GC 2005: New Super Mario Bros. Hands-On
The long-awaited sequel steals our heart in Deutschland.
by Fran Mirabella III
August 18, 2005 - Amid a glaring array of multicolored lights and loud music spun by German DJs, we got a second go at the New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo DS since we last saw it at E3 2005. As a true sequel to
the classic 2D side-scrolling platformers that inspired millions, it's
easily one of our most anticipated titles. Not since Super Mario World
have fans of the old-school gameplay really been treated to something
completely new. So, it was easy to peg as one of our "must plays" here
at the German Games Convention.
The demo featured only a look at single-player, but fortunately it was
over three different areas: Forest, Desert, and Fortress. As you can
guess, based on the names, the levels are very reminiscent of past
Mario experiences. The New Super Mario Bros. is very much like it
sounds -- it's everything fans fell in love with years ago on the 8-
and 16-bit systems, but with a fresh coat of paint. Okay, maybe a few
coats of paint, which we'll label as the colors "3D" and "physics." If
Nintendo were to have put a side-scrolling Mario title on the N64, it
probably would have looked something like this. This new DS original
mixes 2D and 3D world elements to add more depth to what is an
intentionally classic style; characters, power-ups, and many other
objects "pop" in full 3D. The animations are more fluid for this reason
and the overall look seems to benefit from it. But, we're going to be
reserved on the visuals for now, as there's a lot of potential and it's
still an unfinished product. Hopefully Nintendo is able to incorporate
more of everything as opposed to trading off 2D objects for 3D.
The gameplay is what it's all about, of course, and we're happy to
report that the controls and mechanics are as inviting as ever. The feel
of platforming with accuracy, sliding to and fro, creating combos, and
saving clock time is all in tune with the past standards. There are a
lot of platformers on GBA and other handhelds, but few feel so good.
We're not sure why it took the DS to get it remade, though; you really
don't need the DS's stylus or two screens to play. You can touch the
bottom screen to drop extra power-ups you've collected and the dual
screens flip-flop depending on if you're above ground or below. It will
be very interesting to see how this all plays out in the final version.
The ability to quickly grab power-ups from the bottom screen, and not
some start menu, is nice, but it's also not exactly exploiting DS's
functionality.
Back to the new gameplay mechanics, physics play a larger part than
before. For example, you'll find yourself swinging on ropes or walking
on wires that bend and stretch under your weight. It makes the world
feel even more alive and interactive than before. Mario also has wall
jumping built into his moves set right out of the gate and, if you're
sent flying high enough in the sky, you can perform a new drill move
which not only hurts foes but also smashes blocks below you. Like past
Mario games there are plenty of shortcuts and alternate routes through
the worlds. In the Fortress it was no surprise for us to find the
ability to walk on the top of screen and find a shortcut. We didn't
stumble on any warp pipes, but we're pretty sure they'll make a
comeback.
Considering all these points, it's pretty clear the New Super Mario
Bros. will be one of the best games on DS (or any handheld) if it
continues to hold its ground. But, we hope it does more than that. As
the widely regarded king of the platforming genre, the New Mario Bros.
would do good to breath life into a fading 2D genre.
Source:
http://media.ds.ign.com/media/682/682879/img_2987879.html
Edited by - Luigison on 8/18/2005 5:02:34 PM
