It was November 2012. People were confused. Was the Wii U a new console or just a fancy tablet for the original Wii? In the middle of that marketing disaster sat New Super Mario Bros. U, a game that suffered simply because it looked a lot like the games that came before it. If you just glanced at a screenshot, you might’ve thought it was the exact same thing as the Wii version from 2009. But honestly? You’d be wrong.
The "New" series gets a lot of flak for being "soulless" compared to the pixel art of the 80s or the chaos of the 3D era. People call it "corporate Mario." I get it. The music has those "bah bah" vocals that can get stuck in your head until you want to scream, and the art style is very clean—maybe too clean. But if you actually sit down with a Wii U Pro Controller (or even that chunky GamePad), the level design in this specific entry is some of the tightest Nintendo has ever produced. It’s basically a masterclass in platforming hidden behind a generic-looking curtain.
The Masterpiece Under the Generic Surface
Most people don't realize that New Super Mario Bros. U was the first time we saw Mario in high definition. That was a big deal back then. Moving from the blurry 480p of the Wii to 720p on the Wii U made the backgrounds pop in a way they never had before. Look at the "Painted Swampland" level. It’s clearly inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night. Swirling clouds, glowing pipes, and a visual aesthetic that totally broke away from the standard "grass world, desert world, ice world" tropes.
It wasn't just about the looks, though.
The game introduced the Flying Squirrel suit. At first, it feels like a worse version of the Cape from Super Mario World, but it’s more nuanced than that. You have this mid-air jump—a little "boost"—that lets you recover from a bad fall. It changed the rhythm of the game. Then there’s the seamless world map. For the first time since the Super Nintendo era, the worlds weren't just isolated islands on a menu. You could walk from Acorn Plains all the way to Peach’s Castle without being booted back to a selection screen. It made the Mushroom Kingdom feel like a real place again.
Why the Wii U Version Specifically?
Now, you might be thinking, "Why talk about the Wii U version when the Switch 'Deluxe' version exists?"
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Fair point. The Switch port adds Toadette (and Peachette, which sparked that whole weird Bowsette internet meme) and Nabbit as playable characters. But the original New Super Mario Bros. U on Wii U had something the Switch version effectively killed: Boost Mode.
If you were playing with friends, one person could hold the GamePad and tap the screen to create platforms. It sounds like a "baby mode," but in the hands of a skilled player, it was a competitive nightmare. You could block a friend’s jump or help them reach a hidden Star Coin. It used the Wii U’s "asymmetric gameplay" hook better than almost any other game on the system. When you play it on Switch, that specific interaction is just gone. You lose that weird, experimental Wii U DNA.
The Challenge of New Super Luigi U
We also have to talk about the Year of Luigi. 2013 was a strange time for Nintendo. They were losing money, the Wii U was tanking, and their solution was to turn everything green. New Super Luigi U started as DLC and eventually got a physical release. It’s included in the Switch version, but on the Wii U, it felt like a badge of honor for hardcore fans.
Luigi jumps higher. He skids more. He’s harder to control. Every level has a 100-second timer.
It’s stressful. It’s fast. It’s basically a "RomHack" made by Nintendo itself. If you think modern Mario games are too easy, Luigi U will punch you in the mouth. It stripped away the fluff and forced you to master the mechanics. It’s one of the few times Nintendo actually catered to the "get gud" crowd without making it a separate "SMM2" level.
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The Secret Genius of the Star Coins
Level design isn't just about getting from point A to point B. It’s about the stuff you find along the way. In New Super Mario Bros. U, the placement of Star Coins is diabolical. You’ll see one hovering over a pit of lava and think, "There’s no way."
Then you notice a single Koopa Troopa walking on a platform above. You realize you have to jump, bop the Koopa, use the shell to hit the coin, and then flutter-jump back to safety. It’s rhythmic. It’s like a dance.
- The Acorn Plains: Teaches you the basics but hides secrets behind "fake" walls.
- Frosted Glacier: Best ice levels in the series, hands down. Not too slippery, just right.
- Soda Jungle: Where the Van Gogh inspiration lives. It’s eerie and beautiful.
- Meringue Clouds: This is where the difficulty spikes, and the game stops holding your hand.
The game also brought back Baby Yoshis. Not just the ones you ride, but the ones you carry. The Pink one inflates like a balloon, the Blue one spits bubbles to trap enemies, and the Yellow one glows to light up dark caves. They were tools, not just mounts. It added a layer of strategy to how you approached certain stages. If you lost your Baby Yoshi halfway through a level, you felt a genuine sense of loss because you knew the next secret was probably out of reach.
Addressing the "Too Many Mario Games" Fatigue
The real reason New Super Mario Bros. U didn't get the love it deserved was timing. Nintendo released New Super Mario Bros. 2 on the 3DS just a few months earlier. People were burned out on the "New" aesthetic. They wanted something radical like Mario Odyssey, and instead, they got more 2D platforming.
But looking back with 20/20 hindsight, this was the peak of that specific style. The physics are more precise than the Wii version. The content is massive. If you count the Luigi expansion, there are over 160 levels. That is an absurd amount of content for a single platformer.
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What You Should Do Now
If you still have a Wii U plugged in (there are dozens of us!), go back and play this with the GamePad. Try the "Boost Rush" mode. It speeds up the scrolling based on how many coins you collect. It’s an adrenaline rush that feels totally different from the standard campaign.
For those on the Switch, just appreciate the level design for what it is. Ignore the "generic" art style for a second and focus on how Mario moves. Notice how the platforms are spaced exactly to the pixel of a full-speed jump.
Next Steps for Players:
- Master the "Triple Jump": It’s not just for 3D Mario. Timing three consecutive jumps in New Super Mario Bros. U gives you a massive height boost that’s essential for speedrunning.
- Hunt the Secret Exits: The world map has hidden paths (like the one in Tilted Tunnel) that skip entire worlds or lead to the secret "Superstar Road."
- Play New Super Luigi U Last: Don't start with it. It will ruin your muscle memory for Mario because the friction and gravity are completely different.
- Try the Challenges: The "Challenge Mode" on the main menu is actually the hardest part of the game. It sets specific goals like "Don't touch the ground" or "Dodge the fireballs," and getting a Gold Medal is legitimately tough.
Forget the "New" branding. Forget the "Wii U" baggage. This is just a fundamentally great video game. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it polishes that wheel until you can see your reflection in it.
If you want to experience the absolute peak of 2D Nintendo level design before they handed the keys to the players with Mario Maker, this is the game to study. Go find those Star Coins. Good luck with the 100-second timer on the Luigi levels—you’re going to need it.