Golden Mario in New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS). Is this just a Starman replacement?
No actual details on the game were revealed, but several aspects of it can be gleaned from checking out the screenshots.
The official logo for New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS.
The biggest new addition is the return of the Raccoon Suit! The Raccoon Suit made its debut in the original 8bit NES Super Mario Bros. 3 masterpiece (alongside the Tanooki Suit) and allowed Mario to fly if he had enough space to run in order to fill up his “P Meter”. Incredibly, that feature, the P Meter and the ability to fly, look like they are making a return in New Super Mario Bros. 2! This will be the first Mario game with proper flight since Super Mario 64 DS! And the first 2D Mario game with proper flight since the 16-bit Super Mario World for SNES.
Raccoon Mario AND the P-Meter?! MADNESS!!
This is an awesome prospect, as most of the newer Super Mario titles didn’t really incorporate the space ABOVE Mario into play in the same manner as Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World did. You can also spot platforms that look like the multicolored square platforms from Super Mario Bros. 3. In that game you could crouch for a bit on a white square platform and you’d eventually pass through it, giving you the ability to move behind objects for a short time. Will that ability return in New Super Mario Bros. 2?
Gold enemies AND a Gold Mario? That's odd...
Another question is whether or not OTHER classic power-ups from Super Mario Bros. 3 will also return; such as the Frog Suit, Kuribo’s Shoe, Tanooki Suit (which made an appearance in Super Mario 3D Land; it allows Mario to turn into an invulerable statue as well as fly and swat with his tail) or Hammer Bros. Suit (always my personal favorite). It’ll also be interesting to see if past New Super Mario Bros. DS/Wii items reappear like the Mega Mushroom (which lets Mario grow to a huge size), Mini Mushroom or Penguin Suit.
What does seem to be new is both a Gold Mario Power-up (or perhaps it’s just a replacement for the Starman/Rainbow Mario, that made Mario invincible in past games) as well as golden colored enemies. Weiiird.
One things for sure... squishing spiders and climbing webs are in!
I do wish Nintendo would’ve gone with a different art style and overall look of the game… I’m not a fan of the look of New Super Mario Bros. games. But so far this is pretty exciting news regardless. I’m always welcome to play a new Mario game. But will this turn into Mario overload? I don’t think so, but consider all of the 3DS games with Mario that are coming and/or already out…. Super Mario 3D Land (out), Mario Kart 7 (out), Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games (out), Mario Tennis Open (coming soon), Paper Mario 3DS (To-be-determined), and Luigi’s Mansion 2 (not really Mario but…. close enough?).
A lot of people seem to be disappointed with this announcement, considering that this is the THIRD game in the “New Super Mario Bros.” series following the original New Super Mario Bros. DS in 2006 and New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 2009… and considering we just got Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 last last year. Of course, given the sloggy sales of the 3DS at first, Nintendo is likely trying to do everything it can to create compelling software that will sell… and they’ve realized that a deluge of Mario games (almost all of which are in different genres or are different styles of game) WILL sell systems… And you know what, I don’t mind to be honest. Because this is Nintendo, and we know all of these games will be good (barring Mario & Sonic… cause it’s made by Sega).
Here is a video of Nintendo President Iwata talking about the game in Japanese.
