99), which takes the whole money-grab concept quite literally. The whole point of the game is to grab money – namely, the sparkling gold coins that have littered almost every Mario release since the mid-1980s. It’s an oddly mercenary approach to Nintendo’s lovable little plumber, and the result is one of the least inspired outings in his storied history.

That’s not to say this is a bad game. It’s exactly what you would expect: a collection of cleverly designed, two-dimensional environments for Mario to scamper through, dodging monsters and collecting treasures. The usual power-ups – flowers that let Mario shoot fireballs, a raccoon suit that lets him jump farther – are available in convenient locations. And most of the levels include alternate pathways, so there’s motivation to return after you’ve conquered them.

But while I enjoyed my time in Mario’s latest world, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d been there before. The major new power-up is a golden block that screws onto Mario’s head, creating a trail of coins. The familiar POW blocks now turn obstacles into, well, coins. And hoops scattered across the skies deliver … more coins. Some sort of prize awaits if you collect 1 million of the things, but I only made it to 10,000.

And then there’s Coin Rush, in which Mario has one life with which to race through three randomly chosen levels, collecting as much gold as possible. You can then challenge other humans to beat your score using the 3DS’ StreetPass function. There’s also a multiplayer mode in which Mario and his brother, Luigi, collaborate to collect double the loot. Both players need a 3DS and a copy of the game, and you need to be in the same room to team up.

Despite the “New” in its title, the latest Mario game is more of a look back to the 1980s, when we were all enjoying his antics on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Nostalgia aside, it just doesn’t offer the innovations and rewards of last fall’s “Super Mario 3D Land.” Two stars out of four.

—

The release of “NSMB2″ coincides with the arrival of Nintendo’s newest hand-held game device: the 3DS XL ($200), an extra-large version of the 3DS machine introduced last year. So you get your dual screens – one a touch screen, the other a three-dimensional graphics display – but they’re both about 90 percent larger.

That’s a huge difference to a gamer like me with vision problems. My eyes usually get tired after about 10 minutes of looking at the original model’s 3.53-inch-diagonal 3-D display. The XL’s 4.88-inch screen means I don’t need to squint as much, so I can play for about half an hour without needing a break. As a game reviewer, that’s a blessing when I’m facing a deadline, but I think you civilians will like it, too.

The entire package is still reasonably compact, fitting into an adult-size jeans pocket – though not exactly comfortably. If you resisted the 3DS when it came out last year, now’s a good time to give it a second look.

Follow Lou Kesten on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lkesten

New Super Mario Bros. 2 Review: My Interest Is In Another Castle

Posted by admin | Posted on 31-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Most of the time, Nintendo knocks it out of the park when it comes to great ideas and innovation. From game systems to fun and entertaining franchises, the brains at Nintendo know what people like. But other times, they fall flat, regurgitating overused gameplay elements and stale characters. Sadly, New Super Mario Bros. 2 falls into the latter category.

Platforms: 3DS
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Side-Scrolling Scrooge McDuck Simulator
Release Date: August 19, 2012
ESRB Rating: Everyone

Mario has really been through the ringer over the last few decades. His girlfriend, Princess Peach, just keeps getting kidnapped by Bowser. He really needs to lock that down at some point, am I right? In this iteration of the same story, Mario doesn’t just fight Bowser’s brood and minions aplenty… this time, he’s also focused on collecting gold coins. Not that he isn’t focused on that in other games, but it’s the primary goal of this game. And you’re reminded of that fact every step of the way.

Each world has several levels in it, including the typical mid-world castle and end-world castle, and lots of fun Toad Houses and other bonuses in between. After completing each end-world castle, you battle one of Bowser’s children. True to form, Peach is then whisked off to the next world by another of the Koopalings. The game is very reminiscent of Super Mario Bros. 3, with each offspring having their own unique attacks. The regular monsters are all pretty typical of a Mario game – you’ve got your Koopas, your Goombas, Lakitu, Piranha Plants, etc. Powerups are the same as well – Mario will get huge, tiny, invincible, and all raccooned up in this game.

Everything feels like it’s just pulled from one Mario game or another. There’s nothing all that new or unique here. It’s the same platforming, the same enemies, the same goals. Some parts are so easy it’s almost embarrassing, while other parts are so punishingly difficult, you’re reminded of the original Super Mario Bros., where you had to memorize the pattern to get through a certain area. But unlike the original, New Super Mario Bros. 2 saturates you with coins and extra lives, so even if you do get stuck, you’re just burning through, at most, half a dozen of your 100+ extra lives.

The only new thing about this game is the focus on collecting coins. In addition to the three large special coins hidden on every level, players are encouraged to get as many of the regular coins as possible, and the game makes it ridiculously easy to do so. As you get more and more coins, you unlock more levels in Coin Rush, which is a game mode that gives you a set time limit to go through three random levels and get as many coins as quickly as you can.

I’m not sure what the appeal is here. The levels themselves are mediocre at best, and playing them again in Coin Rush tips the scales into boring. That’s how the whole game is, really – a mediocre sequel that has no real replay value. You can play it again to get more coins, but I just don’t see the point. There’s nothing exciting or new or different about this game – it’s the epitome of the Nintendo way of milking an IP as much as possible. But unlike Super Mario 3D Land, or even Mario vs Donkey Kong: Mini-land Mayhem, there’s nothing fun about New Super Mario Bros. 2, unless you enjoy making Mario whore himself out for coins. It’s just a boring, bland game that isn’t nearly worth the price tag.

The game is mercifully short – I finished it in two longish gaming sessions, with a few moments here or there snuck in to beat a level or two. The music is grating, and the enemies stop to dance to it at the same interval every time. This may have been adorable when they introduced it in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but now I just stomp that silly Koopa to death for being distracted. (Bowser would not be happy to hear about them messing around on the job.)

New Super Mario Bros. 2 has nothing “new” about it, and plays more like it should just be DLC for the first game, or for New Super Mario Bros. Wii. It’s not long enough to be considered tedious, but even the biggest Mario fans would find themselves hard pressed to enjoy it, unless they’re just trying to fill their days waiting for the Wii U to release. There are plenty of better games out there, and you should spend your money on those instead.

Review Disclosure: A review copy of New Super Mario Bros. 2 was provided by Nintendo for the purposes of this review.

Opinion: Mario has run his course. How can Nintendo revive its fallen mascot?

Posted by admin | Posted on 30-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

There’s been an air of fatigue around the Mario brand lately, and it has come into focus with the portly plumber’s latest outing, New Super Mario Bros. 2 (NSMB2).

In his review, Peter praised the game for its quality and polish, but also noted that there’s a distinct feeling of been here, done that, done that, and done that, too. Where has this apathy regarding Mario come from and what can Nintendo do to turn things around?
Obviously, there’s no pressing need for Nintendo to turn it around at all. Mario sells. Pipefuls. In fact, Nintendo’s last 2D Mario title, New Super Mario Bros. (NSMB), became the biggest seller for DS, with The Big N shifting nearly 30 million copies of it.

But, there’s restlessness among the fanbase. Mario’s always been a critical success (though we won’t mention Mario Teaches Typing), but the tide’s turning, with NSMB2 averaging ‘just’ 77 per cent on GameRankings.

Poison Shroom

Many who try NSMB2 experience an acute sense of déjà vu – precious little has changed since the last instalment, you see, which was released a whopping six years ago. Time flies.

The changing face of Super Mario (clockwise: Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, Super Mario Land 2)

In its simplest terms, NSMB2 is a cash grab. A hugely playable, eminently enjoyable cash grab. Which, ironically enough, is what you’ll spend a lot of your time doing in the game itself, trying to achieve the target of 1,000,000 coins set by Nintendo.

Nintendo needs to reinvent the 2D Marios, and the most frustrating part is it obviously knows how. Watching the evolution from Super Mario Bros. 1 to 3 on the NES is fascinating, because they are all so different.

The Western version of Super Mario Bros. 2 is one that’s divided opinion for years. While it may have been a reskinned version of original Japanese game Doki Doki Panic, at least it took Mario in new directions.

Breath of fresh air

Nintendo was known throughout the Mario series for incredible playfulness and creativity, and the player rarely knew what was around the corner.

That feeling of freedom when you first put on the red cape in Super Mario World and soared through the skies was unparalleled, and it’s moments like this that have defined the series.

The pastel style of Yoshi’s Island was gorgeous and flipped Mario’s universe on its head. Gone was the original template of Mushroom Land, Goombas, and Koopa Troopas, who were relegated to minor appearances. In came Shy Guys and Kamek.

These were firm fan favourites and still are to this day, but we haven’t seen anything as startlingly original or daring from Nintendo since.

The Super Mario Land series on Game Boy went off on a whole zany new tangent, with alien spaceships, underwater shooter sections, and the mustachioed miser Wario.

We expect more, though. Why haven’t we seen driveable vehicles to alter progression, or new characters to play as that can be controlled in a different manner?

Mario’s spring suit from Super Mario 3D Land would be well suited to a 2D plane, for example. Or perhaps a surfboard for the tropical levels that sees you riding a wave that crashes across the screen.

Pipe dreams

The non-changing face of New Super Mario (clockwise: New Super Mario Bros., New Super Mario Bros. 2, New Super Mario Bros. Wii U, New Super Mario Bros. Wii)

Nothing beat looking up at the sunbeam in the entrance hall in Super Mario 64 and finding Mario doffing his winged red cap, soaring above the clouds and Princess Peach’s castle.

How about bringing the Wing Cap to 2D games and having Mario fly through levels using air currents? The over-reliance on the racoon tail in recent games is already dismaying many. The well of power-ups, suits, and hats looks like it’s beginning to dry up.

From Super Mario Bros. 3 to Super Mario World and Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island, drastic changes are evident in art style and gameplay – these kept the series fresh and intriguing.

Little things like using Baby Mario in Super Mario World 2 or giant Mario in NSMB kept the audience that had grown up with the Italian plumber interested and engaged.

Looking at NSMB and its sequel, however, the only thing that’s visually different about the game is the sheer plethora of coins. You can’t help but feel like Cyril Sneer half the time.

Bob-omb Battlefield

Nintendo likes the 2D and 3D Mario games to stay separate, but wouldn’t it be great to include large branching 2D levels that encouraged exploration and multiple playthroughs to see everything that’s on offer? That feeling of discovery’s been lost through the years, as we trudge through Bowser’s Castle once again.

Some of my favourite parts in Super Mario Galaxy were the 2D gravity-shifting levels, which were unlike anything actually seen in a 2D Mario. We know this works, so why not try it?

Off the back of all this, NSMB2 appears lazy and repetitive. Shouldn’t we expect more from such a beloved franchise? Recent handheld platform games like Rayman Origins and Sound Shapes have injected freshness into the genre, while the grandfather of the platformer is as stale as months-old bread.

Mario’s not going anywhere any time soon, but let’s hope that he at least evolves over the coming years, and that next time he brings something truly new and exciting to the table – which is what we really remember Mario for.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 racks up 1 million sales in Japan

Posted by admin | Posted on 30-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, nintendo ds, psp, Wii

New Super Mario Bros. 2 leaped over the 1 million mark in Japan, topping the country’s sales charts for the third consecutive week. Nintendo’s platformer sold 71,092 copies this week, which despite being less than half of last week’s sales was enough to see it through to seven figures.
That fall in New Super Mario Bros. 2 sales correlates with a drop in weekly 3DS sales from 107,140 to 64,921. Nonetheless, the 3DS sits comfortably ahead of its nearest rival, the PS3, at 12,243 sales this week.

Review: Mario’s latest gold rush doesn’t pan out

Posted by admin | Posted on 29-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Whenever video-game companies stretch out popular franchises for financial reasons rather than creative ones, disenchanted customers call it a “money grab.” It’s a charge Nintendo has largely been immune to, even though its most popular character, Mario, has starred in hundreds of games.

That changes with “New Super Mario Bros. 2″ (Nintendo, for the 3DS, $39.99), which takes the whole money-grab concept quite literally. The whole point of the game is to grab money _ namely, the sparkling gold coins that have littered almost every Mario release since the mid-1980s. It’s an oddly mercenary approach to Nintendo’s lovable little plumber, and the result is one of the least inspired outings in his storied history.

That’s not to say this is a bad game. It’s exactly what you would expect: a collection of cleverly designed, two-dimensional environments for Mario to scamper through, dodging monsters and collecting treasures. The usual power-ups _ flowers that let Mario shoot fireballs, a raccoon suit that lets him jump farther _ are available in convenient locations. And most of the levels include alternate pathways, so there’s motivation to return after you’ve conquered them.

But while I enjoyed my time in Mario’s latest world, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d been there before. The major new power-up is a golden block that screws onto Mario’s head, creating a trail of coins. The familiar POW blocks now turn obstacles into, well, coins. And hoops scattered across the skies deliver … more coins. Some sort of prize awaits if you collect 1 million of the things, but I only made it to 10,000.

And then there’s Coin Rush, in which Mario has one life with which to race through three randomly chosen levels, collecting as much gold as possible. You can then challenge other humans to beat your score using the 3DS’ StreetPass function. There’s also a multiplayer mode in which Mario and his brother, Luigi, collaborate to collect double the loot. Both players need a 3DS and a copy of the game, and you need to be in the same room to team up.

Despite the “New” in its title, the latest Mario game is more of a look back to the 1980s, when we were all enjoying his antics on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Nostalgia aside, it just doesn’t offer the innovations and rewards of last fall’s “Super Mario 3D Land.” Two stars out of four.

___

The release of “NSMB2″ coincides with the arrival of Nintendo’s newest hand-held game device: the 3DS XL ($200), an extra-large version of the 3DS machine introduced last year. So you get your dual screens _ one a touch screen, the other a three-dimensional graphics display _ but they’re both about 90 percent larger.

That’s a huge difference to a gamer like me with vision problems. My eyes usually get tired after about 10 minutes of looking at the original model’s 3.53-inch-diagonal 3-D display. The XL’s 4.88-inch screen means I don’t need to squint as much, so I can play for about half an hour without needing a break. As a game reviewer, that’s a blessing when I’m facing a deadline, but I think you civilians will like it, too.

The entire package is still reasonably compact, fitting into an adult-size jeans pocket _ though not exactly comfortably. If you resisted the 3DS when it came out last year, now’s a good time to give it a second look.

___

Follow Lou Kesten on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lkesten

Nintendo’s 3DS XL is a Winner of an Upgrade

Posted by admin | Posted on 29-08-2012

Category : Marios Bros

Tags: games news, Kids Video Games, mario Bros, nintendo ds, Wii

Thinking about upgrading to Nintendo 3DS XL (or, perhaps, buying into the system for the first time)? Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s a good move.

Let’s start with the excruciatingly obvious…

It’s bigger.

The system rocks a 90% bigger screen size while not adding too much extra size and heft to the actual build. It’s bigger, absolutely, but the Nintendo 3DS XL remains portable in spite of its extra-ness.

That bigger screen size translates to grander gaming experiences. Since I purchased the system, I’ve continued playing New Super Mario Bros. 2 and dove back into older games like Super Mario 3D Land; both have been superb.

The larger screen size genuinely makes for more fun while gaming. Nintendo has always been really good about making their software pop with wonderful colors and graphics. They, as a developing house, know how to make the most of their hardware. These games look fantastic on the 3DS XL.

More than just size.

But, my love for the system comes down to far more than it being bigger. The Nintendo 3DS XL feels like a more smartly designed handheld. First off, the buttons feel much better. The shoulder buttons, the system buttons below the touch screen and even the 3D slider are built so well this time around. Honestly, it makes the standard handheld look a little less healthy.

The shiny sheen of the original model has gone away. In it’s place, we’ve got a rough plastic that deters fingerprints. We’ve also got a clamshell that clicks into three perfect gaming positions.

My second favorite upgrade? The stylus. Both in design and placement, the 3DS XL stylus destroys that of the original model. It’s plastic, not metal, and it’s a solid piece instead of a telescoping tube that likes to collapse during play. Even better? They put it on the side of the device instead of the top; that means grabbing it during gaming sessions is much, much easier.

Finally, battery life. I typically got around three hours out of each gaming session with my 3DS. The XL has earned me closer to six. If I left my 3DS on and closed over night, it turned off. Now, the XL has gone several days without seeing even a minor dip in battery. Over this past week, I’ve only charged it twice.

The Nintendo 3DS XL is a marvelous upgrade. Kudos to Nintendo. If you’ve been considering this unit for either an upgrade or a first time purchase, pull the trigger. It’s a win.

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