I prefer my Mario games scrolling side to side, so of course I am always excited to see, hear, or try another entry in the franchise that conforms to those limited dimensions. Some (too many) criticize the NSMB series for always being more of the same, and while there are reasons that may be a valid point, anyone who champions yearly sports releases or most FPS should be enduring the same criticism, because it's the exact same 'problem'. New Super Mario Bros U feels familiar, but from the tiny bit we've seen, looks like it will add some freshness as we come to know more about it as a whole.
We do have a new airborn mammal that doesn't fly, but glides pretty gracefully. We have some semi-mysterious online features and some level of achievements. We have some stunning new worlds; some of which are reminiscent of old school Mario titles. Those hungry baby Yoshis are back...will the adults also return? We have at least one new mode that can introduce an unprecedented fifth player to the mix using the Wii U Gamepad. About that:
Boost mode is interesting, and can definitely be a great way to incorporate someone who might not be good at or interested in games as a way to participate, or it can be a way for a more seasoned gamer to help someone less skilled. If you are the latter though, you will probably find yourself a bit bored. Even looking after four other players, helping when possible, I found myself wanting to look at the booth girls more than the TV screen after just a few minutes. My wandering eyes then became mischievous and I began trying to hinder their progress, though that actually turns out to be much harder than you'd think. With a cooperative partner, making short work of obstacles and other difficult-to-reach collectibles can become a cinch.
Controls-wise it is almost exactly on par with the Wii release. Shaking to spin feels more accurate now for me; the Wii version always felt too eager to interpret the slightest jiggle of my hand into a spin or Yoshi dismount, but not anymore! The squirrel suit allows a double jump, because...why not!? In case you take a hit along the way, I didn't notice any way to store additional power-ups though, so the safety nets we've become accustomed to may no longer be an option.
Visually the game is stunning. The backgrounds especially have a lot of beautiful detail, and some massive scale considering the distances between Mario and the looming environments. The foreground looks nice too, if not a bit too clean and plasticky, but definitely bright and colorful; in perfect harmony with the standard set by the other NSMB titles. I did also notice lots of little details that might not be immediately apparent, such as the giant 'star wheels' in the evening stage casting light, with items nearby catching the highlights realistically: a player's character will have an extra glow facing the star, and watching the light play on spinning, metallic coins is especially pretty.
I really can't find any faults in the demo levels they were sharing here at E3; assuming the final game has much more to show and depths to plumb, this ought to make any 2D Mario fans excited. If it doesn't, well, you are beyond hope for ever enjoying life or having fun.
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