New Super Mario Bros. Euro Release Confirmed
Plus over a million unique DS users online.
Now, it’s not often that SPOnG gets overly excited by a game’s box art. And it’s even less often that we deem the release of box art to be worthy of a mention in news. However, when we see the new box art for New Super Mario Bros. DS and it’s this good we really have to draw your attention to it.
Okay, so it’s in no way groundbreaking or revolutionary. But it completely captures the simplicity and classic feel of the original and is sure to appeal to both the Nintendo faithful as well as casual and new gamers.
Prepare yourselves for a handheld Mario experience like you've never had before. Not only is it the first time that there has been a new 2D Mario adventure since the critically acclaimed Super Mario World, the bottom screen on the Nintendo DS will be reserved for storing items and using them quickly in game; Mario has a lot more moves and it’s possible to butt-stomp, triangle jump off walls and backflip. Plus there’s a load of new power-ups.
Perhaps most excitingly, there is also a wireless multiplayer mode in which one player takes control of Mario and the other plays as Luigi, in a race to finish levels first, whilst disabling your opponent in various ways with hilarious power-ups.
So it seems that Nintendo's much-vaunted New Ways To Play strategy is still - thankfully - being integrated with Nintendo's tried and tested Old Ways to Play.
Speaking exclusively to SPOnG today, a Nintendo UK rep had the following to say: "It's been more than 20 years since Nintendo's highly acclaimed franchise, Super Mario Bros. first came to the world's attention. Fans from Mario's classic days must wait no longer to see him return in an all-new platformer. The title features stunning 3D models moving through lavish, cleverly designed 2D worlds, culminating in a final showdown for the freedom of Princess Peach. New Super Mario Bros. is loaded with features and characters that could only exist in the Mushroom Kingdom, including all-new power-ups like the Blue Shell, in which Mario can ride, and a massive Mushroom that makes him ultra-huge."
In other DS news, Nintendo's groundbreaking online wireless DS gaming service has hit an all-time gaming record of 1 million unique users, despite being in operation for just short of four months. The forthcoming European releases of a number of Wi-Fi-enabled games including Animal Crossing: Wild World (March 31); Tetris DS (April 21) and Metroid Prime Hunters (May 5) only means the service is bound to continue to appeal to many many more gamers in the coming months.
As SPOnG has said before, it really is hard to see what Sony has up its sleeve for PSP to compete with Nintendo’s winning DS online strategy. Of course, there is SEGA’s forthcoming Outrun, but we can actually count the number of other PSP titles we are excited about on one hand, not including the thumb.
New Super Mario Bros. DS is out on May 7 in the US and sometime in Q2 in Europe – probably just in time for E3, cleverly enough. Check back right here for all up-to-date Nintendo news as we get it from the horse’s mouth.
Okay, so it’s in no way groundbreaking or revolutionary. But it completely captures the simplicity and classic feel of the original and is sure to appeal to both the Nintendo faithful as well as casual and new gamers.
Prepare yourselves for a handheld Mario experience like you've never had before. Not only is it the first time that there has been a new 2D Mario adventure since the critically acclaimed Super Mario World, the bottom screen on the Nintendo DS will be reserved for storing items and using them quickly in game; Mario has a lot more moves and it’s possible to butt-stomp, triangle jump off walls and backflip. Plus there’s a load of new power-ups.
Perhaps most excitingly, there is also a wireless multiplayer mode in which one player takes control of Mario and the other plays as Luigi, in a race to finish levels first, whilst disabling your opponent in various ways with hilarious power-ups.
So it seems that Nintendo's much-vaunted New Ways To Play strategy is still - thankfully - being integrated with Nintendo's tried and tested Old Ways to Play.
Speaking exclusively to SPOnG today, a Nintendo UK rep had the following to say: "It's been more than 20 years since Nintendo's highly acclaimed franchise, Super Mario Bros. first came to the world's attention. Fans from Mario's classic days must wait no longer to see him return in an all-new platformer. The title features stunning 3D models moving through lavish, cleverly designed 2D worlds, culminating in a final showdown for the freedom of Princess Peach. New Super Mario Bros. is loaded with features and characters that could only exist in the Mushroom Kingdom, including all-new power-ups like the Blue Shell, in which Mario can ride, and a massive Mushroom that makes him ultra-huge."
In other DS news, Nintendo's groundbreaking online wireless DS gaming service has hit an all-time gaming record of 1 million unique users, despite being in operation for just short of four months. The forthcoming European releases of a number of Wi-Fi-enabled games including Animal Crossing: Wild World (March 31); Tetris DS (April 21) and Metroid Prime Hunters (May 5) only means the service is bound to continue to appeal to many many more gamers in the coming months.
As SPOnG has said before, it really is hard to see what Sony has up its sleeve for PSP to compete with Nintendo’s winning DS online strategy. Of course, there is SEGA’s forthcoming Outrun, but we can actually count the number of other PSP titles we are excited about on one hand, not including the thumb.
New Super Mario Bros. DS is out on May 7 in the US and sometime in Q2 in Europe – probably just in time for E3, cleverly enough. Check back right here for all up-to-date Nintendo news as we get it from the horse’s mouth.
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Comments
Bantam 8 Mar 2006 14:18
1/8
Was I the only one who assumed that 'New Super Mario Brothers' was the working title? Don't get me wrong, I'm totally hyped about a new SM title, but they could have done a lot better than that!
kid_77 8 Mar 2006 14:23
2/8
It's certainly not a future-proofed name.
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RP 8 Mar 2006 14:35
3/8
New Super Mario Bros. DS is out on May 5 in the US and on May 7 in Europe
That's funny, because only the other day NOA claimed that it was coming out on the 7th in the US.
The 7th is Sunday, by the way.
majin dboy 8 Mar 2006 18:45
4/8
think this is a great box art.
for two main reasons,as spong highlighted in it show the simplistic genious of mario games.
but the second reason is why it will appeal to casual gamers.they will walk into game looking for a new game and they will be like,OH MY GOD look at the size of mario,i want that one.
in the age of the casual gamer the main perception of a game comes from the fancy colours that catch the casual gamers eye, the high production costs and mainstreem marketing.
I think Nintendo will be suprised by the sales figures for this one.
MAJIN IS BACK
for two main reasons,as spong highlighted in it show the simplistic genious of mario games.
but the second reason is why it will appeal to casual gamers.they will walk into game looking for a new game and they will be like,OH MY GOD look at the size of mario,i want that one.
in the age of the casual gamer the main perception of a game comes from the fancy colours that catch the casual gamers eye, the high production costs and mainstreem marketing.
I think Nintendo will be suprised by the sales figures for this one.
MAJIN IS BACK
realvictory 8 Mar 2006 21:02
5/8
The name is probably the best name I can think of - it completely suits the game in my opinion.
I hope it really does capture all the things that made the old 2D Marios good, or I will be disappointed (as a Nintendo fan).
The box art does look good, however I did notice the lack of the representation of the "brotheriness" between Mario and Luigi in it. Still, I'm not the designer, am I?
To be honest, though, maybe they should have called it something like "Mario For Adults - Train Your Brothers" or "Nintenbros." Because from what I remember, a large number of DS owners are actually "casual gamers"* who don't have time, or can't be bothered, to play conventional games, which meant that Nintendogs and all those actually sold better than the best Mario Kart game made so far.
With their successful reputation with online play now, hopefully Nintendo will keep pushing it and not only make some amazing (innovative) games for it, but change the way people percieve online gameplay.
Like I said, Outrun 2 is all you need, however, although I personally believe that my respect for Sony is more valuable than money, I'm sure they probably think differently.
*Does the oxymoron-ness of that phrase make anyone else feel a little bit cynical, or is it just me?
I hope it really does capture all the things that made the old 2D Marios good, or I will be disappointed (as a Nintendo fan).
The box art does look good, however I did notice the lack of the representation of the "brotheriness" between Mario and Luigi in it. Still, I'm not the designer, am I?
To be honest, though, maybe they should have called it something like "Mario For Adults - Train Your Brothers" or "Nintenbros." Because from what I remember, a large number of DS owners are actually "casual gamers"* who don't have time, or can't be bothered, to play conventional games, which meant that Nintendogs and all those actually sold better than the best Mario Kart game made so far.
With their successful reputation with online play now, hopefully Nintendo will keep pushing it and not only make some amazing (innovative) games for it, but change the way people percieve online gameplay.
Like I said, Outrun 2 is all you need, however, although I personally believe that my respect for Sony is more valuable than money, I'm sure they probably think differently.
*Does the oxymoron-ness of that phrase make anyone else feel a little bit cynical, or is it just me?
Ditto 9 Mar 2006 10:28
6/8
Super Mario World was not the last new 2D Mario game.
Have a look at:
http://news.spong.com/game/11017611
And that's if you discount Yoshi's Island (1995).
PS I think the new box art looks awful.
Have a look at:
http://news.spong.com/game/11017611
And that's if you discount Yoshi's Island (1995).
PS I think the new box art looks awful.
jonno394 9 Mar 2006 11:02
7/8
I think by '2D mario' they meant the Super Mario series, that consists of:
Mario 1
Mario Lost Levels
Mario 2
Mario 3
Mario IV: Super Mario World.
They are the only games in the Super Mario Brothers series. All others are spin offs and alternate stories.
Mario 1
Mario Lost Levels
Mario 2
Mario 3
Mario IV: Super Mario World.
They are the only games in the Super Mario Brothers series. All others are spin offs and alternate stories.
realvictory 9 Mar 2006 20:41
8/8
More importantly, by "good" I meant "the things I liked."