When New Super Mario Bros. came out in 2006, the throwback style complete with new mechanics was refreshing. Mario had done everything from being a doctor to playing tennis, so why not go back and do what made him a classic in the first place?
But this...I just can't find it in me to get excited about it. The emphasis on collecting coins might be trying to reinvigorate the old "get the high score" challenge seen in arcades a generation ago, but...meh.
But check it out below and judge for yourselves.
Obviously, the game continues the gameplay from New Super Mario Bros., featuring side-scrolling platform action as Mario or Luigi once again. The game has an obvious emphasis on coin collecting, with various items dedicated to producing large amounts of coins. These include Gold Flowers that turn blocks into coins, rings that temporarily turn enemies gold and a block mask that produces coins as Mario runs, as well as a gold variant of the Super Leaf.
The game also features a Coin Rush mode, where players can play through a set of three levels collecting as many coins as possible with only one life. Players will be able to challenge other players over Streetpass. If you're not the competitive type, you can also play co-op in like two brothers should.
New Super Mario Bros 2 is out August 17th for the Nintendo DS and its XL counterpart.