New Super Mario Bros.
Twenty years after Nintendo’s biggest franchise was born, the Mario Bros. return in a dazzling all-new platformer. Fans from Mario’s classic days will see their dreams answered, while a new generation will learn what true platforming greatness means — the best-selling DS game of all time.
Overview
Bowser Jr. kidnaps Peach while Mario is distracted by a mysterious thundercloud strike on the castle
Classic side-scrolling platforming with 3D polygonal graphics — Mario near the end of World 1-1New Super Mario Bros. marked the first all-new 2D Mario platformer in over 15 years, bringing the classic side-scrolling formula back to life on Nintendo DS. Combining the look and feel of the original Super Mario Bros. games with 3D polygonal graphics and new moves introduced in Super Mario 64, it became the best-selling game in the history of the DS platform.
The game spans 8 worlds across diverse environments — grasslands, deserts, islands, forests, sky, cliffs, clouds and volcanoes — each featuring multiple levels, a tower, a ghost house, a fortress and a castle. Three Star Coins are hidden in every level, rewarding exploration and providing unlock currency for secret paths on the world map.
Story
Mario and Princess Peach are enjoying a peaceful walk near Peach’s Castle when a mysterious thundercloud appears and strikes the castle. Mario rushes to investigate. The moment he leaves Peach’s side, Bowser Jr. swoops in and kidnaps her.
Mario sets off across the Mushroom Kingdom — through deserts, oceans, forests and volcanoes — battling Bowser Jr. at the end of every tower and castle along the way. Each time Mario defeats him, Bowser Jr. escapes and carries Peach to the next world. At the end of World 8, Mario faces Bowser himself in the final castle. Bowser is knocked into a pit by a skull switch, but Bowser Jr. revives him, swelling his father into a massive Giant Bowser. Mario outruns the colossus through a crumbling castle, hits a final skull switch at the end, and sends Bowser crashing down for good. Peach is freed and the Mushroom Kingdom is saved.
From the instruction booklet emergency news flash: “Princess Peach has been kidnapped! While enjoying a nice walk with Mario, the beloved ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom was whisked away by an unknown assailant. Didn’t Bowser Jr. once think that Princess Peach might be his mother? Looks like Mario’s going to need all the Mega Mushrooms he can find to get to the bottom of this mess!”
Gameplay
New Super Mario Bros. plays very much like the classic 2D platformers — especially Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3 — but adds new moves from Mario’s 3D adventures. The Wall Jump, Triple Jump and Ground Pound all make their 2D debut here, having been introduced in Super Mario 64. Two control schemes are available in Options, and the Touch Screen is only used to activate a stored item (similar to Super Mario World’s item box).
When Mario enters a pipe to a secret area, gameplay switches from the top screen to the touch screen until he exits. The world map features alternate and secret paths unlocked with Star Coins. Three Star Coins are hidden in every level — some in plain sight, others hidden inside warp pipes, up vines or behind walls. Star Coins are spent to open sign-blocked paths on the world map. Only three of the eight worlds are required to reach the ending, but secrets and alternate routes reward thorough exploration.
Power-ups
Seven power-ups transform Mario’s abilities. The Mega Mushroom and Mini Mushroom are new to the series:
Super MushroomGrows Small Mario to full size. Can break brick blocks.
Fire FlowerThrow bouncing fireballs that defeat most enemies.
StarmanTemporary invincibility — defeats all enemies on contact.
Mega MushroomGrows Mario to enormous size, smashing through everything. Exclusive Star Coins available only as Mega Mario.
Mini MushroomShrinks Mario tiny — can run on water surfaces, enter tiny pipes and reach otherwise inaccessible areas. Required for certain secret exits.
Blue ShellMario wears a Koopa shell — slide into enemies, cling to walls and perform powerful sliding attacks.
1-Up MushroomFound in blocks or earned by collecting 100 coins.
Moves
| Move | How | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Triple Jump | Jump × 3 consecutively | Third jump reaches great height with a spin flip |
| Wall Jump | Jump off a wall | Bounce between walls to climb vertical shafts |
| Ground Pound | Jump then press down | Slam down on enemies or activate ground switches |
| Crouch Jump | Crouch then jump | Higher jump from a crouching start |
| Sliding | Crouch on a slope | Slide down hills and into enemies |
| Swimming | Press jump in water | Navigate underwater levels |
Worlds
The world map — featuring alternate paths, Warp Cannons and Toad Houses that can be unlocked with Star Coins
Mario vs. Luigi mode — two-player local wireless battle for stars on specially designed levelsThe game features 8 worlds on an overworld map, with secret and alternate paths like Super Mario World. Only 3 worlds are required — the rest can be bypassed via Warp Cannons found by discovering secret exits. Each world has a tower (Bowser Jr. boss), a castle (world boss) and multiple levels with 3 Star Coins each.
World 1GrasslandThe opening world — sunny and accessible. Introduces underground, underwater, tower, sky and castle level types. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), Petey Piranha (Castle).
World 2DesertSandy levels with oasis sections, the game’s only sewer level, and Spinies/Lakitus. Contains an alternate castle level. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), Mummipokey (Castle).
World 3Island & OceanBeach and water world introducing ocean-floor levels and plenty of swimming. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), Cheepskipper (Castle).
World 4ForestDense jungle with plant-based obstacles. Unlocked only by defeating World 2 Castle as Mini Mario. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), Goomboss (Castle).
World 5SkyElevated platforms in the clouds with strong winds. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), King Boo (Castle).
World 6Cliff & IceRocky clifftop levels with icy patches and powerful enemies. Unlocked only by defeating World 5 Castle as Mini Mario. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), Monty Tank (Castle).
World 7Sky CloudsHigh-altitude stormy sky with airships and tricky platforming. Unlocked only via secret exit in World 4 Ghost House. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), Lakithunder (Castle).
World 8Lava & VolcanoThe brutal final world — lava pits, fire enemies and relentless difficulty. Ends with the final castle where Bowser and Giant Bowser are fought. Boss: Bowser Jr. (Tower), Bowser → Giant Bowser (Castle).
Star Coins: 3 hidden per level. Used to open sign-blocked paths on the world map. Collecting all 32 sets of coins from blocked signs unlocks the final blue wallpaper in the Blue Toad House above World 1. After finishing the game, the Blue Toad House sells background wallpapers for 20 Star Coins each.
Bosses
Bowser Jr. serves as the recurring tower boss in every world, fought in two styles that alternate. The eight castle bosses are all unique to this game except Petey Piranha, Goomboss and King Boo. Most can be defeated by three stomps (Ground Pound = two stomps); Boss Goomba must always be Ground Pounded. Bowser is immune to stomps — hit the skull switch behind him to open the floor beneath him.
World 1 CastlePetey PiranhaGiant Piranha Plant — stomp the cork in his mouth to deal damage. Returns from Mario Sunshine.
World 2 CastleMummipokeyA mummified Pokey that burrows underground and strikes from unexpected angles. New to the series.
World 3 CastleCheepskipperA giant Cheep-Cheep that leaps out of the water. Jump on it mid-air to deal damage. New to the series.
World 4 CastleGoombossThe Goomba King who marches forward and unleashes Goomba minions. Returns from Super Mario 64 DS.
World 5 CastleKing BooLaunches Boos and spins a spiked ball. Hit him when he shows his face. Returns from Luigi’s Mansion.
World 6 CastleMonty TankA Monty Mole driving a tank — dodge cannon fire and stomp the driver. New to the series.
World 7 CastleLakithunderA Lakitu that summons lightning bolts. Stomp him when the cloud descends. New to the series.
World 8 CastleBowser → Giant BowserHit the skull switch to floor Bowser in the first fight. Bowser Jr. revives him as Giant Bowser — outrun the colossus and hit the final skull switch.
Bowser Jr. appears as the tower boss in all 8 worlds, alternating between two attack patterns. He is also fought in a unique mid-air encounter in World 8 before the final castle.
Characters
| Character | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mario | Playable protagonist | The hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. Uses moves from Super Mario 64 including Triple Jump and Ground Pound. Can be played as in Story Mode. |
| Luigi | Playable (secret) | Mario’s brother. Available in Mario vs. Luigi mode and unlockable in Story Mode by holding L+R when selecting a save file. Identical gameplay to Mario. |
| Princess Peach | Captured | Ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. Kidnapped by Bowser Jr. at the start; rescued at the end of every castle only to be recaptured until the finale. |
| Bowser Jr. | Recurring villain | Bowser’s son and the game’s recurring tower boss. Kidnaps Peach personally. Fought at the end of every tower in all 8 worlds. |
| Bowser | Final boss | The Koopa King, fought at the end of World 8 Castle. Defeated once normally, then revived by Bowser Jr. as an enormous Giant Bowser. |
| Toad | Supporting | Runs the Toad Houses on the world map, providing items and mushroom power-ups. |
Characters
The minigames menu — over 30 games divided into Action, Puzzle, Table and 1-on-1 categories, playable solo or with up to 4 players via DS Download PlayClassic side-scrolling action — Mario near the end of World 1, collecting Star Coins and aiming for the top of the flag poleMario vs. Luigi & Multiplayer
New Super Mario Bros. features a dedicated competitive multiplayer mode — Mario vs. Luigi — playable by two players over local DS wireless. One player controls Mario, the other controls Luigi, and both battle on specially designed levels collecting stars. Collecting 8 coins earns a player an item. The game doesn’t end until one brother is crowned supreme — making it one of the most replayable features of the game.
In addition to Mario vs. Luigi, the game features over 30 minigames, many carried over from Super Mario 64 DS with graphical updates. They are divided into single-player and multiplayer categories, and multiplayer games support 1–4 players via DS Download Play. Minigame categories include:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Action | Snowball Slalom, Balloon Racing, Whack-a-Monty, Run Bob-omb Run! |
| Puzzle | Wanted!, Which Wiggler?, Hide and Boo Seek, Coincentration |
| Table | Picture Poker, Memory Match, Luigi’s Thrilling Cards, Bob-omb Reverse |
| 1 on 1 | Vs. Mario’s Slides, and more exclusive 2-player games |
Items & Objects
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Coin | Collect 100 for an extra life. In Mario vs. Luigi, collecting 8 gives an item. |
| Star Coin | 3 hidden per level. Spend on world map sign blocks and Blue Toad House wallpapers. |
| ? Block | Strike from below to reveal coins or power-ups. |
| Brick Block | Break with Super Mario or larger forms; hides items. |
| Hidden Block | Invisible blocks that reveal themselves when hit. |
| Warp Pipe | Enter to travel to secret areas (switches to touch screen), bonus rooms or bonus worlds. |
| Warp Cannon | Found via secret exits — launches Mario to skip ahead several worlds. |
| Red Flag Pole | Reach the very top of the goal pole for a star in the castle flag. |
| Toad House | Tap card faces down to win items. Found on the world map. |
| Hammer Bro. | Roving enemy on the world map. Defeat to earn a power-up. |
Reception & Sales
New Super Mario Bros. received critical acclaim, praised universally as a brilliant revival of the classic 2D platformer formula — long thought obsolete after gaming’s shift to 3D with Super Mario 64.
| Publication | Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| IGN (Craig Harris) | 9.5/10 | Marked a brilliant return to Mario’s side-scrolling environments — classic feel with new elements that advance the design. |
| GameSpot (Jeff Gerstmann) | 9/10 | Completely awesome and absolutely necessary. An essential new classic that lives up to the legacy of the series. |
| Nintendo Life (Corbie Dillard) | 9/10 | The wait was obviously worth it. One of the best platformers in years, easily worthy of the Super Mario Bros. name. |
| Metacritic | 89/100 | Aggregated critical acclaim across all major outlets. |
| GameRankings | 89.07% | Consistent critical praise across dozens of reviews. |
Sales
New Super Mario Bros. is the best-selling Nintendo DS game of all time, having sold 30.80 million copies worldwide. It revitalised the 2D platformer genre and directly led to the New Super Mario Bros. series of sequels on Wii, 3DS and Wii U.