Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

100 or More Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Amazing"

I bought New Super Mario Bros. Wii the day it came out, right when the store opened. I played it with 4 players and it was worth the wait. It not only increases the length and challenge of the DS game, but the co-op mode takes it to new heights.

The story is that on her birthday, Peach is kidnapped AGAIN by the koopalings. Lucky you, you have to save her. Not much to the story, but then again, when was the last time you played a Mario game just for the story? (excluding the RPG series.)

Gameplay is similar to classic Mario games. Get to the end and touch the flagpole. This is not the only goal, however. There are 3 Star Coins scattered across each level and are needed for 100% completion. New power-ups are included, such as the Propeller Suit which lets you fly in the air for a while, and the Penguin Suit which lets you throw iceballs, just like the improved and returning Ice Flower from Super Mario Galaxy, slide on ice, and have better swimming abilities. Returning from other Mario games are the Fire Flower, the Mushroom, and the already mentioned Ice Flower. The graphics were a little modest for what the the Wii is capable of. (Super Mario Galaxy comes to mind.) Although they were colorful, there could've been more detailed backrounds concerning specific worlds. The game itself was harder than the DS game but it wasn't too hard, so that's good.

The biggest addition to the game is the multiplayer. At times it can be very fun to play. But when you're being serious about getting 100%, it can be very frustrating to play. If you're serious about completing the game, play alone. If you want to just f*** around, get some friends. Its the most chaotic multiplayer experience since GoldenEye 007. There are also two other multiplayer specific modes called "Free for All" and "Coin Battle". Free for All is when you simply replay a level. Coin Battle is where you compete for coins and make it to the flag with the most coins.

All together, this game was one of the best Mario games I ever played. It has that nostalgic Mario feeling with a fresh new twist. Multiplayer is best avoided if you're serious and it is also recommended if you just want to have fun. Wii owners should give this one a go.