New Super Mario Brothers

There’s something deftly charming about Nintendo’s Super Mario games. Sure, they’ve always been based on a silly premise – a plumber battling his way thru a fantasy world of mushrooms and piranha plants – but they’ve also been great fun to play.

New Super Mario Bros. carries on the tradition. Released for the Nintendo DS handheld system, New SMB successfully mixes the proven game play mechanics of the original Super Mario Bros. with some fresh new moves, including a handy Wall Jump technique and powerful Ground Pound butt stomp. New power-ups have been introduced as well. You’ll sometimes find mega-sized mushrooms allowing Mario to grow to a giant height, with all the indestructibility this implies. Micro mushrooms allow Mario to shrink to a pint size, increasing his jumping ability and allowing the plump hero access to various nooks and crannies found throughout the game’s eight worlds.

Sticking with the traditional 2D platformer design, Mario usually works his way from left to right, jumping and fireballing his way to the level’s end. But unlike prior Super Mario games, the environments are constructed of polygon characters and landscapes – a design choice typically reserved for 3D games. The decision was a good one, as the animation is silky smooth and the backgrounds are more interactive than your usual Super Mario endeavor. (Remember those giant, spotted mushrooms in the original SMB? Don’t be surprised if they flex and bow under your weight this time around.)

Overall, there’s little to dislike about New Super Mario Bros, although some nitpicking is in order. Namely, new fans and casual gamers will find a decent challenge, but older players - especially those familiar with prior Super Mario games - will probably find New SMB to be over far too soon. (My 16-year old daughter and I, Mario veterans of a sort, completed the game within a few days time.) Sadly, the new power-ups aren’t used as often as I would have liked. And if you’re looking for a game that’ll exercise your DS’ stylus, you won’t find it here.

Still, all mushrooms considered, these are minor quibbles. You’ll find yourself working hard to find every hidden level, as the game really is that much fun to play. And Nintendo has thrown in a grab bag of goodies to compliment the core package. There’s a nice set of touch screen mini-games (some recycled from Super Mario 64 DS), and if you have two DS systems available, a two-player Mario vs. Luigi competition is at your disposal. Oh, and don’t forget to sit through the credits…

My own household is an eclectic mix of gamer styles – young and old, hardcore and casual. Yet all agree: New Super Mario Bros. is one of the best Mario games to come along in a very long time. It features easy to manage controls, solid game play, and a witty balance of fun challenges. Recommended.

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Summary: It’s action-platforming at its best, and is great fun for parents and kids alike. While it’s more a solo experience than not, if you’re looking for something that can occupy your little person during that next road trip AND whittle away those boring lunch breaks at the office, New Super Mario Bros. is your game of choice.