New Super Mario Bros. U

 Wii U
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 961 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 715 out of 961
  2. Mixed: 176 out of 961
  3. Negative: 70 out of 961
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. PhoneTheo
    Sep 4, 2023
    10
    So Goos Game
  2. Porcupine2009
    Aug 13, 2023
    9
    I have very vivid memories of playing this game back in, what, 2013? Amazing game! Not without a few bugs and flaws, of course, but still a great game nonetheless. The story is fine, the gameplay is amazing, and overall it's a hyperload of nostalgia for me. 9.8/10.
  3. Jacob143
    Aug 1, 2023
    5
    This game is so mediocre. It can be fun yes but it doesn't change that this game just feels like New Super Mario Bros Wii dlc in hd with only a couple new powerups and they charged $60 for this. Do not play this just play New Super Mario Bros on the DS or Wii those are actually original and having actual new stuff in them. Do not recommend
  4. RTCWFAN
    Jul 7, 2023
    9
    Fantastic Mario platformer, that includes the innovative Wii U controls perfectly. The couch coop is just great fun! Overall rating: 8.8
  5. blinkmass
    Jun 23, 2023
    7
    A good game, but in retrospect, a terrible launch title for the Wii U. It did a poor job demonstrating the console's capabilities, both in terms of HD graphics and utilizing the GamePad in a compelling way. Not to mention the fact that it released the same year as NSMB2, cannibalizing sales between both games. This was never going to be a system seller, (which a first-party launch titleA good game, but in retrospect, a terrible launch title for the Wii U. It did a poor job demonstrating the console's capabilities, both in terms of HD graphics and utilizing the GamePad in a compelling way. Not to mention the fact that it released the same year as NSMB2, cannibalizing sales between both games. This was never going to be a system seller, (which a first-party launch title should be) considering there were three cheaper, practically identical alternatives available on other consoles.

    If this game has anything going for it, it's the challenge mode. I sunk 15+ hours into finishing that alone, and I enjoyed it considerably more than the main campaign. However, there's really not much else notable about it in comparison to the other games in the series, which appears to be a running theme. The NSMB series is so overdone at this point (and was 11 years ago) and this isn't the big refresh 2D Mario needed and the Wii U deserved, which we seem to be finally getting with Super Mario Bros. Wonder.    … Expand
  6. philsom
    Jun 15, 2023
    9
    For me the best game of the New 2d series, great music and level design as always. Very pretty graphics too.
  7. sparkyLELEK
    May 31, 2023
    10
    I just had a Great time playing it and searching for everything the Wii U Gamepad was used well, I think.
  8. Eny2505
    Apr 23, 2023
    8
    EVEN MORE of the same stuff. We reached a point where its getting really boring now. It is still really fun to play but its so repetitive. Bonus points for multiplayer options and challenge mode. Underwhelming launch title for the Wii U.
  9. firelink88
    Apr 18, 2023
    9
    I'll give this game a 97%. Nintendo did an excellent job making this game compared to New Super Mario Bros. 2 not being that good of a Mario game in my opinion. This game is more similar to New Super Mario Bros Wii and brought back the Penguin Suit from that game. There are so many unique worlds to go to. Trying to collect star coins throughout the game is a blast! The Acorn suit is aI'll give this game a 97%. Nintendo did an excellent job making this game compared to New Super Mario Bros. 2 not being that good of a Mario game in my opinion. This game is more similar to New Super Mario Bros Wii and brought back the Penguin Suit from that game. There are so many unique worlds to go to. Trying to collect star coins throughout the game is a blast! The Acorn suit is a great power-up to use and you can use it to help you collect star coins in certain places as well!… Expand
  10. Kdog152
    Dec 19, 2022
    9
    Petty decent game just as most of the Mario bros are, However, I do wish that Nintendo would change up the world themes for once because it does get boring seeing the same thing again and again. What is cool though, is how every level and world has its own unique name for the first time in the series and I do like how the whole 9 world map is all interconnected. The level design is stillPetty decent game just as most of the Mario bros are, However, I do wish that Nintendo would change up the world themes for once because it does get boring seeing the same thing again and again. What is cool though, is how every level and world has its own unique name for the first time in the series and I do like how the whole 9 world map is all interconnected. The level design is still good and enjoyable. I like the different kind of abstract art style of some of the levels in Soda jungle (world 5) as it looks real cool and kind of like your inside an old painting. Nintendo should definitely use that idea again. The multi player mode is classic as it could be a bonding with friends experience or it could cause fights between them. The propeller suit (though it is severely underused in this game as you can only access it in world 9), ice flower and penguin suits return as power ups in this game along side the new Squirrel suit that makes you able to glide for a short time and they are all fun to use. The music is also decent as well. This game is definitely a huge step up from its mediocre predecessor New super Mario bros 2 on the 3ds. The introduction to baby Yoshi's is also a really cool idea and they are all unique and fun to use. The addition of New super Luigi U is also great as it adds difficulty to this relatively easy game and the challenge mode is fun as well.… Expand
  11. lolzliam
    Dec 5, 2022
    0
    i love this game on the wii u i havent 100%ed it and its also my first i want new super lugei u but this will do as one of my favorite wii u games
  12. Theperson
    Nov 3, 2022
    4
    Luigi's a **** in this game and that makes me have jaundice. Btw have you ever played gex
  13. hector_bcn98
    Oct 31, 2022
    8
    Muy bueno para jugar en solitario, notable para cooperativo local, a cuatro mandos haciendo el burro.
  14. Derpcat
    Oct 10, 2022
    7
    New Super Mario Bros U came out in the same year as New Super Mario Bros. 2. As a Wii U launch game, it got more copies bought that it would have if it was not a launch game. Right now, you’re probably saying,”Say that again?” It sold better then it should’ve. Does it hold up today?

    The story is a little bit different. Instead, PEACH’s castle was taken over. Well, story never defines a    New Super Mario Bros U came out in the same year as New Super Mario Bros. 2. As a Wii U launch game, it got more copies bought that it would have if it was not a launch game. Right now, you’re probably saying,”Say that again?” It sold better then it should’ve. Does it hold up today?

    The story is a little bit different. Instead, PEACH’s castle was taken over. Well, story never defines a platforming game (Much less a Mario game). The gameplay is the same as it always was, and they added a minimal amount of new gimmicks, which really brought the game down. I’m starting to feel like this is just New Super Mario Bros. Wii. There is one new power up and an “infinite” version of that same power up. The Nabbit chases were probably the only original part.

    The overall presentation is good, just not memorable. The locations are the same as in Wii and 2. There’s nothing that really stood out to me. The soundtrack is bah-bah-boring, and most of the songs are old, and the new ones are bah remixes of the original Super Mario Bros. soundtrack.

    There is quite a bit of content. 3 stars in every level, and if you get a world, you get an extra level. There are some other challenge modes which are a lot of fun, but they are limited and they’re nothing you can’t make in Mario Maker. There are also battle modes against your friends, which I never played because I will never play a 2d platformer with friends.

    This game is so similar to Wii, it should be called New Super Mario Bros: Wiihash. If you don’t own any other 2d Mario game or Mario Maker, then maybe you should get this. Not on the Switch though…    … Expand
  15. Jattaman
    Oct 8, 2022
    7
    Episodio divertente e colorato, giocabile anche in più persone.
    Un platform 2D che segue i classici episodi di Mario, con grafica colorata e ottima giocabilità.
  16. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    7
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  17. Ebip
    Jun 13, 2022
    8
    A Good 2D Mario.Unpopular opinion but this Is the best NSMB game.the world Is connected like SMW the New Power up Is great and the level design Is Golden.The bosses are generic and the music Is catchy but Not the best thing in the Franchise.The Challenges are fun
  18. Shunior
    Apr 4, 2022
    2
    Es casi un mod de New Mario Bros DS (creo que Nintendo creo al Mario Maker cuando desarolló esa serie). Si te has juagado cualquiera NEW Mario Bros (DS, Wii, 3DS Wii U, Swicth) no hace falta jugar otro, son literalmente lo mismo. Si juegas Mario Bros 1, Mario Bros 3 y Mario World veras que son juegos muy distintos en mecanicas, fisicas estetica, porpuestas, pero aqui no, la serie new esEs casi un mod de New Mario Bros DS (creo que Nintendo creo al Mario Maker cuando desarolló esa serie). Si te has juagado cualquiera NEW Mario Bros (DS, Wii, 3DS Wii U, Swicth) no hace falta jugar otro, son literalmente lo mismo. Si juegas Mario Bros 1, Mario Bros 3 y Mario World veras que son juegos muy distintos en mecanicas, fisicas estetica, porpuestas, pero aqui no, la serie new es siempre la misma wea!… Expand
  19. Skyrus
    Mar 24, 2022
    7
    New Super Mario Bros. U is a gem in the Wii U Library and is a must for all Mario fans that own a Wii U. Though the game isn't that different from it's previous titles like New Super Mario Bros Wii. however the game is still filled with some new features like challenge mode and the Game Pad's features that include helping players out by adding platforms and the interactive Boost modeNew Super Mario Bros. U is a gem in the Wii U Library and is a must for all Mario fans that own a Wii U. Though the game isn't that different from it's previous titles like New Super Mario Bros Wii. however the game is still filled with some new features like challenge mode and the Game Pad's features that include helping players out by adding platforms and the interactive Boost mode (which sadly I haven't tried out yet due to that I wanted to play the game by myself). It may be a bit disappointing that Nintendo played it safe once again but this is still a solid Mario Title despite that.… Expand
  20. grimreapersims
    Jan 6, 2022
    8
    ....................................................................................................................................................................................................blank
  21. TeaFan556
    Dec 19, 2021
    7
    {RU]
    Говорю честно, играть в соло очень скучно. Если вы уже набили руку в этой серии, тогда она не особо уникальная. НО! Если проходите её в мультиплеере, тогда получити незабываемый фан. Как-то так :3
  22. BeeSting1
    Nov 26, 2021
    6
    This was the last 2D Mario platformer of my marathon. How did it end? Not bad. There was a “new” flying squirrel power up. But really, it was nothing more than a tanooki rip off without the tail whip. I liked how I could view the entire hub world right off the bat, cause it gave me a sense of what to expect, and allowed me to better manage the power ups I had in storage. Speaking of that.This was the last 2D Mario platformer of my marathon. How did it end? Not bad. There was a “new” flying squirrel power up. But really, it was nothing more than a tanooki rip off without the tail whip. I liked how I could view the entire hub world right off the bat, cause it gave me a sense of what to expect, and allowed me to better manage the power ups I had in storage. Speaking of that. The green toad houses put me in a small mini game where two cannons shot 1-ups and bowser faces. Every 1-up I got was a +1 life, and every Bowser I got was a -1 life. The problem was the hitboxes on these cannon balls. Here, you can clearly see the 1-up intercept Toad’s body, yet it wasn’t captured. And another one here. This happened multiple times. I know this was just a bonus mini game, but it none the less still infuriated me cause I got a couple game overs because I was short a life or two, which could have been avoided if the mini game wasn’t broken. Plus, this game reused the bull **** saving system as the other New Super Mario Brother games, meaning I could only save after boss fights. So game overs were extra punishing.

    Aside from that, the game basically reiterated most of New Super Mario Bros Wii. Though I did like the obstacle design in this one more. Namely, the long retracting platforms that quite a few levels had. The haunted mansions were never my favorite, and it was no exception here. Like this one in world 6. I was stumped for so long. Had the timer run out multiple times, only to learn the solution was to walk into a wall that actually wasn’t a wall. Sure, this has always been a trademark for the mansions, but I’m sick of it. Forcing the player to randomly walk into walls to progress isn’t fun, at least not for me. A little hint of where the false wall is would have been great.

    I don’t know what they can change, but the side scrolling Mario series needs a change. The kind of change we saw from Super Mario 64 to Super Mario Sunshine...then to Galaxy. The “New” Super Mario Bros series isn’t NEW anymore. The title is a blatant lie. It has turned into the Nintendo version of the Call of Duty series. I want something new. Now, the Super Mario Maker series is great, which I’m not getting into in this video, cause that’s more of a player created content peer to peer game. Nintendo, please put an end to the New Super Mario Bros series. I want a truly NEW side scrolling Mario platforming experience.    … Expand
  23. B-Bog
    Aug 25, 2021
    4
    How a game as generic, lackluster, and generally unremarkable and boring as this one can obtain a metascore of 84 and a user score of 8.0 is totally beyond me. If you instructed an AI to make a 2D Mario game, this is probably what it would come up with. There are absolutely no surprises to be had here, no new ideas. In fact, the gap in imagination and creativity between the 3D and modernHow a game as generic, lackluster, and generally unremarkable and boring as this one can obtain a metascore of 84 and a user score of 8.0 is totally beyond me. If you instructed an AI to make a 2D Mario game, this is probably what it would come up with. There are absolutely no surprises to be had here, no new ideas. In fact, the gap in imagination and creativity between the 3D and modern 2D Mario games is close to unfathomable.

    The graphics are sub-par even for the Wii U, the music is the most generic drivel imaginable (the Wii U eShop Theme is 10 times better than any song in this game lol), and the level design is incredibly unimaginative. Add to that the typical 2D Mario problems of incredibly slippery movement and inconsequential collectibles and I found very little incentive to keep playing and even finish this game.    … Expand
  24. Owen76287
    Feb 10, 2021
    8
    This game is a flawless 2D platformer. The length difficulty and content are perfect. People only hate this game because it's not original, and I completely agree with that statement. The game was released at a time when a Mario game came every year, and it doesn't help that it was released on the Wii U. It s an amazing experience, but for many it just came out at the wrong time and place.This game is a flawless 2D platformer. The length difficulty and content are perfect. People only hate this game because it's not original, and I completely agree with that statement. The game was released at a time when a Mario game came every year, and it doesn't help that it was released on the Wii U. It s an amazing experience, but for many it just came out at the wrong time and place. If you want to play the game than I encourage you to do so, but not for $60, find a discounted Wii U version rather than the Switch port.… Expand
  25. GameDudeGuy
    Feb 4, 2021
    5
    this is the worst new series game for me out of the bunch i really dont like this game its sucks
  26. JorgeHakurei
    Sep 23, 2020
    0
    No lo compren banda, ta bien feo. Es lo mismo pero ya no está padre, se controla bien feo en el multijugador.
  27. LeoChikis
    Jun 23, 2020
    7
    this was the very first Mario game I´ve ever played and, well, it was ok the first time, but after playing other Mario games this one is kinda bad, is fun to play but it´s just more of the same. Right now is just another Mario game.
  28. Nico49
    Jun 13, 2020
    8
    The game is good and entertainment. The Coin Hunt-Mode is very funny. I like the game.
  29. 100percenter
    May 6, 2020
    10
    Fun and creative game. Every level utilized mechanics in different ways to make each level seem distinct and new. I find myself replaying this game often with new challenges every time. Like I’ll try speedruns, no power ups, no running, etc. while I do like making up my own challenges, it’s still fun to just play the game how it was intended. I also admire the fact that the gameFun and creative game. Every level utilized mechanics in different ways to make each level seem distinct and new. I find myself replaying this game often with new challenges every time. Like I’ll try speedruns, no power ups, no running, etc. while I do like making up my own challenges, it’s still fun to just play the game how it was intended. I also admire the fact that the game acknowledges you when you actually 100% the game. They gift you little certificates and I just think that’s sweet.… Expand
  30. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    8
    El clásico for wii U. An old school super mario. Fun and addictive. Essential.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best Wii U Game of 2012
2
#2 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 70 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 70
  3. Negative: 0 out of 70
  1. Armchair Empire
    Feb 21, 2013
    90
    Everyone gets a chance to play and interact and have fun. Really, that’s what Nintendo excels at, getting everyone involved and allowing childish enthusiasm to file down the sharp corners of the vexation of adulthood and life experience. New Super Mario Bros. U does that very thing.
    Read full review
  2. Universo Nintendo
    Feb 19, 2013
    90
    Yes, the new 2D adventure is not a demonstration of Wii U's potential, but it's extremely competent as a plataformer, adding some elements that probably will accompany the series in the future and making, though perhaps unconsciously with its final boss, the eyes of players sparkle and give us a taste of what to expect of Mario in its next tridimensional adventure.
    Read full review
  3. Riot Pixels
    Feb 14, 2013
    77
    No matter how much content is recycled here, New Super Mario Bros. U is a gem in Wii U’s launch line-up. Problem is, there is nothing that sets it apart from a long line of its predecessors.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »