New Super Mario Bros U Message Board

- initial idea was to expand upon “secondary play” by adding a bunch of Boost Rush courses
- this idea was transferred to New Super Mario Bros. 2
- the “U” team was quicker to come up with DLC ideas than the 2 team
- the team developing “2” came up with the idea for Coin Rush courses as DLC

“We originally assumed the downloadable content would be for people who had played New Super Mario Bros. U, and decided to make it for people who wanted to play it even more. So I had been saying it could be a little more difficult.” - Tezuka

- stages were shortened to deal with the more difficult design
- this was partly inspired by Super Mario Bros. 3
- team members from the New Super Mario Bros. 2 team were brought over to help out
- the game originally had Mario in it
- this changed once Tezuka heard about Nintendo’s “Year of Luigi” plan
- Luigi's abilities helped balance the game as well
- each tick on the clock was made slightly longer than in New Super Mario Bros. U
- sales teams around the world requested a retail version for those that didn't have NSMBU

In case you missed the first broadcast, or want to cycle back to make sure you heard something right—there were a lot of games, some with release dates, some without them—here's the full 37 minute Nintendo Direct that the company put out this morning for North America. Highlights include a 3DS Legend of Zelda set in the world of A Link to the Past; Earthbound releasing, at last, on the Wii U's Virtual Console; DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U that spotlights Luigi, and the North American release of the 3DS RPG Bravely Default: Flying Fairy.

#wiiu The House of Mario is celebrating Luigi's 30th anniversary by releasing several titles focusing on Mario's twin brother. The New Super Luigi U DLC will rework existing levels in New Super Mario Brothers Wii U to deliver new experiences where players will control only Luigi. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that work on the DLC is akin to that done for a full game. The DLC will be available later this year. More »

I'm sure you guys are having fun playing New Super Mario Bros. U, but I also bet there are a few of you that have you wait until Christmas to enjoy your copy. If you're in that boat, you might as well hit up the official hub site for the game and enjoy some more content. It'll tide you over until you can go hands-on with your own copy!

A portion of a Vooks review...

Cast aside your aversion and apprehension to the franchise and enjoy the subtle additions to the game, the superior level design and high definition graphics that New Super Mario Bros. U brings to the table. It’s a fantastic package that any Wii U owner cannot be without.

Full review here

A portion of a C3 review...

New Super Mario Bros. U succeeds in delivering classic 2D Mario gameplay in a more visually appealing and complete package than ever before and is simply a blast to play both alone or with friends. It's not revolutionary or innovative by any means but it's a fantastic game nonetheless. Fans of old-fashioned and challenging platformers absolutely shouldn't miss this great launch title.

Full review here

This is a portion of a New Super Mario Bros. U review from Cubed3...

New Super Mario Bros. U succeeds in delivering classic 2D Mario gameplay in a more visually appealing and complete package than ever before and is simply a blast to play both alone or with friends. It's not revolutionary or innovative by any means but it's a fantastic game nonetheless. Fans of old-fashioned and challenging platformers absolutely shouldn't miss this great launch title.

A portion of a Nintendo Life review...

The mechanics remain the same, but they have been gilded by decades of subtle refinements and enhancements, leading us to what has to be one of the most accomplished 2D platformers ever created. New Super Mario Bros. U may not offer the cataclysmic genre shift that many badly crave, but it’s the gem of the Wii U launch lineup and a must-have purchase.

Full review here

A portion of an ONM review...

Struggles to capture the creative spark of its NES/SNES ancestors, but this is rock solid platforming elevated through a renewed focus on skilled play.

Full review here