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Media: The New Super Mario Bros. Wii Megapost
October 16, 2009 | 9:52 AM PST
Wow, and I thought we had a lot to talk about yesterday regarding New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but since posting that article, a ton of new stuff has come up regarding the game, including a lot of info from Nintendo EAD General Manager Shigeru Miyamoto, more details on the Super Guide, a ton of videos, and a big bunch of new screens in our gallery.
And for added convenience, I've given each part of the story following the videos its own header, making it easier to find the info you want.
So without further ado, let's-a go!
From the new official website (via GoNintendo) comes a new video showing off Mario and company's "super skills:"
It looks like we can put fears of a Penguin Suit-less game to rest, as we see it sliding its way through rows of bricks. It looks like the Mini Mushroom returns, too. Another interesting feat is that it appears Mario can now kick a moving shell from behind to keep it propelling forward.
And check out the part with the Yoshis flutter-jumping Bullet Bills for 1UPs; it seems that an unseen audience applauds your moves with every new life you get.
Near the end, I'm not sure what's cooler: using an Ice Flower to freeze and fragment Pokeys, or using the ground pound after to score a ton of points and lives.
Another new trailer shows off some more tricks:
So, it seems that frozen enemies not only make handy stepping stones, but allows you to pick them up and throw them in a fashion not entirely unlike the mechanics of Super Mario Bros. 2. We also see the returning POW block in action.
There are also new enemies revealed in what I would assume are called the "Ice Bros.," frosty counterparts to the "Fire Bros." branch of the Hammer Brother family.
And Yoshis in many colors, but seemingly without their special shell-powered skills. Not a big loss, in my opinion; the only one really worthwhile was the blue Yoshi's flight.
IGN has added a few new videos as well, with the first depicting something many of us have been eagerly awaiting, a boss battle with a Koopaling!
Looks like those balls are more difficult to navigate, but aren't lethal to the touch as they could be before. And it sounds like the Koopa Kids get voices of sorts.
Additionally, our own Matt Green pointed out that Iggy isn't the only one sporting a new hairdo; Lemmy seems to have a strand of long hair hanging from the back, too. Guess those two wanted to differentiate themselves from one-another.
Next up, a bit of underground action:
Wow, that's new: lighting effects from fireballs. I like it.
And the last of the IGN bunch gives us more of what we love from steed-worthy dinosaur buddies:
Not a lot new there, except that we finally get to see the Hammer Bros. receive a taste of their own medicine as Yoshi grabs a hammer with his tongue and spits it back at the dastardly duo.
Now, GameSpot joins in the fun with yet three more videos. The first depicts the scene we just saw, but from a different run:
Next, Mario hot-foots it solo through the fiery sands of the desert to the tune a remix of the desert theme from New Super Mario Bros. on DS, avoiding Piranha Plants all the while.
And finally, more Ice Flower action from within one of the fortresses:
Wow, spiked balls look like a surefire way to put an end to a quartet of ice-lobbing adventurers.
Now, moving on from the videos, we have a ton of information for you, too.
More Super Guide Info
First up, IGN has new information on the Super Guide mode. Thanks to GoNintendo, here is what we hadn't heard already.
Each Super Guide was done by a member of the development team. And while the Guide won't show you secret items or paths, it will still reveal some secret actions, such as hitting a multi-coin block ten times to receive a five-coin bonus on the tenth hit.
A bonus lies in wait for those capable of getting through the entire game without once triggering a Super Guide block to appear (via dying eight times on the same level). They aren't specific, except to describe it as a "title screen reward."
I wonder if it just has to be eight times in total, or simply eight consecutive times. I mean, if you beat the level on your seventh try, go on to finish the game flawlessly, then play the level again and happen to die in that level, will it fault you for it?
Finally, those of you who despise the Super Guide through and through may take comfort in knowing that Miyamoto has said he feels "shameful" when the guide option pops up, as it makes him realize just how poorly he has done.
"I feel guilty when the Super Guide block appears," he said, according to GameDaily. "I feel inspired to finish the level on my own."
They note that the game also has hint movies that are unlocked by collected Star Coins which "show off videos of very skilled gameplay, moves and secrets." The idea is that they will inspire those who watch them to also become a "super player."
As far as future titles go, such as the Zelda everyone expected to debut the feature when the patent was originally discovered, Miyamoto says that each title will be evaluated individually, but that placing it in a Zelda title could "open a Pandora's box," as it is difficult to determine just how much of a puzzle should be revealed to the player.
Made for Multiplayer
Mario's journey has been an interesting one. From a roundtable in New York, Gamasutra quotes Miyamoto as revealing that the multiplayer functions in New Super Mario Bros. Wii are more of a return to the series' roots:
"The original concept was that the Mario Bros. games would be games that two people always played together," Miyamoto explained, "but of course, the Super Mario Bros. series turned into more of a single-player game."
Despite the change in direction, Miyamoto says he's never lost interest in the multiplayer experience, and the Wii seemed to reignite that ideal further. With the console positioned as a family living-room device, Nintendo opted to focus on the local experience, designing the game for face-to-face play among groups.
He notes from observing people playing the game that the multiplayer aspect seems to make it a different experience, as well. "People would play the game and...people playing alone had a serious look on their face. They were working very hard...and it was a big challenge for them."
"But as soon as we had multiple people playing the game their expressions changed dramatically," he said, describing "an environment of lighthearted excitement and rapid-fire verbal communication."
Hardcore Helpers
As information has come forth regarding the Super Guide feature, the game has also developed a reputation as being more challenging than one might expect. In this regard, the multiplayer can also prove to be an asset, as more experienced players can assist those newer to the style of game by carrying, rescuing, or leading younger or less-experienced players.
Of course, players can also provide more challenge for one-another in a competitive sense. "Because it is multiplayer, it has some new facets, in the sense that more advanced gamers can take care of novice players that might be playing with them, and ...carry them through the levels," Miyamoto notes.
Following the DS 2P Experience
When New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS was first being shown off, one feature which was eagerly anticipated, but eventually dropped, was the ability to play through the levels with a partner. Naturally, this upset some people, and their reactions told Miyamoto that this sort of multiplayer was essential to building on the sort of variety they wanted.
"One of the things we tried to achieve [on DS] was a balance of difficulty that would be easier for some of the newer gamers who first joined with the DS hardware, but would still satisfy the needs of longtime fans," Miyamoto said, adding "But we found that doing that was actually pretty difficult."
He then recalled being asked at E3 about whether this game would be as easy as New Super Mario Bros. on the DS was. "I think I said that it wouldn't be as easy. ...What we've created this time is in fact pretty difficult," concluded Miyamoto.
A 2D Renaissance
During a Q&A session at the Roundtable, Miyamoto acknowledged that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a return to the series' roots, which was a deliberate move to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Plus, he feels that multiplayer is better suited to the type of gameplay the oldschool Marios provide.
He goes on to say 2D gaming in general is experiencing a sort of renaissance, as people are now "remembering the benefits of 2D gaming."
"To go 2D you have to have the courage to not be so attached to visuals," Miyamoto added.
Other Stuff
IGN has a full transcription of the roundtable available, but below are some parts we found particularly interesting.
First up, Miyamoto gives something of an overview of how the game works overall:
Miyamoto also goes on to reveal the "first all-red Wii box," as we saw yesterday. He also notes that the U.S. "gets a nice foil stamp Wii logo which we don't get in Japan. (laughs)"
From there, they move on to Q&A:
Hmm, intriguing.
That's a lot of thought to go into one concept... and I like that.
And last, for our purposes at least, is the question everyone has been dying to know:
I thought it'd be nice to have her as a playable character, but the toad characters had a similar physique to a Mario character than Peach does. And if one of the four had a dress, we'd have to come up with a special programming to handle how the skirt is handled in the gameplay, and that's really the only reason why Peach isn't playable (laughs). Of course If we had Wario in there we'd have to program a way to make him fart. (laughs)
And I'll bet that last line has brought a tear to Matt Green's eye.
And for added convenience, I've given each part of the story following the videos its own header, making it easier to find the info you want.
So without further ado, let's-a go!
From the new official website (via GoNintendo) comes a new video showing off Mario and company's "super skills:"
It looks like we can put fears of a Penguin Suit-less game to rest, as we see it sliding its way through rows of bricks. It looks like the Mini Mushroom returns, too. Another interesting feat is that it appears Mario can now kick a moving shell from behind to keep it propelling forward.
And check out the part with the Yoshis flutter-jumping Bullet Bills for 1UPs; it seems that an unseen audience applauds your moves with every new life you get.
Near the end, I'm not sure what's cooler: using an Ice Flower to freeze and fragment Pokeys, or using the ground pound after to score a ton of points and lives.
Another new trailer shows off some more tricks:
So, it seems that frozen enemies not only make handy stepping stones, but allows you to pick them up and throw them in a fashion not entirely unlike the mechanics of Super Mario Bros. 2. We also see the returning POW block in action.
There are also new enemies revealed in what I would assume are called the "Ice Bros.," frosty counterparts to the "Fire Bros." branch of the Hammer Brother family.
And Yoshis in many colors, but seemingly without their special shell-powered skills. Not a big loss, in my opinion; the only one really worthwhile was the blue Yoshi's flight.
IGN has added a few new videos as well, with the first depicting something many of us have been eagerly awaiting, a boss battle with a Koopaling!
Looks like those balls are more difficult to navigate, but aren't lethal to the touch as they could be before. And it sounds like the Koopa Kids get voices of sorts.
Additionally, our own Matt Green pointed out that Iggy isn't the only one sporting a new hairdo; Lemmy seems to have a strand of long hair hanging from the back, too. Guess those two wanted to differentiate themselves from one-another.
Next up, a bit of underground action:
Wow, that's new: lighting effects from fireballs. I like it.
And the last of the IGN bunch gives us more of what we love from steed-worthy dinosaur buddies:
Not a lot new there, except that we finally get to see the Hammer Bros. receive a taste of their own medicine as Yoshi grabs a hammer with his tongue and spits it back at the dastardly duo.
Now, GameSpot joins in the fun with yet three more videos. The first depicts the scene we just saw, but from a different run:
Next, Mario hot-foots it solo through the fiery sands of the desert to the tune a remix of the desert theme from New Super Mario Bros. on DS, avoiding Piranha Plants all the while.
And finally, more Ice Flower action from within one of the fortresses:
Wow, spiked balls look like a surefire way to put an end to a quartet of ice-lobbing adventurers.
Now, moving on from the videos, we have a ton of information for you, too.
More Super Guide Info
First up, IGN has new information on the Super Guide mode. Thanks to GoNintendo, here is what we hadn't heard already.
Each Super Guide was done by a member of the development team. And while the Guide won't show you secret items or paths, it will still reveal some secret actions, such as hitting a multi-coin block ten times to receive a five-coin bonus on the tenth hit.
A bonus lies in wait for those capable of getting through the entire game without once triggering a Super Guide block to appear (via dying eight times on the same level). They aren't specific, except to describe it as a "title screen reward."
I wonder if it just has to be eight times in total, or simply eight consecutive times. I mean, if you beat the level on your seventh try, go on to finish the game flawlessly, then play the level again and happen to die in that level, will it fault you for it?
Finally, those of you who despise the Super Guide through and through may take comfort in knowing that Miyamoto has said he feels "shameful" when the guide option pops up, as it makes him realize just how poorly he has done.
"I feel guilty when the Super Guide block appears," he said, according to GameDaily. "I feel inspired to finish the level on my own."
They note that the game also has hint movies that are unlocked by collected Star Coins which "show off videos of very skilled gameplay, moves and secrets." The idea is that they will inspire those who watch them to also become a "super player."
As far as future titles go, such as the Zelda everyone expected to debut the feature when the patent was originally discovered, Miyamoto says that each title will be evaluated individually, but that placing it in a Zelda title could "open a Pandora's box," as it is difficult to determine just how much of a puzzle should be revealed to the player.
Made for Multiplayer
Mario's journey has been an interesting one. From a roundtable in New York, Gamasutra quotes Miyamoto as revealing that the multiplayer functions in New Super Mario Bros. Wii are more of a return to the series' roots:
"The original concept was that the Mario Bros. games would be games that two people always played together," Miyamoto explained, "but of course, the Super Mario Bros. series turned into more of a single-player game."
Despite the change in direction, Miyamoto says he's never lost interest in the multiplayer experience, and the Wii seemed to reignite that ideal further. With the console positioned as a family living-room device, Nintendo opted to focus on the local experience, designing the game for face-to-face play among groups.
He notes from observing people playing the game that the multiplayer aspect seems to make it a different experience, as well. "People would play the game and...people playing alone had a serious look on their face. They were working very hard...and it was a big challenge for them."
"But as soon as we had multiple people playing the game their expressions changed dramatically," he said, describing "an environment of lighthearted excitement and rapid-fire verbal communication."
Hardcore Helpers
As information has come forth regarding the Super Guide feature, the game has also developed a reputation as being more challenging than one might expect. In this regard, the multiplayer can also prove to be an asset, as more experienced players can assist those newer to the style of game by carrying, rescuing, or leading younger or less-experienced players.
Of course, players can also provide more challenge for one-another in a competitive sense. "Because it is multiplayer, it has some new facets, in the sense that more advanced gamers can take care of novice players that might be playing with them, and ...carry them through the levels," Miyamoto notes.
Following the DS 2P Experience
When New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS was first being shown off, one feature which was eagerly anticipated, but eventually dropped, was the ability to play through the levels with a partner. Naturally, this upset some people, and their reactions told Miyamoto that this sort of multiplayer was essential to building on the sort of variety they wanted.
"One of the things we tried to achieve [on DS] was a balance of difficulty that would be easier for some of the newer gamers who first joined with the DS hardware, but would still satisfy the needs of longtime fans," Miyamoto said, adding "But we found that doing that was actually pretty difficult."
He then recalled being asked at E3 about whether this game would be as easy as New Super Mario Bros. on the DS was. "I think I said that it wouldn't be as easy. ...What we've created this time is in fact pretty difficult," concluded Miyamoto.
A 2D Renaissance
During a Q&A session at the Roundtable, Miyamoto acknowledged that New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a return to the series' roots, which was a deliberate move to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Plus, he feels that multiplayer is better suited to the type of gameplay the oldschool Marios provide.
He goes on to say 2D gaming in general is experiencing a sort of renaissance, as people are now "remembering the benefits of 2D gaming."
"To go 2D you have to have the courage to not be so attached to visuals," Miyamoto added.
Other Stuff
IGN has a full transcription of the roundtable available, but below are some parts we found particularly interesting.
First up, Miyamoto gives something of an overview of how the game works overall:
At E3 we did a simple introduction of the Multiplayer features of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. But this is a full Super Mario game that starts at World 1 and goes all the way to World 8. You can play the story mode in single player from start to finish, and at any point you can add players from the world map and work your way to the end of the game. Beyond that, there are two dedicated multiplayer modes. Free For All lets you select stages from the story mode with a menu system that uses pictures to easily find your favorite stage. And in Coin Mode, this is a competitive multiplayer mode where you're competing for coins and ranked on how many you collect. Free for All mode is something that feels like Mario Kart where if you have friends over and you want to play your favorite level together. The levels you clear in Story Mode unlock in Free for All.
This one's my personal favorite (Miyamoto shows off a four player Yoshi level, World 1-3 where three characters ride a Yoshi and Luigi does not…and Luigi is used as a whipping boy to collect all the coins and power-ups by swallowing and spitting him out between Yoshis, never letting him touch the ground, so each killed enemy becomes a 1-up).
Coin Battle uses the levels from the Story Mode, but there are five dedicated Coin Battle levels as well. Story Mode levels in Coin Battle do have different coin placements to make them different. You also will encounter "outline coins" that you'll have to pass through before the coin appears, so being first through a level isn't exactly the best since you'll run through them all and the other players will pickup the coins they leave behind. This level should look familiar (Miyamoto boots up a level that looks exactly like the area from the original Mario Bros. complete with POW blocks).
Miyamoto also goes on to reveal the "first all-red Wii box," as we saw yesterday. He also notes that the U.S. "gets a nice foil stamp Wii logo which we don't get in Japan. (laughs)"
From there, they move on to Q&A:
Is there any particular reason you went the retail route for New Super Mario Bros. Wii and not the digital download WiiWare way? This seems to be a step backwards when compared to what was done for Super Mario Galaxy, and the expectations seem to be a bit lesser on Digital Download than on a Retail product, so why not encourage people to go online to the WiiWare channel with New Super Mario Bros. Wii?
My perspective is that the business is, overall, a package-based business. Me personally, I need to have a physical product. Especially when it's a nice red package like this. (laughs).
There are many references to other Mario games, like the coin collect, the Koopa Kids…is this a Best of Mario game? Is there anything you haven't revealed you'd like to talk about?
We've collected a lot of elements from the different Mario games. There are a lot of fans out there with favorite Mario elements, and we want to make them happy by bringing back their favorites. To be honest I don't really know what we have and haven't revealed at this point, so it's hard for me to know what I can share. The main feature is the multiplayer, obviously…two things, one I can talk about, one I can't really delve into: one of the coin battle stages is a parody/alternate reality of the original Super Mario 1-1. If you know that level and play it in New Super Mario Bros Wii. I think you'll be surprised. And, I'm not supposed to talk about it, but the final boss in the game is something that will feel fresh and new, but will definitely feel like a parody of a previous game.
Hmm, intriguing.
What elements would you say a Mario game has to have, what makes a Mario game a Mario game?
It needs to be simple to control and easy to understand. The physics in the game have to be understood by the gamer so that when they hold the controller they understand the environment and begin to try different things. And what they do feels natural. It's a back and forth between the gamer and the developer, what they expect versus what we try to offer. Unleashing the player's creativity in the environment.
As we showed you in the demo, there's the ice flower and the penguin suit, which both allow the gamer to shoot snowballs. In development, it's easy for us to say, "okay, we want the balls to freeze the enemies." But as soon as you make that decision, a number of questions arise. "If you freeze the enemies, what happens to them? If the enemy is in the air, do they hang in the air or do they fall out of the air, if it falls out of the air, what happens it hits the ground, does it rest on the ground? How long should it take before it falls out of the air? When it's sitting in the air, can the player jump on it? Should you be able to jump on it before it falls? When it falls from a certain height should it land or should it break? When you're in the water and you freeze an enemy, doesn't ice float, shouldn't it float? If it floats, how high does it float? If it floats to the top, can Mario stand on it? If he stands on it, can he slip? Or does he grip the ice? It opens up a lot of questions, and what's important in a Mario game is answering the players' expectations to what they've done in the game. To create the world so it feels real based on what the user expects.
That's a lot of thought to go into one concept... and I like that.
And last, for our purposes at least, is the question everyone has been dying to know:
Why isn't Princess Peach a playable character in New Super Mario Bros. Wii?
I thought it'd be nice to have her as a playable character, but the toad characters had a similar physique to a Mario character than Peach does. And if one of the four had a dress, we'd have to come up with a special programming to handle how the skirt is handled in the gameplay, and that's really the only reason why Peach isn't playable (laughs). Of course If we had Wario in there we'd have to program a way to make him fart. (laughs)
And I'll bet that last line has brought a tear to Matt Green's eye.
February 8, 2010
