New Super Mario Bros. U
A high-definition launch title for the Wii U console.
New Super Mario Bros. U, a 2012 platformer from Nintendo, launched alongside the Wii U. It wraps up the New Super Mario Bros. series and is the first Mario game in high definition. Mario sets out to free Princess Peach and her castle from Bowser.
Quick Facts
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Director
- Masataka Takemoto
- Producer
- Takashi Tezuka, Hiroyuki Kimura
- Designer
- Shigeyuki Asuke
- Daiki Iwamoto
- Ryutaro Kanno
- Programmer
- Shiro Mouri
- Artist
- Masanobu Sato
- Composer
- Shiho Fujii, Mahito Yokota
- Series
- Super Mario
Facts from the source article.
Development
Development of New Super Mario Bros. U got underway not long after New Super Mario Bros. Wii came out, taking three years to complete. It was first shown at E3 2011 under the working title New Super Mario Bros. Mii, as a tech demo highlighting what the Wii U could do. This demo copied the look of New Super Mario Bros. Wii but in high definition, and let players use Mii characters alongside Mario and Luigi. Shigeru Miyamoto later confirmed it would become a full game, and a revised version appeared at E3 2012 as a launch title for the console.
Producer Takashi Tezuka said he designed the game to make use of the Wii U hardware, especially the GamePad, which led to Boost Mode. He built levels for single-player first, not thinking much about multiplayer, and kept the design open rather than tightly controlled. The flying squirrel suit was made to allow free air movement, but Tezuka limited it slightly to stop players from relying on it too much; it glides horizontally, unlike the vertical-flying propeller suit from New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
The open world map came from a fondness for Super Mario World. Miiverse was added so players could interact globally, and Mii characters helped tell onscreen players apart, with HD graphics making each one clearer.
Reception
New Super Mario Bros. U received generally positive reviews from critics. GamesMaster magazine called it a great excuse for families to gather round the TV and an enticing glimpse of Mario's HD future. IGN stated the game was close to some of the greatest 2D Mario accomplishments, with balanced difficulty and a good challenge mode, but criticized its bland visuals and music. Game Informer considered it the best game in the New Super Mario Bros. series, praising its creative levels.
Many critics liked the jump to HD graphics. GameSpot observed it was a challenging platformer and an excellent recreation of Mario's best moments. Destructoid noted that while there wasn't as much charm as past games, HD graphics were a key feature. Giant Bomb was more critical, saying everything about the game was exciting except the game itself, and that the series' by-the-numbers design philosophy lent the name 'New Super Mario Bros.' unintentional irony.
The game was criticized for its unoriginality compared to prior titles and for having what some perceived as an uninteresting atmosphere. It became the third best-selling Wii U game.
Legacy
To celebrate the Year of Luigi, Nintendo announced DLC called New Super Luigi U on February 14, 2013. Much content is reused from the base game, but Mario is absent and Luigi is the main character, with his flutter jump from Super Mario Bros. 2 and more difficult level design. The DLC was released with an update to the base game on June 20, 2013, and as a standalone disc on August 15, 2013. A bundle called New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U was released on November 1, 2013, and as a standalone game on October 16, 2015.
An enhanced port for the Nintendo Switch, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, was announced on September 13, 2018, and released worldwide on January 11, 2019. The port features native 1080p resolution, HD Rumble, and adds Toadette and Nabbit as playable characters. Toadette gains the Super Crown power-up, turning into Peachette. Any character can be chosen in single player.
Blue Toad became a color variation of Yellow Toad, both now simply called Toad. Boost Mode and its associated challenges were removed.
More in Games & Releases
Elsewhere in Super Mario
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced