New Super Mario Bros. is a 2006 platform game created and released by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. It was first available in North America and Japan in May 2006, in Europe and Australia in June 2006, in South Korea in March 2007, and in China in May 2009. This game is the first in the New Super Mario Bros. series, which is part of the larger Super Mario series. In the game, Mario must fight Bowser’s enemies to save Princess Peach. Mario can use power-ups such as the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, and the Super Star, each of which gives him special abilities. As he moves through eight worlds with more than 80 levels, Mario must defeat Bowser Jr. and Bowser to rescue Princess Peach.
New Super Mario Bros. received good reviews and sold many copies. Many people believe it helped bring back the 2D platforming genre. Critics praised the game’s changes to the Mario series and how it stayed true to older Mario games. Some critics noted that the game was not very difficult and had some similarities to earlier games. Several critics called it one of the best games for the Nintendo DS and one of the best side-scrolling Super Mario games. It sold over 30 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling game for the Nintendo DS and one of the best-selling video games of all time. The game’s success led to other games in the series, starting with New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 2009.
Gameplay
New Super Mario Bros. is a side-scrolling video game. Although the game appears in 2D, most characters and objects are created using 3D shapes placed on 2D backgrounds, creating a 2.5D effect that looks like 3D computer graphics. Players can choose to control Mario or his younger brother, Luigi. Like earlier Mario games, Mario and Luigi can jump, crouch, collect coins, stomp on enemies, and break blocks. Moves from 3D Mario games, such as the ground pound, triple jump, and wall jump, are included for the first time in a 2D Mario game. Enemies from previous games, like Boos, return, and new enemies are also introduced.
Each of the eight worlds in New Super Mario Bros. has between eight and twelve levels. These levels are displayed on the Nintendo DS’s bottom screen while the player views the world map on the top screen. The map of the current world appears on the top screen, helping players navigate between levels. The goal of each level is to reach a black flag at the end. At the end of each world, players must defeat a unique boss to progress.
Six power-ups are available in the game. Players can carry an extra power-up while using one, a feature from Super Mario World. Three power-ups from Super Mario Bros. return: the Super Mushroom makes Mario grow, the Fire Flower lets Mario throw fireballs, and the Starman makes Mario temporarily invincible. Three new power-ups are added: the Blue Koopa Shell lets Mario hide inside a shell to protect himself and attack with a "shell dash." This form also allows Mario to swim faster. The Mega Mushroom makes Mario grow very large, letting him destroy objects, and the Mini-Mushroom makes Mario shrink, enabling him to enter small spaces. Mini Mario can run on water and jump very high.
The multiplayer mode allows two players to compete as Mario and Luigi in one of five stages. The goal is to collect a set number of stars first. Players can attack each other to steal stars. Jumping on an opponent’s character causes them to lose one star, while a ground pound causes them to lose three stars. Some minigames from Super Mario 64 DS return with 3D graphics and multiplayer options. These minigames are grouped into four categories: Action, Puzzle, Table, and Variety. The game includes eighteen single-player minigames and ten multiplayer minigames.
Plot
Mario and Luigi walk with Princess Peach near the Mushroom Kingdom when dark gray clouds appear over Princess Peach's castle, and lightning strikes it. Mario and Luigi run to the castle to investigate. Bowser Jr. sneaks up on Princess Peach and kidnaps her, making Mario and Luigi chase Bowser Jr. to rescue her. In one of Bowser's castles, Mario and Luigi fight Bowser Jr. on a bridge above a pit filled with lava. Bowser leaves Mario and Luigi to fight him. Mario and Luigi press a button, causing the bridge to collapse and Bowser to fall into the lava. The lava burns Bowser's skin and flesh, leaving an undead skeleton, which becomes Dry Bowser. Later, in another castle, Mario and Luigi face Bowser Jr. on a bridge above a deep pit. Bowser Jr. leaves them to fight Dry Bowser. Mario and Luigi press a button, making the bridge collapse and Dry Bowser fall into the pit, where he breaks. Bowser Jr. then retreats to Bowser's main castle, where Mario and Luigi face Bowser Jr. on a bridge above a deep pit. Princess Peach is seen in a cage floating in the air. Bowser Jr. places Bowser's destroyed skeleton into a cauldron, restoring Bowser to his original form and making him stronger. Mario and Luigi defeat Bowser Jr., press a button, and cause the bridge to collapse, making Bowser fall into the pit. Princess Peach is freed and kisses Mario and Luigi on the cheek. In the post-credits scene, Bowser Jr. drags Bowser, who is unconscious, by his tail. Bowser Jr. looks at the screen and growls, then continues dragging his father.
Development
The idea for a new side-scrolling Super Mario game for the Nintendo DS was first thought of in late 2003, shortly after the release of Super Mario Advance 4. People wondered if there would be a fifth game in the series, but the director, Hiroyuki Kimura, decided to create a completely new Super Mario title during the development of the Nintendo DS, drawing inspiration from the Super Mario Advance series. New Super Mario Bros. was first shown alongside the announcement of the Nintendo DS at E3 2004. At that event, the game was not playable, and only information from a fact sheet, footage clips, and screenshots was shared. The footage was widely shared online, and at that time, the game was only a technology demonstration to show possible gameplay ideas.
Early in the game’s development, the team planned not to use voice acting to stay true to the style of Super Mario Bros. However, they later decided to include voice acting, believing it would improve the game. While voice acting had been used in earlier 2D Mario remakes, New Super Mario Bros. was the first original 2D Mario game to use it. Charles Martinet returned to voice Mario and Luigi. The team also aimed to use 3D models in a 2D platformer in more creative and useful ways. The use of 3D models was seen as a natural and important step forward when the game was released. The music for the game was composed by Asuka Ohta and Hajime Wakai, with guidance from Koji Kondo, the main composer of the Super Mario Bros. series. Kondo also created the "Aboveground BGM," the main theme for regular levels. The game’s music influences gameplay, as enemies move and dance in time with the music. Players can predict enemy movements and time their jumps to reach areas that would otherwise be hard to reach.
New Super Mario Bros. is the first original 2D platform game featuring Mario since Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins in 1992. The game was playable at E3 in 2005. The designers had more freedom to create detailed animations for characters, enemies, and objects compared to earlier 2D Mario games. To help players understand the action, the game’s camera moves dynamically, zooming in or out depending on the situation.
New Super Mario Bros. was later featured in the 883rd issue of Weekly Famitsu, published in early November 2005, which included an interview with producer Takashi Tezuka. According to the interview, the game’s multiplayer mode originally planned to include cooperative features, but the focus shifted to making the mode competitive, as it was more fun. The winner of each round would be decided by factors such as which player reached the flagpole first, though the interview does not explain further details. The team also planned minigames similar to those in Super Mario 64 DS. Physics played a key role in the game’s improved mechanics. Without the strict rules of grid-based images and backgrounds, the designers could create new gameplay ideas. Mario can swing on ropes and walk on wires that bend and stretch under his weight.
Nintendo announced on January 21, 2006, that New Super Mario Bros. would launch for the Nintendo DS on May 7, 2006. At the same time, new power-ups like the Blue Koopa Shell and the Mega Mushroom were introduced. Nintendo stated the game would be played in 2D but would use 3D models to create a 2.5D appearance. The May 7 release date was delayed slightly to May 15, 2006. Nintendo also planned to release the game around the same time as the Nintendo DS Lite, which launched on June 11, 2006.
Release
New Super Mario Bros. was released by Nintendo in North America on May 15, 2006, in Japan on May 25, 2006, and in Europe on June 30, 2006. Nintendo did not explain why it delayed the game's release in Japan by ten days. However, GameSpot suggested that the company likely wanted extra time to prepare more copies for sale. In Japan, more than 480,000 copies of New Super Mario Bros. were sold on its release day, and 900,000 copies were sold in the first four days. At the time, it was the most successful first release for a Nintendo DS game in Japan, but this record was later outdone by Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. The game was ranked as Japan's 26th best-selling game in 2008. In the United States, 500,000 copies were sold in the first 35 days, and one million copies were sold twelve weeks after its release. Worldwide sales grew over time, reaching five million copies by April 2008, eighteen million by March 2009, and 30.8 million by March 2016. This made it the best-selling game for the Nintendo DS and one of the best-selling video games of all time.
Reception
The game received positive reviews from critics, with several calling New Super Mario Bros. one of the best games for the Nintendo DS. Its success and praise are seen by many as a key reason for the return of 2D side-scrolling games, which became less popular after the rise of 3D graphics in the mid-1990s. While games like the Rayman series, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Oddworld, and Heart of Darkness kept the 2D style alive, 3D games were often considered the future of the medium. 2D games, however, were increasingly viewed as outdated and less advanced technologically.
Craig Harris of IGN said the game "marks a brilliant return to Mario's side-scrolling environments, with a look, feel, and play that feels unbelievably classic, with new elements that do a fantastic job advancing the design." He also said it might become his new favorite platforming game, replacing Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. GameZone called it the "hot game" for Nintendo DS owners, praising its "huge exploration potential" and its role in reinventing the platform game genre. Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer said, "I've done this sort of thing before hundreds of times across thousands of days in what feels like a dozen Mario games. I still love it." GameSpot noted that while experienced players might finish the game quickly, it was still "completely awesome" and "absolutely necessary" to own. GamesRadar called the game a bargain, highlighting its "solid solo game," "simple-but-exciting two-player mode," and "super-quick stylus games."
Many reviewers compared New Super Mario Bros. to other favorite Mario games. While some preferred older games, most were satisfied with the overall experience. Some critics noted the game was easier than earlier Mario titles. Although Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3 were considered the best 2D Mario games by GamePro’s Mr. Marbles, he added New Super Mario Bros. as his third favorite, saying it had more replay value than the others. The game included new features like a versus mode, new enemies, and power-ups, but GameRevolution asked, "Can Mario ever truly be new again?" Greg Sewart of X-Play said the game did not match the standards of its predecessors but still called it the best side-scrolling game on the Nintendo DS.
The game’s graphics and audio also received praise. Computer and Video Games magazine praised the "finely crafted slice of Mario" and the extra minigames, saying the audio was "very good" for a Nintendo DS game. GameSpy noted that the 2D and 3D elements in the game blended well. 1UP.com said the game pleased players, calling it an enjoyable and challenging portable experience.
New Super Mario Bros. received many awards and honors. It was named Game of the Month by Game Informer and Electronic Gaming Monthly, and received Editors’ Choice Awards from IGN and GameSpot. It won Best Handheld Game at the 2006 Spike Video Game Awards, Best Nintendo DS Game by GameSpot, and Best Platformer awards from X-Play and Nintendo Power. It was also named Choice Video Game at the 2006 Teen Choice Awards and Nintendo Game of the Year at the 2006 Golden Joystick Award. At the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, it was nominated for "Handheld Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.
In 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine said, "Sure, it's a little easy at times and a bit short, but with genius new power-ups and loads of retro nods, few games put a bigger smile on your face," placing it 30th on a list of greatest Nintendo games.
In 2023, TheGamer rated New Super Mario Bros. the 4th best 2D Mario game, behind Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and the Deluxe port of New Super Mario Bros. U. They called it "fabulous," noted that it was "the only one to which the claim of 'new' is valid," and praised it for "Brimming with content, fantastic platforming, and new additions" as well as extra minigames.
Legacy
The success of New Super Mario Bros. helped create a series of follow-up games, known as the New Super Mario Bros. series. New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a later version of the game, was released for the Wii on November 12, 2009. It has gameplay similar to the original, with some returning power-ups and new ones. This game was the first Super Mario game to allow up to four players to work together. A direct follow-up, New Super Mario Bros. 2, was released for the Nintendo 3DS on July 28, 2012. New Super Mario Bros. U was released for the Wii U on November 18, 2012. An expansion called New Super Luigi U was added as downloadable content on June 20, 2013, but it was later released as a separate game. An improved version of New Super Mario Bros. U, including New Super Luigi U, was released for the Nintendo Switch on January 11, 2019, and named New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. This version includes Toadette as a new playable character. The series was later followed by Super Mario Bros. Wonder in 2023. The developers of this game said they wanted to build a foundation for future 2D Mario games, similar to how New Super Mario Bros. started, and to create a major change, like the introduction of 3D elements in the first 2D Mario game.