New Super Mario Bros. U: Difference between revisions

==Story==

[[File:NSMBU Intro 1.png|thumb|left|upright=1.4|The Mario Bros. and Toads about to be hit by the [[Mecha Hand]].]]

As the game progresses, the view occasionally shifts to Peach's Castle, showing the flags being replaced by Bowser's flags (after [[Tilted Tunnel]]), and the castle being surrounded by a thin tornado-like cloud that is made thicker by [[Kamek|Magikoopa]]'s magic (after [[Stoneslide Tower]]), entirely obscuring the castle (after [[Giant Skewer Tower]] or [[Freezing-Rain Tower]]). Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad also encounter Bowser's forces, including the Koopalings, [[Boom Boom]], Magikoopa, and [[Bowser Jr.]], who occasionally attacks the heroes with his father's airship. All of them are defeated, and Bowser Jr. causes the airship to crash after making the mechanical hand punch through it. After reaching Peach's Castle and defeating Bowser, the group moves onward, but Bowser Jr. appears and urges Magikoopa to spread his magic across the area. After heading to the castle exterior, Mario and the others see Peach in a tower. Before they can save her, she is locked inside the tower and Bowser appears, now at a giant size, alongside Bowser Jr. Eventually, Bowser is defeated and Bowser Jr., embarrassed, flees. The character that defeated Bowser gets to Peach and bows down to her, and is then kissed by her, to their shock and delight, as the clouds surrounding the castle disappear, restoring it to its former state.

The first update to the game added [[Miiverse]] support. With Miiverse functionality enabled, players can read each others' posts on the world map by viewing the map; when not viewing the map a Miiverse post is indicated by a red balloon, generally near a stage, and can be hidden by pressing {{button|wiiu|A}}; when on the World Map while using Boost Mode, the GamePad player can scroll across the map on the GamePad screen and view Miiverse posts. At certain times throughout gameplay, such as when the player dies several times or reaches the end of a course in a specific way (collecting all the Star Coins, clearing in a certain amount of time, clearing without taking damage, etc.), they are given a prompt to post a message to Miiverse. Players can also see Miiverse posts after they die in a stage. Miiverse settings can be changed at any point on the world map by selecting the pencil and envelope icon on the bottom right of the pause menu.

===Controls===

[[File:NSMBU Boost Mode 3.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Perspective of gameplay, featuring four players controlling the characters with Wii Remotes while a fifth player uses the GamePad in Boost Mode.]]

Unlike ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', this game lacks [[Wii#Nunchuk|Nunchuk]] support.

====Stages====

!width=40%|Action(s)

!Wii U GamePad

====Map/menus====

!width=40%|Action(s)

!width=30%|Wii U GamePad/Pro Controller

{{NSMBU map}}

Unlike the previous ''New Super Mario Bros.'' titles, where the worlds are separated like in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' has a seamless world map with areas named after different foods and beverages, similar to ''[[Super Mario World]]''. Like ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', the worlds include [[Toad House]]s and [[Enemy Course]]s that players encounter in the game, though only red and green Toad Houses return. The music changes instruments throughout the world map similar to [[Yoshi's Island (location)|Yoshi's Island]]. Though, like the previous games, there are [[Tower]]s, [[Castle]]s, and [[Ghost House]]-related levels within each part of the world. Also like ''Super Mario World'', the worlds are connected jointly. This is also the first 2D ''Super Mario'' game to use completely unique names for each of its levels.

!colspan=8 bgcolor=#ABC|<big>Worlds</big>

|-

|colspan=2|[[File:NSMBU Acorn Plains Map.png|250px]]

|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Frosted Glacier Map.png|250px]]

|-

!width=2%|#

!width="5%"|Level

|[[File:NSMBU Fliprus Icon.png|x22px|Secret|link=]]

|[[Fliprus Lake]]

|-

|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Soda Jungle Main Map.png|250px]]<br>[[File:NSMBU Soda Jungle Haunted.png|250px]]

|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Peach's Castle World Map.png|250px]]

|-

!width=2%|#

!width="5%"|Level

|5

|[[A Quick Dip in the Sky]]

|-

|5

|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]

|[[Iggy's Volcanic Castle]]

|-

|[[File:NSMBU Parabeetle Icon.png|x22px|Secret|link=]]

|[[Flight of the Para-Beetles]]

|-

|colspan=4|[[File:NSMBU Superstar Road World Map Screenshot.png|250px]]

|colspan="4"|[[File:NSMBU Secret Island World Map.png|250px]]

|-

|-

|-

|colspan="2"|1

|colspan="2"|[[Follow That Shell!]]

|-

|-

|colspan=8 bgcolor=#B0BBD2|[[File:NSMBU Coin Courses Level Select.png|250px]]

|-

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|1|World Coin-1 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★

|-

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|2|World Coin-2 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|3|World Coin-3 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★★

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|4|World Coin-4 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★★★

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|5|World Coin-5 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★★★

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|6|World Coin-6}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★★★★

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|7|World Coin-7}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★★★★★

|colspan="4"|{{world-link|coin|8|World Coin-8}}

|colspan="4"align:center|★★★★★

|}

''New Super Mario Bros. U'' also features the return of [[Baby Yoshi]]s, having been absent from the ''Super Mario'' series since their debut in ''Super Mario World''. The game features three differently-colored Baby Yoshis, each one with a special ability. They differ from the adult Green Yoshi in terms of gameplay. Being babies, they cannot be ridden, so characters must carry them throughout the levels. Baby Yoshis also instantly eat almost any enemy that is in front of them. Unlike in ''Super Mario World'', however, Baby Yoshis no longer grow into adults after eating several enemies, instead remaining as babies. Two types of Baby Yoshis found on the overworld can be taken into any course, with the exception of [[Fortress]]es, [[Airship]]s, and [[Castle]]s.

!width="5%"|Baby Yoshi

|-

|{{sort|Bubble Baby Yoshi|[[File:NSMBU Blue Toad and Baby Yoshi Artwork.png|100px]]<br>[[Bubble Baby Yoshi]]}}

|-

|{{sort|Glowing Baby Yoshi|[[File:NSMBU Glowing Baby Yoshi With Mario Artwork 2.png|100px]]<br>[[Glowing Baby Yoshi]]}}

|}

===Bosses===

====Tower bosses====

!width="5%"|Boss

!width="50%"|Description

====Castle/airship bosses====

!width="5%"|Boss

!width="50%"|Description

===Transformations===

|[[File:NSMBUSmallMario.png|60px|center]]

|[[File:NSMBU Mario Jumping Artwork.png|100px|center]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:BowserAmp.png|100px]]<br>[[Bowser Stunner]]s

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Red-Hot Elevator Ride]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Dragoneel Screenshot.jpg|180px]][[File:LittleDragoneels.png|100px]]<br>[[Dragoneel]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Dragoneel's Undersea Grotto]] (red/purple)

|-

|align=center|[[File:Fliprus.png|100px]]<br>[[Fliprus]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Fliprus Lake]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:BalloonGoomba.png|100px]]<br>[[Goomba (balloon)]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Skyward Stalk]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:Goombrat.png|64px]]<br>[[Goombrat]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Mushroom Heights]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Grrrol Artwork.png|100px]]<br>[[Grrrol]]

|align=center|[[Stoneslide Tower]]

|align=center|[[Grinding-Stone Tower]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Fire Bar Cliffs Screenshot.jpg|100px]]<br>[[Huge Fire Bar]]

|align=center|[[Slide Lift Tower]]

|align=center|[[Fire Bar Cliffs]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Mecha Cheep Screenshot.png|100px]]<br>[[Mecha Cheep]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Boarding the Airship Mecha Hand.jpg|100px]]<br>[[Mecha Hand]]

|align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

|align=center|[[Boarding the Airship]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Dai Goro Screenshot.png|100px]]<br>[[Mega Grrrol]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Grinding-Stone Tower]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NabbitNSMBU.png|100px]]<br>[[Nabbit]]

|align=center|[[Acorn Plains Way]]

|align=center|[[Seesaw Shrooms (level)|Seesaw Shrooms]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBUD Piranha Pod model.png|100px]]<br>[[Piranha Pod]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Blooming Lakitus]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:Missile TorpedoNSMBU.png|100px]]<br>[[Targeting Ted]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Red Torpedo Base Screenshot.png|100px]]<br>[[Torpedo Base (Targeting Ted)|Torpedo Base]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Gliding Waddlewing Artwork.png|100px]]<br>[[Waddlewing]]

|align=center|[[Acorn Plains Way]]

|align=center|[[Land of Flying Blocks]]  

===Returning===

Enemies with an asterisk (*) are enemies that first appeared in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. The only two enemies that do not reappear are the [[Ghost Vase]] and the [[Bull's-Eye Banzai|Bull's-Eye Bomber Bill]].

{|border=1 cellpadding=3 style=border-collapse:collapse;width:100%

|[[Banzai Bill]]

|align=center|Large Bullet Bills that fly straight forward.

|-

|align=center|[[File:Banzai Bill Blaster NSMBW.png|100px]]

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Boomerang Bro Artwork.png|100px]]

|[[Boomerang Bro]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Bouncy Cloud Boomerangs]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:Broozer.png|100px]]

|[[Broozer]]

|align=center|[[Which-Way Labyrinth]]

|align=center|[[Spinning Spirit House]]

|align=center|[[File:NSMBW Bob-omb Cannon Render.png|100px]]

|[[Cannon]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Fire Bro Artwork.png|100px]]

|[[Fire Bro]]

|align=center|[[Fire Snake Cavern]]

|align=center|[[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]]

|align=center|[[Haunted Shipwreck]]

|align=center|[[Spinning Spirit House]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBW Giant Cannonball Screenshot.png|100px]]

|[[Giant cannonball]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBW Clampy Artwork.png|100px]]

|align=center|Clams that open and close their mouths.

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Waterspout Beach]]

|align=center|A nearly invincible enemy that charges forward, taking up most of the screen.

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Flight of the Para-Beetles]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:GreenKoopaTroopa.png|100px]][[File:KoopatroopaNSMBU.png|100px]]

|align=center|Winged Goombas that hop as they walk.

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Seesaw Shrooms (level)|Seesaw Shrooms]]

|-

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Piranha Plant in Pipe Artwork.png|100px]]

|align=center|[[File:NSMBU Sumo Bro Artwork.png|50px]]

|[[Sumo Bro]]

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Screwtop Tower]]

|-

|colspan="2"align=center|[[Wendy's Shifting Castle]]

|-

|align=center|[[Larry's Torpedo Castle]]

|align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

|-

|align=center|[[Larry's Torpedo Castle]]

|align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]

==Items and objects==

!Item!!Image!!Function

|-

|[[Goal Pole (secret)]]||[[File:Flagpole secret.png|50px]]||Red flagpoles found at the end of some levels. Touching one completes the level and leads to secret exits.

|}

===Blocks===

!Block!!Image!!Function

|-

|[[Mega Block|Big Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Ground Big Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Underground Big Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Castle Big Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Lava Big Brick Block.png|50px]]||A large Brick Block that acts like a normal block.

|-

|-

|[[Note Block|Jump Block]]||[[File:NSMBW Jump Block Sprite.png|50px]]||A block that, when Mario jumps on it, makes him jump higher.

===Transportation objects===

!Transportation!!Image!!Function

|-

===Climbable objects===

!Climbable object!!Image!!Function

|-

===Platforms===

!Platform!!Image!!Function

|-

The game has been praised for its balanced gameplay and challenge mode, with IGN's Rich George describing it as "the best thing to come to Mario's world since 3D", while criticizing it as not pushing the [[Wii U]]'s visuals and audio potential. He also stated, "though it doesn't necessarily redefine Nintendo's iconic hero, it still manages to capture the sense of carefree adventure that many of us felt as kids." He also criticized the game's "weak graphics and audio, plus the return of the irritating chaotic, bouncy multiplayer mode." He praised the progressing difficulty in the game and the additional difficulty of Challenge Mode.

|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6;"

|Reviewer, Publication

|align="left"|"''It's difficult to find freshness or brilliance in a 2D landscape. Mario's world is now three decades old. That would seem to suggest new territory is scarce, and in some ways the formulaic New Mario series had come to reinforce that fear. But New Super Mario Bros. U demonstrates there's not just life left in this type of game, but that it can be modern and nostalgic at the same time. Nintendo's approach here strikes a great balance in all areas, ranging from its difficulty to design to enemies and bosses. And for everything the basic Story Mode does right – and that's a considerable amount – the Challenge Mode will be remembered as a key moment in the life of the New Mario series, where Nintendo realized it didn’t have to sacrifice the core gamer’s experience at the expense of a more casual audience. This is how Mario can and will appeal to everyone.''"

|-

|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6;"

|colspan=2|Compiler

|}

{{br}}

===Sales===

As of March 31, 2014, ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' is the 3rd best-selling game for the Wii U, having sold about 4.16 million copies worldwide. As of September 30, 2021, it had sold 5.82 million copies worldwide.<ref>Nintendo (May 10, 2022) [https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/wiiu.html Top Selling Title Sales Unites]. ''Nintendo Japan''. Retrieved May 12, 2022. [https://web.archive.org/web/20220511010225/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/en/finance/software/wiiu.html Archived] from the original on May 11, 2022.</ref>