Wednesday 17 April 2013

Review No. 21 New Super Mario Bros. U - Wii U (3+)

Strong Points:
HD Graphics are good
New power ups
Old power ups make an appearance
Lots of levels
Low difficulty spikes
Yoshi's are fun

Weak Points:
Gamepad boost mode is difficult to use
Nabbit levels are really hard
Bosses are easy
The same as the last few games
Levels are built for certain power ups
In-depth Review:

Release Dates:
North America: November 18, 2012
PAL: November 30, 2012
Japan: December 8, 2012

Controls: Source: http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=78744&tab=controls

Wii U Gamepad Controls:
D-Pad Down: crouch
D-Pad Up: enter door
D-Pad In Direction of Entrance: enter pipe
D-Pad Down in Mid-air: ground pound
Home Button: home menu
Plus Button: pause menu
B Button or A Button: jump
Y Button or X Button: dash
Touch an Object While Holding Y Button: pick up object
ZR Button or R Button: spin jump

Wii Remote Controls:
D-Pad Down: crouch
D-Pad Up: enter door
D-Pad In Direction of Entrance: enter pipe
D-Pad Down in Mid-air: ground pound
Home Button: home menu
Plus Button: pause menu
Shake the Wii Remote: spin jump
Touch an Object While Holding 1 Button: pick up object
2 Button: jump

Wii U Gamepad Baby Yoshi Controls:
ZR Button: use ability

Wii U Gamepad Yoshi Controls:
Y Button: extend tongue
Press and Hold B Button in Mid-air: flutter jump/glide

Wii U Gamepad Fire Mario Controls:
Y Button: throw fireball

Wii U Gamepad Flying Squirrel Mario Controls:
Hold B Button in Mid-air: glide
ZR Button in Mid-air: flying squirrel jump

Wii Remote Baby Yoshi Controls:
Shake Wii Remote: use ability

Wii Remote Yoshi Controls:
1 Button: extend tongue/throw fireball
Press and Hold 2 Button in Mid-air: flutter jump/glide

Wii Remote Fire Mario Controls:
1 Button: throw fireball

Wii Remote Flying Squirrel Mario Controls:
Press and Hold 2 Button in Mid-air: glide
Shake Wii Remote in Mid-air: flying squirrel jump

Multiplayer Actions:
Shake Wii Remote While Holding 1 Button: carry other players
D-Pad Down in Midair Simultaneously: double ground pound
A Button: enter a bubble
Once in a Bubble, Shake the Wii Remote:  move closer to other players

Touch Another Player: break free of the bubble


New Super Mario Bros. U is the same tried and tested formula which has worked for Nintendo for years only with a HD shine and added Yoshi's. There is also a new powerup in the form of a Flying Squirrel which you gain from the Super Acorn powerup. This allows you to fly around the stage while gradually losing altitude or by using the P-Acorn just keep on flying.

The P-Acorn makes the game quite easy as it basically makes you invincible but is quite difficult to get. Most of the old power ups make a return to but in added HD. The game is now 5-player with 4 people controlling Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad and Blue Toad while the fifth player uses the gamepad to place blocks to either help or hinder other players. This can make for hectic scrambles onto blocks which are disappearing or epic leaps into the air which are cut short by an 'accident'.

Another new feature is that the level map is now an over world which looks really cool in HD. The inventory to store items is back and so is Green Yoshi but with new friends. These are many baby Yoshi's who all have their own special powers some which are a bit gimmicky and some which are just epic. They are: Balloon Baby, Bubble Baby and Glow Baby. They also eat enemies!

Another new feature is Miiverse integration which allows you to post messages regarding levels you found hard or easy. You can also post when you finish a level.

Conclusion: The game is the same as any other Mario game but easier for newcomers, with added powerups, Miiverse integration and a HD shine.

Rating: 90%

Thanks for reading Satamer.
And
See Ya,
Martin

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