Happy Bob Is Happy

Two new full-blown 2D Mario sidescrollers. In the same year. One on console. One portable.
Everything else in the universe seems to be determined to kick my ass lately, but at least I'll have this. Eventually. That's something.



Two small criticisms, regarding "New Super Mario Bros. U." Firstly, while I kinda like that we're getting back to the "name the sequel after the new platform" title-scheme... if they end up wanting to make a second one during the WiiU's lifespan (it was somewhat unexpected that NSMBWii wound up becoming such a monster smash, remember) they'll have to confront the prospect of web-wide comedy-gasm resulting from putting "U2" in the title of their game. Secondly... egh, the two generic Toads again. Look, I get it - if you use Peach and Daisy you've either got boys fighting over who "has to be" The Girl or girls being forced to be The Girl even if they'd rather not, fine. That's a societal problem, not a Nintendo problem. But there HAS to be a better solution.

On the plus side: Flying Squirrel Suit? Awesome. Return of Baby Yoshi? Awesome. "Starry Night"-homage backdrop (maybe more Yoshi's Island-style painter-graphics to come?) Awesome. Giant Land? Awesome. NSMBWii proved that 2D platforming could still move units and likely turned a whole new generation on to the genre, so making another one of these was a no-brainer. Hope I have as much fun as I did with the last one (which was a lot.)



Confession: I wasn't in love with the original "New Super Mario Bros." on the DS. It was good, don't get me wrong, I guess I was just expecting something akin to an SMB4 as opposed to a more polished SMB1. Good, just didn't blow my mind like I'd hoped it would. I thought NSMBWii was the superior game of the two, but "New Super Mario Bros. 2" looks like an improvement in it's own right.

The return of Raccoon Mario is a big draw, obviously - though seeing Reznor (the Triceratops minibosses from Super Mario World) come back makes me smile. The trailer also gives a good look at a new (unnamed?) power-up: A flower that turns you gold (?) and whose projectiles turn bricks into coins. Midas Mario?