It’s clear the Nintendo Wii hasn’t lived up to its promise; while the system has sold well and continues to sell well, the drastically unimpressive numbers put up by both third and first party titles makes it clear that, like the pet rock and the hula hoop before it, the Wii has lost its lasting appeal when it comes to new and interesting games. There are folks out there who will cite games like MadWorld (did anyone actually buy it?) and No More Heroes as the cutting edge of Wii titles – or those who cling to the fantastic numbers put up by Wii Fit – but it’s a fallacy. The system is Nintendo’s finest achievement in dust gathering – a system that everyone had to have, but no one played once it got old.
That’s going to change next month. I had a chance to play New Super Mario Bros. Wii at the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle at the beginning of September and I can say with certainty that it’s going to be a hit. The classic 2D sidescrolling Mario gameplay that everyone grew up on (and that sold 14 million copies of New Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo DS) is back with a crucial addition: local multiplayer.
The blend of competitive and co-operative multiplayer in New Super Mario Bros. Wii is irresistible fun. Play as one of the Mario brothers or as a stout Toad of the Mushroom kingdom and seek the holy grail of the gaming world of yore: a high score. While the objective to to get to the end of the level, you’ll do so with one to three friends, each trying to out-do the other in a quest for a higher score.
It’s a purity of gaming that isn’t incredibly common. I can say without hesitation it’ll get people playing with the Nintendo Wii again.