Classic Video Games: New Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo DS

Very few videogame characters evoke happy memories like Mario of the Super Mario Bros series for Nintendo. Those emotions stem neither from the plump plumber’s look nor personality, which are unsderstated. He simply played a starring role in the most imaginative and inspirational game series in the past 30 years. And now you can enjoy the fun of Super Mario Brothers all over again in this great Nintendo DS game.

Recently, the Super Mario Bros series had become a franchise known for exceptional 3D platforming, accessible athletics, and, unfortunately, board games. It was clear in the release of New Super Mario Brothers that the development team wished to realign the series with its roots. The result was a game that drew on Mario’s vast legacy as a 2D platformer to introduce the classic video games Mario to a new audience on the Nintendo DS.

For the unacquainted, the Super Mario Brother series popularized the 2D platformer and is, in many respects, the gold standard of the genre. New Super Mario Bros for the Nintendo DS lifts concepts from many of the earlier games. The overworld map resembles those from Super Mario Bros 3. The flagpoles at the end of each level (as well as the occasional fireworks) are from the original Super Mario Bros. The ghost-laden haunted houses are from Super Mario World. There are countless other references. All of these allusive aspects are integrated to a point where new players simply won’t notice this Frankenstein approach.

The visuals certainly help to blend these grafted elements. New Super Mario Bros is a 2D platformer that sports 3D models and backgrounds instead of animated sprites. A bright and vivid color palette compliments these models well. Mario and the various koopa troopas, goombas, and lakitus all have very smooth animations. They do look a bit jagged upon closer inspection, though. On the other hand, the environments are seamless and seem a perfect translation from the old games. It looks exactly like a Super Mario Bros game should: cheerful yet otherworldly. Check out some of the screenshots below:

As soon as World 1 Level 1 in New Super Mario Bros opens, those nostalgic feelings dripping from the presentation travel into the player’s fingertips. The gameplay in this Nintendo DS game is best defined as focused. Mario isn’t as light on his feet, due to physics added to the 3D model, yet his control is still pitch perfect. Every mistimed jump and poorly aimed koopa shell is the player’s fault. Mario has also learned a handy wall jump since his last 2D outing; it’s an excellent touch put to clever use by the designers.

The levels in New Super Mario Brothers are seemingly short and straightforward. That conception is a ruse. Many of them contain secrets for resourceful players. Perhaps an invisible block will sprout a vine that stretches into the clouds. A pit may not be quite as bottomless as it appears. The levels also reveal a firm grasp on the series (and genre) standards. World 1 alone offers the comforting mix: mildly treacherous green fields, dim underground caverns, giant mushrooms brushing the upper atmosphere, underwater swimming, hazy haunted houses, and Bowser Jr.’s castles of magma and shifting stone. NSMB or the Nintendo DS slowly expands and combines these basic layouts with each new world and offers a substantial challenge by the game’s end. The later levels will undoubtedly drain your early boon of extra lives.

New Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo DS an arsenal of curious items whenever he attempts to rescue any princess. However, his inventory in NSMB is limited. Requisite items from classic Mario: the mushroom, fire flower, and super star, are all accounted for. The remaining items are the appropriately named mega mushroom, the mini mushroom, and the koopa suit. The old items, well, just seem old. The new items are important for collecting every special coin (three per level) and unlocking hidden worlds, but add little to the gameplay experience.

Thankfully, the remixed tunes subtly excel. I’d venture to say that most of the music for NSMB is not originally composed. Fans of the Mario series have heard these songs before, possibly ad nauseam. Even for jaded fans, the music is great. It’s fantastic to hear the iconic Mario theme redone with contemporary music technology. Another nice touch is how the enemies “dance” to the music, usually hopping or shuffling during a particular rhythm. It’s impossible not to hum or whistle whilst stomping on a goomba.

In terms of the sound effects, they all sound very close to their source material. The coins plink. The blocks crumble. Nothing here will surprise you.

This game is, without a doubt, a highly recommended purchase for any DS owner. There is also no doubt that NSMB is not the best in the esteemed series. It draws successfully from SMB3 and SMW yet struggles to imprint its own, unique legacy. That speaks more to how untouchable those two games are than the quality of the DS iteration. On its own merits, New Super Mario Bros. is a great game and one of the finest executions of a 2D platformer on any portable system.

New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo DS)

ESRB: E

Published by Nintendo

Official site: http://mario.nintendo.com/

Rating: 89/Buy it new

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