"A glorious return for Mario into the 2D Jump and Run realm"

It´s kinda peculiar if you think about it: 14 years have passes since the release of the last traditional 2D side scroll Jump and Run starring Mario, "Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins". If you don´t count this one as an official Mario game (due to the absence of Shigeru Miyamoto in the development team), it has even been longer, 16 years, to be precise, ever since "Super Mario World" marked the beginning of a new video game era. After that, there might have some grandiose, official Mario titles like "Super Mario World 2: Yoshi´s Island" or "Super Mario 64", but none of them attempted to stick to the good, old Mario formula either by gameplay enhancement and main character issues ("Super Mario World 2") or simply by the use of 3D graphics, with only the countless remakes and ports of the classic Mario titles naturally following the tried and true gameplay style. It´s not that the Mario titles coming after "Super Mario World" did not live up to the high expectations the series has generated ever since (including awesome Mario spin-off titles such as the Mario Kart and Mario RPG franchises), on the contrary. The problem was that some gamers were yearning for some sort of a "Super Mario Bros. 4" or "Super Mario World 3", a classic 2D platformer staying true to the roots of the series and at the same time featuring enough new content and features to make it worth of Nintendo´s "quality over quantity" policy. And while some of us were already expecting this title to come to the Game Boy Advance - the 2D powerhouse at the time of its initial release - we had to wait a little while longer until the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2004, where Nintendo not only revealed their new handheld machine, the Nintendo DS, but also the game we have all been yearning for: "New Super Mario Bros.", slated for a release on Nintendo´s new and revolutionary handheld console. And two years later, in summer 2006, the time has finally come: "New Super Mario Bros." received a worldwide release, and all I can say that it was well worth the unbearably long wait!

I don´t really think that it´s necessary to describe the "story" of "New Super Mario Bros.", because in that regard, Nintendo stays true to the old school Mario formula already: Princess Peach has been kidnapped by the Bowser clan, and it´s again up to Mario to save the beautiful damsel in distress. And that´s it. Actually, the "prologue" to the story even feels like a parody by Nintendo itself, due to the way in what kind of a simplistic way the abduction of Princess Peach is being told, as we simply see her being kidnapped by Bowser jr. while she and Mario are taking a walk, and the entire introduction takes a couple of seconds, without a single line of actual dialogue being used. Quite a funny and ironic scene that leads us directly to the main game (more on the other game modes later). The game features 8 large worlds (two of them being accessible through secret passages), each consisting of several levels and being presented in a way similar to "Super Mario Bros. 3" and "Super Mario World", as you once again have a map you can direct Mario on, walking from one level to the next or trying to unlock some new pathways leading to bonus stages or one of Toad´s houses, where you can snatch some bonus items. The main deal, however, are the levels, of course. And playing through them feels much like the original "Super Mario Bros." at heart, as the main goal here is again making your way through the level and reaching the flag goal at the end, with bonus points for your high score being given depending on what position you reach at the flag goal. Naturally, you´ll have to make your way past some tricky jumping passages as well as some well known, returning enemies from earlier Mario titles, like the Koopa Troopas or the Piranha Plants. In order to get past these obstacles, Mario can use a variety of different moves and abilities coming from his 2D and 3D appearances. For example, you once again can use the Super Mushrooms hidden withing blocks that make Mario grow, as well as the fire flowers that give Mario the ability to shoot fireballs at his enemies. There are also some abilities that were originally featured in Mario´s 3D appearances, like the wall jump, the triple jump or of course the ground pound, which adds a lot more to the gaming experience and gives you lots of different possibilities to beat a level. But of course, there are also some all-new abilities, created exclusively for this title. For example, Mario can now put on a blue shell that allows him to dash and bounce around, and he can also hide inside the shell from enemy attacks. Then, there are the Mega Mushroom and the Mini Mushroom, which allow Mario to either grow for a limited amount of time or to shrink down in size. While the growth ability seems more like a funny little gimmick, as it allows you to rush through the levels and stomp down all enemies in your way, while the Mini-Mario features gives you a chance to find some hidden pathways. As another returning feature from a Mario classic, you will also encounter two castles in each world, much like in "Super Mario Bros. 3", one in the middle and one at the end of each world, with Bowser jr. always being the mid-boss, while the main boss at the end of each world will quite often be able to surprise with his appearance or his techniques. The castle levels also feel quite nostalgic for being quite challenging at times, having some tricky passages that require precise jumps from you. It also has to be said that the time limit for each level returns from "Super Mario Bros." and "Super Mario Bros. 3", and depending on how fast you will be able to make it through a level and how many seconds remain, you will receive some bonus points, but newbies should be warned, since you will lose a life immediately in case you don´t reach the flag goal in time, but it shouldn´t be a big deal, since the time limit has been set in a way that you shouldn´t have any problems with it, giving you enough time to explore the levels. Apart from the single player mode, you can also choose from 18 mini games using the stylus for control, and although they have been taken straight out of "Super Mario 64 DS", it´s still a nice change from the usual Jump and Run scenario, just like the multiplayer mode where two players have to attack each other and have to snatch as many of his opponent´s stars as possible. Actually, there´s hardly anything negative to say about the gameplay experience in "New Super Mario Bros.". Some might find the lack of a proper use of the DS stylus to be a problem, but the classic Mario feel more than makes up for that. and even though the game is not as difficult as some of the older Mario titles, experts and beginners alike will be pleased with this masterpiece.

Visually, Nintendo mixes classic and modern elements together, much like in the gameplay department, creating yet another magnificent aspect in this milestone Jump and Run. The different levels are being presented from a classic 2D perspective, just the way we know it from the old days, but the visual splendor comes from the great use of 3D elements. All characters as well as the items are being displayed with polygons instead of simple sprites, being highly reminiscent of those found in "Super Mario 64", giving the game a strong 2.5D/pseudo 3D effect, which is being emphasized even further by some of the graphical effects such as Mario´s transformations or the attacks of the boss enemies. Despite the fact that there´s so much going on on the screen nearly all the time, the frame rate always remains solid and constant, with not a single slowdown to be found anywhere. The 3D polygonal characters and objects also impress with their smooth and beautiful presentation, and while this 2.5D style might appear a little odd for a Mario title at first, it fits perfectly in the end, combining the classic 2D realm with a more modern use of 3D together wonderfully and making this title one of the best looking DS titles to date.

As far as the music goes, Nintendo did not take too many risks and relies on classic Mario tunes for quite a large part of the game, with the remixes of familiar and famous tracks having an excellent sound quality especially when coming through headphones. Of course, there are also some new pieces, having been composed under the supervision of Mario mainstay Koji Kondo, and while they´re not exactly memorable, they fit into the Mario universe nicely and are worthy of being part of the Mario franchise. Other than the music, you will also notice that much like in more recent Mario games, Nintendo chose to add at least a few voice samples for the game, like Peach´s sweet yell for "Help!", and even though they don´t add anything to the actual gaming experience, they are far from annoying and represent a rather amusing feature. I won´t go deeper into the sound effects, since a majority of them has been taken from earlier Mario titles, and everyone should be familiar with them by now.

"New Super Mario Bros." is far from being a revolutionary Jump and Run experience like "Super Mario 64" or the original "Super Mario Bros.", but it does not have to be, and in fact, the game does not want to be, either. Instead, it´s a near perfect new start for the beloved series, an evolution of the series that combines the flawless "Super Mario Bros." gameplay formula and some much needed fresh elements together in a remarkable manner, and we can only hope that this game was just the beginning of a new 2D Jump and Run era for Mario.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/26/06