New Super Mario Bros.
The character's models and backgrounds in "New Super Mario Bros." were 3D, but still only allowed for left and right movement and is considered 2.5D. With the 2D series of "Super Mario" games being absent for 14 years, the previous installment being released in 1992, game mechanics improved drastically. Since the characters were no longer sprites and the backdrops weren't tile-based, the developers were nearly restrictionless; new game mechanics, such as Mario teetering off of trees and swinging on ropes, were implemented. "New Super Mario Bros." was the first 2D "Super Mario" game to use voice acting, with Charles Martinet voicing Mario and Luigi. It was followed by three games similar to "New Super Mario Bros.", namely "New Super Mario Bros. Wii", "New Super Mario Bros. 2", and "New Super Mario Bros. U", the latter of which being the first game to feature Mario in high-definition graphics (HD).