Reviews

Amazingly it's been 18 years since we last saw Mario in a side scrolling console classic. Not since the days of Super Mario World on the SNES have we been able to experience what for a lot of us is our most memorable gaming past time. This is far too long in our books, although we hadn't given it too much thought until now. Our 2D cravings had been kept at bay with remakes of the NES/SNES classics on GameBoy Advance, 2006's New Super Mario Bros on DS, and the mixed-genre action of Super Paper Mario, meanwhile the outstanding Mario titles bestowed upon us since Mario 64 (especially Galaxy) helped put our hero's roots to the back of our mind. Slowly though they are creeping to the forefront and something is making us realise them all over again, something rectangle shaped, something as red as a certain guys hat. Of course it can only be one thing, New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

The box will stand out like a sore thumb in your Wii game collection with its blindingly bright red case but this does nothing more than highlight its superiority to your other titles. In this new adventure we are taken straight back into our 80's psyche when gaming was just taking off. Mario and his familiar chums are back in all their 2D, side scrolling glory (with 3D sprites) and it seems in the case of Nintendo, some habits die hard. But when your habit happens to be producing addictive, top quality entertainment then we hope they don't decide to kick it any time soon.

If Super Paper Mario was a taster, this is the full meal. Only without all the side dishes of dialogue.

On what was meant to be a special day in the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach was innocently celebrating her Birthday with her buddies. On the presentation of her oversized cake a nasty surprise pops out in the form of Bowser's cronies who kidnap her and hide her in a castle far far away. It is up to Mario, Luigi and a few friends to save her from the evil beast's clutches. OK so it's standard fare for a Mario storyline, but we subscribe to the 'if it aint broke, don't fix it' theory.

Each level is presented on a map, another classic element that remains constant in this newer version. They are set out in the familiar Super Mario Bros 3 world format, with you moving between levels and launching into the action on the unlocked level of your choice. Immediately as you begin the first level, you'll see the classic question mark box. You stalk it, bearing in mind there is a nasty Goomba approaching, jump at it from underneath and you hear that sound. It is at this very moment that all those memories come flooding back and you get right back into the swing of things. It will only take a few levels before you realise that the rave reviews and big advertising campaign are more than justified for this title.

March of the Penguins has nothing on Mario

All the levels have their own setting depending on the world you are in but each one differs in difficulty with every progression. While reaching the end of a level will be enough to unlock the next, you do not fully complete each one until you have collected the three large coins in it. The thing about NSMBW is that you don't realise just how cool it is until you actually play it. It really makes you wonder how we coped for so long without our plumbing pal in this form for so long. Th familiar feelings inspired you wondering if you should be playing this on NES, wearing tie-dye t-shirts and listening to Duran Duran.

As with previous instalments, we have the usual suspects when it comes to power ups so size increasing mushrooms and invincibility stars can all be used. It is the additions to these that add the wow factor this time around though. The Propeller power up gives our team the ability to jump to great heights and then ease to a safe landing, while the Ice power up gives the ability to freeze enemies into a block, making a useful stepping stone or projectile. Finally, the Penguin power up places our crew into a penguin suit, enabling the throwing of ice balls, more natural movement on icy surfaces and smooth manoeuvring through water. Watching a power up drift agonisingly away and down a break in the surface still brings feelings of disappointment and at times anger. Abilities are triggered with the shaking of the Wii Remote, adding a contemporary element to a classic control system.