New Super Mario Bros. is a side-scrolling platformer game exclusive to the Nintendo DS, starring Mario and Luigi. The game features a solo story mode with Mario or Luigi, a two-player wireless game Mario vs. Luigi, as well as a mini-game mode for up to four players. And players can access Luigi as a story mode (1 player) character if they press L and R and select a file at the same time. The multiplayer games support both single-card and multi-card play. The mini-games are mostly the same as those featured in Super Mario 64 DS, with the difference that they do not need to be unlocked here. The game received a sequel, which is New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
Story[]
Mario and Princess Peach were walking together around Peach's Castle, when a mysterious thundercloud (possibly Lakithunder) appeared, and struck the castle with lightning. Mario went to investigate, and while he was there, Bowser Jr. sneaked up behind a bush and kidnapped Peach. Mario followed, and Bowser Jr. dragged her behind him through eight different worlds. Bowser and Bowser Jr. on the final boss fight.
The end of the first world has Bowser as its boss, unusually. Even more surprising, after Mario presses a switch that destroys the floor and Bowser falls into the pit of lava, the king's flesh is burned off and he becomes a Dry Bones-like version of himself (known as Dry Bowser). Later, at World 8, Mario has to face this undead version of Bowser as the penultimate boss in the game. Dry Bowser falls into a pit, but Bowser Jr. somehow finds his father's bones, and he revives him by tossing his remains into a bubbling cauldron of some magic potion, which results in not only Bowser returning from the dead, but growing roughly three times his size.
At the end, Bowser and his son fight Mario together, but Mario defeats them (again), sending the two into yet another pit. After the ending sequence, Bowser Jr. is shown dragging his unconscious father across the castle floor. When he notices the player watching him, he shouts something and then continues on with his task.
Gameplay[]
New Super Mario Bros. is very much like Super Mario Bros. in terms of gameplay, but new features have been added. One of two control options can be selected in the Options menu: Jumping with A/B and Dashing with Y/X, or Jumping with A/X and Dashing with Y/B. Mario is controlled with the D-Pad, and the Touch Screen is only required to activate the stored item, which is used in the same style as in Super Mario World. When Mario enters a pipe to a secret area, the top screen and the touch screen are switched, and gameplay continues on the touch screen as long as Mario is in that area. In that case, the stored item cannot be activated.
Moves and Items[]
The Wall Jump makes its first appearance in a 2D game since being introduced to 3D Mario games with Super Mario 64. In contrast to the 3D games, Mario has to slide down a wall for a considerable amount of time before being able to jump. This technique lets Mario or Luigi reach new areas by bouncing off the side of any wall or vertical object, and is useful for escaping from a fall down a hole. Mario has the ability to Ground Pound by pressing down when in the air, allowing him to smash blocks downward. There are different power-ups, like the Blue Koopa Shell that lets Mario travel like a kicked Koopa Troopa shell, the Mega Mushroom that makes the player grow about three to five times Mario's size (also seen in Super Mario 64 DS), and the Mini Mushroom which causes Mario to grow about half of Small Mario's size. However, some items remain unchanged, such as the Super Mushroom, and the Fire Flower.
Levels[]
The game also features a world map, with different and secret paths (like Super Mario World). Alternate paths can be unlocked with Star Coins. There are three in each level, usually adding an extra challenge for the player apart from just reaching the goal. Some are in clear sight while others are hidden in warp pipes, up Beanstalks, and other inconspicuous places. On the world map, signs block paths that require five Star Coins to open. After a player defeats Bowser and Bowser Jr. in Bowser's Castle, a new, mysterious blue Toad House will appear just above World 1. It is a market, and for 20 Star Coins, the player can buy a wallpaper for the bottom screen. The fifth and final background is only available after all of the 40 Star Coin Gates have been opened.
Mario or Luigi only has to go through six of the eight worlds — after World 2, the player gets to either of World 3 or World 4, and the world following both of those is World 5. After World 5, the player can get to either World 6 or 7 in the same fashion. Mario or Luigi must defeat the World 2 or World 5 bosses in Mini mode to instead reach World 4 and World 7, respectively.
Another secret is Challenge Mode. This means the player cannot scroll the screen to the left or downward. To unlock it, the player should go to the map screen (any world) and press START, L, R, L, R, X, X, Y, Y. It will also show an arrow pointing right on the world maps and levels touch screen. This means that the player cannot turn back in all the courses (including castles), which adds the feeling of the original game even more.
It is also possible to play as Luigi in single player mode by holding down L+R when selecting a file. There are no gameplay differences between the brothers. The character does not get locked in - players can choose a different character every time they load the game. After the final boss has been beaten, a star appears next to the Save Game function. When the player has completed all levels, there are two stars next to it. When the player spends all the Star Coins in the game, there will be three stars on the save file.
=Characters[]
Story Mode[]
- Mario - The main playable character.
- Luigi - Luigi can be unlocked by holding in L + R on the file selection screen. Also appears in multiplayer.
- Peach - The damsel in distress.
- Bowser Jr. - The main antagonist.
- Toadsworth - An ally who appears in Toad Houses.
- Bowser/Dry Bowser - The other main antagonist.
Mini-games[]
- Yoshi - Yoshi appears in some Mini-Games.
- Wario - Wario also appears in some Mini-Games.
- Several Toads - Toads appear in the background in some Mini-Games.
- Bob-omb Buddy - Bob-omb Buddy appears in some Mini-Games.
Enemies[]
| Enemies | |
|---|---|
| Ball 'n' Chain | |
| Balloon Boo | |
| Banzai Bill | |
| Blockhopper | |
| Blooper | |
| Bob-omb | |
| Boomerang Bro. | |
| Boo | |
| Broozer | |
| Bullet Bill | |
| Buzzy Beetle | |
| Chain Chomp | |
| Cheep-Cheep | |
| Cheep-Chomp | |
| Crowber | |
| Deep-Cheep | |
| Dry Bones | |
| Fire Bro. | |
| Fire Chomp | |
| Fire Snake | |
| Goomba | |
| Hammer Bro. | |
| Kab-omb | |
| Koopa Troopa | |
| Lakitu | |
| Mega Cheep-Cheep | |
| Mega Deep-Cheep | |
| Mega Unagi | |
| Mini Goomba | |
| Moneybags | |
| Paragoomba | |
| Paratroopa | |
| Piranha Plant | |
| Podoboo | |
| Pokey | |
| Scuttle Bug | |
| Skeeter | |
| Sledge Bro. | |
| Snailicorn | |
| Snow Spike | |
| Spike Bass | |
| Spike Top | |
| Spiny | |
| Splunkin | |
| Squiggler | |
| Super-Whomp | |
| Super Dry Bones | |
| Super Piranha Plant | |
| Super Thwomp . | |
| Sushi | |
| Swooper | |
| Thwomp | |
| Unagi | |
| Venus Fire Trap | |
| Whomp |
Bosses[]
| Boss |
|---|
| Bowser Jr. |
| Mummipokey |
| Cheepskipper |
| Mega Goomba |
| Petey Piranha |
| Monty Tank |
| Lakithunder |
| Dry Bowser |
| Bowser |
| Item |
|---|
| 1-Up Mushroom |
| ? Block |
| Big Star |
| Blue Shell |
| Brick |
| Coin |
| Fire Flower |
| Mega Mushroom |
| Mini Mushroom |
| Red Coin |
| Red Ring |
| Silver Coin |
| Star |
| Super Mushroom |