New Super Mario Bros. U

[Indigo Rush]

Come in guys, it 'aint that bawd.

That joke was bawd and I feel bawd.

Edited October 31, 2012 by Indeggo Rushnik

[Blue Blood]

Come in guys, it 'aint that bawd.

That joke was bawd and I feel bawd.

So bawd I ain't even gonna like that post

Anyway, that new footage. It's pretty for sure, although gameplay wise it still looks like plain ol' NSMB. Better than the previous three, but still same old. It's a shame that the entire NSMB series is so samey even after 4 instalments.

[JezMM]

Ugh, but seriously it's the one thing that bothers me with Mario soundtracks. The art teams make these beautiful envioronments and the music team use the same old plinkity plonk Mario music. It annoyed me with the overuse of the SMB3 Athletic theme for pretty much every beautiful level in 3D Land and I get the horrible feeling this game is going to do the same.

We don't need grand orchestral themes but I think the SMG influence should remain for atmospheric levels.

[Indigo Rush]

I really do hope this is placeholder. One new theme song isn't really enough to cut it.

[Toby]

Ehh, I'm not too concerned. It looks like a well polished fun game, and I know I'll enjoy it. When Nintendo starts showing off the next big 3D Mario title however, they better freaking not hold back any punches.

[Alluusio]

I'm still not exactly convinced by this. I'll still get this when I can afford a Wii U but I'm not too excited by this. The levels still look plain and empty to me and even though the backgrounds are getting nicer, the game still lacks personality. Even Sonic 4 looks visually more appealing than this!

[Blue Blood]

I'm still not exactly convinced by this. I'll still get this when I can afford a Wii U but I'm not too excited by this. The levels still look plain and empty to me and even though the backgrounds are getting nicer, the game still lacks personality. Even Sonic 4 looks visually more appealing than this!

I totally agreed with you until that last comment. E2 looks nice enough and better than the other three NSMB titles, but this definitely looks the best of the whole bunch. And it's just as well, since some nice scenery can really add to the experience.

[Jango]

Are they sure this is "new" Super Mario Bros?

[Alluusio]

I totally agreed with you until that last comment. E2 looks nice enough and better than the other three NSMB titles, but this definitely looks the best of the whole bunch. And it's just as well, since some nice scenery can really add to the experience.

What bothers me about the NSMB games is that the levels feel really empty. The scenery in the background might as well be the greatest piece of art known to mankind but if the level itself consists only of pipes and platforms we have seen a thousand times before, it's really difficult for me to give a crap about the nice scenery either if there's no way for me to interact with it.

Look at this!

There's a dense forest in the background. How does that reflect into the actual level? Not in any way really. The trees could be used as platforms or obstacles. There could be roots all tangled up, creating a maze-like section. But no, we just have this generic floor pattern here which could be copy pasted on any background imaginable. It just looks like you're running in front of a forest instead of running in a forest. And the actual level design is only present in about 90% of the screen. The rest is just to showcase the pretty background.

Now look at this:

The background actually consists of several different layers which move independently instead of being one static picture. The background also has bits and pieces which are also present in the level design, like those checkered platforms and bushes. There are also palmtrees and platforms even in the foreground which really makes it feel like you're running through the same environment that is shown in the background. Even if the art direction isn't as good as it is in NSMBW, the levels do feel like they have more life in them which just makes the game look better in general.

Well, that's just my reasoning.

[JezMM]

^ Mario has never been the kind of platformer that has really intricate "natural" flowing level design. They're all about concise obstacle courses constructed with extreme clarity in mind. They keep the foreground and background seperate so you don't confuse the two. Yes it is possible to have meticulously constructed level design that's also pretty as fuck, just look at Rayman Origins, but Mario just isn't that kind of platformer. Mario's gameplay depends on keeping that rigid "grid" structure where everything is in line, to make it easy to understand how high/far you can jump, recognise cues to hidden blocks, etc etc.

The Sonic 4 example kinda fell through as well because Sonic 4 isn't so much "the foreground is as pretty as the background!" but more of "the background is as bland and game-ish looking as the foreground".

The only stages that aren't are Casino Street and Lost Labyrinth which, basically, do the exact same thing as Mario backgrounds. Also Mario backgrounds are just as layered as Sonic backgrounds so I dunno why you were individually praising Sonic 4's backgrounds for that.

Now granted, I will say it'd be nice if Mario games had some scrolling foreground scenery too, (in places where it doesn't obscure the action obviously), and some background elements passing through into the foreground (I'd love Hydrocity-esque "3D water" and such that you can see more of when high up etc) but otherwise yeah.

Edited October 31, 2012 by JezMM

[Nintendoga]

It's strange that they're using placeholder music when the game's like 3 weeks away.

Either they're gonna surprise us with the most amazing VGM ever to grace upon a gamer's ears, orrrrrrrr more likely this is the real music and they're pulling a NSMB2 again.

[JezMM]

It's stupid because I wouldn't even mind if they were beefing up and using the ghost house music from NSMB1. I can dig musical identity for a sub-series!

But the fact that they're using NSMBWii tunes for the THIRD time in a row is... guhhh.

I know we've seen footage that implies it uses the same Castle music again. I hope it doesn't. If it does, I AT LEAST hope the final castle gets a different song. No matter which way you swing it, at the end of the day to me, I will be playing the grand finale of Mario's Wii U debut, and be thinking "the last level of this game has the same music as the eighth level of a game that came out like 3 years ago".

[#EndyGate]

Actually, isn't Peach's Castle going to be like the final castle of the game? I mean the game starts with Mario and pals being launched out of the castle, while Peach is left at the mercy of the Koopas. Furthermore, the scene following it kinda shows Peach's castle on the main world map, with an area leading up to it just like a little route normally found on the map with a little circle at the end which implies that it's the final space (seeing as the map is supposed to be all interconnected and what not). Plus there're those suspiciously evil shadowy clouds surrounding the castle in that recent banner artwork thing:

I mean if this is indeed the case, I doubt that Nintendo would fuck up something like that by having the same castle music they always have, I'd at least expect them to make something new to kinda set the mood for the location, seeing as it's not even just another Bowser Fortress, and actually has some form of legit tone surrounding it other than "Oh yeah, let's kick Bowser's ass for the millionth time!"

Edited October 31, 2012 by That Bastard Cero

[Nintendoga]

Yeah, all signs are pointing to Peach's Castle being the final boss. GameExplain said that with each new world you unlock you could see Peach's castle slowly turning into Bowser's new Castle.

[Gregzilla]

If Peach's Castle is the final level, I really hope they give us a sinister remix of its theme from Mario 64.

[JezMM]

I just hope they throwback to Mario World and have more than one entrance, so the final level(s) can be called "Front Door" and "Back Door" again.

Coz you know, then Mario will have entered Peach's...

Anyway.

[Nintendoga]

If Peach's Castle is the final level, I really hope they give us a sinister remix of its theme from Mario 64.

BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH

B-B-B-BAH

BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH

B-B-B-BAH BAH

BAH BAH BAH BAHAHAHA BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH BAH bah bah

[Endy]

I hope the final boss isn't piss easy, seriously, all the final boss fights in the NSMB games are too slow and easy.

gimme a challenge nintendo

please

[Gregzilla]

I hope the final boss isn't piss easy, seriously, all the final boss fights in the NSMB games are too slow and easy.

gimme a challenge nintendo

please

I'd like a good challenge, but at this point I don't care what the Bowser fight is like as long as they don't use the "hit the switch behind him" formula again.

I'm serious, that may be the most boring formula for a boss fight in any game ever.

[Endy]

I'm serious, that may be the most boring formula for a boss fight in any game ever.

but but, NOSTAALLIGAAA. THE GAME CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT IT DAMNIT.

[Your Vest Friend]

II know it's a cliche in media, but I want Bowser to do something like brainwash Peach with his dark magic while the Mario Bros are getting back to her castle, so that you have to fight her as a final boss as well as Bowser (or just generally have her do something other than be trapped in a cage completely static and helpless). We haven't had anything like that in a mainstream Mario game yet, and at this point that cliche would actually be refreshing.

[JezMM]

I'm okay with them doing the switch thing as long as they subvert it somehow, as if all the last games were just a build-up to this punchline.

I mean they could try and make it epic again but honestly I don't think they can beat Mario 3D Land. Mario 3D Land expanded the "run across the bridge" battle perfectly, I can't see them improving it more than that in a fresh way.

I get the feeling with all this Mario World throwing back that it'll be something Clown Car related though. I just hope it's something really cool and not just the same boss but... Bowser is bigger or something.

Edited November 1, 2012 by JezMM

[#EndyGate]

II know it's a cliche in media, but I want Bowser to do something like brainwash Peach with his dark magic while the Mario Bros are getting back to her castle, so that you have to fight her as a final boss as well as Bowser (or just generally have her do something other than be trapped in a cage completely static and helpless). We haven't had anything like that in a mainstream Mario game yet, and at this point that cliche would actually be refreshing.

Oh, the very idea of a BowserPeach Castle guarded by Dark Toads along with other minions powered up by Bowser's dark magic with a Dark Queen esque Peach being fought at the end, accompanied by Bowser himself.

But sadly I know that Nintendo would never do it in a game like this ;3;

[Autosaver]

What I would like first is having Peach in extreme danger (Bowser dragging her.. I have no idea?) for once instead of "im in a cage help me mario!!"

[JezMM]

What I would like first is having Peach in extreme danger (Bowser dragging her.. I have no idea?) for once instead of "im in a cage help me mario!!"