New Super Mario Bros. Wii

I'm officially on Nintendo's latest system, having moved up from the original entertainment system to their most recent home console: the Wii.  Of course, by choosing their newest system, it is only right that I play a game from one of their oldest franchise: Mario (duh).  New Super Mario Bros Wii was both developed and published by Nintendo (like they would let anyone else touch him) and released mid-November of 2009.  It's a blast to past Marios, running much like a Super Mario Bros 3 remake.  

The story is the same as with all Mario games, the Princess has been kidnapped and it's Mario's (well, in this one Luigi and a few Toads come along too) job to save her.  New Super Mario Bros Wii a different step in the story, reintroducing the Koopa Kids that haven't actually played a part in Bowser's plots since Super Mario World.  Each of the worlds has one of the little devil's protecting it, the first being Iggy. 

The game plays almost just like some of the older ones, the beginning of the first level actually mimicking the intro of the first Super Mario Bros.  But like all Marios, this one introduces new items to help the Italian hero.  The first level introduces the "flying" item of the game: the Chopper Hat, and I have to admit, I love it.  Shake the Wii-mote and you spin skyward, shake it while in the air and you hover slowly back down towards the ground.  Of course, they have to let you attack with it, so if you press down, you spiral downwards, breaking through blocks and stomping anything beneath you.  To be honest, as fun as it is, I really miss the Tanooki suit.  

So the first level is simple and straight fowards, move forwards and get to the flag at the end.  The enemies are just the basics: goombas and koopa troopas, easy enough to avoid.  I kept moving forwards slowly and trying to collect the coins, ended up screwing up and getting eaten by a goomba... oops.  I should try that again.  

Second try at the level ended a bit better, just flew through it after grabbing the chopper hat.  The game itself is good about having a slow ramping difficulty curve, the first few levels just letting you slide into getting used to it.  It introduces you to the items one at a time, the chopper hat first, the ice flower (like the fire flower but freezes enemies) in the second.  All in all it's just your basic Mario Bros game, as worth playing as any other.  This one really shines is with company, where you can cause all sorts of chaos amongst yourselves.  

So another game is down and I have gone through each of Nintendo's home consoles, onto another brand next (I'm not moving towards hand-held as of yet).  Which system or game will all simply depend on my mood tomorrow.  Adios for today though.