Nope, ‘fraid not chaps. There’s nowt here to rival the brain melting riot of originality that burst on to the SNES twenty years ago in the form of Super Mario World. Twenty long years - a cavernous period of time that has seen Nintendo release the N64, Gamecube and Wii - and we are STILL waiting for a 2D platformer to topple SMW from its lofty perch in the clouds. New Super Mario Bros Wii is by no means a disaster. How could it be? It’s the spiritual sequel to the best 2D platformer ever made. Yes, it lacks the traditional Mario charm and, yes, it’s too easy (okay, not the tear inducing 9-7), but you’ll enjoy it nonetheless, more so if you block out the giddy delights of its SNES forbear.
Unsurprisingly it’s the newest addition to the game that proves the most fun. Multiplayer, a mode I usually shun, got a thoroughly good seeing to this time round - a testament to Mario's universal appeal. Roping in a couple of playmates is never a problem when you mention the ubiquitous Italian chubster. Faces light up and eyes mist over with childhood nostalgia. That mystical Mario allure has yet to wane after all these years. And, yes, bouncing around the Mushroom Kingdom with a few friends in tow is as fun as it sounds. An air of happy cooperation illuminates the first 30 mins of playtime together. Sharing power ups, boosting a chum to reach a Star Coin, piggybacking a weaker player over tricky terrain - all these wonderful moments of teamwork are integral to the happy, shiny, let's-be-friends feel.
Inevitably the love does not last long. Mischievous tom-foolery soon takes over. Every tactic used in the spirit of collaboration is quickly turned on its head. Stop a pal from pinching a preferred power up by lobbing him into some lava, or force him to play catch up by zooming on ahead. Yes indeedy, there are plenty of ways to ruin it for everyone else and you'll try every single one of them.
Multiplayer is fun, no doubt. But without a few chums to share in the high jinks the levels feel soulless and empty. To truly appreciate the potential for mutliplayer mayhem take a peek inside Princess Peach's Castle. The jaw dropping 'super skills' locked within showcase the astounding tricks and acrobatics that four hardcore platform fans can pull off. Some of the stunts are truly mind blowing. Same goes for the 'endless one ups'. There are some ingenious ways to clock up extra lives, feats of digit crippling dexterity you'd simply never have thought of yourself. Watching these videos is like searching youtube for all those quirky 'look what I can do' clips posted by the public. They also draw attention to the meticulously planned level design and reveal a depth to the gameplay that might have otherwise been overlooked.
Some welcome additions then but nothing like the ground pounding triumph we've been waiting so long for. Me thinks a little context is in order here, a peek into the past to put this game in to perspective.
It took a decade for Nintendo to better Mario 64, but Galaxy was worth the wait. And after 12 years we’re finally due a Zelda that’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with the mighty Ocarina Of Time.
The Big N is renowned for lavishing its most cherished franchises with generous periods of development time. It’s why their end products are often modern day masterpieces. Bum numbing delays are tolerable if, at the end of it all, we have a Galaxy to gawp at. But twenty years? For this? Fuck me, no. Too little, too late.
Interesting NSMBW fact
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