It’s easy to look back at the Wii U era and see a pile of missed opportunities. People often lump New Super Mario Bros. U into that same bucket. It’s the "standard" Mario game, right? The one that looked like the Wii version but in HD. Honestly, if you only played it for ten minutes at a Best Buy kiosk in 2012, you probably missed why this is actually one of the most mechanically tight 2D platformers Nintendo ever built.
Launch titles have a weird job. They have to prove the hardware is worth five hundred bucks while also playing it safe enough not to scare away Grandma. This game did both, and for a long time, that "playing it safe" reputation stuck to it like glue. But now that we’ve had years to chew on it—and a massive re-release on the Switch—the perspective has shifted. It isn't just a placeholder. It’s a masterclass in level design that most modern indies are still trying to copy.
The World Map Secret Everyone Missed
Most Mario games after the NES era used a linear map. You go from World 1 to World 2. Maybe there’s a fork in the road, but it’s basically a straight line. New Super Mario Bros. U did something different. It went back to the Super Mario World philosophy of a giant, interconnected landmass.
You can actually see where you're going.
The seamless transition from the lush Acorn Plains to the Sparkling Waters isn't just for show. It creates a sense of place that the "New" series usually lacked. If you’re skilled enough, you can find secret exits that bypass entire chunks of the game. It’s not just about getting to the end; it’s about navigating a world. This layout encouraged exploration in a way that felt organic, unlike the sterile menu screens of New Super Mario Bros. 2 on the 3DS.
Why the Flying Squirrel Suit is Top-Tier
Power-ups make or break a Mario game. The Cape from Super Mario World was broken (in a fun way), and the Propeller Hat from the Wii version was a bit clunky. The Super Acorn, which turns you into a Flying Squirrel, is the middle ground we didn't know we needed.
It doesn't just let you fly. It lets you glide.
You have to manage your momentum. There’s a specific "boost" jump you can perform mid-air by shaking the controller, but you only get one. It’s a resource-management tool disguised as a power-up. In the hands of a speedrunner, the Squirrel Suit is a weapon. For a casual player, it’s a safety net. This kind of dual-purpose design is exactly what Shigeru Miyamoto meant when he said a good idea solves multiple problems at once.
The Wii U vs. Switch Debate (It’s Not Just Resolution)
When New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe hit the Switch in 2019, most people assumed it was the definitive version. On paper, it is. You get the base game, the New Super Luigi U expansion, and a bump to 1080p resolution. But if you talk to purists, they’ll tell you something was lost in the move.
The original Wii U version had "Boost Mode."
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One player used the GamePad to tap the screen and create platforms for the others. It sounds like a "girlfriend mode" gimmick, but in reality, it was pure chaos. You could help your friends reach a high Star Coin, or you could place a block right in front of their face as they jumped over a pit. It was a unique form of asymmetric multiplayer that the Switch version simply can't do.
Switch players also deals with a weird control change. In the Deluxe version, the "spin jump" is mapped to the same button as the regular jump if you press it in the air. For veterans who have decades of muscle memory, this causes a lot of accidental deaths. On the Wii U, these were distinct actions. It’s a small detail, but in a game where precision is everything, it matters.
The Toadette Controversy
Toadette was added to the Switch version to make the game more accessible. When she grabs the Super Crown, she turns into Peachette. She can float, double jump, and she literally bounces out of pits if she falls.
Basically, it's easy mode.
The "problem" for some was that Toadette replaced one of the original Toads in the character select screen. If you wanted to play a four-player game with four "standard" physics characters, you couldn't do it as easily as on the Wii U. It changed the dynamic of the couch co-op.
Hidden Depth in Challenge Mode
If you think this game is too easy, you haven't touched Challenge Mode. This is where the developers at Nintendo EAD really let loose. They realized that the main campaign had to be beatable by kids, so they hid the "hardcore" stuff in a separate menu.
Some of these challenges are nightmare-inducing:
- Clearing a level without touching a single coin.
- Remaining in the air for 30 seconds by bouncing on consecutive enemies.
- Speedrunning a castle with a constant timer boost from collecting coins.
These aren't just "get to the end fast" trials. They require a deep understanding of the game's physics engine. You have to know exactly how high a triple jump goes or how long a Baby Yoshi can hover. It’s the closest Nintendo has ever come to acknowledging the "Kaizo" Mario community within an official release.
What You Should Do Now
If you still have a Wii U plugged in, go buy a physical copy of the 2-in-1 disc that includes the Luigi expansion. It is technically the most "complete" version of the original vision, including the Miiverse integration which—while officially dead—still shows up in the UI as a ghost of the past.
For everyone else, the Switch version is still a 9/10 platformer. If you find the game too simple, stop playing as Mario. Switch to Luigi; his friction is lower, and he jumps higher, making every platform feel like it's covered in ice. It forces you to relearn the timing of every single jump.
Pro-Tip for Deluxe Players
If you’re playing on Switch and hate the "Spin Jump on Jump Button" feature, there’s a hidden fix. In the main menu, hold down the Left Stick for about three seconds and then press L and R. If you hear a character voice, you’ve toggled the controls to a more traditional style. Nintendo never explicitly tells you this in the manual, but it saves the experience for long-time fans.
New Super Mario Bros. U isn't the flashy, experimental sibling like Wonder or Odyssey. It’s the reliable, perfectly engineered machine. It’s the game that proved 2D Mario didn't need to reinvent the wheel to be essential. It just needed to make the wheel spin faster and smoother than ever before.
To get the most out of your next playthrough, try a "No-Power-up" run. Without the Squirrel Suit or the Fire Flower, the level design is forced to stand on its own. You'll quickly realize that every block, every Goomba, and every floating platform was placed with surgical precision. That’s the real magic of this game—it’s hidden in plain sight.
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Next Steps for Mastering the Game:
- Unlock the Secret World: Collect every Star Coin in the first eight worlds to open Superstar Road. These levels are significantly harder than anything in the main game.
- Master the Baby Yoshis: Learn the specific locations of the Balloon, Bubble, and Glow Baby Yoshis on the world map. They don't follow you into every level, so you have to "farm" them from specific spots.
- Gold Medal Challenges: Aim for Gold on the "Stone-Eye Koopas" challenge. It’s the ultimate test of your jump-chaining abilities.