As we gamers know, Nintendo said they would do anything in their power to make up their losses caused by their Wii U console. Considering they only sold 13 million units and aimed to sell 100 million, you can’t really blame them to take on this kind of task with their latest console in the Switch. The hybrid-console has been getting ports of notable games from the Wii U, and one of them is this re-release of the New Super Mario Bros. game that served as a launch title to the Wii’s successor. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe might be deemed to be a somewhat lazy port, but that kind of opinion doesn’t mean this game isn’t more of the same wonderful platforming that Nintendo’s flagship franchise is iconic for.
Pasta power
The basic synopsis is business as usual for the Mario series. Mario and company are enjoying a wonderful meal prepared by Princess Peach, and along comes Bowser the b-hole to crash the good time. Peach gets abducted and imprisoned, while our heroes get flung to World 1 by the Koopa King’s typical machinery. Using their well-known acrobatics and puzzle-solving abilities, our heroes must venture through a variety of worlds, give Bowser and company the business, and restore order to the Mushroom Kingdom. It’s another usage of the usual Mario storyline, but if it ain’t broke…Well, you know the rest.
To avoid making this article too long, I’ll go over the new gameplay additions and special inclusions in this deluxe edition rather than explain all the nuts and bolts of it. All the original items and worlds from this Wii U launch title are here and remain untouched, and there are plenty of articles about what the original version brings to the table. As a game reviewer, redundancy would be a sin on my behalf. Anyway, with that appetizer finished, we can now get to the main course. You and up to three friends can play as Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Nabbit just like in the game’s original 2012 version, but you can also now play as Toadette. The pig-tailed bipedal mushroom is a bit harder to play as than Nabbit, but she can obtain an item that nobody else can. The item in question is called the Super Crown, which can transform Toadette into a hybrid of herself and Peach. The appropriately-named Peachette form allows Toadette to perform a double-jump and even hover in the air just like the famous princess. Even without the powerful crown, Toadette herself can obtain 3-Up Moons if she manages to locate the correct item boxes. It should also be noted that the Toad Houses from the Wii U version have been given subtle tweaks too lengthy to explain here.
Along with the challenge mode, head-to-head hilarity, and Mii support, the New Super Luigi U expansion is playable right out of the gate. This adventure was originally DLC on the original Wii U version, and is basically an even harder version of the story mode. If you manage to complete this bonus mode without tearing your hair out, a winner is you.
Hooked on the brothers
On paper, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe doesn’t change a truckload of things about the Wii U game it originates from. But if that doesn’t bother you (It certainly didn’t bother me), it’s another dosage of Mario platforming that gamers of all ages and skill levels can enjoy both at home and on the go. Thank you for reading this review, and until next time…Do the Mario!
Silver Soul Gaming 