Mario has his familiar moves, such as being able to toss fireballs, pound the level below or hurl back enemies with his spin jump, but there are also new abilities such as ice flower, which has him throwing freezing snowballs, and propeller or penguin suits to enhance aerial and arctic performance. There are coins hidden around each screen or trapped in blocks that must be tapped from below with a bouncing head. The game itself requires no introduction to fans of the series.
Still, once you get used to the fact that analogue commands requires fractional compensatory timing, it all begins to make sense. It's surprising that no "classic" control option was included, as it seems natural for an otherwise doggedly retro game. Analogue control is required when jerking the Wiimote for spin jumps or tilting it to navigate certain platforms – neither of which feel particularly natural. For control, you have a choice of using just a sideways Wiimote (with movement uncomfortably mapped to the up/down D-pad) or a combination of Wiimote and Nunchuk. Indeed, at first glance it looks like a straight port from New Super Mario Bros for DS, so small and unassuming do the sprites and simple sideways-scrolling levels appear. For, although it borrows elements from just about every previous game, some may find its resolutely retro approach a missed opportunity for a character and console so obviously capable of more. I n many ways, Super Mario Bros Wii is a confusing release for Nintendo's eponymous hero as he approaches middle age.