New Super Mario Bros. U is in my opinion the best of the series when it comes to level design.
The approach of introducing one element per level and exploring each idea to its fullest extent is executed to perfection, while the focus remains on building satisfying environments to move around in.
Outside of that, this game only has few new ideas and doesn't really do much that its predecessors haven't already done, which is probably why most people were burnt out on the series at this point.
Most things that are great about this game were already great in the others, but I do want to mention some of my favourite aspects.
I enjoyed the interconnected overworld a lot, especially how the music changed when entering a new world and discovering how the secret exits translated to the overworld.
The multiplayer is a great and chaotic time and offers some nice options for people who don't play very often.
The baby Yoshis and Nabbit were also a nice addition to the gameplay, as they offered some variety to the standard routine.
What dragged this game down for me the most, however, were the long loading screens.
Getting back into the action after dying just takes way too much time, which made the more difficult late-game stages more of an endurance test than a challenge.
It's a good thing that this game is more of an easy-going experience since difficulty would've only exacerbated this problem.
I'd like to reiterate that I think the main game is a great time, despite being part of a very samey series.
Luigi U:
Luigi U on the other hand is possibly the most innovative game in the series and I'm glad it was included in this package!
Everything is designed to encourage you to speed through these levels: A stricter time limit, shorter levels and controls that punish you for course correcting, combined with the level design perfection of the main game, make for such a different experience that still manages to retain the feeling of a Mario game.
These changes also allow for more of a challenge, which was unexpected from a title in this series.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is probably my favourite "New" game and definitely worth playing if you're not looking for innovation.
The approach of introducing one element per level and exploring each idea to its fullest extent is executed to perfection, while the focus remains on building satisfying environments to move around in.
Outside of that, this game only has few new ideas and doesn't really do much that its predecessors haven't already done, which is probably why most people were burnt out on the series at this point.
Most things that are great about this game were already great in the others, but I do want to mention some of my favourite aspects.
I enjoyed the interconnected overworld a lot, especially how the music changed when entering a new world and discovering how the secret exits translated to the overworld.
The multiplayer is a great and chaotic time and offers some nice options for people who don't play very often.
The baby Yoshis and Nabbit were also a nice addition to the gameplay, as they offered some variety to the standard routine.
What dragged this game down for me the most, however, were the long loading screens.
Getting back into the action after dying just takes way too much time, which made the more difficult late-game stages more of an endurance test than a challenge.
It's a good thing that this game is more of an easy-going experience since difficulty would've only exacerbated this problem.
I'd like to reiterate that I think the main game is a great time, despite being part of a very samey series.
Luigi U:
Luigi U on the other hand is possibly the most innovative game in the series and I'm glad it was included in this package!
Everything is designed to encourage you to speed through these levels: A stricter time limit, shorter levels and controls that punish you for course correcting, combined with the level design perfection of the main game, make for such a different experience that still manages to retain the feeling of a Mario game.
These changes also allow for more of a challenge, which was unexpected from a title in this series.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is probably my favourite "New" game and definitely worth playing if you're not looking for innovation.
NOWITSREYNTIME17
8 months ago