New Super Mario Bros.

New Super Mario Bros. (often referred to as NSMB and New Super Mario Bros. DS) is a 2D side-scrolling game of the Super Mario series for the Nintendo DS and was released in 2006. It is the first game of the New Super Mario Bros. series. The game features a solo story mode with Mario and Luigi (who is unlockable when the player presses and and selects a file with at the same time) as playable characters, a two-player wireless game Mario vs. Luigi, as well as a minigame mode for up to four players. The multiplayer games support both single-card and multi-card play. The minigame selection is mostly the same as the one in Super Mario 64 DS, with the difference that they don't need to be unlocked here.
A follow-up, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, was released for the Wii in 2009 and a sequel, New Super Mario Bros. 2 (a follow-up to the 2009 game), was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2012.
In 2015, the game was re-released on the Wii U's Virtual Console. For this version, hold ZR and ZL on the file select screen and press A to play as Luigi instead.
== Story ==
Mario (or Luigi) and Princess Peach were walking together around Princess Peach's Castle, when a mysterious thundercloud (possibly Lakithunder) appeared and struck the castle with lightning. Mario (or Luigi) went to investigate, and while he was there, Bowser Jr. snuck up and kidnapped Peach and flees. Mario (or Luigi) gives chase, and Bowser Jr. drags her behind him. While Mario (or Luigi) is chasing Bowser Jr., they go off-screen, and Mario (or Luigi) takes a hit, reverting into his smaller form. Bowser Jr. runs away, and Mario (or Luigi) continues to chase him.
In the intro where the player keeps the title screen idle, after the part where Mario starts chasing Bowser Jr., Mario retreats from an incoming green Koopa Shell, and takes the hit off-screen. He continues to chase Bowser Jr. after jumping to hit the game's logo back into place.
In an alternate intro, Luigi walks into the scene before the green Koopa shell follows after Mario. Mario and Luigi both run from the shell simultaneously and take the hit off-screen. Mario then jumps to fix the game's logo and runs after Bowser Jr. Luigi, who is far behind, follows after Mario in a desperate attempt to catch up to him.
The end of the first world has Bowser as its boss, unusually. Even more surprising, after Mario (or Luigi) presses a switch that destroys the bridge, and Bowser falls into the pit of lava, his flesh is burnt off and he becomes a Dry Bones-like version of himself (known as Dry Bowser). Later, in World 8, Mario (or Luigi) has to face this undead version of Bowser as the penultimate boss in the game. Dry Bowser falls into a pit, but later at Bowser's Castle, Bowser Jr. somehow finds his father's bones. He revives him by tossing his remains into a bubbling cauldron of some magic potion, which results in not only Bowser returning from the dead but growing roughly ten times his size.
At the end, Bowser and his son fight Mario (or Luigi) together, but Mario (or Luigi) defeats them (again), sending the two into yet another pit, saving Princess Peach from them. After the ending sequence, Bowser Jr. is shown dragging his unconscious father across the castle floor. When he notices the player watching him, he shouts something and then continues on with his task as the game ends.
== Gameplay ==
New Super Mario Bros. is very much like Super Mario Bros. in terms of gameplay, but new features have been added. One of two control options can be selected in the Options menu: jumping with / and running with /, or jumping with / and running with /. Mario (or Luigi) is controlled with , and the touch screen is only required to activate a stored item, which is used in the same style as in Super Mario World. When Mario (or Luigi) enter a pipe to a secret area, the top screen and the touch screen are switched, and gameplay continues on the touch screen as long as Mario (or Luigi) is in that area. In that case, the stored item cannot be activated.
The wall-jump makes its first appearance in a 2D game ever since being introduced to 3D Mario games, with Super Mario 64. This technique lets Mario (or Luigi) reaches new areas by bouncing off the side of any wall or vertical object and is useful for escaping from a fall down a hole. Mario (or Luigi) has the ability to ground-pound by pressing down when in the air, allowing him to smash blocks downward. There are different power-ups, like the Blue Shell that lets Mario (or Luigi) travel like a kicked Koopa Troopa shell, the Mega Mushroom that makes Mario or Luigi grow and smash anything in their path (also seen in Super Mario 64 DS), and the Mini Mushroom which causes Mario (or Luigi) to shrink to a tiny size. However, some items remain unchanged, such as the Super Mushroom and the Fire Flower.
The game also features a world map with different and secret paths (like in Super Mario World). Levels are arranged in 8 worlds, which each contains at least one fortress and a castle, as well as the normal levels. The game's major enemy is Bowser Jr., who appears periodically in battles throughout the game, always in the mid-world fortresses, the castles harbor different bosses. Alternate paths can be unlocked with Star Coins. There are three Star Coins in each level, usually adding an extra challenge for the player apart from just reaching the goal. Some are in clear sight while others are hidden in pipes, up Beanstalks, and other inconspicuous places. On the world map, signs block paths that require five Star Coins to open. After a player defeats Bowser and Bowser Jr. in Bowser's Castle, a new blue Mushroom House will appear in World 1. It is a market, and for twenty Star Coins, the player can buy wallpaper for the bottom screen. The fifth and final background is only available after all of the forty Star Coin Gates have been opened.
Mario (or Luigi) only has to go through six of the eight worlds in the game. When not in miniature form, World 3 warps to World 5 and World 6 warps to World 8. As mentioned, Mario (or Luigi) must defeat the World 2 and World 5 bosses using the Mini Mushroom to reach World 4 and World 7, respectively. It is possible to only travel across three worlds if the player uses the large cannons hidden in World 1 and 5.
Another secret is Challenge Mode, meaning the screen to the left or downward by Mario (or Luigi). In order for its mode to be unlocked, World 8 must first be completed, and Mario or Luigi must go to overworld, and press , , , , , , , , in the exact order.
It is also possible to play as Luigi in single player mode by holding down L+R when selecting a file. There are no gameplay differences between the brothers. The character does not get locked as default - players can choose a different character every time they load the game. After the final boss has been beaten, a star appears next to the Save Game function. When the player has completed all levels, there are two stars next to it. When the player collects and spends all the Star Coins in the game, there will be three stars on the save file.
Within the levels, whenever the music plays a vocal riff "bah bah" (or in the case of the underwater levels, bell trees), some enemies and power-ups move to the beat. This includes the Overworld, Athletic, Underground, Desert, Beach and Volcano themes. Examples of enemy/object movements include Goombas hopping, Koopa Troopas turn to face the player, Spinies switch direction, power-ups hop, and Cheep-Cheeps do side flips. Goombas can actually dodge a Koopa Shell with the hop. This also happens in every other game in the New Super Mario Bros. line.
If Mario (or Luigi) finishes a level with the last 2 numbers of the time limit the same except for 00, the "Course Clear" theme from Super Mario Bros. plays in place of the normal one. Fireworks also occur, appearing the amount the numbers specify (e.g., 2 blasts for x22, 7 blasts for x77). A Toad House will also appear on the first space of that specific world (unless there is one there already). To make a red Toad House appear, end the level with digits 11, 22, or 33. To make a 1-Up Toad House appear, end the level with digits 44, 55, or 66, and to make a Mega Mushroom Toad House appear, end the level with digits 77, 88, or 99.
== Worlds ==
*World 1 - The basic grassland world. Many first worlds have a similar, grassy layout. The boss in this world is Bowser. When Mario or Luigi reaches the secret exit of the World 1-Fortress, they unlock the cannon that shoots them to World 5.
*World 2 - The desert world, similar to World 2 of Super Mario Bros. 3. The boss in this world is Mummipokey. If Mario or Luigi defeat Mummipokey in Mini Mario mode, they will gain access to World 4. This world's cannon can be unlocked by clearing the secret exit of World 2-3, then clearing the secret exit of World 2-A. The cannon will lead them to World 5.
*World 3 - The island/ocean world. It mostly has beach-like levels, but some of the levels are underwater. The boss of this world is Cheepskipper. This world also introduces the first Ghost House. This world's cannon leads to World 6.
*World 4 - The forest world composed of plants and poisonous purple swamps, which can only be accessed via defeating Mummipokey as Mini Mario. The boss in this world is Mega Goomba. This world's cannon leads to World 7.
*World 5 - The ice world composed of snowy grounds and a frozen lake, with Petey Piranha as the boss. Mario or Luigi can access World 7 if they defeat Petey Piranha as Mini Mario. If they access the cannon of this world, they will be able to access World 8. This world is the last one containing a cannon.
*World 6 - The rocky mountain world, with Monty Tank as the boss. It has two fortresses and is mainly the home of the Bullet Bills and their sub-species. This world features level themes from other worlds, such as a desert underwater levels, ice levels, and grass levels.
*World 7 - The sky world, with Lakithunder as the boss. It can only be accessed via defeating Petey Piranha as Mini Mario or jumping in the cannon in World 4.
*World 8 - The dark, purple forest world which would soon become a volcanic world in the second part, with two fortresses, a castle, and Bowser's Castle. The bosses for this world are Dry Bowser (the penultimate boss), a masked Bowser Jr. and a giant-sized Bowser (final bosses).
==Items==
== Enemies ==
==Obstacles==
== Bosses ==
*Bowser Jr. (Tower boss, who appears in every world, sometimes twice.)
*Bowser (boss of World 1)
*Mummipokey (boss of World 2)
*Cheepskipper (boss of World 3)
*Mega Goomba (boss of World 4)
*Petey Piranha (boss of World 5)
*Monty Tank (boss of World 6)
*Lakithunder (boss of World 7)
*Dry Bowser (boss of World 8)
*Bowser and Bowser Jr. (Final Battle)
== Allies ==
*Dorrie
*Mega Wiggler
*Phantom Hand
*Princess Peach
*Toadsworth
== Alternate exits ==
*World 1-2 - Mushroom House & 
* - & World 5-1
*World 2-3 - World 2-A
*World 2-A - & World 5-1
*World 2-4 - Mushroom House & World 2-6
* - World 4-1
*World 3-2 - World 3-A
*World 3-B - World 3-C
* - & World 6-1/World 6-A
*World 4-1 - Mushroom House & 
* - & World 7-1
*World 5-2 - Warp Pipe & World 5-3
* - & World 8-1
*World 5-B - Warp Pipe & 
* - World 7-1
* - Mushroom House & 
*World 7-4 - Mushroom House & 
*World 7-5 - World 7-A
*World 7-6 - World 7-7
== Other features ==
* Once all levels have been completed, Mushroom Houses will not go away, no matter how many times they are entered. This is to aid the player in finding any Star Coins they may have missed before, as well as to buy backgrounds and open pathways.
* To play Challenge Mode, press , , , , , , , and on the pause menu in that order. You have now unlocked Challenge Mode. Like in the original Super Mario Bros, you now cannot go left. However, since this game introduces vertical levels, in those levels, you cannot go back down while this is active. There are some levels that this does not work in at all, like the Auto scrolling levels, or levels where you need to go in all directions to beat, like World 2-3 or Bowser's Castle. Challenge Mode only works on files that have at least 1 Star (beating the Final Boss).
==Trivia==
*So far, this is the only New Super Mario Bros. game to not feature the Koopalings.
*Bowser is not voiced by anyone. His roars are all stock sound effects used from the Nintendo 64 games.
*This is the only game where the Blue Shell acts as a power-up for Mario.
*New Super Mario Bros. is the best-selling game for the Nintendo DS family of systems.
**It is also the second best-selling game in the Super Mario series, with Super Mario Bros. being the first.
*Once the player beats Dry Bowser for the first time, triggering the bridge event in World 8, the map music changes forever. A beat will be added to the music and the sound of bubbling lava and gas will be audible.
*If the player jumps off of Bowser Jr.'s head when he is jumping, they can bounce up onto the top of his arenas.
*Mega Unagis, Unagis in caves, and the spinning spike balls in the World 7 Castle are the only living enemies in the game that are completely invincible.
*If the "host" of a minigame event exits the game, the other screens of the guests' DS will freeze and then lead to a screen with a loud siren noise.
*The minigame Coincentration is given updated graphics in this game, rendering Wario in 3D and replacing the Coin Block sprites and Coin sprites (which in Super Mario 64 DSs version of the minigame were just sprites from Super Mario Bros. 3).
*There is a glitch in World 4-6 that allows Mario (or Luigi) to fly. Around halfway into the level, there is a platform with upside-down Piranha Plant pipes above it. Waiting on this platform for around 40 seconds, crossing it, then jumping to the right towards the poison water will allow the player to walk on air for the rest of the level until the warp pipe which leads to the flagpole.
*This game was originally planned to include Spindrifts, but they were replaced by the blue spinning platforms. Mantas also were originally going to appear in the background of water levels.
*The final boss theme includes a small musical reference to the map theme of Valley of Bowser from Super Mario World.
*The underwater theme includes a small musical reference to the credits theme from Super Mario 64.
*This is the only New Super Mario Bros. game not to have a giant Bowser as the final boss.
*The Mini Mushroom in this game has practically the same purpose, as in its second appearance in Mario Party 4: the player uses it to enter small pipes.
*Due to content regulations in Europe growing stricter over the years, the European Virtual Console re-release of New Super Mario Bros. is rated PEGI 12 rather than PEGI 3 or PEGI 7, due to the Table minigames revolving around gambling. This applies to Super Mario 64 DS as well.
*Some text in New Super Mario Bros.'s instruction manual is reused in New Super Mario Bros. Wii's instruction manual (for example, the Blunders and Game Over section in New Super Mario Bros.'s. manual is reused in New Super Mario Bros. Wii's manual).
*When Mario loses a life, the Bowser emblem covers the screen, just like in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy.
*This is the first Super Mario 2D platforming game since Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins.
*The original European version of New Super Mario Bros. got a PEGI 3+ rating, however, due to content regulations in Europe growing stricter over the years, the European Virtual Console re-release instead got a PEGI 12+ rating because of the gambling in the table minigames. This also applies to Super Mario 64 DS.
*The shortest possible path that Mario can take is World 1-1, World 1-2, World 1-Tower, World 5-1, World 5-2, World 5-3, World 5-Ghost House, and all of World 8.
==Gallery==
==External links==
*Title at MobyGames
*Title at GameFAQs
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Category:Super Mario series
Category:Nintendo DS games
Category:2006 games
Category:2000s games
Category:Games published by Nintendo EAD
Category:2D Platforming games