New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

With a total of 164 secret-filled courses, a bunch of extra modes including the ever-addictive challenges and a small number of smart tweaks and additions, this is an incredible amount of platforming goodness in a single package. It's both the deepest and most accessible 2D Mario action you can get, as well as an endlessly enjoyable party game you can bust out with friends, and Switch is the perfect place for it.

It might be merely a return of a game that did not advance the series, but it was – and still is – the genre’s peak achievement. Sure, I could argue that boss encounters could’ve been more polished and the game could’ve looked better since Switch is more powerful than Wii U. A new world would have been a nice touch too. But what can I do when the game’s core is so good and it is complemented by content so great that such complaints become irrelevant? [02/2019, p.54]

Do you want shifting boundaries? Then play Super Mario Odyssey. Do you want a sophisticated old-school platformer with modern graphics? Then nothing can surpass New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a must-play for 2D Mario fans and is the best in the 2D line of games since Super Mario World.

For all the grumbling about Nintendo’s strategy of releasing last-gen ports to their new console, it’s hard to argue when the games are as high quality as New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. Nintendo has also added their typically high gloss coat of paint, with new features, new characters and even an entire bonus game. Add in a frantic and fun multiplayer mode and the diabolical Challenge Mode and you have a game that can proudly stand with the best platforming games the Switch can offer.

New Super Mario Bros U. Deluxe is, with no doubt whatsoever, one of the best 2D platform games to become available in the last few years. Therefore, if you have never played the game before, now is the perfect time for it. Nintendo Switch shows that it is the perfect device for the genre and its catalogue just keeps on getting bigger.

More of a collection than a Deluxe Edition, New Super Mario Bros. U for Switch offers the opportunity to play an excellent 2D platformer in the best possible way today.

It's amazing how every element comes together for a thoroughly refined platforming experience. The level design is nothing short of genius, and the flawless controls make every leap more joyous than the last. Everyone who hasn't already played through the Wii U version should pick this up immediately.

One of the best Wii U games gets a wonderful Switch remaster that brings to life its multiplayer mayhem better than ever before.

While New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a repackage of (mostly) existing stuff, with a couple of minor additions designed largely around making the gameplay more accessible for newcomers, and is clearly a filler release on Nintendo's part to capitalise on the post-Christmas lull and appetite for new stuff to play, it's hard to deny its value.

If you’ve played New Super Mario Bros U at all before, there’s not a whole lot of reasons to go back. It’s still terrific 2D Mario title, and it’s aged gracefully, with only the slightest of nips and tucks along the way. Just don’t go in expecting anything more than what you got in 2012. On the other side of the coin, if you’ve never played it before - you’re in for a treat. It’s a more accessible Mario if you need it to be, and if not, the difficulty is still there if you’re a longtime fan. Still, a new, New Super Mario Bros. after all this time would have been nicer.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a must-have for Switch owners who skipped the Wii U. Packaged with two complete games and a plethora of challenges to complete, the Deluxe version will give you plenty of bang for your buck. Even if you already owned the game, it’s worth trying on the Switch, if only to have a mobile, 2D Mario game at the ready. It might not be as difficult as past Mario games, but it’s never not fun.

Thanks to Nintendo's new technology in Switch, we have the chance to play New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe anywhere we like. It also supports up to 4 players, so just imagine how fun it would be to play Mario on a camping trip with your friends while you share your childhood Mario memories with each other.

Gamers who have played the Wii U-version will not find shockingly-new content in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. On the other hand this Mario-title is a must-have for newcomers and 2D-platformer enthusiasts.

The lack of new levels is the worst part of this re-edition. Above else, this is one of the best options to enjoy a 2D multiplayer platformer game on Switch.

If you’ve played the game on the Wii U to completion, then I’d recommend passing on this one as there is little new here outside of a stable framerate, Toadette, and the highly overrated HD rumble. But if you skipped the Wii U and loved Super Mario Bros. 3, then this is a must play. It’s challenging (there’s even a challenge mode for the True Gamers(tm)), it controls great, and it pays homage while still managing to expand on the series gameplay with a few clever new gimmicks, like baby Yoshi abilities.

New Super Mario Bros. U on the switch is again one of the best 2D Mario games. For veterans of the original, however, there are too few innovations.

One of the best 2D platformers from the previous generation is back with new features and, of course, the ability to play it anywhere.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe has everything a classic Mario should have and something more. But if you already played it on Wii U, it can get a bit boring soon enough.

With so many stages to explore and master, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a terrific way to experience this game again or for the first time.

Seven years after its original release, New Super Mario Bros U is still a great platform game, with lots of secrets, and incredibly fun to play in local multiplayer. DX doen't have many improvements from the original Wii U version.

Two great games on one cartridge with improved graphical fidelity, new characters to experiment with, and the ability to play anywhere, all making this the best version of both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U. Lack of innovation notwithstanding, there are going to be many an hour spent either solo or with friends adventuring through the Mushroom Kingdom all over again. Hopefully, if Nintendo elects to bring fans a new installment in the New Super Mario Bros. series, the developer will play things less safe while maintaining the smooth gameplay and accessibility that have become its hallmark.

Regardless of your latent skill level, there’s a ton of content here that’s sure to keep you hooked for quite some time. If you’re one of the many Wii U diehards out there, these games might not pique your interest in the same way. The portable element is lovely and the bundle is super convenient, but I recognize that might not be enough. Either way, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (god, it’s like a mouth full of marshmallows) would be a worthy addition to any respectable Switch collection.

Don’t be fooled: This is (as it always was) a challenging old school platformer. The simple design feels a bit outdated by now, though.

An excellent platformer that is as entertaining as it was almost a decade ago, but that hasn't enough new features to justify another buy if you have already played the game on Wii or -especially- on Wii U.

This is foundational, basic, by-the-book stuff from the Big N. Nothing too outrageous. Nothing too surprising. [Issue #38 – March/April 2019, p. 67]

It’s the best Super Mario 2D experience for more than 25 years and a welcome addition to the Switch’s library. If you’ve not experienced it before then you’ll be in for a treat. Those that purchased this on the Wii U, however, are probably best off avoiding it. For everyone else, it’s a treat.

Filled with well over 150 levels between the base game and the New Super Luigi U expansion, there’s more than enough in NSMBU Deluxe to keep players occupied on-the-go or surrounding a big-screen TV.

Maybe it’s because I grew up having my mind blown by Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World, but side-scrolling Mario games have always had a place in my heart. While I wouldn’t put this latest entry on the same pedestal, this is still a very solid game with a lot of what we’ve all come to love about the series thrown into a melting pot. I don’t think Nintendo would ever put out a “bad” Mario, honestly. There’s plenty here to keep fans and next of kin busy and entertained for quite some time.

The game comes across like a love letter to everything that Super Mario Odyssey left behind.

Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is transferring old game to new generation successfully. The game is purely funny, especially when you play it co-op. If you are looking a good game for your family, you should get Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.

A pretty good new version of the Wii U's launch titles.

Old, familiar concepts and designs mix with the new in this worthy re-release. Owners of the original game wont find much new here, but for the many that missed Super Mario Bros. U the first time are in for a treat, especially those with friends or family to play alongside them.

Nintendo has once again brought one of its past console’s beloved exclusives to Switch with great effect, offering enhancements in the form of small visual tweaks and neat new mechanics.

Despite dashing the dreams of Bowsette fans everywhere, this is a great game made more palatable for gamers of all skill levels, and although sometimes it threatens to be too easy by grafting in characters without really thinking about it, there is a blockbuster amount of content here that is fantastic fun solo, only to be made more exciting by the four-player multiplayer.

A great platform for everyone that hasn't played it before, but it is exactly the same game we saw on Wii U.

If you missed out on the duo of New Super Mario Bros. U or it’s Luigi-focused expansion then this Switch package is a great way to catch up on the plumbers’ 2D exploits. Much like the Switch versions of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker before it though, its lack of exciting fresh content is disappointing.

These aren't exceptional games, but they remain great platformers. And the universal multiplayer works really well with Switch's joy-cons. We recommend New Super Mario Bros U. Deluxe to everyone that hasn't played the original titles.

If you have never played it, in short, do not be scared by the really higher cost compared to the standards of similar operations: the price / quantity ratio is still in your favor.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is the most complete version of the latest 2D Mario games. Although it does not offer many changes with respect to New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, being able to play the game wherever you want is certainly interesting.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a great Mario package, although still feels incredibly familiar. Multiplayer chaos is fun for a short while, but testing your skills against difficult stages is where Super Mario excels, as always. If you've not played a 2D Mario platformer in a while, this is well worth it, though Wii U fans who've played it before should think twice before purchasing.

Despite the cut content, New Super Mario Bros Deluxe remains the most feature-packed, and dare I say fun 2D Mario game in decades. If you missed it on Wii U, own a Switch and love Mario, platformers, fun and just plain good games, there’s no reason not to get New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe. There's just no real reason for those who've played it already to get it again.

Thanks to some sweet, though slightly too light additions - Peachette in particular - New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is really for everyone now.

A broadly approachable and feature-rich platforming game. Toadette is a welcome addition to the roster for those after a more forgiving way to tackle some of the more challenging levels, and the inclusion of the New Super Luigi U mode extends its lifespan substantially. While there are a number of other Nintendo Switch games within the genre that outdo New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe in various different ways, it nonetheless remains a highly enjoyable platforming package as a whole.

New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe is another great Wii U game to make its way to the Nintendo Switch. Despite the fact that it's full priced and feels a little bit later than it should have been, it's still a great game that would make a great addition to any collection.

The bottom line is that Switch now has a very fine 2D Mario to its name; we just can’t help feeling disappointed that Nintendo didn’t push the boat out with a more thorough ‘Deluxe’ refurbishment. Having said that, this is still an excellent package that deserves a new lease of life on Switch, especially as there will be many owners of that console who didn't get to experience the Wii U original and its expansion.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe brings two of the most iconic 2D platformers of the Wii U to the Nintendo Switch under one game in an edition that represents the peak of what those games can achieve, there's no doubt on that side. What it does not manage to do, however, is to provide incentives for those who already know the originals well enough, for those players New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe will simply feel like a repetition of a previous experience.

Mario returns to his beloved two-dimensional world. A well-crafted and fun collection of games.

What a start of the year. A New Mario game for the Switch. The game has earlier been released for Wii U, but the Switch version is absolutely lovey. It has coop for 4 and a lot of levels to explore. Let's a go.

Sure, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe might be yet another Wii U game re-released on the Switch, but it boasts a huge number of levels, filled to the brim with platforming greatness. Even though it's been six years since its original release, the overall experience holds up very well.

The package is totally fine, and outside of Peachette leading to one of the most disturbing memes in recent Nintendo memory, the new character’s addition is welcome. Aside from that, the only benefits of this release is that it can be truly played portably and it’s on a console a lot more people own.

Classic characters, familiar worlds and epic music – the game is like a portal to 8-bit past of the series. But its strength is also its weakness: New Super Mario doesn't even try to surprise you. [Issue#236, p.48]

As far as Switch ports from the Wii U go, this is right up there with the best. Nintendo has done just enough to make it look and feel better than I remember on the Wii U. Also not unlike Mario Kart 8 they have included all the DLC, including the aforementioned Luigi add-on that is basically an entirely new game. There is a lot packed in here, and for those that never invested in the Wii U, it is more than worth the price of admission. It might not be the most memorable Mario game ever created, but it is still better than most platformers available on the console. Even when Nintendo doesn’t set the world on fire, they still manage to impress.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe makes its debut to the Nintendo Switch, after almost 6 years of slumber on the Wii U. The game is, without a doubt, a thrilling platformer that manages to blend a cast of loving 3D characters into stunning 2D levels, yet fails to deliver enough additional content to justify the word “deluxe” in its name.

Clearly dedicated to the players who haven't been able to try the game on Wii U, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe doesn't add enough content to be a must have for the fans of the franchise. However, it still is a really nice game, with an amazing game design and level design.

As it did on Wii U in 2012, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe offers a genuine challenge and is the closest game in the New Super Mario series to the golden 16-bit era of Super Mario World with its open map and pitch-perfect difficulty curve. It’s arguably the best in what has been a great, but very safe, series and it doesn’t do anything to change that notion. The co-op is still frustrating, but its roots lie well within the single-player experience.

For newcomers who haven’t experienced it, this is still a very good game; one that’s aged well. But for returning players, there just isn't quite enough to warrant another go.