46. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii Video Game)

New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii Video Game)

Nintendo of America Inc., Redmond, WA, 2009

Summary

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a video game for the Wii console that resembles an updated version of the original Super Mario Bros. games from the nineties.  The game allows for up to four players to play simultaneously, choosing from the characters of Mario, Luigi, and two Toad characters.  As with other Super Mario Bros. games, there is a storyline that drives players to complete levels and move forward on a map.  Bowser and his children have kidnapped Princess Peach and Mario and his friends must make it to Bowser’s castle to defeat him and free the princess.  While the main story mode has players completing levels to move forward on the map, there are also two dedicated multiplayer modes.  In the “Free-for-All” mode, players can choose to challenge each other on any course with the winner determined by the score, number of coins, and enemy kills.  For the other mode, “Coin Battle,” players race through the course, collecting coins along the way, and the player with the most coins wins.  To help players that are having a difficult time in single-player mode, the game has a “Super Guide” function that activates a computer-controlled Luigi to show a safe path to the end of the level.

Critical Evaluation

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a fun game to play either in single-player mode or with a group of friends.  The game is challenging, keeping players interested as they try to complete the levels and move on to the next world.  It is extremely unique in that the game allows four players to play simultaneously, increasing the level of excitement as players help each other get past obstacles and defeat enemies.  One of the best parts is the ability to press a button and put your character in a bubble, letting your more skilled teammate get further into the level without slowing them down.  However, it can also be frustrating when players accidentally bump each other off of platforms, sending them falling below the screen to lose a life.  Nevertheless, when playing with two friends, I had a much better time than when I played in single-player mode as we all yelled and laughed together when faced with challenges.  With the hidden areas and secret bonuses, the game is one that players can go through several times over.  One drawback is that the game does not include online play, which is something that has become very popular for gaming teens.  Because the game is perfect for multiple players, it seems that it would only be natural for online play to be a part of it, but Nintendo did not include this option.  Overall, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a challenging game that teens will find enjoyable to play solo, but the most fun will come when they enlist friends to use the multiplayer mode.

Reader's Annotation

Players encounter obstacles as they attempt to bring Mario and his friends to fight Bowser and save Princess Peach in this game for the Wii console.

Information About the Company

Nintendo first began with its release of the Nintendo Entertainment System.  Introduced in 1985, the NES was an instant hit. Over the course of the next two years, it almost single-handedly revitalized the video game industry. Selling over 60 million units, people brought games like Mario and Zelda into their homes for the first time on the NES.  The portable system, Game Boy, which came out in 1989, was closely associated with the classic game Tetris when it debuted. Game Boy is the most successful video game system ever released. Since its introduction in 1989, Game Boy has sold well over 150 million systems worldwide.

Building on the success of NES and Game Boy, Nintendo came out with several more upgrades, including Super NES, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, and the most recent Nintendo Wii.  In 2006, Nintendo introduced the Wii and with it several advanced, revolutionary features. Wireless motion-sensitive remote controllers, built-in Wi-Fi capability, and a host of other features have made the Wii the best-selling latest generation console system in the world. (information from company’s website: http://www.nintendo.com/corp/history.jsp)

Genre

Video Game – Platform/Adventure

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

N/A

Reading Level/Interest Age

This game is rated for everyone.

Challenge Issues

I cannot think of any challenge issues that this game would have.

However, should complaints about this game arise, librarians should become familiar with the content on the video game.  Turn to reviews from video game magazines and on Amazon.com, as well as reviews from teens that have played it.  Also, it is beneficial for librarians to present reasons backed by the ALA in support of intellectual freedom.  As stated in the Library Bill of Rights:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

Why Include Game in Selection? 

I included this game because it is an update on a classic Nintendo game that has incredible graphics that teens will enjoy.