Nintendo Switch already has a 3D Mario. Now he only needed to have his share of Mario 2D. He has done it by looking in the drawer of memories, and more specifically in that of Wii U, with a New Super Mario Bros. U that is reissued with the addition of New Super Luigi U. The result is a Deluxe edition that will make the Platformer delights for those who couldn’t get a taste of the original game.
Of all the video games that have appeared in the Super Mario universe , one of the exponents that best follows the philosophy of “easy to beat, difficult to master” is precisely New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe . At its outermost layer, it is a 2D platform game adapted to all types of users , but at its core it has challenges that only the best are capable of overcoming. You can play it with a less skilled user, and you will still get a great experience. That simple detail explains much of the success of the game, and highlights once again the good work of Nintendo.
For that reason, it’s no wonder New Super Mario Bros. U has come to Nintendo Switch . Is a good game. Of course, the news is practically nil, and Wii U users will have to think twice before taking the leap. Despite this, and for those who arrive new, the quality of the platform we are facing must remain beyond doubt, which concentrates the entire experience in a single launch , by incorporating the original adventure mode, various challenges and the interesting New Super Luigi U , released on the occasion of the year of Luigi (2013).
Despite being a relatively easy video game to beat, it has the appeal of being a platform adventure for up to four users , has great replayability and has challenges that will make experts sweat. Again, and as has become customary in productions that come out of Kyoto, it is a game where everyone fits. Now even more, because the Deluxe tagline serves, apart from all the above, to incorporate Toadette , which as we will explain below, helps to incorporate even more players into the formula.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Announcement Trailer for Nintendo Switch
A 2D Mario for SwitchThe developers of New Super Mario Bros. U (2012) themselves tell us that the video game began to be developed even before the Wii U console existed. That led them to use the assets of the Wii game, and is one of the reasons why there are so many similarities with him. To distinguish it, the game was based on the GamePad, thus incorporating touch functions, which have disappeared in this version.
One of the few differences from Wii U is that the main player is not required to choose Mario.
It is not something necessarily negative for New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe , because the interest of the game lies especially in the design of its more than 160 levels , and better still, in its cooperative multiplayer potential. It is an exemplary response platform to the controls and with a powerful variety, by proposing a good number of situations in which we will go from phases of freedom of movement, to others with continuous scroll, vertical action, with cliffs in the clouds or enemies giants, among many other conventions of the Super Mario series.
What makes the difference this time is the presence of power-ups that help to generate a specific gameplay for each moment. The situations are marked by the theme of each environment (meadows, deserts, snowy peaks, aquatic areas …), within a map that connects all the regions with each other. In fact, there is the occasional bifurcation, not only to choose between one level or another, but to choose between worlds. This was inspired, according to Masataka Takemoto (game director), by Super Mario World, one of the greatest Super Nintendo classics.
Toadette has the ability to transform into Peachette, a good choice for beginners, due to her ability to propel herself and float.
It is an exemplary response platform at the controls and with a powerful varietyAlthough simple in appearance, the game hides secrets , including the three coins to collect in each level: a task that can be made titanic, especially if you play alone. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that Nintendo Switch favors the game in company, although the Joy-Con are quite uncomfortable (pure ergonomic question). We recommend that you use the Switch Pro Controller when possible, as it offers the best gaming experience.
Although the touch game has been removed, it was a little relevant addition to the game experience. The designer Takemoto himself recognized that it was something especially aimed at children and people not used to video games. In this regard, we could say that their absence is solved by the presence of the characters of Toadette and Caco Gazapo , who skate less, move freely in the water and have 100 seconds longer than the rest. It is the option for the less skilled, which allows less skilled players to be put in the same game with other more expert players.
If you want a challenge, you will have itOvercoming the main adventure in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe can be done in one afternoon. However, the replayability is powerful, and this is due to two factors. The first is New Super Luigi. U, a game released independently on Wii U and now standard on this release . Its peculiarities? Which is a more challenging game, especially suitable for the most veteran.
The artistic section is very prominent, with some situations that leave your mouth open, such as this Van Gogh level.
In fact, the beginning of each level already alerts us: the warning sounds that there are 100 seconds left, a limit given to us to complete completely new levels, shorter, but also better thought out, with a more intense flow and rhythm . The characters jump more, and that allows to distance platforms from each other, creating a more crazy game, but also dangerous, since this is accompanied by a greater skating in the case of controllable characters (among which Mario is not found).
It is important to understand this. The video game has a friendlier part, and a more challenging part, which is complemented by a series of challenges that propose things like reaching the pennant in record time, following coin paths and a long etcetera with the aim of rising with a medal (the gold one is always very complicated). The matter reaches such an extent that in an Iwata Asks the developers ruled that some of them never achieved certain objectives, and even in the Mario Club – Nintendo’s testing team – they ruled that it was challenging.
It is the most challenging aspect of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, which is complemented by the Turbo Game (levels that advance faster depending on how we do it) and the Coin Hunt , which even includes a small editor to place the coins to your liking. In short, there are many reasons to navigate the game’s menu screen, with the ability to view videos with authentic master moves, starring the development team.
Looks splendid in both TV and laptop modeWatching these videos, one realizes that there are situations in this New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe that not only respond to sheer skill, but that the achievement of certain coins and challenges have a certain puzzle character … or at least they force you to stop and think for a moment what you can do . It is something that becomes more evident in the levels corresponding to Boo’s mansions, although there are also a couple of situations in which you do not explain certain things.
Then you also have to mention the details, which are in quantity. The minigames, which are rarely paid attention, are striking, especially the one with extra lives: an authentic Russian roulette. If you look at the levels, there are a thousand and one details . The flowers and the goombas vibrate to the rhythm of the music, the baby Yoshi sing and we have a level that imitates the painting “The Starry Night” by the painter Van Gogh.
The game looks splendid in both TV and portable mode, automatically becoming one of the most colorful titles on Nintendo Switch . It’s a joy to watch both 1080p on the TV and 720p on the console screen. Few drawbacks can be drawn to a reissue or version that reveals all the good that the original Wii U had. Only the most important thing has been lacking: innovation. For new players it is clear, because it is an interesting addition to the catalog, but others will have to think carefully if they want to repeat the experience.
“Excellent”
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
8.4
Readers
(4)
No news, but still it is still one of the best Mario 2D that you can find today. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a platform bet for all types of players, whether they are experts or newcomers to the series. Its multiplayer potential makes it especially suitable to be shared with other users, while the variety of playable modes and proposals lengthens the experience until it becomes a video game that has its challenge and duration. It is the complete experience on Nintendo Switch, especially recommended for those who have not tried the original on Wii U.
- Lots of content that guarantees hours of play
- Very multiplayer-oriented: it’s more fun in company
- Adapted to various profiles, with a challenge for the most expert in platforms
- Good level design, with quite a variety of proposals
- Great audiovisual charm, which looks good on Switch
- It does not provide new content compared to its original version
- Controlling with the Joy-Con is quite uncomfortable
