Besides having the U in the name, New Super Mario Bros U is THE game that I associate with the Wii U. Back when the game & console first launched in November of 2012, I was intrigued by the Wii U's launch lineup and features but not interested enough in getting it. As more games got announced for the proto-Switch such as Smash, Wind Waker HD, this game's DLC, and Mario 3d World, my interest began to rise in getting one. I may have wanted the Wii U, but my broke ass was not able to get one. That was until one summer day in 2014 when I was able to convince my parents to get me a Wii U that came with this game. I played the first few worlds until much like how Nintendo decided to abandon the console, I abandoned my playthrough of New Super Mario Bros U + Luigi U.
Nearly a decade later, a new 2d Mario that wasn't a copy & paste of NSMBW was announced. That game being Super Mario Bros Wonder. In anticipation, I decided to finally beat every 2d Mario game that I previously never finished. The Switch port was half-off a few Black Fridays ago so I decided to get this version just for the hell of it. Much like the console abandoned for the Switch, my playthrough on said console is forever abandoned in favor of the Switch version.
New Super Mario Bros U while not the most impressive entry in the "New" series is a step up from the incredibly low-effort rehash that was New Super Mario Bros 2. Gameplay-wise, it's the same as the others but with the only difference being the new Squirrel suit which is essentially just a more useful version of the Raccoon & Tanuki suits from Mario 3. The levels have a little bit more variety than NSMBW and NSMB2 design-wise. I really enjoyed the Starry Night looking ghost levels and it made me think that they at least put a little bit more effort into making this game. The inner-connected map was a neat addition that I was glad they included. The few bells & whistles added into New Super Mario Bros U make it a better entry in comparison to what came before it. However, the real star of the show is the DLC bundled in with this version of the game, New Super Luigi U.
New Super Luigi U is a harder version with more difficult levels and a much shorter timer. The added challenge and extra creativity in the level design make it stand out in comparison to the base game. These changes made the game much more fun and really give the base game a run for its money.
The Switch version only added one new character that the Wii U version didn't have, Toadette. Toadette is the only character that can use the Super Crown that turns her into Peachette. A transformation that not only makes the game easier but also spawned several memes across the internet.
New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe still suffers from the blandness the "New" series is known for, but its an improvement over the past couple of entries responsible for its rep. I can't recommend it at full price, but if you get it on sale or/and have never played a "New" Super Mario Bros game then you'll get your money's worth.
Nearly a decade later, a new 2d Mario that wasn't a copy & paste of NSMBW was announced. That game being Super Mario Bros Wonder. In anticipation, I decided to finally beat every 2d Mario game that I previously never finished. The Switch port was half-off a few Black Fridays ago so I decided to get this version just for the hell of it. Much like the console abandoned for the Switch, my playthrough on said console is forever abandoned in favor of the Switch version.
New Super Mario Bros U while not the most impressive entry in the "New" series is a step up from the incredibly low-effort rehash that was New Super Mario Bros 2. Gameplay-wise, it's the same as the others but with the only difference being the new Squirrel suit which is essentially just a more useful version of the Raccoon & Tanuki suits from Mario 3. The levels have a little bit more variety than NSMBW and NSMB2 design-wise. I really enjoyed the Starry Night looking ghost levels and it made me think that they at least put a little bit more effort into making this game. The inner-connected map was a neat addition that I was glad they included. The few bells & whistles added into New Super Mario Bros U make it a better entry in comparison to what came before it. However, the real star of the show is the DLC bundled in with this version of the game, New Super Luigi U.
New Super Luigi U is a harder version with more difficult levels and a much shorter timer. The added challenge and extra creativity in the level design make it stand out in comparison to the base game. These changes made the game much more fun and really give the base game a run for its money.
The Switch version only added one new character that the Wii U version didn't have, Toadette. Toadette is the only character that can use the Super Crown that turns her into Peachette. A transformation that not only makes the game easier but also spawned several memes across the internet.
New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe still suffers from the blandness the "New" series is known for, but its an improvement over the past couple of entries responsible for its rep. I can't recommend it at full price, but if you get it on sale or/and have never played a "New" Super Mario Bros game then you'll get your money's worth.