New Super Mario Bros.

New Super Mario Bros. is the latest game in the Super Mario Bros. series to be released, for the Nintendo DS. It was released in 2006.

The basic premise, as with previous games in the series, is to reach the end of levels, usually done by moving to the right. Levels are arranged in 8 worlds, which each contain at least one tower and a castle as well as the normal levels. The game's major enemy is Bowser Jr., who appears periodically in battles throughout the game, always in the mid-world towers; the castles harbor different bosses. Exclusive to the Nintendo DS, starring Mario and Luigi. The game features a solo story mode with Mario, a two-player wireless game Mario vs. Luigi, as well as a mini-game mode for up to four players. The multiplayer games support both single- and multi-card play. The mini-games are mostly the same as those featured in Super Mario 64 DS, with the difference that they do not need to be unlocked here.

Gameplay
New Super Mario Bros. is very much like Super Mario Bros. in terms of gameplay, but new features have been added. One of two control options can be selected in the Options menu: Jumping with A/B and Running with X/Y, or Jumping with A/Y and Running with B/X. Mario is controlled with the D-Pad, and the Touch Screen is only required to active the stored item, which is used in the same style as in Super Mario World. When Mario enters a pipe to a secret area, the top screen and the touch screen are switched, and gameplay continues on the touch screen as long as Mario is in that area. In that case, the stored item cannot be activated.

The Wall Jump makes its first appearance in a 2D game since being introduced to 3D Mario games with Super Mario 64. In contrast to the 3D games, Mario has to slide down a wall for a considerable amount of time before being able to jump. This technique lets Mario or Luigi reach new areas by bouncing off the side of any wall or vertical object, and is useful for escaping from a fall down a hole. Mario has the ability to Ground Pound by pressing down when in the air, allowing him to smash blocks downward. There are different power-ups, like the Blue Koopa Shell that lets Mario travel like a kicked Koopa Troopa shell, the Mega Mushroom that makes the player grow about three to five times Mario's size (also seen in Super Mario 64 DS), and the Mini Mushroom which causes Mario to grow about half of Small Mario's size. However, some items remain unchanged, such as the Super Mushroom, and the Fire Flower.

The game also features a world map, with different and secret paths (like Super Mario World). Alternate paths can be unlocked with Star Coins. There are three in each level, usually adding an extra challenge for the player apart from just reaching the goal. Some are in clear sight while others are hidden in warp pipes, up Beanstalks, and other inconspicuous places. On the world map, signs block paths that require five Star Coins to open. After a player defeats Bowser and Bowser Jr. in Bowser's Castle, a new, mysterious blue Toad House will appear just above World 1. It is a market, and for 20 Star Coins, the player can buy a wallpaper for the bottom screen. The fifth and final background is only available after all of the 40 Star Coin Gates have been opened.

Mario or Luigi only has to go through six of the eight worlds &mdash; the game jumps the player from World 3 to World 5 or World 6 to World 8 automatically. Mario or Luigi must defeat the World 2 and/or World 5 bosses in Mini mode to instead reach World 4 and World 7, respectively.

Another secret is Challenge Mode. This means the player cannot scroll the screen to the left or downward. To unlock it, go to the map screen (any world) and press START, L, R, L, R, X, X, Y, Y. It will also show an arrow pointing right on the world maps and levels touch screen. This means that you cannot turn back in all the courses (including castles), which adds the feeling of the original game even more.

It is also possible to play as Luigi in single player mode by holding down L+R when selecting a file. There is no gameplay difference between the brothers.

Story
Mario and Princess Peach were walking together around Peach's Castle, when a mysterious thundercloud (possibly Lakithunder) appeared, and struck the castle with lightning. Mario went to investigate, and while he was there, Bowser Jr. snuck up behind a bush and kidnapped Peach! Mario followed, and Bowser Jr. dragged her behind him through eight different worlds.

The end of the first world has Bowser as its boss, unusually. Even more surprising, after Mario presses a switch that destroys the floor and Bowser falls into the pit of lava, the king's flesh is burned off and he becomes a Dry Bones-like version of himself (Known as Dry Bowser, or Dry Bowser). Later, at World 8, Mario has to face this undead version of Bowser as the penultimate boss in the game. Bowser Bones falls into a pit, but Bowser Jr. somehow finds his father's bones, and he revives him by tossing his remains into a bubbling cauldron of some magic potion, which results in not only Bowser returning from the dead, but growing roughly three times his size.

At the end, Bowser and his son fight Mario together, but Mario defeats them (again), sending the two into yet another pit. After the ending sequence, Bowser Jr. is shown dragging his unconscious father across the castle floor. When he notices the player watching him, he shouts something and then continues on with his task.

Bosses
The bosses in this game are:

Bowser

Bowser Jr (tower boss)

Pokey

Giant Cheep Cheep

Giant Goomba

Petey Piranha

Lakithunder

Dry Bowser

Bowser and Bowser Jr (final battle)

Hints
If you go to the save game file menu and hold L and R and press A, You will be able to play as Luigi.

World 4 and World 7 can only be opened by defeating the World 2 or World 5 boss with a Mini Mushroom.