Honestly, if you grew up in the mid-2000s, you remember the "bah-bah!"
That ubiquitous, slightly infectious, and eventually polarizing vocal riff that played whenever a Koopa Troopa danced to the beat. For a whole generation of gamers, New Super Mario Bros. wasn't just a game; it was the game. It was the return of the king. But fast forward to 2026, and the "New" series often gets a bad rap for being "sterile" or "formulaic."
People forget. They forget that before 2006, 2D Mario was basically dead in the water.
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The Game That Pulled 2D Mario Out of the Grave
By the time the Nintendo DS arrived, side-scrolling Mario had been relegated to the land of "Advance" ports. We were getting recycled versions of Super Mario World and Yoshi's Island on the Game Boy Advance, which were great, but they weren't new. Nintendo was obsessed with 3D. Super Mario 64 and Sunshine were the focus.
Then, New Super Mario Bros. dropped on the DS.
It was a massive gamble. Would people still care about running from left to right in a world of 3D shaders and analog sticks? The answer was a resounding yes. The game sold over 30 million copies. Let that sink in. It didn't just sell well; it became one of the best-selling video games of all time. It proved that the "simple" joy of a well-timed jump was universal.
The DS version was actually quite weird compared to the sequels. Remember the Mega Mushroom? Turning into a screen-filling giant and literally kicking the goal pole over was a revelation. It felt rebellious. It felt like Nintendo was finally having fun with the 2D format again.
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Why Everyone Started Hating the "New" Style
If the first game was a revolution, the sequels were... a lot.
Between 2006 and 2012, we got four of these things. New Super Mario Bros. Wii introduced four-player chaos, which was brilliant but also ended many friendships. Then came New Super Mario Bros. 2 on the 3DS—the "gold" one—and New Super Mario Bros. U for the Wii U launch.
This is where the fatigue set in.
Critics and fans started complaining about the "New" aesthetic. The plastic-looking character models, the repetitive grass-desert-ice-water world themes, and that same soundtrack. By the time New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe arrived on the Switch, the word "New" had become a bit of a joke. It had been "New" for 13 years.
What Critics Got Wrong
People called these games "soulless," but if you look at the level design, that’s just factually incorrect. These games are masterclasses in "teaching without tutorials."
Take a look at the Wii U version. It’s widely considered to have some of the tightest, most challenging level design in the entire 2D series. It introduced the Boost Mode and some of the most creative Star Coin placements ever seen. It wasn't flashy like the recently released Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but it was mechanically perfect.
The Secret Legacy of the "New" Series
We wouldn't have Super Mario Maker without this series. Period.
The engine developed for the "New" games became the literal foundation for the most successful level-creation tool in history. The physics—that specific weight Mario has when he triple-jumps or wall-kicks—was perfected here.
Also, we have to talk about the multiplayer. Before New Super Mario Bros. Wii, 2D Mario was a lonely experience. You took turns. The "New" series turned Mario into a "party game." It was messy. You’d accidentally pick up your younger brother and throw him into a pit of lava. It was hilarious. It changed the DNA of how we perceive platformers: no longer a solitary test of skill, but a shared experience of absolute mayhem.
How to Revisit the Series Today
If you’re looking to dive back in, don't just grab the first one you see. There's a specific way to appreciate this era of Mario history without getting burnt out.
- Start with the DS original. It has the most "soul" and unique mini-games that haven't appeared since. The "Mario vs. Luigi" mode is still a hidden gem.
- Play New Super Luigi U. If the base games feel too easy, this is the "hard mode" you’ve been looking for. Every level is short, intense, and starts with only 100 seconds on the clock.
- Appreciate the backgrounds. While the foregrounds look "plastic," the backgrounds in New Super Mario Bros. U (especially the Painted Swamplands level inspired by Van Gogh's Starry Night) are actually beautiful.
The "New" era might be over now that Wonder has taken the reigns with its trippy visuals and badges, but we owe it a debt. It was the bridge between the 8-bit past and the high-def future. It kept the lights on when everyone thought 2D was dead.
Actionable Insight for Gamers:
If you own a Nintendo Switch, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is the definitive version of the "New" formula. Don't play it for the art style—play it for the "Challenge Mode." These are specific, high-difficulty trials that require frame-perfect inputs. It’s the closest thing to a "pro-level" Mario experience Nintendo has ever officially released.
Stop looking at the dancing Koopas and start looking at the gaps. The platforming is as elite as it gets.