New Super Mario Bros.. Back When The Series Was New

 Retro hunting can take many forms, physical or a digital download. You can relive all of your childhood memories or look into a game you missed. For this post I am doing the former, the first in the New Super Mario Bros that started the series. I loved this game as a kid but does it hold up? Let's find out.

This plot follows the same as the first Mario game ever but with a slight twist, as Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser Jr. this time, as you explore eight worlds you run, jump, use power ups and collect star coins to purchase more stages and power ups. Speaking of power ups this game only has six, and three of them are mushrooms, the blue shell, power star,  fire flower, standard, mini, and mega mushrooms are all you get, so there is not much to work with. The graphics and music do not hold up the best either, the same songs are constantly used, and the game does not look the best, I played this on the Wii U so maybe it would look a little better on the smaller screen it was meant for. This game looked good for its time and for the hardware it was on, the music on the other hand needed a little more work. 

There are 6 worlds to traverse with two hidden, that can be accessed by beating two bosses with mini mushrooms, meaning you have to defeat the same boss twice, but in terms of levels it is a similar Mario locales we all know. Grass, desert, snow, and more, you fight Bowser Jr. in the mid stage of each world and some giant enemy boss at the end. Mario has a few tricks up his sleeves to make up for his limited power up range, he can triple jump and wall jump as well, the mega mushroom and mini mushroom were introduced in this game and the mega mushroom is like the power star it lasts for a short time and does not work well in certain environments, and the mini mushroom gives you good hang time but you die in one hit, feeling more like a hinderance then a power up. 

The levels are also super short, even with grabbing each of the three star coins in each stage, and the bosses are mostly super easy. This game feels like it was harkening back to classic Mario while adding new elements and I can respect that, it was fun but since then better games have come out. This came when Mario was not doing 2D at all, and makes sense, and for the time it was great but this game does not hold up the best. I found myself not enjoying the game as it felt very samey and dragged about halfway through, every stage felt the same with just a new gimmick and coat of paint. In terms of 2D Mario, this one despite holding nostalgic value for me, does not hold up the best. But the mini games that are in this, which were continued from Mario 64 DS are amazing, the mini games are even better here, as they are unlocked right out of the gate and they are super fun. They are great and are arguably the part of this game that hold up best, there is a two player battle mode that I loved back in the day but I did not revisit it today. If you want a short 2D Mario game and can find this game for cheap or want it on the Wii U then go for it, but this game does not hold up as well as I remember and the most fun I had was early on and with the mini games. Mario has better 2D adventures, and this game was great for its time but time has not been the kindest to it, simple level design, samey music and themes throughout, make this a diversion that I only found most enjoyable in small, short bursts.

Okay in some points but marred with some issues due to age and newer games coming out, if I am revisiting it, it is for the minigames