Newer Super Mario Bros. Wii Version 1.0.3 Full Working Iso
Dorian Blessing
As I play it, it makes more sense to know why it's called NSMB 2 and not NSMB 3DS. This isn't a sequel to the Wii version; this is a sequel to the 2006 DS release. That's not a bad thing, mind you, as the original game was a competent Mario game, and after completing roughly half the game's content, NSMB 2 seems much better. The first game is not something I'd call a classic, but I recall enjoying it in 2006. The game's MetaCritic rating stands at an impressive 89. Nintendo World Report's Michael Cole gave the game a 9.0 when it released. Most people dug this game a whole lot in 2006.
But look at the competition in 2006: Yoshi's Island DS, Kirby Squeak Squad, Mega Man Powered Up (PSP). I might be missing one or two, but in that time, 2D platformers were mostly doomed to portables, and in the three I mentioned, I only think one of them (Mega Man) is a good game.
Here's what happened since then: NSMB was stupidly successful. New Super Mario Bros. Wii brought four-player mayhem to the masses in 2009, followed up by Kirby's Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Kirby's Return to Dream Land in the ensuing years. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Wario Land: Shake It, Klonoa, and A Boy and His Blob, which all flew in under the radar before NSMB Wii.
Ubisoft released Rayman Origins in 2011, and its follow-up, Rayman Legends, almost stole the show from the next Mario game, New Super Mario Bros. U, at E3 2012. I haven't even touched on the cadre of downloadable 3DS platformers ranging from Mutant Mudds to VVVVVV. In the interest of time, I'll just skip over the multitudes of quality 2D platformers littering Steam, XBLA, and PSN.
Simply put, the New Super Mario Bros. series helped kick off a 2D platformer renaissance. The genre hasn't seen this much love since the industry went to 3D in the '90s. And that's likely why everyone is so critical of NSMB 2. It's why fans are somewhat ambivalent. We're not starving for 2D platformers. We're not starving for Mario. We're fatted platformer-loving calves.
That doesn't make NSMB 2 any better or worse. My early opinion is that it is a sequel to the original, improving on certain aspects and adding new and more interesting content. It won't set the world ablaze (though it might set sales charts ablaze), and it won't have the impact most 2D Marios do.
At the end of the day, though, I'm just excited to see 2D platformers become a big-time genre again, and comparing the 2006 landscape to the 2012 landscape highlights what a great time it is to be a lover of old-school platformers.
Nice article. Kind of what I was expecting. Nothing new, but still solid. That's all fine and dandy to me. I am looking forward to picking it up, I need a new platformer for my 3DS after completing 3D Land.
I think the 2D platformer resurrgence showed that we really didn't want 3D to outright replace 2D. During the N64/PS1 era it was like "2D" was a dirty word and it was just 3D all the time. Now it's clearly treated as just another approach to game design and that's a good thing. Though Nintendo has gotten a little 2D crazy. We don't need THIS many 2D platformers. Still better than before when we got NONE.
Great time to be a lover of 2D platformers? Absolutely, but let us not forget why 2D platformers fell out of favour in the first place. They became derivative and vapid. Given that Mario tends to chart the course for the platforming genre as whole, with other developers then taking their cue, I'd much prefer that Nintendo take their time between releases and give gamers something fresh. I love platformers, and I care about the genre's long-term viability. Let's have more differentiation between these titles so that people can feel good about supporting them.
Gamespot just dropped a 7.0 on it. Which is about how I felt about the first game. Was holding out hope that this was going to tack toward an enhanced Super Mario Bros. 3, with NSMBU tilting toward a revamp of Super Mario World. Looks disappointing on the handheld front, but hopefully NSMBU is as better than NSMB2 as NSMBW was to NSMB. (This nomenclature is getting out of hand)
A compelling argument, Neal. The revival of 2D platformers might be my favourite aspect of the 7th generation of games, and of course that includes Mario Bros., but the bar has definitely been raised, as the genre has come along in leaps and bounds since 2006. When it gets down to it, I think what allows the Mario series to endure amongst this currently crowded field is it's mastery of snappy action in level design, as well as it's utilisation of power-ups, which very few other platformers dabble in.
Needless to say, I've thought since E3 that New Super Mario Bros. U was the more exciting and progressive title by a long shot over New Super Mario Bros. 2. But I'll still play it before the year is out.
Quote from: Killer_Man_JaroNeedless to say, I've thought since E3 that New Super Mario Bros. U was the more exciting and progressive title by a long shot over New Super Mario Bros. 2. But I'll still play it before the year is out.
Really? What, other than more complex scrolling backgrounds and sharper graphics, have we seen from that game that makes it seem more progressive than the previous NSMB games? The only thing I remember sounding cool was that some journalists had pointed out that the overworld actually made up the backgrounds (so that a mountain on the overworld would be a background in a level). Has there been anything in terms of gameplay that has been shown to indicate that NSMB U will be substantively different?
That's because NSMB U is being made by the team that made the previous NSMB games and has become a lot more experienced now. It also helps that NSMB U has been in development since NSMB Wii was finished and so more time will have been worked on it. NSMB 2 on the other hand was made by a brand new team that had never done a Mario titles before and basically had a year to do it which is why they just reused the NSMB Wii engine and kept the same music and bosses to save time.
I wouldn't be surprised if the Wii U version has a lot more new features to it that Nintendo hasn't shown yet because they didn't want the Wii U version to completely overshadow the 3DS game for the 3DS XL launch.
That was only a 3 level demo though. Like I said, if NSMB U does bring more new gameplay ideas to the table, they might be saving them for a latter reveal, like the Fall conference to help hype up the game more and make sure it didn't completely overshadow NSMB 2 before its launch. Remember that NSMB 2 at E3 was much closer to release then NSMB U, and so NSMB 2 needed to be hyped up more hence why the demo's for that game had better levels and they had no problem showing the new ideas that game brought to the table. While they intentionally picked the most basic levels for NSMB U because they're saving to newer and crazier reveals for a later date.
Quote from: PixelatedReally? What, other than more complex scrolling backgrounds and sharper graphics, have we seen from that game that makes it seem more progressive than the previous NSMB games? The only thing I remember sounding cool was that some journalists had pointed out that the overworld actually made up the backgrounds (so that a mountain on the overworld would be a background in a level). Has there been anything in terms of gameplay that has been shown to indicate that NSMB U will be substantively different?
The step up in presentation and production values counts for a lot, in my view. Aside from that, the Wii U game has new environmental themes, new enemies, more moving parts in the levels and what seem like the most interesting power-ups of the NSMB sub-series. Let's be relative here: it's still a 2D Mario game, so it's never going to deviate too far from the tried-and-true. However, whereas NSMB 2 seems to be a step back from NSMB Wii (I can't say for sure because I haven't played it; that's just my perception), NSMB U looks like it's going to be a good step up from the Wii title.
I'm not shooting down NSMB 2 - in fact, the recent preview on NWR has enthused me a lot more about the game. This is just what I've observed from videos and general impressions.
I find it hard to garner excitement for a game that we outright know was handed to the B team, while the A
team is working on U. Which we'll be playing in no more than three months, by the way!
So far, reviews haven't exactly been glistening for the game. Maybe some are okay with simply a "solid" sequel to NSMB DS. I hold the Mario franchise to a higher standard than that. Of course, I'll give my final judgement when I play and finish the game, but things aren't looking good from where I'm standing.
It'll be funny when NSMB U comes out and it's just a marginal increase from NSMB Wii. I have a feeling everyone decrying NSMB 2 now will either come around on both games, or be Cranky Kong, sitting around all pissed off at both games.
It is honestly refreshing because, at least to me, I can tell it's a new group of people working on NSMB 2. There's a certain creativity that I'm noticing that I really like. It's not revolutionary but to me, for this game, it doesn't need to be. We're in a world where this and Galaxy-like games can co-exist. As long as that continues, I welcome the safe 2D platformer every now and then.
Part of the appeal of NSMB was that it was a throwback. When it came out we hadn't played a game like that in years. If they released that same game as an N64 launch title it would have been seen as a weak effort. It really isn't exceptional. It's like Contra Rebirth or Mega Man 9 - a retro style game that benefits from the novelty of playing a type of game that no one really makes anymore.
NSMB sold really well and Nintendo came to the conclusion that this should become a big series for them. But the problem is that what made NSMB stand out no longer applies. 2D platformers are common and Nintendo makes more of them than anybody. The gameplay style of retro SMB is no longer a throwback, it's contemporary. These new NSMB games are now like if the first NSMB was released ten years earlier when it would have had to deal with direct comparisons to games like SMW, DKC and Yoshi's Island. There is no "wow, I haven't played a Mario game like this in a long time!" appeal anymore. These games have to stand on their merits.