Launch Station: New Super Mario Bros. 2

Back in 2006, Nintendo revitalized classic 2D side-scrolling Mario with New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS.  New Super Mario Bros. was so popular for Nintendo that they brought it to the Wii in 2009.  Now 2012 marks a rare occasion that sees two 2D side-scrolling Mario games release in the same year, New Super Mario Bros. 2 and New Super Mario Bros. U.  Today, we are looking at the direct sequel to New Super Mario Bros. for the original DS, New Super Mario Bros. 2.  While New Super Mario Bros. 2 does mark the first 3DS entry of this type of Mario game, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is also the first 3DS game to release in both digital and physical forms simultaneously.  Come midnight Sunday, you will be able to download New Super Mario Bros. 2 from the Nintendo eShop for the same price as the retail copy of the game will be sold for.  While quite late in the game, it is a pretty big step in the right direction for Nintendo to say the least.

Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach yet again and it is up to the Mario Brothers to save the monarch of the Mushroom Kingdom once again.  There is a huge emphasis on coin collecting in New Super Mario Bros. 2.  While your main goal like all Mario games is the save Princess Peach, the ultimate goal of New Super Mario Bros. 2 is to collect one million coins.  There are a few new items such as the Gold Flower and the Gold Block to help produce large amounts of coins for Mario and Luigi to collect.      Aside from the main game, there is the new Gold Rush mode for gamers to sink their teeth into.  In Gold Rush mode, you play a set of three levels collecting as many coins as you can possibly collect with one life and challenge other gamers to beat your high score through StreetPass.  Sometime after the release of New Super Mario Bros. 2, Nintendo will be releasing brand new levels to play in Coin Rush mode that you can buy as DLC.  As long as you have two copies of New Super Mario Bros. 2, you can play two player co-op throughout the entire game.

When Nintendo first announced New Super Mario Bros. 2 back in April, I was very excited for a brand new entry in the New Super Mario Bros. series.  Come August, I not as excited as I once was.  The more I have seen of the newest Mario side-scrollers, the more it feels like the same.  Do I plan of ever picking up New Super Mario Bros. 2?  Yes, I do plan on picking it up, just not now.  I have other big games to pick up this month and sadly New Super Mario Bros. 2 does not fit into the equation.  As much as I love classic side-scrolling Mario games, it is time for Nintendo to shake things up before I really get excited for another one.  Everything here is just one mans' opinion.  If you are looking for a 3DS game that will certainly be worth the money or just a big Mario fan, definitely pick up New Super Mario Bros. 2.  You can never go wrong with Mario.