2D platforming at it's finest.
Nintendo managed to nail it once again this year, by revitalizing 2D Mario not through nostalgia, but through new innovative means. To be fair, though, it's not THAT innovative, but I think where this game truly shines is it's effortless flourish of new idea after new idea. I don't exaggerate when I say that I couldn't find a single level in this game I disliked; Every idea presented in each level was new, carefully thought out, and polished to a mirror sheen.
A lot of it reminded me of Galaxy 2, where each level is so incredibly well designed, but offers something new to the player at every turn. While the game IS quite short, this particular strength nullifies that would-be "flaw" almost entirely. Going back to New Super Mario Bros. will indeed be a slog, when speaking of presentation and gameplay.
The controls are precise, and while the game may not have as many power ups as let's say...Super Mario Bros. 3, it makes up for it in spades with the badge system. These badges adding abilities like an enhanced crouch jump, and grapple hook offer enjoyable player freedom in how one would want to tackle a level.
I can gladly say this is definitely what the series needed, and is potentially going to be one of the defining platformers of the decade. While it doesn't dethrone DK: Tropical Freeze for me as best modern 2D platformer, it's definitely on-par in most aspects. The backgrounds are beautifully designed, and the characters ooze so much expression and charm that honestly sell the game with that facet alone. The colorful ecstasy Nintendo managed to craft with an unhindered dev time is remarkable, and I hope they take this philosophy forward with future Mario titles, because they can clearly create fine-tuned ideas and experiences with this format of dev time.
It's a Switch classic that has enough inventiveness and charm of a Rayman Origins/Legends. Pick this up whenever you can, because it's just pure infectious fun.
Nintendo managed to nail it once again this year, by revitalizing 2D Mario not through nostalgia, but through new innovative means. To be fair, though, it's not THAT innovative, but I think where this game truly shines is it's effortless flourish of new idea after new idea. I don't exaggerate when I say that I couldn't find a single level in this game I disliked; Every idea presented in each level was new, carefully thought out, and polished to a mirror sheen.
A lot of it reminded me of Galaxy 2, where each level is so incredibly well designed, but offers something new to the player at every turn. While the game IS quite short, this particular strength nullifies that would-be "flaw" almost entirely. Going back to New Super Mario Bros. will indeed be a slog, when speaking of presentation and gameplay.
The controls are precise, and while the game may not have as many power ups as let's say...Super Mario Bros. 3, it makes up for it in spades with the badge system. These badges adding abilities like an enhanced crouch jump, and grapple hook offer enjoyable player freedom in how one would want to tackle a level.
I can gladly say this is definitely what the series needed, and is potentially going to be one of the defining platformers of the decade. While it doesn't dethrone DK: Tropical Freeze for me as best modern 2D platformer, it's definitely on-par in most aspects. The backgrounds are beautifully designed, and the characters ooze so much expression and charm that honestly sell the game with that facet alone. The colorful ecstasy Nintendo managed to craft with an unhindered dev time is remarkable, and I hope they take this philosophy forward with future Mario titles, because they can clearly create fine-tuned ideas and experiences with this format of dev time.
It's a Switch classic that has enough inventiveness and charm of a Rayman Origins/Legends. Pick this up whenever you can, because it's just pure infectious fun.