New Super Mario Bros. 2
The gold standard of 2D platforming returns with a gleaming new obsession. Race through over 80 stages, collect a million coins, transform into Gold Mario, and rescue Princess Peach from the Koopalings. The most coin-centric Mario game ever made.
Story
Mario & Luigi head off coin-hunting — but Peach is already being kidnapped below
Gold Mario and Silver Luigi — the ultimate coin-collecting team
Jump through a Gold Ring and every enemy turns golden, showering coinsJust as Mario and Luigi set off on a coin-collecting adventure in the clouds, a familiar shadow falls over the Mushroom Kingdom — Princess Peach has been kidnapped by the seven Koopalings. Mario must battle through six worlds and three secret worlds, collecting a staggering hoard of coins along the way, to rescue her and face Bowser and Dry Bowser in the final confrontation.
This time, coins are everywhere — pipes lead to golden caverns, enemies drop trails of coins, and a new arsenal of golden power-ups transforms enemies, blocks and the world into glittering cascades of currency. The ultimate challenge: the 1,000,000 coin goal. Collect a million coins across your save file for the ultimate reward.
Gameplay & New Features
Gold Mario — transform with the Gold Flower to turn nearly everything into coins
The 1,000,000 coin challenge — collect them across your entire save fileNew Super Mario Bros. 2 is classic NSMB — tight controls, inventive levels, hidden secrets — but wraps it in one all-consuming motivation: coins. Every design decision funnels you toward collecting more, culminating in the monumental million-coin challenge.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Gold Flower → Gold Mario | Find the rare Gold Flower to become Gold Mario. Gold Fireballs turn bricks, enemies and blocks into coins. Stomping enemies yields 5 coins each. The most powerful new transformation. |
| Gold Block | Hit a Coin Block enough times and it turns gold and sticks to Mario’s head. Sprint and coins pour out behind you — the faster you run, the more you collect. |
| Gold Ring | Jump through a Gold Ring and all nearby enemies turn golden — Gold Koopas leave coin trails, Gold Lakitus rain coins from above, Gold Cheep-Cheeps trail coins as they swim. |
| Coin Rush | Three back-to-back stages with one life — collect maximum coins. Scores save and share via StreetPass. The primary competitive replayability mode. |
| 1 Million Coin Challenge | Collect 1,000,000 total coins across your save file. Rewards a title screen star and the White Raccoon Leaf (permanent invincibility). |
| SpotPass Worldwide Coin Total | Every coin you collect is added to a global counter. Nintendo tracked and displayed this publicly — a collective social challenge that surpassed 300 billion coins. |
| 2-Player Co-op | Both players need a 3DS and game card. One plays Mario, one Luigi. Double Ground Pounds, shared lives, and mid-game join support. |
| Raccoon Mario (Super Leaf) | The iconic SMB3 power-up returns in a mainline 2D Mario for the first time since 1988. Run to build P-Meter and fly; tail-swipe to deflect projectiles. |
| Dash Mario Stages | Auto-running stages launched from Warp Cannons — Mario runs automatically, you jump to dodge and collect coins en route. |
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Circle Pad / D-Pad | Move · Crouch · Enter pipes |
| A / B / X | Jump |
| Y (hold) | Run / Dash · Build P-Meter for Raccoon flight · Pick up items |
| L / R | Use reserved item from item box |
| Start | Pause |
Worlds
Six numbered worlds plus three secret worlds (Mushroom, Flower, Star). Each numbered world has a Reznor fortress and a Koopaling castle. Shortcut warp route: W1 → Mushroom → Flower → W6.
Coin Rush
Coin Rush — three stages back-to-back with one life. High scores save and share via StreetPassCoin Rush plays three stages consecutively with a single life — maximise your coin haul. Scores save automatically and share via StreetPass with nearby players. DLC packs added extra stage sets exclusively for Coin Rush.
Power-Ups & Items
NSMB2 introduces three gold power-ups built entirely around coin collection. The Super Leaf makes its first mainline 2D Mario return since Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988).
Bosses
Every fortress is guarded by the Reznors — fire-breathing dinosaurs returning from Super Mario World after 20 years. Every castle ends with a Koopaling. World 6 Castle features Dry Bowser as a surprise mid-boss before the true final Bowser battle.
The Seven Koopalings
Larry KoopaWorld 1 Castle
Morton Koopa Jr.World 2 Castle
Wendy O. KoopaWorld 3 Castle
Lemmy KoopaWorld 4 Castle
Roy KoopaWorld 5 Castle
Iggy KoopaWorld 6 Castle
Ludwig von KoopaWorld Star Castle
Dry BowserW6 Castle (mid)Fortress Bosses & Final Battles
Reznors — four fire-breathing dinosaurs return from Super Mario World to guard every fortress
Knock all four Reznors off the rotating wheel to clear each fortress| Boss | Location | Attack Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Reznors | All fortresses | Four fire-breathers on rotating platforms. Knock them all off to advance. |
| Larry Koopa | World 1 Castle | Wand Magic Blasts. Jump on head three times. |
| Morton Koopa Jr. | World 2 Castle | Staff charges and Ground Pound shockwaves. |
| Lemmy Koopa | World 3 Castle | Bounces on a ball with clone decoys — identify and hit the real Lemmy. |
| Wendy O. Koopa | World 4 Castle | Bouncing Candy Rings and Ground Pounds. |
| Roy Koopa | World 5 Castle | Ceiling-lowering Ground Pounds — act fast or get crushed. |
| Iggy Koopa | World 6 Castle | Rides Chain Chomp on a tilting lava platform. |
| Ludwig von Koopa | World Star Castle | Multiple Magic Blasts + flight. The hardest Koopaling. |
| Dry Bowser | W6 Castle (mid) | Skeleton Bowser throws bones. Falls into lava — Bowser then rehydrates for the true final. |
| Bowser | W6 Castle (final) | Classic axe bridge battle, then the true mega-Bowser confrontation follows. |
Downloadable Content
NSMB2 was one of Nintendo’s first 3DS games with paid DLC — and the first Nintendo game available as a simultaneous digital and retail release in the West. All DLC adds new Coin Rush packs.
| Pack | Description |
|---|---|
| Nerve-Wrack Pack | Three precision stages for expert players — speed and skill focused. |
| Gold Rush Pack | Three stages with maximised Gold Ring and Gold enemy encounters. Highest coin yield. |
| Coin Challenge Pack A | Three classic-themed stages with remixed layouts and enhanced coin placements. |
| Coin Challenge Pack B | Second classic-remix set with harder platforming. |
| Mushroom Pack | Three mushroom-themed stages — forest, underground and water. |
| Ghosts & Goodies Pack | Three Ghost House stages with Boo-heavy tricky challenges. |
A digital-only Gold Edition bundled the base game with all DLC — the first premium digital Nintendo bundle on 3DS.
Reception & Sales
| Publication | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Metacritic | 78 / 100 | Generally favourable — praised polish, criticised lack of innovation. |
| IGN | 7.5 / 10 | Enjoyable but plays it too safe. |
| Nintendo Life | 8 / 10 | Praised coin-collecting hook and Raccoon Mario’s return. |
| GameSpot | 8.5 / 10 | Strong level design — Coin Rush highlighted as a standout. |
| Edge | 7 / 10 | Questioned depth of the coin mechanic as a game design hook. |
| Famitsu | 36 / 40 | Near-perfect reception in Japan. |
Despite mixed critical reception around creative ambition, NSMB2 became a massive commercial success — 13.44 million lifetime sales, one of the best-selling 3DS games ever and 5.4 million copies in year one alone.
Trivia & Notable Facts
- First 3DS game available for digital download on launch day in Japan — a landmark for Nintendo’s digital strategy.
- First simultaneous digital and retail release in the West for Nintendo — a watershed moment for their digital storefronts.
- The worldwide SpotPass coin total surpassed 300 billion within a few months of launch.
- The Reznors return after a 20-year absence — last seen in Super Mario World (SNES, 1990).
- The Koopalings appear in all seven worlds for the first time since Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990).
- Dry Bowser serves as a mid-boss directly before the real Bowser in the same stage — unique in the series.
- The Super Leaf hadn’t appeared in a mainline 2D Mario since 1988 before its NSMB2 return.
- Nintendo’s paid DLC was controversial at announcement — a significant shift in their stance on downloadable content.
- Speedrunners discovered Gold Ring + Gold Mario combinations that allowed reaching the million-coin milestone in under a week.
Videos
New Super Mario Bros. 2 — E3 Trailer (June 2012)
TV Commercial — Penelope & Monica Cruz