All the rules, none of the spirit.
That probably seems mean, but it this is the undeniable reality of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a platforming game for the Nintendo Wii which harkens back to the original Super Mario games. You would think that because this is the second game in the New Super Mario Bros. Series that there would be some noticeable updates, but in the end you get an all too similar experience, despite being on a bigger screen.
Now, don't take this the wrong way, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is not an awful game. Truthfully, it is quite a fantastic game. It does indeed introduce a few new features, like simultaneous 4 player multiplayer, which no doubt creates chaos and ill will towards your friends. And, to be expected, you are regularly introduced to Wii motion gimmicks, but when all is said and done you're left with a game that has no real surprises and this can do a lot to dwindle the amount of enthusiasm you have towards it.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii is somewhat longer this time around, where the last game in the series (and the more recent New Super Mario Bros. 2) two worlds were locked, having to complete certain objectives to gain access to them. This time you have access to eight worlds in the main story, and then once you've beaten Bowser, you then have access to a ninth secret world that allows you to play some more levels once you've aqcuired all star coins in a given world.
The controls are okay, I suppose. But it's certainly no Super Mario World. There are at times some questionable hit detection, either for or against you. Considering this is a 2D platformer with a 3D engine, pixel perfect collision simply does not exist. But even still, on just a few occasions I noticed some irregularities. That being said, I am new to the Nintendo Wii, having picked up one up so close to the Wii U release. So, I'm sure some of this is to be blamed on my inexperience with the control scheme, specifically when the game requires you maneuver yourself both in the traditional left-right-jump format as well as motion control to interact with your environment.
The level design in New Super Mario Bros. Wii is often hit and miss. Instead of building upon mechanics introduced in previous levels, often time the game will throw an entirely unique element to the game that you won't even see again. A boat ride in a dark cave where you control a flashlight with your motion controls comes to mind, or a floating platform that will sink if too many enemies are on it (and then they have the gall to throw a ton of mini goombas that latch on to you.) Fortunately, the gimmicks that are thrown at you are intuitive enough that this doesn't become a problem, and it does a lot to keep the game feeling fresh to the end when the levels themselves are in general nothing special, outside of a couple of cases. I really like the forest levels with pits of poisonous liquid, I don't know why. But I digress
Difficulty in New Super Mario Bros. Wii seems to be all over the place. In one level you might find yourself casually strolling while navigating some mildly challenging platforming obstacles, and the next level they'll throw a hundred bullet bills at you from every direction with no pattern as you navigate with both the Wii motion controls. To have the best experience with this game, you're pretty much expected to have played the older Mario games extensively, and while this isn't much of an issue for people who are experienced gamers, this can be somewhat frustrating for people who are new to gaming, which seems to counteract Nintendo's current market.
I can understand that after however many games in the Mario series there has been it can difficult to keep things fresh, but largely the levels in New Super Mario Bros Wii seem uninspired. It almost seems like a remix of classic Mario elements with modern mechanics, but it's not even close to the level of New Super Mario Bros 2, it's successor. That being said, it's nice to see some obstacles and certain enemies from previous games, and it's especially nice to ride Yoshi in 2D again.
If there's one thing that the New Super Mario Bros. Series does right, it's the final world. The Lava, the smoke, the deterioration. Everything just screams "This is it, this is the end of my journey." It perfectly executes the feeling of escalation before that climatic battle with the big Bowser. However, although the final battle is more than satisfying, I did find it a bit on the easier side, beating it in one go when other levels from a few worlds back were kicking my butt.
I'm not a huge fan of the Music here, although it does enough justice to serve as suiting background music, and it's devilishly catchy. As I write this the damn overworld theme keeps running through my head. Please Kill Me. Only the dead can be at peace from this suffering.
When all is said and done, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is definitely worth your purchase and play if you have not already. Just be prepared for a few frustrations here and there. Despite it's flaws it somehow makes you want to keep playing all the way through. It took me two days to complete, but only because I started later at night and I just couldn't coordinate myself with the sleep deprivation. It's a solid game, although perhaps not a primary example of a game you'd recommend when someone says they want to play a Mario Bros. game. This is definitely a game for the old Mario fans, and if you are member of that club you have no reason not to play it.
Anthony Luna is the Creator and writer for Retronomy, the retro game reviews website that delivers you content detailing history and commentary on the best (and the worst) from video game industry history. Strap on your nostalgia goggles and visit retronomy at [http://www.retronomy.net] today!