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New Super Mario Bros Review - DS

In 1985 Nintendo started a legend when they released Mario Brothers on the NES. Over 20 years later Nintendo have returned Mario to his roots on a side-scrolling platformer on the DS, and the results are fantastic. This game could be described as a 2D/3D hybrid, where you control a 3D Mario and dodge 3D "Goombas", but can only move in two dimensions. The name "New Super Mario Bros." is simply the best way to describe the game. While the game is back to its 2D roots, new features breathe new life into the game.

Gameplay

Once again, Bowser has reared his ugly head and kidnapped everyone's favourite princess. After the short, yet informative intro, we are sent straight into the action. Navigate your way to a level on the overworld map, and a tap of the A button sends Mario into the latest level.

Once you're in a level, the controls feel natural to a fan of the previous Mario platformers. Hold Y to dash, Hit B to jump and run through the level. It is interesting to see the way Nintendo have added in all the special moves from the various Mario games from over the years into the one game, especially those moves drawn from the 3D games. In NSMB you are able to double jump, ground-pound (better known as "butt stomp"), and my personal favorite, the wall jump. Some of the features that have up until now only been in the 3D Mario games have you wondering how you played 2D Mario without them. We also see a new move which is in the booklet as a "wall sidle." When you play the game however you find that this is basically just Mario walking along a thin ledge.

As you navigate your way through the 80 plus levels that NSMB has to offer, the touch screen shows a progress map, which is quite useful if your time is running low and you need to know how far there is until the castle at the end. This also provides access to your stored item, which can be dropped by tapping the item displayed.

The touch screen also displays the 'Big Coins' that you've collected throughout that level. There are three big coins in every level, and once collected can be used to unlock paths on the overworld map that lead to more levels and mushrooms houses, which as you know, contain extra lives and power-ups!

On the topic of power-ups, some of the old favorites return, including the mushroom, and fire flower. What we do seem to be missing is flying, be it using a raccoon tail or a feather. NSMB also sees the introduction of some new power-ups, being the giant mushroom, and the tiny mushroom. The giant mushroom turns Mario into a giant that can destroy anything in his path, while the tiny mushroom turns Mario into an ant-sized creature where it seems the laws of gravity don't ... (continued next page)