New Super Mario Bros. Wii - preview at Ars.

[BenSkywalker]

SMB1 was always easy, SMB3 was significantly harder(although still not as bad as Lost Levels). Kids are anxious to get this one, but this time of year they know they have to wait for Christmas. I'll certainly be playing it with them, although I'm not sure how fun 4 player will be unless there is alcohol involved(which their won't be with the kids for certain 😉 ).

 

[Fox5]

SMB1 was always easy, SMB3 was significantly harder(although still not as bad as Lost Levels). Kids are anxious to get this one, but this time of year they know they have to wait for Christmas. I'll certainly be playing it with them, although I'm not sure how fun 4 player will be unless there is alcohol involved(which their won't be with the kids for certain 😉 ).

SMB1 was a little difficult because of the controls. I think later versions fixed that though. That, and no continues, beating an entire game on 3 lives or so is difficult, though not impossible with practice.

 

[gizbug]

On world 5. A lot of fun.

 

[BenSkywalker]

SMB1 was a little difficult because of the controls.

The controls in the original version were leagues better then Donkey Kong which I spent an obsessive amount of time with, never found SMB1 to be even remotely challenging.

That, and no continues

Hold down B and hit start, do people really not know this one? 🙂

beating an entire game on 3 lives or so is difficult, though not impossible with practice.

It is trivial to beat SMB1 with over 100 lives remaining. Even using a 'fair' run through and not exploiting either the 3-1 or 8-1 stairs turtles/beetles trick it should still be easy to finish with better then a dozen lives. Perhaps learning the dungeon for 8-4 would slow someone down on their first play through, but as long as you make it by the Hammer Bros even that level coasts by. SMB3 was significantly harder, nothing Ninja Gaiden level by any means, but certainly far more challenging then SMB1.

 

[Fox5]

The controls in the original version were leagues better then Donkey Kong which I spent an obsessive amount of time with, never found SMB1 to be even remotely challenging.



Hold down B and hit start, do people really not know this one? 🙂



It is trivial to beat SMB1 with over 100 lives remaining. Even using a 'fair' run through and not exploiting either the 3-1 or 8-1 stairs turtles/beetles trick it should still be easy to finish with better then a dozen lives. Perhaps learning the dungeon for 8-4 would slow someone down on their first play through, but as long as you make it by the Hammer Bros even that level coasts by. SMB3 was significantly harder, nothing Ninja Gaiden level by any means, but certainly far more challenging then SMB1.

I never found very many extra lives in SMB1. And if you don't use the warps, it's hard not to make a mistake a few times here and there across all the levels. (but probably more opportunity for one ups)
Granted, with practice I was able to beat the entire game without dieing, but it's been so long since I've played I don't have the game very well memorized. It has a few leaps of faith, and the controls are slippery. Characters slide a little after running, it has a few 'jump at the last possible moment' jumps, and slight mistiming on a run or a trampoline can greatly cut your jump short. Though as I said, the remakes 'fix' these.

I also used to be able to beat SMB3 without dieing, and I consider it a much more fair game, except for a few of those maze castles. For the most part, jumps give you plenty of leeway, and there are no leaps of faith, so it's all about reactions and planning, even if the actual complexity of the levels shot way up.

Still, SMB1 was worlds better in design and controls than anything else at the time, I just don't think it holds up well to later games. Almost every other Mario platformer is better in every way.

 

[DougoMan]

The levels are difficult, but nobody seems to be pointing out that you now get 3 lives instead of 2. It used to be when you got hit with a power suit on you would become Little Mario. Now after losing your suit you are still Big Mario, and then Small Mario. So you get an extra life.

edit: actually, I really can't remember if Mario 3 was like that or not.

 

[bl4ckfl4g]

Game is very fun so far. Been months since I touched my wii but I kept it for the rare things like this.

 

[dguy6789]

The levels are difficult, but nobody seems to be pointing out that you now get 3 lives instead of 2. It used to be when you got hit with a power suit on you would become Little Mario. Now after losing your suit you are still Big Mario, and then Small Mario. So you get an extra life.

edit: actually, I really can't remember if Mario 3 was like that or not.

That's how Mario 3 was. You go from powerup to big to small with hits you take.

 

[acheron]

I think the Japanese SMB3 took you from Raccoon Mario (or whatever) to little Mario in one hit, but the US one always took you to big Mario first.

I need to pick this up.

 

[sao123]

That's how Mario 3 was. You go from powerup to big to small with hits you take.

super mario world was also this way.

it was only the first super mario bros which you went fro mpowerup to small in one hit.


The only one im not sure about is the SuperMario All Stars version of SMB...

 

[shortylickens]

Fudge!
I just saw this on Amazon today.
Worst part? I sold my Wii yesterday.
Why? Not enough fun games to keep me interested.
Oh well, the next gen Nintendo will probably play Wii games, and it will be available for 10 bucks.
Life goes on.

 

[Printer Bandit]

on world 6 now. single player has been meh so far. maybe multiplayer is where it's at.

 

[Dumac]

The game is pretty fun. I think the multiplayer is the best aspect of it.

The game has its flaws, though. Like NSMB for the DS, the most places lack atmosphere and the music is horrendous.

Also the secrets, while better than those on NSMB for the DS, aren't really that exciting.

The use of yoshi's is frivolous and unecessary, unlike Super Mario World. When you get a yoshi, you can't keep it after that level. Also, there aren't different types of Yoshi's.

The game isn't really that difficult. To those saying that it is difficult than SMB 1 or 3, I say no way. At one point I had almost 90 lives. I had the most difficulty on the last level of world 8, but that was probaby because I was playing it at 4 in the morning. Even so, it wasn't that hard.

Even with all that said, I still recommend the game, as it is good fun, especially when playing with others. Multiplayer takes a bit to get used to though, as it is easy to get in each others way (jump on each others head, take powerups, etc). Once you get the hang of it though, multiplayer adds some good advantages.