New Super Mario Bros. U: The Overlooked Masterpiece

New Super Mario Bros. U is just a needless rehash, right? Wrong! Could New Super Mario Bros. U be a masterpiece that has been unfairly dismissed?

[R00bot]

I wish they would add some more features from NSMBU to Mario Maker, as I loved NSMBU and it had some really inventive items and ideas that need to return.

[LaWiiG]

The real addition to Mario Maker should have been: SMB2

[R00bot]

Eh, I can see why it's missing though. The game played completely differently to every other Super Mario game, because it wasn't a Super Mario game. It was just a sprite swap of Doki Doki Panic. The real Super Mario Bros. 2 was never released in the west because they thought it was too hard and not different enough to the original Super Mario Bros.

[Picnic]

It's not an intuitive game like the other Mario Bros games. As a reskin of Doki Doki Panic, it involves too much going through doors and not really knowing what the point of it all is really given how much you stop and start in Mario Bros 2.
Mario Bros 2 is too complex for a Mario platformer. It's almost like playing an RPG.
I totally understand that it would give the game cult value and interest to have been included but, for newcomers to the Mario series and those who just want to draw blocks on a screen to help their friends, Mario Bros 2 is not a great fit.

[3-4-5]

I really enjoyed this game a lot and it's definitely on par with the earlier Mario games in a lot of ways.

The Music is just not as good or memorable and that was a huge part of the earlier games on the NES/SNES/N64.

[MoveTheGlow]

Yes, definitely this, although I'd argue that music has been super important through Sunshine, Galaxy & 2, and Super Mario 3D Land/World. Sunshine in particular needed a completely different vibe to fit the weird tropical setting, and I think they pulled it off well.

[3-4-5]

Yea I forgot about Sunshine. That music fit that game perfectly and was very Nintendo sounding as well.

Just thinking of it makes me want Mario Sunshine 2 now.

[FallenAngel1984]

I wouldn't call this a masterpiece. It was a nice game, but its not going to have the epic legacy that SMB3 and SMW had for many reasons

[R00bot]

The lack of an epic legacy is why they've written this article about it being overlooked. :)

[DiaperFace]

I totally agree.

[Metallox]

I can name you right now more than 50 novels that are genuinely good but are completely irrelevant. You don't need a strong influence in your genre in order to be good.

[Loadedklip]

A game that sold 5 million units on a 10 million user base is a niche game?

[franwex]

Most Mario games on the Wiiu I feel are overlooked. Mostly because they are on the Wiiu and it flopped-sadly enough.

But agreed; it's a pretty damn good plataformer with very precise controls and very clever level design. It lives in the shadows of other Mario games unfortunately-but understandably so. Kinda like Super Mario Galaxy 2.

[DiaperFace]

Not even close. The last good 2D SMB game was SMW, and SMB3 is still the best. Only Super Mario Maker is any good and that's because its just more of the best. Mario has been in a downward spiral of cat suits and penguin suits for years now. Retire or innovate.

[franwex]

Kinda contradicting yourself. They ARE trying to innovate with the cat and penguin suits. 4-player co-op plataformer games are not too existent to my knowledge. More of the same (no matter how good-because I agree with you-it is good) is not innovation.

[DiaperFace]

Not really contradicting myself. SMW had less than SMB3 but is arguably as good (some say better). I don't care if there's 100 suits, it isn't innovation. Multiplayer isn't innovation either, that's just common sense.

You want innovation then look at Castlevania pre-SoTN, then look at SoTN. You want innovation, look at Pokemon Yellow and then Pokemon Crystal.

Mario hasn't done anything innovative in 2D Platformers in decades. They're actually moving backward with their RPGs (ironically by innovating, just in the wrong ways).

Nintendo is a mess, IMO. NX better change things.

[deafdani]

And your opinion is absolute fact, right?

[Loadedklip]

New Super Mario Bros was exactly what it was suppose to be ... bringing back the classic style after 15 years or more of no 2D Mario Games.

New Super Mario Bros Wii brought in 4 player coop.

New Super Luigi U was made 100% with hardcore true gamers in mind.

It's only with New Super Mario Bros 2 and U that they didn't really bring something fresh.

Still with that said ... on a technical level ... New Super Mario Bros U is the best of the series.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

I honestly preferred 3D World over Bros U.

Though Luigi U was a really great bonus for hardcore platform players.

[Mr Marvel]

Still the second best Wii U game imo.

1. Mario Kart 8
2. New Super Mario Bros U
3. Super Mario Maker

[Loadedklip]

No one will agree on a best list.

It's all just personal preference.

For instance I personally would have The Wonderful 101 on my list even though I know its definitely not on everyone's list since the game wasn't popular.

But overall I am very happy with the Mario games on Wii U.

[MrBrofist]

NSMB U isn't that great and me being a die hard Mario fan,that's saying something.
The problem is that it suffers from an identity crisis.

Hardly brought anything ''NEW'' to the table and just was trying way too hard to be like SMW.

Mario World was it's own beast and felt like it's own thing.
This felt kinda like a filler tittle and I wouldn't be surprised seeing how games got delayed for the system.

[freshslicepizza]

the new nintendo console should launch with an all new open world style of mario game and included with each system. that is how they come back from the wii u's lackluster sales. this game looks good but the open world (or what some consider 3d) mario games imo are much better.

[Loadedklip]

The only thing wrong with New Super Mario Bros U is that it wasn't "NEW" enough.

It was basically a better New Super Mario Bros Wii. That is why it is overlooked.

Fundamentally though ... it is fantastic especially with 3 friends.