I was itching to play Mario Bros Wonder but since it wasn't coming out for a little while (when I started playing this) I decided to sit down and play this, and I'm glad I did. Luigi is one of my favorite characters in any game or medium. I remember having it as a kid but I don't remember beating it, I'll remember beating it now though.
First off, the most important thing in a Nintendo Platformer, the level design. I was honestly a little surprised how good it was, since the game is presented as "New Super Mario Bros U" but without Mario. The design of the levels are much more challenging and a lot smaller than the original game, and if they didn't do that this game would have no way of distinguishing itself from the other games. Luigi's movement is much more slippery and different from Mario's, and though it can make some sections of levels very frustrating, it's a breath of fresh air to play the games in a new way like this.
Of the all "New Super" games, this is maybe the most unique (besides New Super DS). It's 100 second time limit, different movement, and level design, you really have to play it to see what I mean. The other games in the series don't have this unique of levels, nor this level of difficulty.
Speaking of difficulty, this game has it, a lot. I found it way harder then I thought it would be, and honestly it's one of the most difficult Nintendo platformers I've ever played. I had to set my controller down and walk away multiple times do to how pissed off this game would make me. Luckily the difficulty isn't horseshit, it's actually fair and the challenge is what keeps you coming back.
The Music is still absolutely amazing. I know people don't like how much music is reused in this series, but the music is just so damn good I just don't care about it's lack of originality.
I'm fairly certain that the map lay-out is the same in "New Super Mario Bros U" as it is here. I just find it interesting since usually smaller, shorter levels means that there will be more levels, but there seems to be the same amount. I would usually not like this, but for this game it works really well in it's favor. It works well because it makes it so you can sit down and blast through it in a few hours, and I feel like it ended when it should have, and if it went on with a bunch more smaller levels it would have felt like a drag to get through. With this level of difficulty, I enjoy how short it is.
I know that the world map is identical to the Wii U, but damn they just look so good. I honestly think these are the best worlds (appearance wise) in any 2D mario game. The overworld music is really great too. My personal favorite world is probably the Desert or the Cloud area.
There really isn't a story like in all these games, but the cutscenes that there are I really enjoyed. The best parts were when you go through the castles and have to climb up the stairs as you watch one of the Koopalings ships in the distance, and then launch yourself in from a canon to go and kick their asses.
The boss fights are nothing special as per usual. I have no problem with the Koopalings, but their fights have barely changed since Super Mario Bros. 3. It's still the same old jump on their head three times and you win. Bowser Jr still has the best fights in the game as usual, but compared to "New Super Mario Bros. Wii", the bosses leave much to be desired. Bowser's Bossfight was cool, but compared to Wii, it's night and day, Wii is way better and way more memorable.
Not much I don't enjoy about this game, it's really frickin awesome. The boss fights leave much to be desired, the feel of Luigi can be frustrating in certain levels, and not being able to die and keep the stars you collected before dying is really stupid. Despite those things, it's a Nintendo platformer, and Luigi's in it! So that makes it a masterpiece, and a must play for anyone who like videogames.
Score: 4.3/5
Letter Grade: A
First off, the most important thing in a Nintendo Platformer, the level design. I was honestly a little surprised how good it was, since the game is presented as "New Super Mario Bros U" but without Mario. The design of the levels are much more challenging and a lot smaller than the original game, and if they didn't do that this game would have no way of distinguishing itself from the other games. Luigi's movement is much more slippery and different from Mario's, and though it can make some sections of levels very frustrating, it's a breath of fresh air to play the games in a new way like this.
Of the all "New Super" games, this is maybe the most unique (besides New Super DS). It's 100 second time limit, different movement, and level design, you really have to play it to see what I mean. The other games in the series don't have this unique of levels, nor this level of difficulty.
Speaking of difficulty, this game has it, a lot. I found it way harder then I thought it would be, and honestly it's one of the most difficult Nintendo platformers I've ever played. I had to set my controller down and walk away multiple times do to how pissed off this game would make me. Luckily the difficulty isn't horseshit, it's actually fair and the challenge is what keeps you coming back.
The Music is still absolutely amazing. I know people don't like how much music is reused in this series, but the music is just so damn good I just don't care about it's lack of originality.
I'm fairly certain that the map lay-out is the same in "New Super Mario Bros U" as it is here. I just find it interesting since usually smaller, shorter levels means that there will be more levels, but there seems to be the same amount. I would usually not like this, but for this game it works really well in it's favor. It works well because it makes it so you can sit down and blast through it in a few hours, and I feel like it ended when it should have, and if it went on with a bunch more smaller levels it would have felt like a drag to get through. With this level of difficulty, I enjoy how short it is.
I know that the world map is identical to the Wii U, but damn they just look so good. I honestly think these are the best worlds (appearance wise) in any 2D mario game. The overworld music is really great too. My personal favorite world is probably the Desert or the Cloud area.
There really isn't a story like in all these games, but the cutscenes that there are I really enjoyed. The best parts were when you go through the castles and have to climb up the stairs as you watch one of the Koopalings ships in the distance, and then launch yourself in from a canon to go and kick their asses.
The boss fights are nothing special as per usual. I have no problem with the Koopalings, but their fights have barely changed since Super Mario Bros. 3. It's still the same old jump on their head three times and you win. Bowser Jr still has the best fights in the game as usual, but compared to "New Super Mario Bros. Wii", the bosses leave much to be desired. Bowser's Bossfight was cool, but compared to Wii, it's night and day, Wii is way better and way more memorable.
Not much I don't enjoy about this game, it's really frickin awesome. The boss fights leave much to be desired, the feel of Luigi can be frustrating in certain levels, and not being able to die and keep the stars you collected before dying is really stupid. Despite those things, it's a Nintendo platformer, and Luigi's in it! So that makes it a masterpiece, and a must play for anyone who like videogames.
Score: 4.3/5
Letter Grade: A