Editing New Super Mario Bros. U

{{italic title}}
{{about|the 2012 Wii U game|the Nintendo Switch port of this game|[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]|the [[microgame]] from [[WarioWare: Get It Together!]]|[[New Super Mario Bros. U (microgame)]]}}
{{game infobox
|image=[[File:NSMBU boxcover.png|250px]]<br>North American box cover
|developer=[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development|Nintendo EAD]]
|publisher=[[Nintendo]]
|release={{release|USA|November 18, 2012<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/hf_6AALqLd22OOdNFfAmJVGEfQ7pTpke Nintendo.com - ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' - Game Info]</ref>{{dead link}}|Europe|November 30, 2012|Australia|November 30, 2012<ref>[https://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=news Nintendo.com.au]</ref>{{dead link}}|Japan|December 8, 2012}}
|languages={{languages|en_us=y|en_gb=y|es_es=y|es_latam=y|fr_fr=y|fr_ca=y|de=y|it=y|nl=y|ru=y|pt_pt=y|jp=y}}
|genre=[[Genre#Platform|Platformer]]
|modes=Single-player<br>Multiplayer
|ratings={{ratings|esrb=e|cero=A|pegi=3|usk=0|acb=g}}
|platforms=[[Wii U]]
|media={{media|wiiu=1|wiiudl=1}}
|input={{input|wiiu=1|wiiusideways=1|wiiupro=1}}
}}
'''''New Super Mario Bros. U''''' is a 2012 side-scrolling {{wp|2.5D}} [[Genre#Platform|platforming]] game, and a launch title for the [[Wii U]]. It is the sixteenth entry in the [[Super Mario (series)|''Super Mario'' series]]<ref name=encyclopedia>{{cite|author=Kazuya Sakai (Ambit), kikai, Akinori Sao, Junko Fukuda, Kunio Takayama, and Ko Nakahara ({{wp|Shogakukan}}) (ed.)|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia|Encyclopedia Super Mario Bros.]]''|location=Milwaulkie|publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics|Dark Horse Books]]|date=2018|isbn=978-4-09-106569-8}}</ref> and the fourth ''[[New Super Mario Bros. (disambiguation)|New Super Mario Bros.]]'' game. As a sequel to ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', the game is a follow-up to ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. It is the first ''Super Mario'' series game to be released as a launch title for a home console since ''[[Super Mario 64]]''. An expansion pack for this game was later released in mid-2013, titled ''[[New Super Luigi U]]''.

Based upon the ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Mii]]'' tech demo shown at {{wp|E3 2011}}, the game uses new, more detailed background styles and models and introduces the Flying Squirrel power-up, acquired by [[Mario]] and his friends from an item called the [[Super Acorn]], as well as utilizing the [[Wii U#Wii U GamePad|Wii U GamePad]] in [[Boost Mode]].

The game was originally purchasable at the [[Nintendo eShop#Wii U|Nintendo eShop]], requiring 2301.7 MB (approx. 2.25 GB) to be downloaded, but with the retail release of ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U]]'', it is no longer possible to purchase ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' as a standalone game in regions outside of Japan.

[[Reissue#Ports|A port]] titled ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]'' was released for the [[Nintendo Switch]] in January 2019, and once again contains both ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' and ''New Super Luigi U''.
==Story==
[[File:NSMBU Intro 1.png|thumb|left|upright=1.4|The Mario Bros. and Toads about to be hit by the [[Mecha Hand]].]]
[[Mario]], [[Luigi]], [[Yellow Toad and Blue Toad|Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad]] are with [[Princess Peach]] in [[Peach's Castle]] dining together. [[Bowser]] and the [[Koopalings]] suddenly arrive in their [[Airship]]s, with the former sporting a [[Mecha Hand]] that smashes and launches the brothers and the Toads away from the castle. Mario and his friends crash into the [[Acorn Tree]], launching [[Super Acorn]]s through the area. They then tumble out of the tree, passing by a [[Bubble Baby Yoshi]] and [[Balloon Baby Yoshi]], and they then look into the horizon to see Bowser beginning a siege on Princess Peach's Castle, setting the Mario Bros. and the Toads to go on a new adventure and to save Princess Peach.

As the game progresses, the view occasionally shifts to Peach's Castle, showing the flags being replaced by Bowser's flags (after [[Tilted Tunnel]]), and the castle being surrounded by a thin tornado-like cloud that is made thicker by [[Kamek|Magikoopa]]'s magic (after [[Stoneslide Tower]]), entirely obscuring the castle (after [[Giant Skewer Tower]] or [[Freezing-Rain Tower]]). Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad also encounter Bowser's forces, including the Koopalings, [[Boom Boom]], Magikoopa, and [[Bowser Jr.]], who occasionally attacks the heroes with his father's airship. All of them are defeated, and Bowser Jr. causes the airship to crash after making the mechanical hand punch through it. After reaching Peach's Castle and defeating Bowser, the group moves onward, but Bowser Jr. appears and urges Magikoopa to spread his magic across the area. After heading to the castle exterior, Mario and the others see Peach in a tower. Before they can save her, she is locked inside the tower and Bowser appears, now at a giant size, alongside Bowser Jr. Eventually, Bowser is defeated and Bowser Jr., embarrassed, flees. The character that defeated Bowser gets to Peach and bows down to her, and is then kissed by her, to their shock and delight, as the clouds surrounding the castle disappear, restoring it to its former state.

Outside the castle, the Koopalings and Bowser Jr. are fleeing on the airship as Bowser, who has returned to his normal size, recovers. Noticing the escaping airship, he climbs up onto one of the castle towers and leaps onto the ship, but his weight causes it to plummet into a hill nearby; they then fly away hanging onto Bowser Jr.'s [[Junior Clown Car]] while Mario and Blue Toad watch. They then turn back to the others, who are celebrating their victory, with Mario delivering a final victory pose.

==Gameplay features==
[[File:NSMBU Flying Squirrel Gameplay.png|left|thumb|upright=1.1|Mario in his [[Flying Squirrel Mario|Flying Squirrel]] suit, in [[Acorn Plains Way|the first level of Acorn Plains]].]]
''New Super Mario Bros. U'' is a platform game which plays very similarly to that of past ''[[New Super Mario Bros. (disambiguation)|New Super Mario Bros.]]'' games, especially ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', with the return of the 4-player multiplayer functioning identically to the [[Wii]] game, while most of the elements and design found in the game make heavy reference to ''[[Super Mario World]]''. Many other gameplay elements from the Wii game, such as the [[Super Guide]], [[Enemy Course]]s, and the bubble function, also return. In certain modes, players can play as their [[Mii]]s, including the first player, who can also choose whoever to play as. Power-ups, like the [[Fire Flower]], [[Ice Flower]], [[Penguin Suit]], [[Propeller Mushroom]], and the [[Mini Mushroom]] return. The game also features a new power-up, the [[Super Acorn]], which gives Mario and co. a [[Flying Squirrel Mario|Flying Squirrel form]], which lets them glide and grab on to walls.

''New Super Mario Bros. U'' features two main controller options: single player using the [[Wii U#Wii U GamePad|Wii U GamePad]], and single-player or multiplayer using [[Wii#Wii Remote|Wii Remotes]] and/or [[Wii U#Wii U Pro Controller|Wii U Pro Controllers]]; the player can switch controllers at any point between the GamePad and a Wii Remote or Pro Controller by pausing the game, either in a level or on the world map, and selecting the "Change Controller" option. The game supports up to five simultaneous players, with up to four being able to play as the characters with a Wii Remote or Wii U Pro Controller, and are able to drop in and out at any point while in a stage by pressing {{button|wiiu|Plus}} on the GamePad and selecting a character, or on the map by pausing and selecting "Number of Players". Another player is able to use the Wii U GamePad in what is known as [[Boost Mode]]. In Boost Mode, the GamePad player can assist the other players by placing blocks for them to stand on and stunning enemies. Boost Mode can be used at any point when playing with one of the other controllers; when playing with just the GamePad, it supports {{wp|Off-TV Play}}.

After clearing Layer-Cake Desert-1, an enemy called [[Nabbit]] appears and steals an item from a [[Toad House]] connecting that level, heading back to Acorn Plains-1. When the player enters a stage with Nabbit, the objective is to race him to the goal, trying to catch him before he can get away. If the player succeeds in catching Nabbit, they are rewarded with a [[P-Acorn]]. Replacing the Toad saving in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', Nabbit only appears in one stage in the first seven worlds.

The first update to the game added [[Miiverse]] support. With Miiverse functionality enabled, players can read each others' posts on the world map by viewing the map; when not viewing the map a Miiverse post is indicated by a red balloon, generally near a stage, and can be hidden by pressing {{button|wiiu|A}}; when on the World Map while using Boost Mode, the GamePad player can scroll across the map on the GamePad screen and view Miiverse posts. At certain times throughout gameplay, such as when the player dies several times or reaches the end of a course in a specific way (collecting all the Star Coins, clearing in a certain amount of time, clearing without taking damage, etc.), they are given a prompt to post a message to Miiverse. Players can also see Miiverse posts after they die in a stage. Miiverse settings can be changed at any point on the world map by selecting the pencil and envelope icon on the bottom right of the pause menu.

The sound is in stereo, with no support for 5.1 surround.
===Controls===
[[File:NSMBU Boost Mode 3.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Perspective of gameplay, featuring four players controlling the characters with Wii Remotes while a fifth player uses the GamePad in Boost Mode.]]
Like ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', the Wii Remote is the primary controller for the game, allowing players to shake the controller to perform a [[Spin Jump]], dismount [[Yoshi]], and pick up objects. However, players can also play the game normally with the Wii U GamePad (single-player only) or the Wii U Pro Controller (after the 1.3.0 update). In the case of the Wii U Pro Controller, actions that require motion control on the Wii Remote and Wii U GamePad are replaced with button pressing, as the Wii U Pro Controller lacks motion controls.

Unlike ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', this game lacks [[Wii#Nunchuk|Nunchuk]] support.
====Stages====
{|class="wikitable"style="width:60%;text-align:center"
!width=40%|Action(s)
!Wii U GamePad
!Wii U Pro Controller
!Wii Remote
|-
|Move, swim (Baby Yoshi)
|colspan="2"|{{button|wii|CCStickL}} / {{button|wiiu|Pad}}
|{{button|wii|Pad}}
|-
|Jump, swim, glide (hold), wall jump, Flutter Jump (Yoshi; hold), double/triple jump (press right upon landing)
|colspan="2"|Option 1: {{button|wiiu|B}} / {{button|wiiu|A}}<br>Option 2: {{button|wiiu|X}} / {{button|wiiu|A}}
|{{button|wii|2}}
|-
|Run, carry objects (hold); shoot fireballs/iceballs, extend tongue (Yoshi)
|colspan="2"|Option 1: {{button|wiiu|Y}} / {{button|wiiu|X}}<br>Option 2: {{button|wiiu|Y}} / {{button|wiiu|B}}
|{{button|wii|1}}
|-
|Ground Pound (normal, simultaneous*)
|colspan="2"|Jump + {{button|wii|CCStickL}} (down) / {{button|wiiu|Paddown}}
|{{button|wii|2}} + {{button|wii|Paddown}}
|-
|Crouch, slide (on slopes)
|colspan="2"|{{button|wii|CCStickL}} (down) / {{button|wiiu|Paddown}}
|{{button|wii|Paddown}}
|-
|Climb (on fences, ladders, poles)
|colspan="2"|{{button|wii|CCStickL}} (up) / {{button|wiiu|Padup}}
|{{button|wii|Padup}}
|-
|Bubble*
|N/A
|{{button|wiiu|Minus}}
|{{button|wii|A}}
|-
|Enter door/[[Warp Pipe]]
|colspan="2"|Door: {{button|wii|CCStickL}} (up) / {{button|wiiu|padup}}<br>Pipe: {{button|wii|CCStickL}} / {{button|wiiu|pad}} (in direction of entrance)
|Door: {{button|wii|padup}}<br>Pipe: {{button|wii|pad}} (in direction of entrance)
|-
|Spin Jump, Baby Yoshi abilities, dismount Yoshi, Flying Squirrel jump, spin underwater (Baby Yoshi)
|{{button|wiiu|GamePad}} (shake) / {{button|wiiu|L}} / {{button|wiiu|R}} / {{button|wiiu|ZL}} / {{button|wiiu|ZR}}
|{{button|wiiu|L}} / {{button|wiiu|R}}
|{{button|wii|Wiimote}} (shake)
|-
|Grab other players*/frozen enemies
|Run + {{button|wiiu|GamePad}} (shake) / {{button|wiiu|L}} / {{button|wiiu|R}} / {{button|wiiu|ZL}} / {{button|wiiu|ZR}}<br>(release run button to throw)
|Run + {{button|wiiu|L}} / {{button|wiiu|R}}<br>(release run button to throw)
|{{button|wii|1}} + {{button|wii|Wiimote}} (shake)<br>(release {{button|wii|1}} to throw)
|-
|Tilt [[Tilt Lift]]s
|Tilt GamePad
|Alternate between pressing {{button|wiiu|ZL}} and {{button|wiiu|ZR}}
|Tilt Wii Remote
|-
|Pause
|colspan="3"|{{button|wiiu|Plus}}
|-
|Boost Mode*
|{{button|wiiu|touchscreen}}
|colspan="2"|N/A
|}
<small><nowiki>*</nowiki> Multiplayer only.</small>

====Map/menus====
{|class="wikitable"style="width:60%;text-align:center"
!width=40%|Action(s)
!width=30%|Wii U GamePad/Pro Controller
!Wii Remote
|-
|Move, select option
|{{button|wii|CCStickL}} / {{button|wiiu|pad}}
|{{button|wii|pad}}
|-
|Open inventory
|{{button|wiiu|B}}
|{{button|wii|1}}
|-
|View map
|{{button|wiiu|L}}
|{{button|wii|A}}
|-
|Pause
|colspan="2"|{{button|wiiu|Plus}}
|-
|Zoom in/out (map view)
|colspan="2"|{{button|wiiu|Plus}} / {{button|wiiu|Minus}}
|-
|Confirm, hide/show Miiverse posts (map view)
|{{button|wiiu|A}}
|{{button|wii|2}}
|-
|Back
|{{button|wiiu|B}}
|{{button|wii|1}}
|}

===Worlds===
{{NSMBU map}}
Unlike the previous ''New Super Mario Bros.'' titles, where worlds are separated like in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' has a contiguous world map, similar to ''[[Super Mario World]]''. Like ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', the worlds include [[Toad House]]s and [[Enemy Course]]s, though only red and green Toad Houses return. Also returning are [[Tower]]s, [[Castle]]s, and [[Ghost House]]-related levels. The music changes instruments throughout the world map similar to [[Yoshi's Island (location)|Yoshi's Island]].

This is the first 2D ''Super Mario'' game to use completely unique names for each of its levels, and the second after ''Super Mario World'' to name its greater areas in-game. Both games use food and beverages as the theme for their world names.
{{br}}
<center>
{|width=80% class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!colspan="6" align="center" style="background:#0096c8; color:white"|<big>Worlds</big>
|-
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:#DAF7A6"|{{Color-link|Acorn Plains|black}}
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:LemonChiffon"|{{Color-link|Layer-Cake Desert|Black}}
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:skyblue"|{{Color-link|Sparkling Waters|Black}}
|-
|colspan=2|[[File:NSMBU Acorn Plains Map.png|250px]]
|colspan="2"|[[File:Layer Cake Desert.png|250px]]
|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Sparkling Waters World Map Screenshot.png|250px]]
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|A grassy world with plenty of shrubs, slanted mountains, and the [[Acorn Tree]]. This world is similar to many other first worlds in the ''Super Mario'' series.
|colspan=2 align=center|A desert dotted with melting ice creams, giant cakes, and a sea of sand with [[Stone-Eye|Moai-like statues]].
|colspan=2 align=center|A chain of tropical islands and sea stacks, similar to [[World 4 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 4]] from ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. This world can be entirely skipped for Frosted Glacier.
|-bgcolor=#7fb7ce
!width=2%|#
!width="5%"|Level
!width=2%|#
!width="5%"|Level
!width=2%|#
!width="5%"|Level
|-
|1
|[[Acorn Plains Way]] (grass)
|1
|[[Stone-Eye Zone]] (desert)
|1
|[[Waterspout Beach]] (beach)
|-
|2
|[[Tilted Tunnel]] (cave)
|2
|[[Perilous Pokey Cave]] (desert/cave)
|2
|[[Tropical Refresher]] (underwater)
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]
|[[Crushing-Cogs Tower]] (tower)
|3
|[[Fire Snake Cavern]] (desert/cave)
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]
|[[Giant Skewer Tower]] (tower)
|-
|3
|[[Yoshi Hill]] (grass)
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]
|[[Stoneslide Tower]] (tower/desert)
|[[File:Ghost Icon.png|x18px|Ghost House|link=Ghost House]]
|[[Haunted Shipwreck]] (haunted shipwreck)
|-
|4
|[[Mushroom Heights]] (sky)
|4
|[[Spike's Spouting Sands]] (desert)
|3
|[[Above the Cheep Cheep Seas]] (beach)
|-
|5
|[[Rise of the Piranha Plants]] (grass)
|5
|[[Dry Desert Mushrooms]] (sky)
|4
|[[Urchin Shoals]] (beach)
|-
|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]
|[[Lemmy's Swingback Castle]] (castle)
|6
|[[Blooming Lakitus]] (desert)
|5
|[[Dragoneel's Undersea Grotto]] (underwater)
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Blooper Icon.png|x25px|Secret|link=]]
|[[Blooper's Secret Lair]] (underwater/cave)
|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]
|[[Morton's Compactor Castle]] (castle)
|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]
|[[Larry's Torpedo Castle]] (castle)
|-
|colspan="2"|
|[[File:NSMBU Ice Block Icon.png|x20px|Secret|link=]]
|[[Piranha Plants on Ice]] (snow)
|[[File:NSMBU Leaf Icon.png|x20px|Secret|link=]]
|[[Skyward Stalk]] (sky)
|-
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:powderblue"|{{Color-link|Frosted Glacier|Black}}
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:darkseagreen"|{{Color-link|Soda Jungle|Black}}
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:beige"|{{Color-link|Rock-Candy Mines|Black}}
|-
|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Frosted Glacier Map.png|250px]]
|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Soda Jungle Main Map.png|250px]]<br><div class="contentbox mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"data-expandtext="Show sub-area"data-collapsetext="Hide sub-area">[[File:NSMBU Soda Jungle Haunted.png|250px]]</div>
|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Rock-Candy Mines World Map Screenshot.png|250px]]
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|A snowy mountain set at night, filled with stars and constellations. This world can be entirely skipped for Sparkling Waters.
|colspan=2 align=center|A rainforest flooded by purple [[Poison (obstacle)|poison]], based on the [[Forest of Illusion]] from ''[[Super Mario World]]'' and [[World 4 (New Super Mario Bros.)|World 4]] from ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]''
|colspan=2 align=center|A rocky region with tall, holey mountains. Several red and blue switches similar to [[! Switch]]es appear in this world, and pressing them activates [[Stretch Block]]s with their corresponding color.
|-bgcolor=#7fb7ce
!width=2%|#
!width="5%"|Level
!width=2%|#
!width="5%"|Level
!width=2%|#
!width="5%"|Level
|-
|1
|[[Spinning-Star Sky]] (snow)
|[[File:NSMBW Airship Sprite.png|x18px|Airship|link=Airship]]
|[[The Mighty Cannonship]] (airship)
|1
|[[Fuzzy Clifftop]] (mountain
|-
|2
|[[Cooligan Fields]] (snow)
|1
|[[Jungle of the Giants]] (jungle)
|2
|[[Porcupuffer Falls]] (mountain)
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]
|[[Freezing-Rain Tower]] (tower/snow)
|2
|[[Bridge over Poisoned Waters]] (jungle)
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]
|[[Grinding-Stone Tower]] (tower)
|-
|3
|[[Prickly Goombas!]] (snow)
|3
|[[Bramball Woods]] (jungle)
|3
|[[Waddlewing's Nest]] (mountain)
|-
|4
|[[Scaling the Mountainside]] (snow)
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]
|[[Snake Block Tower]] (tower)
|4
|[[Light Blocks, Dark Tower]] (cave)
|-
|5
|[[Icicle Caverns]] (snow/cave)
|[[File:Ghost Icon.png|x18px|Ghost House|link=Ghost House]]
|[[Which-Way Labyrinth]] (haunted house)
|5
|[[Walking Piranha Plants!]] (mountain)
|-
|[[File:Ghost Icon.png|x18px|Ghost House|link=Ghost House]]
|[[Swaying Ghost House]] (haunted house)
|4
|[[Painted Swampland]] (haunted forest/painting)
|6
|[[Thrilling Spine Coaster]] (cave)
|-
|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]
|[[Wendy's Shifting Castle]] (castle)
|5
|[[Deepsea Ruins]] (underwater/cave)
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]2
|[[Screwtop Tower]] (tower)
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Fliprus Icon.png|x22px|Secret|link=]]
|[[Fliprus Lake]] (snow)
|6
|[[Seesaw Bridge]] (jungle)
|7
|[[Shifting-Floor Cave]] (cave)
|-
|rowspan=3 colspan=2|
|7
|[[Wiggler Stampede]] (jungle)
|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]
|[[Roy's Conveyor Castle]] (castle)
|-
|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]
|[[Iggy's Volcanic Castle]] (castle)
|colspan="2"rowspan="2"|
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Parabeetle Icon.png|x22px|Secret|link=]]
|[[Flight of the Para-Beetles]] (sky)
|-
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:lightsalmon"|{{Color-link|Meringue Clouds|black}}
!colspan=2 width=25% style="background:pink"|{{Color-link|Peach's Castle (world)|black|Peach's Castle}}
!colspan=2 width="100%"style="background:#feff82"|{{Color-link|Superstar Road|Black}}
|-
|colspan="2"|[[File:Meringue Clouds.png|250px]]
|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Peach's Castle World Map.png|250px]]
|colspan=2|[[File:NSMBU Superstar Road World Map Screenshot.png|250px]]
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|A world above the clouds. Two levels take place at sunset, and this world's [[Castle]] takes place near the tornado surrounding the next world, as marked by different cloud coloration.
|colspan=2 align=center|Peach's domain, initially in its welcoming usual state but slowly transformed into a lava-based area by Bowser. This world must be completed to beat the game.
|colspan=2 align=center|A secret world unlocked after beating Bowser's final battle. Its levels must be unlocked with the Star Coins collected from all the levels of the previous worlds.
|-
!style="background:#7fb7ce" width=2%|#
!style="background:#7fb7ce" width="5%"|Level
!style="background:#7fb7ce" width=2%|#
!style="background:#7fb7ce" width="5%"|Level
!style="background:#7fb7ce" width=2%|#
!style="background:#7fb7ce" width="5%"|Level
|-
|1
|[[Land of Flying Blocks]] (sky)
|1
|[[Meteor Moat]] (volcano/castle exterior)
|1
|[[Spine-Tingling Spine Coaster]] (grass)
|-
|2
|[[Seesaw Shrooms (level)|Seesaw Shrooms]] (sky)
|2
|[[Magma-River Cruise]] (volcano/castle exterior)
|2
|[[Run for It]] (desert/sky)
|-
|3
|[[Switchback Hill]] (sky)
|3
|[[Rising Tides of Lava]] (volcano/cave)
|3
|[[Swim for Your Life!]] (underwater/cave)
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Tower Icon.png|x18px|Tower|link=Tower]]
|[[Slide Lift Tower]] (tower)
|4
|[[Firefall Cliffs]] (volcano/castle exterior)
|4
|[[Hammerswing Caverns]] (snow/cave)
|-
|[[File:Ghost Icon.png|x18px|Ghost House|link=Ghost House]]
|[[Spinning Spirit House]] (haunted house)
|[[File:Princess Peach Castle Sprite.png|18px]]
|[[Red-Hot Elevator Ride]] (castle)
|5
|[[Spinning Platforms of Doom]] (haunted forest/painting)
|-
|4
|[[Bouncy Cloud Boomerangs]] (sky)
|[[File:Princess Peach Castle Sprite.png|18px]]2
|[[The Final Battle (New Super Mario Bros. U)|The Final Battle]] (castle)
|6
|[[Fire Bar Cliffs]] (mountain)
|-
|5
|[[A Quick Dip in the Sky]] (sky)
|rowspan=4 colspan=2|
|7
|[[Lakitu! Lakitu! Lakitu!]] (sky)
|-
|6
|[[Snaking above Mist Valley]] (sky)
|8
|[[Pendulum Castle]] (fortress)
|-
|[[File:Castle Icon.png|x18px|Castle|link=Castle]]
|[[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]] (castle/sky)
|9
|[[Follow That Shell!]] (sky)
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Airship Sprite.png|x18px|Airship|link=Airship]]
|[[Boarding the Airship]] (airship)
|colspan=2|
|}
</center>
====Other areas====
<center>
{|width=55% class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!width=50% style="background:#E9BFFF"|{{Color-link|Secret Island|Black}}
!width=50% colspan=2 style="background:lavender"|{{Color-link|Coin Courses|Black}}
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Secret Island World Map.png|250px]]
|colspan="2"|[[File:NSMBU Coin Courses Level Select.png|250px]]
|-
|align=center rowspan=10|A small island between Acorn Plains and Sparkling Waters that houses a [[Toad House|Purple Toad House]], where the player can check several records. It is unlocked alongside Superstar Road.
|colspan=2 align=center|A multiplayer-exclusive world found in [[Coin Battle]], similar to [[World Coin]] from ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''.
|-
!style="background:#7fb7ce"|#
!style="background:#7fb7ce"|Difficulty
|-
|{{world-link|coin|1|World Coin-1 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}} (grass)
|★
|-
|{{world-link|coin|2|World Coin-2 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}} (cosmic)
|★
|-
|{{world-link|coin|3|World Coin-3 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}} (beach)
|★★
|-
|{{world-link|coin|4|World Coin-4 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}} (sky)
|★★★
|-
|{{world-link|coin|5|World Coin-5 (New Super Mario Bros. U)}} (underwater)
|★★★
|-
|{{world-link|coin|6|World Coin-6}} (haunted house)
|★★★★
|-
|{{world-link|coin|7|World Coin-7}} (cosmic/snow)
|★★★★★
|-
|{{world-link|coin|8|World Coin-8}} (sky)
|★★★★★
|-
|}
</center>

===Yoshis===
[[File:NSMBU E3 Mushroom Heights Baby Yoshi.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Mario and Luigi using [[Balloon Baby Yoshi]]s to get over a [[Big Piranha Plant]].]]
[[Yoshi (species)|Green Yoshi]]s make a return, acting like in ''New Super Mario Bros Wii''. Green is the only color available for Yoshis that the players ride on, unlike ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''. [[Yoshi]] now has a meter that tracks how many fruits he eats, instead of showing a number each time he eats one. As usual, eating 5 makes him lay an egg containing an item. Like in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', Yoshi cannot leave the courses that he appears in.

''New Super Mario Bros. U'' also features the return of [[Baby Yoshi]]s, having been absent from the ''Super Mario'' series since their debut in ''Super Mario World''. The game features three differently-colored Baby Yoshis, each one with a special ability. They differ from the adult Green Yoshi in terms of gameplay. Being babies, they cannot be ridden, so characters must carry them throughout the levels. Baby Yoshis also instantly eat almost any enemy that is in front of them. Unlike in ''Super Mario World'', however, Baby Yoshis no longer grow into adults after eating several enemies, instead remaining as babies. Two types of Baby Yoshis found on the overworld can be taken into any course, with the exception of [[Fortress]]es, [[Airship]]s, and [[Castle]]s.
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin:0 auto 10px auto;"
!width="5%"|Baby Yoshi
!class="unsortable"width="50%"|Description
|-
|{{sort|Bubble Baby Yoshi|[[File:NSMBU Blue Toad and Baby Yoshi Artwork.png|100px]]<br>[[Bubble Baby Yoshi]]}}
|align=left|Blue Baby Yoshis that blow bubbles from their mouths. Enemies caught in these bubbles will turn into 3 [[Coin]]s, a power-up or a [[1-Up Mushroom]]. These bubbles can also be used as miniature platforms. They first appear on the Frosted Glacier map area.
|-
|{{sort|Balloon Baby Yoshi|[[File:WiiU NewMarioU 3 char03 E3.png|100px]]<br>[[Balloon Baby Yoshi]]}}
|align=left|Magenta Baby Yoshis that expand like balloons and gently float in the air. These Baby Yoshis are similar to the [[Blimp Yoshi]] power-up, found in ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]''. They first appear on the Acorn Plains map area. Additionally, up to 4 players can grab on to one Baby Yoshi, by grabbing their legs. This slows the player down though.
|-
|{{sort|Glowing Baby Yoshi|[[File:NSMBU Glowing Baby Yoshi With Mario Artwork 2.png|100px]]<br>[[Glowing Baby Yoshi]]}}
|align=left|Yellow Baby Yoshis that light up dark areas and can stun enemies with their light attack. These Baby Yoshis act similar to the [[Light Block]]s, found in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', and also [[Bulb Yoshi]] from ''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]''. Unlike the other two Baby Yoshis, the Glowing Baby Yoshis are not found on the world map, and are only found in courses such as [[Perilous Pokey Cave]]. Instead of following the characters throughout the courses, they give an [[extra life]] when reach the end of the levels that they appear in.
|}

===Inventory===
[[File:NSMBU Inventory.png|left|thumb|400px|The inventory.]]
The world map inventory, seen in ''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'' and ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', returns in ''New Super Mario Bros. U'', allowing players to store items that can be used before entering a level. Unlike the other inventories, this is limited to ten items only. If more items come in, the player will have to discard items from the inventory until they have ten. Players can gain items into their inventory by playing [[Toad House|Red Toad House]] minigames, collecting items on the world map itself, completing an [[Enemy Course]], catching [[Nabbit]], or finishing a level with the final two digits of the time matching.

===Extra modes===
[[File:Time Attack Trial NSMBU.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Small Mario playing through a Time Attack stage in Challenge Mode.]]
In addition to the main adventure, ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' features three additional bonus modes to play. The first of these is [[Challenge Mode (New Super Mario Bros. U)|Challenge Mode]], in which players must complete a given objective on a given stage, some within a specific time limit. In most cases, after the player completes a challenge, they are ranked with a medal depending on how well they did. There are five types of challenges: Time Attack, Coin Collection, 1-Up Rally, Special, and Boost Mode.

Another mode is [[Boost Rush|Boost Rush Mode]], where players have to reach the end of two or three selected stages in the lowest possible time, similar to the [[Coin Rush]] mode featured in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]''. Unlike Coin Rush, the stages scroll automatically, meaning the player has to keep up with the stage, which speeds up every time they collect coins.

[[Coin Battle]] from ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' is also available. However, in this version of the mode, players can be grouped into teams against each other or play free-for-all, rather than just the latter. The Wii U GamePad can also be used for [[Coin Edit]], in which the GamePad is used to customize the coin placement in the [[Coin Courses|Coin Battle-exclusive courses]].

Unlike in the main game, player 1 can choose any character in these modes.

==Characters==
===Playable===
<gallery>
NSMBU Mario Jumping Artwork.png|[[Mario]]
NSMBU Luigi Jumping Artwork.png|[[Luigi]] (multiplayer only)
NSMBUYellowToad.png|[[Yellow Toad (New Super Mario Bros. series)|Yellow Toad]] (multiplayer only)
NSMBUBlueToad.png|[[Blue Toad (character)|Blue Toad]] (multiplayer only)
NSMBU Four Miis Artwork.png|[[Mii]] ([[Coin Battle]], [[Boost Rush]], and [[Challenge Mode (New Super Mario Bros. U)|Challenge Mode]] only) 
</gallery>

===Bosses===
====Tower bosses====
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin:0 auto 10px auto;"
!width="5%"|Boss
!width="50%"|Description
|-
|[[File:Boom Boom NSMBU Model.png|68px]]<br>[[Boom Boom]]
|The tower boss from [[Acorn Plains]] to the first tower of [[Rock-Candy Mines]]. He does not change in the first battle. However, following his first defeat, [[Kamek|Magikoopa]] gives him special abilities. In [[Layer-Cake Desert]], Magikoopa will grant him the ability to spin jump. In [[Frosted Glacier]] and [[Sparkling Waters]], Magikoopa will grant him the ability to jump, similar to ''Super Mario Bros. 3''. In [[Soda Jungle]], Magikoopa will make him larger. In [[Rock-Candy Mines]], Magikoopa will transform his arms into wings, similar to ''Super Mario Bros. 3''.
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Boss Sumo Bro Artwork.png|100px]]<br>[[Boss Sumo Bro]]
|Boss Sumo Bro was a regular [[Sumo Bro]] until Magikoopa made him grow in size. He is normally immune to attacks from the top due to the spike on his head, but he will jump between platforms which the player can hit from the bottom. Knocking him off a platform makes him vulnerable to jump attacks. He is fought on [[Screwtop Tower]].
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Kamek Artwork.png|100px]]<br>[[Kamek]]
|Kamek is fought on [[Slide Lift Tower]] and teleports most of the time when Mario gets too close. However, when he stops to attack Mario, he is left vulnerable to Mario's jumping. He also casts spells on Boom Boom, Boss Sumo Bro, and Bowser granting them extra power before their battles, such as causing them to grow in size.
|}

====Castle/airship bosses====
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin:0 auto 10px auto;"
!width="5%"|Boss
!width="50%"|Description
|-
|[[File:Lemmy Koopa NSMBU.png|68px]]<br>[[Lemmy Koopa]]
|Lemmy Koopa is fought on [[Lemmy's Swingback Castle]] in [[Acorn Plains]] and attempts to throw [[bomb]]s at Mario.
|-
|[[File:MortonNSMBU.png|68px]]<br>[[Morton Koopa Jr.]]
|Morton Koopa Jr. is fought on [[Morton's Compactor Castle]] in [[Layer Cake Desert]] and uses a large hammer that is apparently filled with magic to knock giant [[Pokey]] segments in the player's way after shaking the ground by stomping on it. He can knock Pokey segments straight at the player or knock them in high arcs.
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Larry Koopa Artwork.png|68px]]<br>[[Larry Koopa]]
|Larry Koopa is fought on [[Larry's Torpedo Castle]] in [[Sparkling Waters]] and blasts fireballs and use water blasts from the pool below the arena. When Larry is spinning in his shell, the water geysers give his shell a boost upwards, making it a bit tricky to avoid. After two stomps, Larry begins to cast two fireballs in quick succession.
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Wendy Koopa Artwork.png|68px]]<br>[[Wendy O. Koopa]]
|Wendy O. Koopa is fought on [[Wendy's Shifting Castle]] in [[Frosted Glacier]] and skates around the arena, shooting out two energy rings that ricochet off of walls and can knock down the [[icicle]]s at the ceiling of the airship. She also spin jumps from walls. After she is jumped on twice, she will shoot out three rings instead.
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Iggy Artwork.png|68px]]<br>[[Iggy Koopa]]
|Iggy Koopa is fought on [[Iggy's Volcanic Castle]] in [[Soda Jungle]] and uses the four warp pipes to run around the room and on the ceiling to make it trickier for the player to stomp on him as he uses his Magic Wand to shoot three fireballs, with some being his usual green flame, and the other being red skeleton orbs that generate [[Magmaargh]]s when they land into the lava below. When Iggy is stomped on, he will dash around the room in his shell using the pipes on the walls, which will switch him to the other side of the room. Unlike the other Koopalings where they spin in their shells and change directions at the edges or walls of the room, Iggy can actually change directions anywhere around the room during his duration in his shell.
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Roy Artwork.png|68px]]<br>[[Roy Koopa]]
|Roy Koopa is fought on [[Roy's Conveyor Castle]] in [[Rock-Candy Mines]] and shoots [[Bullet Bill]]s with his cannon and jump between platforms that move around during the fight. Occasionally, he shoots [[Bull's-Eye Bill|Missile Bill]]s. He can also jump high in the air and ground pound the floor or platform, which makes him fire Bullet Bills on both sides of his blaster. The ground pound can also make the floating platforms appear after he comes out of his shell.
|-
|[[File:LudwigNSMBU.png|68px]]<br>[[Ludwig von Koopa]]
|Ludwig von Koopa is fought on [[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]] in [[Meringue Clouds]] and levitates in the air while making two clones of himself, and all three Ludwigs will blast fireballs at Mario before dropping onto the ground. If one of the clones is jumped on, it will simply disappear. There are four ways to find out which is the real one. The one that is the real one fires three fireballs, while the clones fire two. The clones keep their eyes half-open, and tend to assume the real Ludwig's pre-battle idle pose while not levitating. The real Ludwig will also drop to the ground last, after the clones, as well as laugh while dropping. Finally, Mario always looks at the real Ludwig if he can see him directly, just as he does with the other bosses. When the fight starts off, after shooting their fireballs, the clones disappear before landing. After the first stomp, the clones do not disappear. After the second stomp, not only do all three Ludwigs shoot faster, but swap positions, though the real Ludwig still shoots three fireballs.
|-
|[[File:Bowserjr NSMBU.png|68px]]<br>[[Bowser Jr.]]
|Bowser Jr. is fought on [[airship]]s. In Soda Jungle's [[The Mighty Cannonship]], Bowser Jr. uses his [[Junior Clown Car]] as a submarine underwater, in which the player must guide the Targeting Teds that Bowser Jr. shoots into his submarine. With every hit, he summons three Torpedo Teds from the left and right or from the ceiling and the floor. In Meringue Clouds' [[Boarding the Airship]], Bowser Jr.'s boss battle involves him in his Clown Car equipped with boxing gloves, which he uses to destroy the blocks the player is standing on. Bowser Jr. periodically throws Bob-ombs, which the player can use against him. However, in [[Peach's Castle (world)|Peach's Castle]]'s [[The Final Battle (New Super Mario Bros. U)|The Final Battle]], he cannot be defeated.
|-
|[[File:BowserNSMBU.png|68px]]<br>[[Bowser]]
|Bowser is fought in [[The Final Battle (New Super Mario Bros. U)|The Final Battle]] in [[Peach's Castle (world)|Peach's Castle]]. The first part of his battle is similar to ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'', where the player has to get to the other side and press the switch; alternatively, shooting several fireballs also works. This causes the axe to fall and make the bridge collapse, making Bowser fall. The gate then opens and Mario moves on. When Mario reaches the top of the castle, Peach is being held up in the tower. After this, Bowser Jr. shows up in his Junior Clown Car, and Bowser hops on top of the castle while he is huge. Bowser Jr. also fights the player. In order to defeat them, the player must jump on Bowser Jr., causing him to fall out of his Junior Clown Car. This allows the player to jump in and hover over Bowser to harm him. Like the Koopalings, he curls into his shell and spins around when hit. He is defeated after being hit three times by the Clown Car.
|}

===Supporting===
<gallery>
YoshiNSMBW.png|[[Yoshi (species)|Yoshis]]
NSMBU Balloon Baby Yoshi Artwork.png|[[Balloon Baby Yoshi]]s
NSMBU Bubble Baby Yoshi Artwork.png|[[Bubble Baby Yoshi]]s 
GlowbabyyoshiNSMBU.png|[[Glowing Baby Yoshi]]s
PeachtoadsNSMBU.png|[[Princess Peach]]<br>[[Toad]]
</gallery>

===Transformations===
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center"
|[[File:NSMBUSmallMario.png|60px|center]]
|[[File:NSMBU Mario Jumping Artwork.png|100px|center]]
|[[File:NSMBU Flying Squirrel Mario Artwork.png|110px|center]]
|[[File:Fire Mario.png|185px|center]]
|[[File:NSMBW Ice Mario Artwork.png|180px|center]]
|-
|<center>'''[[Small Mario]]'''<br>(starting form)</center>
|<center>'''[[Super Mario (form)|Super Mario]]'''<br>([[File:NSMBU Mushroom Artwork.png|20px|link=Super Mushroom]] required)</center>
|<center>'''[[Flying Squirrel Mario]]'''<br>(New, [[File:NSMBU Super Acorn Artwork.png|20px|link=Super Acorn]] required)</center>
|<center>'''[[Fire Mario]]'''<br>([[File:NSMBU Fire Flower Artwork.png|x20px|link=Fire Flower]] required)</center>
|<center>'''[[Ice Mario]]'''<br>([[File:NSMBU Ice Flower Artwork.png|x20px|link=Ice Flower]] required)</center>
|-
|[[File:NSMBUMiniMario.png|60px|center]]
|[[File:NSMB2 Invincible Mario Artwork.png|150px|center]]
|[[File:NSMBU Power Squirrel Mario Render.png|80px|center]]
|[[File:NSMBW Propeller Mario.png|70px|center]]
|[[File:NSMBW Penguin Mario Artwork.png|140px|center]]
|-
|<center>'''[[Mini Mario (form)|Mini Mario]]'''<br>([[File:NSMBU Mini Mushroom Artwork.png|20px|link=Mini Mushroom]] required)</center>
|<center>'''[[Invincible Mario]]'''<br>([[File:NSMBU Super Star Artwork.png|x20px|link=Super Star]] required)</center>
|<center>'''[[P Flying Squirrel Mario]]'''<br>(New, [[File:New_Super_Mario_Bros._U_Deluxe_P-Acorn.png|20px|link=P-Acorn]] required)</center>
|<center>'''[[Propeller Mario]]'''<br>([[File:NSMBW Propeller Mushroom Artwork.png|x25px|link=Propeller Mushroom]] required)</center> 
|<center>'''[[Penguin Mario]]'''<br>([[File:Penguinsuit.png|x20px|link=Penguin Suit]] required)</center> 
|}

==Enemies and obstacles==
Enemies and obstacles with an asterisk (*) first appeared in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. The only two enemies that do not reappear are the [[Ghost Vase]] and the [[Bull's-Eye Banzai|Bull's-Eye Bomber Bill]].

===New enemies===
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%"
!width=5%|Image
!width=10%|Name
!Description
!width=10%|First appearance
!width=10%|Last appearance
|-
|[[File:BowserAmp.png|90px]]
|[[Bowser Stunner]]
|An electric statue that resembles [[Bowser]]'s head and carries electrical currents.
|colspan="2"|[[Red-Hot Elevator Ride]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBUDX Dragoneel model.png|90px]][[File:LittleDragoneels.png|90px]]
|[[Dragoneel]]
|A long eel that attacks [[Mario]] by chasing him. Shorter, purple ones also exist that move slower, but make sharper turns.
|colspan="2"|[[Dragoneel's Undersea Grotto]] (red/purple)
|-
|[[File:Fliprus.png|90px]]
|[[Fliprus]]
|A walrus-like creature that throws snowballs that can be jumped on.
|colspan="2"|[[Fliprus Lake]]
|-
|[[File:Goombrat.png|64px]]
|[[Goombrat]]
|A [[Goomba]] that resembles a {{wp|persimmon#Fruit|persimmon}} and turns at ledges.
|colspan="2"|[[Mushroom Heights]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Grrrol Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Grrrol]]
|Round [[Thwomp]] variants that roll on the ground, replacing [[Spike Ball]]s.
|[[Stoneslide Tower]]
|[[Grinding-Stone Tower]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Mecha Cheep Screenshot.png|90px]]
|[[Mecha Cheep]]
|Robotic [[Cheep Cheep]]s that are immune to [[fireball]]s.
|colspan="2"|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:Dai Goro model.png|90px]]
|[[Mega Grrrol]]
|A bigger [[Grrrol]] with the same behavior.
|colspan="2"|[[Grinding-Stone Tower]]
|-
|[[File:NabbitNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Nabbit]]
|A character that steals items from the map and must be defeated to retrieve the items.
|[[Acorn Plains Way]]
|[[Seesaw Shrooms (level)|Seesaw Shrooms]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBUD Piranha Pod model.png|90px]]
|[[Piranha Pod]]
|A projectile thrown by a [[Lakitu]] that turns into a [[Piranha Plant]].
|colspan="2"|[[Blooming Lakitus]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Asset Model Targeting Ted.png|90px]]
|[[Targeting Ted]]
|Red Torpedo Teds that home into their target, much like [[Bull's-Eye Bill|Missile Bill]]s.
|colspan="2"|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Red Torpedo Base Screenshot.png|90px]]
|[[Torpedo Base (Targeting Ted)|Torpedo Base]]
|Red [[torpedo tube]]s that fire [[Targeting Ted]]s instead of [[Torpedo Ted]]s.
|colspan="2"|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Gliding Waddlewing Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Waddlewing]]
|Orange flying-squirrel enemies that glide through stages.
|[[Acorn Plains Way]]
|[[Land of Flying Blocks]] 
|}

===Returning enemies===
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%"
!width=5%|Image
!width=10%|Name
!Description
!width=10%|First appearance
!width=10%|Last appearance
|-
|[[File:Amp NSMBU model.png|90px]]
|[[Amp]]
|Electric balls that shock Mario upon contact.
|[[Snake Block Tower]]
|[[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]]
|-
|[[File:BanzaibillNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Banzai Bill]]
|Large Bullet Bills that fly straight forward.
|colspan="2"|[[Scaling the Mountainside]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Big Amp Close-up Screenshot.png|90px]]
|[[Big Amp]]
|Larger variants of Amps.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Snake Block Tower]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Big Boo Model.png|90px]]
|[[Big Boo]]
|Bigger variants of Boos that have the same behavior.
|[[Swaying Ghost House]]
|[[Spinning Spirit House]]
|-
|[[File:MegaBuzzyBeetle NSMBW.png|90px]]
|[[Big Buzzy Beetle]]
|Bigger variants of Buzzy Beetles.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Rising Tides of Lava]]
|-
|[[File:Big Cheep Cheep NSMB2 Prima.jpg|90px]]
|[[Big Cheep Cheep]]
|Large variants of Cheep Cheeps that are found in underwater levels.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Tropical Refresher]]
|-
|[[File:Big Dry Bones NSMB2 Prima.jpg|90px]]
|[[Big Dry Bones]]
|Large variants of Dry Bones that appear in castle levels.
|[[Stoneslide Tower]]
|[[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Big Fuzzy Render.png|90px]]
|[[Big Fuzzy]]*
|Large variants of Fuzzies.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Spine-Tingling Spine Coaster]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Giant Goomba Render.png|90px]]
|[[Big Goomba]]
|Large variants of Goombas. They split into two Hefty Goombas once stomped on.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Jungle of the Giants]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Big Koopa.png|90px]]
|[[Big Koopa Troopa]]
|Large variants of Koopa Troopas.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Jungle of the Giants]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Super Piranha Plant Render.png|90px]]
|[[Big Piranha Plant]]
|Large variants of Piranha Plants.
|[[Mushroom Heights]]
|[[A Quick Dip in the Sky]]
|-
|[[File:MariovsMortonNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Big Pokey]]
|Large variants of Pokeys.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Morton's Compactor Castle]]
|-
|[[File:SuperThwomp NSMBW.png|90px]]
|[[Big Thwomp]]
|Large Thwomps that can break through stone tiles.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Wendy's Shifting Castle]]
|-
|[[File:Mega Urchin.png|90px]]
|[[Big Urchin]]*
|A gigantic [[Urchin]] that can be defeated only with a Star.
|[[Tropical Refresher]]
|[[Urchin Shoals]]
|-
|[[File:MegaWiggler.png|90px]]
|[[Big Wiggler]]
|Large variants of Wigglers.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Wiggler Stampede]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Blooper Sprite.png|90px]]
|[[Blooper]]
|Underwater enemies that move in an erratic pattern and follow Mario.
|[[Blooper's Secret Lair]]
|[[Tropical Refresher]]
|-
|[[File:BabyBlooperNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Blooper Baby]]
|Small Bloopers that follow Blooper Nannies.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Blooper's Secret Lair]]
|-
|[[File:BloopernannyNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Blooper Nanny]]
|Bloopers that have Blooper Babies swimming in a trail behind them.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Blooper's Secret Lair]]
|-
|[[File:BobombNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Bob-omb]]
|Bombs that ignite if they are jumped on or have a fireball thrown at them, then explode shortly after.
|[[Light Blocks, Dark Tower]]
|[[The Final Battle (New Super Mario Bros. U)|The Final Battle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Bony Beetle Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Bony Beetle]]
|Skeleton variants of Buzzy Beetles that walk around and suddenly stop to stick out their spikes.
|[[Grinding-Stone Tower]]
|[[Pendulum Castle]]
|-
|[[File:BooNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Boo]]
|Ghosts that follow Mario when his back is turned, but hide their face when he looks at them.
|[[Haunted Shipwreck]]
|[[Spinning Spirit House]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Boomerang Bro Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Boomerang Bro]]
|Hammer Bros. that use boomerangs, which return to them after being thrown.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Bouncy Cloud Boomerangs]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Bramball Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Bramball]]*
|An enemy that moves around in a set pattern and is mostly covered in spikes, with the head being the only safe part to jump on. It can be forced to move if jumped into from below.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Bramball Woods]]
|-
|[[File:BroozerNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Broozer]]
|A walking, boxing Boo. Can break [[Brick Block|brick]]s and other blocks that are normally indestructible. Mario can defeat it by jumping on it three times, or hitting him with a fireball.
|[[Which-Way Labyrinth]]
|[[Spinning Spirit House]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Bulber Model.png|90px]]
|[[Bulber]]*
|An enemy that illuminates a dark area and swims in a set pattern.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Deepsea Ruins]]
|-
|[[File:Bullet Bill NSMB2 Prima.jpg|90px]]
|[[Bullet Bill]]
|Bullets that fly straight forward and are shot from Bill Blasters and Bill Blaster Turrets.
|[[Scaling the Mountainside]]
|[[Switchback Hill]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Buzzy Beetle Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Buzzy Beetle]]
|Shelled enemies that can be kicked or thrown after being jumped on, and can walk on ceilings.
|[[Tilted Tunnel]]
|[[Fire Bar Cliffs]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Chain Chomp Render.png|90px]]
|[[Chain Chomp]]
|Enemies tied to posts that lunge at Mario. If Mario ground pounds their post, they are set free.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Waddlewing's Nest]]
|-
|[[File:CheepCheepNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Cheep Cheep]]
|Fish that are found swimming aimlessly in underwater levels.
|[[Waterspout Beach]]
|[[Swim for Your Life!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Cheep-Chomp Render.png|90px]]
|[[Cheep Chomp]]
|Large fish that attempt to eat Mario.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Swim for Your Life!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Boo Buddy Render.png|90px]]
|[[Boo Buddies|Circling Boo Buddies]]
|Boos flying in a circle formation.
|[[Haunted Shipwreck]]
|[[Spinning Platforms of Doom]]
|-
|[[File:CooliganNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Cooligan]]*
|An enemy that slides on ice and slows down when hit.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Cooligan Fields]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Dry Bones Model.png|90px]]
|[[Dry Bones]]
|Skeleton Koopa Troopas that collapse when attacked, but later rebuild themselves.
|[[Crushing-Cogs Tower]]
|[[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Eep Cheep Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Eep Cheep]]*
|A [[Cheep Cheep]] that lives in a school with other Eep Cheeps and swims away when the player comes near it.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Dragoneel's Undersea Grotto]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Fire Bro Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Fire Bro]]
|Hammer Bros. that throw fireballs.
|[[Fire Snake Cavern]]
|[[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]]
|-
|[[File:FirepiranhaNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Fire Piranha Plant]]
|Piranha Plants that aim at Mario and shoot fireballs.
|[[Yoshi Hill]]
|[[Prickly Goombas!]]
|-
|[[File:FireSnakeAttack.png|90px]]
|[[Fire Snake]]
|Flames that jump in a high arc.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Fire Snake Cavern]]
|-
|[[File:FishboneNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Fish Bone]]
|Skeletal fish that charge towards Mario.
|[[Haunted Shipwreck]]
|[[Deepsea Ruins]]
|-
|[[File:Flame Chomp NSMB2 Prima.jpg|90px]]
|[[Flame Chomp]]
|Black spheres that spit fireballs at Mario. They explode after they're out of fireballs.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Rising Tides of Lava]]
|-
|[[File:FooNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Foo]]*
|An enemy that creates fog in order to obscure the player's view.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Snaking above Mist Valley]]
|-
|[[File:Ice PiranhaNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Frost Piranha]]
|A [[Piranha Plant]] that can shoot [[Ice Ball|ice ball]]s from its mouth, like [[Fire Piranha Plant]]s. 
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Fuzzy Clifftop]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Fuzzy Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Fuzzy]]
|Enemies that follow tracks and hurt Mario upon contact.
|[[Fuzzy Clifftop]]
|[[A Quick Dip in the Sky]]
|-
|[[File:GhostQuestionBlock.png|90px]]
|[[Ghost Block]]*
|A ? Block that floats and charges at the player, breaking if it hits a floor or a platform.
|[[Haunted Shipwreck]]
|[[Spinning Spirit House]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Clampy Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Clampy|Giant Clam]]
|Clams that open and close their mouths.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Waterspout Beach]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Goomba Artwork.png|90px]]<br>[[File:BalloonGoomba.png|90px]]
|[[Goomba]]
|Common enemies that can be defeated by jumping on them. Some Goombas in [[Skyward Stalk]] float on balloons.
|[[Acorn Plains Way]]
|[[Follow That Shell!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Hammer Bro Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Hammer Bro]]
|Enemies that throw hammers and jump.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Rise of the Piranha Plants]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Hefty Goomba.png|90px]]
|[[Hefty Goomba]]*
|A large [[Goomba]] that is the middling size of a Goomba, being smaller than a [[Big Goomba|Giant Goomba]] but bigger than a regular Goomba. This enemy splits into two Goombas when jumped on.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Jungle of the Giants]]
|-
|[[File:Heavy Para-Beetle Side View.png|90px]]
|[[Heavy Para-Beetle]]*
|A [[Para-Beetle]] that descends when used as a platform.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Flight of the Para-Beetles]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Huckit Crab Render.png|90px]]
|[[Huckit Crab]]*
|A crab that throws sand balls on loop. These balls can be jumped on and used as a temporary platform.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Waterspout Beach]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Ice Bro Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Ice Bro]]*
|An enemy that throws [[Ice Ball|ice ball]]s at the ground, which can freeze the player and even other enemies.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Icicle Caverns]]
|-
|[[File:Jellybeam.png|90px]]
|[[Jellybeam]]*
|An enemy that illuminates a dark cave.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Deepsea Ruins]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW King Bill Render.png|90px]]
|[[King Bill]]*
|A nearly invincible enemy that charges forward, taking up most of the screen.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Flight of the Para-Beetles]]
|-
|[[File:KoopatroopaNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Koopa Troopa]]
|Turtle enemies that go into their shells when attacked, then can be picked up or thrown. Green Koopa Troopas walk off ledges, while Red Koopa Troopas turn around.
|[[Acorn Plains Way]]
|[[Follow That Shell!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Lakitu Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Lakitu]]
|Enemies that throw Spiny Eggs. If Mario defeats a Lakitu, he can ride on its cloud until it disappears.
|[[Blooming Lakitus]]
|[[Lakitu! Lakitu! Lakitu!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Lava Bubble Render.png|90px]]
|[[Lava Bubble]]
|Fireballs that jump out of lava.
|[[Lemmy's Swingback Castle]]
|[[The Final Battle (New Super Mario Bros. U)|The Final Battle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Magmaargh Render.png|90px]]
|[[Magmaargh]]
|Lava monsters that attacks by moving towards the players in a wave-like movement
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Iggy's Volcanic Castle]]
|-
|[[File:MagmawNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Magmaw]]
|Lava monsters that lunges at the player and dips back into the lava.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Magma-River Cruise]]
|-
|[[File:NewMechaKoopa.jpg|90px]]
|[[Mechakoopa]]
|A mechanical Koopa. After stomping it, Mario can pick it up and use it as a weapon.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:Mini Goomba NSMB2 Prima.jpg|90px]]
|[[Mini Goomba]]
|Small Goombas that weigh Mario down until he either attacks or walks for a few seconds.
|[[Slide Lift Tower]]
|[[Magma-River Cruise]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Missle Bill Screenshot.png|90px]]
|[[Bull's-Eye Bill|Missile Bill]]
|Bullet Bills that target Mario.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Roy's Conveyor Castle]]
|-
|[[File:MontymoleNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Monty Mole]]
|A mole that pops out of mountains and the ground and gives chase.
|[[Yoshi Hill]]
|[[Magma-River Cruise]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Muncher Render.png|90px]]
|[[Muncher]]
|An invincible black plant.
|[[Spinning-Star Sky]]
|[[Thrilling Spine Coaster]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Parabeetle Render.png|90px]]
|[[Para-Beetle]]
|Para-Beetles are winged Buzzy Beetles. However, Mario can hop on their back for a ride, unlike with other winged foes.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Flight of the Para-Beetles]]
|-
|[[File:ParabombNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Parabomb]]
|Parachuting Bob-ombs that are sometimes shot out of cannons.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Red-Hot Elevator Ride]]
|-
|[[File:ParagoombaNSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Paragoomba]]
|Winged Goombas that hop as they walk.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Seesaw Shrooms (level)|Seesaw Shrooms]]
|-
|[[File:ParatroopaNSMBU.png|90px]][[File:KoopaParatroopa NSMBU.png|90px]]
|[[Koopa Paratroopa|Paratroopa]]
|Winged Koopa Troopas that either jump in high arcs or fly up and down in the air.
|[[Stone-Eye Zone]]
|[[Hammerswing Caverns]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Upright Piranha Plant Render.png|90px]]
|[[Piranha Plant]]
|Plants that move in and out of Warp Pipes and some grounded.
|[[Acorn Plains Way]]
|[[Spinning Platforms of Doom]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Pokey Artwork.png|60px]]
|[[Pokey]]
|Living cacti that appear in desert levels and move slowly.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Perilous Pokey Cave]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Porcupuffer Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Porcupuffer]]
|Fish that jump out of the water and follow Mario.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Porcupuffer Falls]]
|-
|[[File:Pricklygoomba.png|90px]]
|[[Prickly Goomba]]*
|A Goomba that hides inside a spiked chestnut shell until it is hit with a [[fireball]], which is when it turns into a regular Goomba.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Prickly Goombas!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU River Piranha Plant Render.png|35px]]
|[[River Piranha Plant]]*
|A stationary [[Piranha Plant]] that blows a green spiked ball up and down, similar to a [[Ptooie]].
|[[Fliprus Lake]]
|[[Seesaw Bridge]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Rocky Wrench Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Rocky Wrench]]
|Monty Moles that pop out of its hole in an airship throw wrenches.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Boarding the Airship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Scaredy Rat Render.png|90px]]
|[[Scaredy Rat]]*
|An enemy that walks around in a group. When one of the rats is jumped on, the rest panic and run around.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Which-Way Labyrinth]]
|-
|[[File:SledgebrosNSMBW.png|90px]]
|[[Sledge Bro]]
|Hammer Bro variants that stun Mario after they jump.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Ludwig's Clockwork Castle]]
|-
|[[File:Spike NSMBW Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Spike]]
|Green turtles which pull spiked balls out of their mouths and throw them directly downwards from the ledges on which they stand
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Spike's Spouting Sands]]
|-
|[[File:Spike Top.png|90px]]
|[[Spike Top]]
|Buzzy Beetle variants that have spikes on their shells, preventing them from being jumped on.
|[[Stoneslide Tower]]
|[[Rising Tides of Lava]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Spiny Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Spiny]]
|Enemies that hatch from Spiny Eggs and cannot be jumped on.
|[[Seesaw Shrooms (level)|Seesaw Shrooms]]
|[[Lakitu! Lakitu! Lakitu!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Spiny Cheep Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Spiny Cheep Cheep]]
|Fast-swimming fish that chase Mario.
|[[Tropical Refresher]]
|[[Swim for Your Life!]]
|-
|[[File:StalkingPPlantNSMBW.png|90px]]
|[[Stalking Piranha Plant]]*
|A Piranha Plant that walks around and stretches up and down on a regular basis.
|[[Bramball Woods]]
|[[Walking Piranha Plants!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Stone Spike Render.png|50px]]
|[[Stone Spike]]*
|A [[Spike]] that throws stone rocks downwards.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Dry Desert Mushrooms]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Sumo Bro Artwork.png|50px]]
|[[Sumo Bro]]
|Giant Koopas that stomp the ground and create electric waves in two directions.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Screwtop Tower]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Asset Model Swoop.png|60px]]
|[[Swoop]]
|Bats that hang onto the ceiling, then swoop towards Mario.
|[[Perilous Pokey Cave]]
|[[Shifting-Floor Cave]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Thwimp Model.png|90px]]
|[[Thwimp]]
|A tiny [[Thwomp]] that hops around.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Wendy's Shifting Castle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Thwomp Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Thwomp]]
|Large rocks that fall when Mario gets close.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Wendy's Shifting Castle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Asset Model Torpedo Ted.png|90px]]
|[[Torpedo Ted]]
|A slow-moving torpedo that flies in one direction.
|[[Larry's Torpedo Castle]]
|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Torpedo Base Model.png|90px]]
|[[Torpedo tube]]
|An indestructable box that fires Torpedo Teds.
|[[Larry's Torpedo Castle]]
|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Urchin Artwork.png|90px]]
|[[Urchin]]
|Stationary enemies that appear in underwater levels.
|[[Tropical Refresher]]
|[[Swim for Your Life!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Wiggler Sprite.png|90px]]
|[[Wiggler]]
|Caterpillars that move faster after being jumped on.
|[[Seesaw Bridge]]
|[[Wiggler Stampede]]
|}

===Obstacles===
{{image|section=y|giant cannon}}
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%"
!width=15%|Image
!width=10%|Name
!Description
!width=10%|First appearance
!width=10%|Last appearance
|-
|[[File:Banzai Bill Blaster NSMBW.png|90px]]
|[[Banzai Bill Cannon]]
|Cannons that shoot Banzai Bills.
|colspan="2"|[[Scaling the Mountainside]]
|-
|[[File:Skull Blaster.png|50px]]
|[[Bill Blaster]]
|Cannons that shoot Bullet Bills.
|[[Scaling the Mountainside]]
|[[Switchback Hill]]
|-
|[[File:Multi Bill Blaster NSMBU Sprite.png|60px]]
|[[Bill Blaster Turret]]
|Stacks of Bill Blasters that rotate and shoot Bullet Bills.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Switchback Hill]]
|-
|[[File:Rocketengine.png|150px]]
|[[Burner]]
|Constant streams of fire that rotate and are found on airships.
|[[Larry's Torpedo Castle]]
|[[Boarding the Airship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Bob-omb Cannon Render.png|90px]]
|[[Cannon]]
|Cannons that shoot cannonballs or [[Bob-omb]]s.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Cannonball Screenshot.png|90px]]
|[[Cannonball]]
|Projectiles launched by cannons that travel in a straight line, and can be jumped on.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Crushing Cogs Tower Screenshot.png|180px]]
|[[Cog (obstacle)|Cog]]
|Gear-like platforms that the player must go under to pass. If they remain under one, they are squished and lose a life. 
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Crushing-Cogs Tower]]
|-
|[[File:NsmbuCurrent.png|50px]]
|[[Current]]
|Underwater currents that push the player.
|[[Blooper's Secret Lair]]
|[[Swim for Your Life!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU E3 Fire Snake Cavern Baby Yoshi.png|180px]]
|[[Dark]]
|Blocks the player's view. [[Glowing Baby Yoshi]], fire and [[Invincible Mario]] can light up dark areas.
|[[Perilous Pokey Cave]]
|[[Thrilling Spine Coaster]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBUDX Fire Bar.png|180px]]
|[[Fire Bar]]
|A series of fireballs that rotate infinitely, either clockwise or counterclockwise.
|[[Screwtop Tower]]
|[[Slide Lift Tower]]
|-
|[[File:nocoverart.png|100px]]
|[[Giant cannon]]
|Horizontal, pipe-sized cannons shoot giant cannonballs.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBW Giant Cannonball Screenshot.png|90px]]
|[[Giant cannonball]]
|Large variants of cannonballs launched by giant cannons.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Hammerswing Caverns Screenshot.jpg|180px]]
|[[Hammer Pendulum]]*
|Mallet-like platforms that swing back and forth on a 180-degree arc.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Hammerswing Caverns]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Huge Fire Bar.png|180px]]
|[[Huge Fire Bar]]
|A larger version of a [[Fire Bar]].
|[[Slide Lift Tower]]
|[[Fire Bar Cliffs]]
|-
|[[File:Freezing-Rain Tower.jpg|180px]]
|[[Huge Icicle]]*
|Large icicles that fall and act as platforms.
|[[Freezing-Rain Tower]]
|[[Icicle Caverns]]
|-
|[[File:NsmbuIcicle.png|50px]]
|[[Icicle]]
|Icicles that fall when the player gets close underneath.
|[[Freezing-Rain Tower]]
|[[Wendy's Shifting Castle]]
|-
|[[File:Lemmy's Swingback Castle.png|180px]]
|[[Lava]]
|Pits of lava cause the player to instantly lose a life upon contact.
|[[Lemmy's Swingback Castle]]
|[[The Final Battle (New Super Mario Bros. U)|The Final Battle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBUDX Lava Geyser.png|180px]]
|[[Lava Geyser]]
|Pillar of lava that rises up from pits.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Meteor Moat]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Iggy's Volcanic Castle Screenshot.jpg|180px]]
|[[Lava swell]]
|Lava that moves up in waves.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Iggy's Volcanic Castle]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Mecha Hand.png|180px]]
|[[Mecha Hand]]
|A large mechanical hand modeled after Bowser's own hand that attempts to crush the players while they are on board.
|[[The Mighty Cannonship]]
|[[Boarding the Airship]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBUDX Meteor.png|180px]]
|[[Meteor]]
|Rocks that fall slowly and break upon hitting either the ground or a block.
|[[Meteor Moat]]
|[[Firefall Cliffs]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Wiggler Stampede Screenshot.jpg|180px]]
|[[Poison (obstacle)|Poison]]
|A liquid hazard that causes the player to instantly lose a life.
|[[Bridge over Poisoned Waters]]
|[[Spinning Platforms of Doom]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU E3 Perilous Pokey Cave.png|180px]]
|[[Quicksand]]
|Sand that sinks the player.
|[[Stone-Eye Zone]]
|[[Blooming Lakitus]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Rising Tides of Lava Screenshot.jpg|180px]]
|[[Lava tide|Rising lava]]
|Lava that rises up.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Rising Tides of Lava]]
|-
|[[File:NsmbuSandGeyser.png|180px]]
|[[Sand Geyser]]
|Pillars of sand that rises up from pits at regular intervals, and can be used as platforms.
|[[Stone-Eye Zone]]
|[[Spike's Spouting Sands]]
|-
|[[File:NSLU Impossible Pendulums Screenshot.png|180px]]
|[[Spinner]]
|A large spiked ball on a chain that cannot be defeated.
|[[Snake Block Tower]]<br>(regular)<br>[[Pendulum Castle]]<br>(large)
|[[Pendulum Castle]]<br>(regular/large)
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Giant Skewer Tower Screenshot.png|180px]]
|[[Skewer]]
|Spiked columns that extend out of walls and retract at regular intervals. Both vertical and horizontal Skewers appear.
|colspan="2"align=center|[[Giant Skewer Tower]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Tropical Refresher Screenshot.jpg|180px]]
|[[Water]]
|Large bodies of harmless liquid that the player(s) can [[Swim|swim]] through.
|[[Blooper's Secret Lair]]
|[[Swim for Your Life!]]
|-
|[[File:NSMBU Water Geyser.png|180px]]
|[[Water Geyser]]
|Pillars of water that rise from below and serve as platforms, similar to Sand Geysers.
|[[Waterspout Beach]]
|[[Larry's Torpedo Castle]]
|}

==Items and objects==
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin:0 auto"
!Item!!Image!!Function
|-
|[[Super Mushroom]]||[[File:NSMBU Mushroom Artwork.png|50px]]||Turns [[Mario]] into [[Super Mario (form)|Super Mario]]. 
|-
|[[Fire Flower]]||[[File:NSMBU Fire Flower Artwork.png|50px]]||Turns Mario into [[Fire Mario]].
|-
|[[Super Acorn]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Super Acorn Artwork.png|50px]]||Turns [[Mario]] into [[Flying Squirrel Mario]]. 
|-
|[[Mini Mushroom]]||[[File:NSMBU Mini Mushroom Artwork.png|50px]]||Turns Mario into [[Mini Mario (form)|Mini Mario]].
|-
|[[Ice Flower]]||[[File:NSMBU Ice Flower Artwork.png|50px]]||Turns Mario into [[Ice Mario]]. Mario can shoot ice balls to freeze most enemies.
|-
|[[Propeller Mushroom]]||[[File:NSMBW Propeller Mushroom Artwork.png|50px]]||Turns Mario into [[Propeller Mario]] and gives him a short flight.
|-
|[[Penguin Suit]]||[[File:Penguinsuit.png|50px]]||Turns Mario into [[Penguin Mario]]. Mario can shoot ice balls and slide on his belly, along with having an improved swimming ability.
|-
|[[P-Acorn]] (new)||[[File:New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe P-Acorn.png|50px]]||Turns [[Mario]] into [[P Flying Squirrel Mario]]. 
|-
|[[Super Star]]||[[File:NSMBU Super Star Artwork.png|50px]]||Turns Mario into [[Invincible Mario]].
|-
|[[Boost Star]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Purple Star Artwork.png|50px]]||A star that appears during [[Boost Mode]].
|-
|[[1-Up Mushroom]]||[[File:NSMBU 1-Up Mushroom.png|50px]]||Gives the player an [[extra life]].
|-
|[[3-Up Moon]]||[[File:New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe 3-UP Moon.png|50px]]||Gives the player three [[extra life|extra lives]]. Only appears in [[Boost Mode]].
|-
|[[Coin]]||[[File:NSMBU Coin Artwork.png|50px]]||Collecting 100 of these gives the player an extra life.
|-
|[[Blue Coin]]||[[File:Bluecoins-NSMB2.png|50px]]||These coins are just like normal coins, but they appear by hitting a [[P Switch]].
|-
|[[Red Coin]]||[[File:NSMBU Red Coin Render.png|50px]]||Collecting all eight Red Coins that appear after passing through a Red Ring gives a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, or 1-Up Mushroom, depending on what power-up the player is currently using.
|-
|[[Green Coin]] (new)||[[File:Green CoinNSMBU.png|50px]]||Collecting all five groups of Green Coins that appear after passing through a Green Ring gives a Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, or 1-Up Mushroom, depending on what power-up the player is currently using.
|-
|[[Hidden Coin]]||[[File:DashCoin NSMB2.png|50px]]||An outline of a coin that becomes a coin if Mario goes through it. These coins are very common in [[Coin Battle]].
|-
|[[Star Coin]]||[[File:NSMBU Starcoin Artwork.png|50px]]||Three of these are located in every course in hard-to-reach or hidden areas.
|-
|[[Red Ring]]||[[File:RedRing NSMB2.png|50px]]||Makes eight Red Coins appear. If the player collects all eight coins before they disappear, they receive either a power-up, which varies in between levels, or a [[1-Up Mushroom]], depending on the player's current size.
|-
|[[Green Ring]]||[[File:Green RingNSMBU.png|50px]]||Makes fifteen Green Coins appear. If the player collects all five groups of green coins before they disappear, they receive either a power-up, which varies in between levels, or a [[1-Up Mushroom]], depending on the player's current size.
|-
|[[Yoshi's Egg|Yoshi egg]]||[[File:NSMBU Green Yoshi Egg Artwork.png|25px]][[File:NSMBU Yellow Yoshi Egg Artwork.png|25px]]||An egg that Yoshi comes out of or produces after eating five fruits, which contain power-ups. They come in two different colors: green releases a normal green Yoshi; while yellow releases a [[Glowing Baby Yoshi]]. As [[Bubble Baby Yoshi]] and [[Balloon Baby Yoshi]]s are found on the world map, they do not come out of eggs.
|-
|[[Fruit (Yoshi food)|Fruit]]||[[File:NSMBW Red Berry Sprite.png|50px]]||A fruit that Yoshi eats. When Yoshi eats five fruits, he makes an egg that contains an item.
|-
|[[Barrel]]||[[File:BarrelNSMBW.png|50px]]||An item that Mario can pick up and throw at enemies to defeat them and at coins to collect them. [[Broozer]]s can also throw them. If another player touches a barrel while it rolls, they lose a life or their power-up.
|-
|[[Crate]]||[[File:NsmbuCrate.png|50px]]||A wooden box Mario can break via a [[Ground Pound]]. Sometimes contains [[coin]]s or power-ups.
|-
|[[Iron Block]]||[[File:NsmbuIronCrate.png|50px]]||An iron box that drops on [[Conveyor Belt]]s. They are indestructible and causes the player to lose a life if crushed.
|-
|[[Frozen Coin]]||[[File:NsmbuFrozenCoin.png|50px]]||A coin encased in solid ice that can be melted by fire to be collected.
|-
|[[Flower (environmental object)|Flower]]||[[File:NsmbuFlower.png|50px]]||A common background object that releases a coin when spun next to.
|-
|[[P Switch]]||[[File:NSMBW P-Switch Sprite.png|50px]]||Turns bricks into coins or vice versa, or it causes the revealing of [[Blue Coin]]s.
|-
|[[? Switch]]||[[File:Qswitch.png|50px]]||Changes or adds things to an area, such as platforms, for a limited time.
|-
|[[! Switch]]||[[File:NSMBW ! Switch Render.png|50px]]||Activating the switch enables the axe and destroy the bridge, causing Bowser to fall.
|-
|[[Trampoline]]||[[File:TrampolineNSMBW.png|50px]]||A spring that lets the player jump high into the air. It can be picked up and carried around.
|-
|[[Checkpoint Flag]]||[[File:SMM-NSMBU-Checkpoint-Flag.png|50px]]||A flag that acts like a checkpoint. It has Bowser's insignia, but if a player touches it, it is replaced by whichever character's symbol turned it. If that character is in their Small form, they transform into their Super form.
|-
|[[Goal Pole]]||[[File:SMM-NSMBU-GoalPole.png|50px]]||Flagpoles found at the end of every level. Touching one completes the level.
|-
|[[Goal Pole (secret)]]||[[File:Flagpole secret.png|50px]]||Red flagpoles found at the end of some levels. Touching one completes the level and leads to secret exits.
|}
===Blocks===
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin:0 auto"
!Block!!Image!!Function
|-
|[[? Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Question Block Render.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Underground Question Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Castle Question Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Lava Question Block.png|50px]]||Contains a [[coin]] or item when hit.
|-
|[[Brick Block|Brick]]||[[File:BrickBlockNSMBU.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Underground Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Castle Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Lava Brick Block.png|50px]]||Breaks or contains coins when hit.
|-
|[[Coin Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Question Block Render.png|50px]]||A block that contains many coins. Looks just like a brick and becomes an [[Empty Block]] when used. Pops out five coins when used quickly enough.
|-
|[[Flying ? Block]]||[[File:NSMBU-FlyingBlock.png|50px]]||A type of ? Block that flies in a rhythmic pattern to the music of a stage. Once hit, it becomes an [[Empty Block]].
|-
|[[Empty Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Empty Block Render.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Underground Empty Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Castle Empty Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Lava Empty Block.png|50px]]||A block that cannot be broken. When a ? Block is hit, it turns into an Empty Block.
|-
|[[Mega ? Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Ground Big Question Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Underground Big Question Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Castle Big Question Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Lava Big Question Block.png|50px]]||A large ? Block that acts like a normal block.
|-
|[[Mega Block|Big Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Ground Big Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Underground Big Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Castle Big Brick Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Lava Big Brick Block.png|50px]]||A large Brick Block that acts like a normal block.
|-
|[[Empty Block|Big Empty Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Ground Big Empty Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Underground Big Empty Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Castle Big Empty Block.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Lava Big Empty Block.png|50px]]||A giant block that cannot be broken. When a Mega ? Block is hit, it turns into an Big Empty Block.
|-
|[[Note Block|Jump Block]]||[[File:NSMBW Jump Block Sprite.png|50px]]||A block that, when Mario jumps on it, makes him jump higher.
|-
|[[POW Block]]||[[File:NSMBW POW Block Artwork.png|50px]]||A block that causes a large tremor on the ground when thrown.
|-
|[[Roulette Block]]||[[File:NSMBU Roulette Block Sprite.gif|50px]]||A block with various items scrolling on it. Mario can hit it and release the power-up shown.
|-
|[[3-Up Moon Block]] (new)||[[File:3UP MoonBlockNSMBU.png|50px]]||An very rare block that contains a [[3-Up Moon]].
|-
|[[Super Guide Block]]||[[File:NSMBW Super Guide Block Sprite.png|50px]]||Appears after Mario loses five lives in a row in one stage. When this block is hit, Luigi clears the stage for Mario.
|-
|[[Boost Mode|Boost Block]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Purple Boost Block Artwork.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Green Boost Block Artwork.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Blue Boost Block Artwork.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Red Boost Block Artwork.png|50px]]||Blocks that appear when touching the GamePad.
|-
|[[Light Block]] (new)||[[File:NSMBW Light Block Artwork.png|50px]]||A block that shines light in dark areas.
|-
|[[Ice Block]]||[[File:IceBlockNSMBW.png|50px]]||A block that is created by an enemy that was frozen with an [[Ice Ball|ice ball]]. This block can be picked up and thrown like a barrel.
|-
|[[Ice Chunk]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Ice Block Icon.png|50px]]||A giant variant of an Ice Block that serves as a platform. It functions similar to [[Iron Block]]s, which can also crush the player.
|-
|[[Stretch Block]]||[[File:YellowBlockNSMBW.png|50px]]||A block made up of five segments that stretches to act as a bridge in certain levels.
|-
|[[Donut Block]]||[[File:NSMBW Donut Block Sprite.png|50px]]||A platform that falls under weight if Mario stays there for too long. As Mini Mario, he is too light to make it fall; as such, it becomes safer.
|-
|[[Snake Block]]||[[File:SMM2 Snake Block NSMBU icon.png|50px]]||Green blocks that move like a snake once Mario steps on it.
|-
|[[Snake Block|Giant Snake Block]] (new)||[[File:SMM2 Snake Block NSMBU icon.png|50px]]||Giant variants of a [[Snake Block]].
|-
|[[Hard Block]]||[[File:NsmbuHardBlock.png|50px]]||Block that can only be destroyed by [[Bob-omb]] explosions or some large/spiky enemies like [[Grrrol]]s or [[Big Thwomp]]s.
|}

===Transportation objects===
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%"
!Transportation!!Image!!Function
|-
|[[Warp Pipe]]||[[File:NSMBU Green Warp Pipe Artwork.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Blue Warp Pipe Artwork.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Red Warp Pipe Artwork.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Yellow Warp Pipe Artwork.png|50px]]||Pipes going through the ground that transport the player to new areas.
|-
|[[Small pipe]]||[[File:MiniWarpPipeNSMBU.png|50px]][[File:BlueMiniWarpPipeNSMBU.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Red Mini Warp Pipe Render.png|50px]][[File:NSMBU Yellow Mini Warp Pipe Render.png|50px]]||Mini variants of warp pipes that can be acessed with a [[Mini Mushroom]].
|-
|[[Pipe Cannon]]||[[File:NSMBU Green Warp Pipe Artwork.png|50px]]||Pipes that launch the player to another location or a hard to reach platform
|-
|[[Warp Door]]||[[File:DoorNSMBU.png|50px]]||A door found in Ghost Houses, fortresses, and castles that take the player to another portion of the level. Large doors serve as entry points to a boss.
|}

===Climbable objects===
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin:0 auto"
!Climbable object!!Image!!Function
|-
|[[Beanstalk]]||[[File:BeanstalkNSMBW.png|35px]]||Used as a ladder that can lead to [[Coin Heaven]], or a secret place. Grows out of an [[Hidden Block|Invisible Block]] or [[Brick Block]].
|-
|[[Ladder]]||[[File:NsmbuLadder.png|38px]]||A climbable object used to get on top of platforms.
|-
|[[Pole]]||[[File:NsmbuPole.png|30px]]||Striped poles that the player can climb up and slide down after jumping onto them.
|-
|[[Chain-Link]]||[[File:NsmbuChainLink.png|100px]]||Fences that the player can climb.
|}

===Platforms===
{|class="wikitable sortable"style="text-align:center;width:100%;margin:0 auto"
!Platform!!Image!!Function
|-
|[[Bridge]]||[[File:NSMBUDX Platform.png|120px]]||A kind of semisolid platform.
|-
|[[Cloud Lift]]||[[File:NsmbuCloudLift.png|120px]]||Long platforms that move to the right when initially landed on.
|-
|[[Scale Lift]]||[[File:NsmbuScaleLift.png|100px]]||Scale-like platforms that the player lands on one platform, the parallel one rises. It will fall off if they stand on it for too long.
|-
|[[Arrow lift (New Super Mario Bros. series)|Arrow Lift]] (new)||[[File:NsmbuArrowLift.png|120px]]||Lifts that appear blue when idle, but turn red when activated. When activated, they will move in the opposite direction from where they are pointing while idle.
|-
|[[Bolt Lift]]||[[File:NsmbuBoltLift.png|120px]]||A set of nuts that are screwed onto a very long bolt that serve as platforms. The player must continually jump to avoid falling.
|-
|[[Screwtop Lift]]||[[File:NSMBW Screwtop Lift Sprite.png|100px]]||A lift with a screw that the player can move in a set direction by spinning.
|-
|[[Limited Lift]]||[[File:NSMBW Wooden Raft Sprite.png|100px]]||A lift that the player can travel with a limited capacity of at least five enemies. It stops once the counter reaches 0.
|-
|[[Cross Lift]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Shifting-Floor Cave Screenshot.jpg|100px]]||A lift that expands and contracts horizontally, and also conversely expands and contracts vertically.
|-
|[[Slide Lift]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Slide Lift Tower Screenshot.jpg|100px]]||Lifts that are aligned either horizontally or vertically and move in a rectangular fashion either clockwise or counterclockwise. 
|-
|[[Star Lift]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU E3 4-Player Spinning-Star Sky.png|100px]]||Star-shaped platforms that spin depending on which side of them is weighed down by the player.
|-
|[[Mushroom Platform]]||[[File:NsmbuMushroomPlatform.png|100px]]||Mushrooms that serve as platforms.
|-
|[[Stretch Shroom]]||[[File:NsmbuStretchShroom.png|70px]]||Mushroom Platforms that contract and extend at constant intervals, pulling anything and anyone on the ends of the platforms to the center when they contract.
|-
|[[Screwtop Shroom]]||[[File:NSMBW SpinKinokoLift.png|100px]]||A rare Mushroom Platform that only appears in [[Rising Tides of Lava]]. When spun on, it lowers another lift's height.
|-
|[[Seesaw Shroom]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Seesaw Shrooms Screenshot.jpg|100px]]||A mushroom platform that acts as a seesaw.
|-
|[[Bouncy Cloud]]||[[File:NSMBW Bouncy Cloud Render.png|100px]]||Cloud platforms that makes the player and enemies bounces very high.
|-
|[[Remote-Control Platform]]||[[File:NSMBW Remote-Control Platform Sprite.png|100px]]||A lift that the player can tilt and move on tracks by tilting the Wii Remote. It reacts only when a player is standing on it.
|-
|[[Paddle Platform]]||[[File:NSMBW Paddle Wheel Sprite.png|100px]]||A paddle wheel-like platforms made of 4 smaller platforms that moves in a wheel on tracks.
|-
|[[Pendulum Platform]]||[[File:NsmbuPendulumPlatform.png|100px]]||Chained platforms that sway from side to side indefinitely.
|-
|[[Screwtop Platform]]||[[File:NSMBU Stoneslide Tower Screenshot.jpg|100px]]|||A platform with a screw that the player can move in a set direction by spinning.
|-
|[[Spine Coaster]]||[[File:Spine Coaster NSMBW.png|100px]]||Rideable creatures made of bone used to aid Mario and company to pass through lava pits.
|-
|[[Water Ball]]||[[File:NsmbuWaterBall.png|80px]]||A huge mass of water that floats in the air. Acts as if Mario and co. are in water.
|-
|[[Semisolid Platform]]||[[File:NsmbuSemisolidPlatform.png|100px]]||Platforms the player can jump on from the bottom.
|-
|[[Leaf Platform]] (new)||[[File:NsmbuLeafPlatform.png|100px]]||Leaves that serve as platforms appearing on giant beanstalks. When they first sprout, they appear to be green, only to turn red and brown then slowly float down after some time has passed.
|-
|[[Bean Platform]] (new)||[[File:NsmbuBeanPlatformCurled.png|100px]]||Large beans serving as platforms that periodically coil and uncoil.
|-
|[[Stone-Eye]] (new) ||[[File:NsmbuStoneEye.png|100px]]||Giant gray stone heads that either move in different patterns, or stay completely stationary. Stone-Eyes are sentient, indicated by their eyes that constantly stare at the player.
|-
|[[Conveyor Belt]]||[[File:NsmbuConveyorBelt.png|100px]]||Moving platforms that carry the player and sometimes [[Iron Block]]s and enemies.
|-
|[[Turning Floor]]||[[File:NsmbuTurningFloor.png|100px]]||Continually moving objects that turn clockwise or counterclockwise, moving anything on them.
|-
|[[Rolling log]]||[[File:NsmbuRollingLog.png|100px]]||Cylindrical wooden platforms that, when stood on, roll over. The player must run along them or jump carefully to avoid falling off until they reach their destination on a set path.
|-
|[[Seesaw Log Bridge]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU Seesaw Bridge Screenshot.jpg|100px]]||Solid wooden platforms that teeter to one side when a player or element stands on the opposite side.
|-
|[[Floor (Mario Bros.)|Floor]]||[[File:NsmbuFloor.png|100px]]||Platforms that the player can bump from below to stun enemies.
|-
|{{conjectural|Gear platform}}||[[File:Ludwig's Clockwork Castle.png|100px]]||A platform with gears that moves left and right.
|-
|[[Wobble Rock]]||[[File:NsmbuWobbleRock.png|100px]]||Rock platforms that wobble from left to right when the player stands near one of its edges.
|-
|[[Bridge (New Super Mario Bros. U)|Bridge]] (new)||[[File:NSMBU The Final Battle Screenshot.png|100px]]||A floor made up of skeleton bones. When Bowser Jr. slams down on a bridge with his Junior Clown Car, it causes brief ripples that can stun the player and enemies.
|}

==Reception==
''New Super Mario Bros. U'' has received generally positive reviews. The game currently maintains an 84 average on Metacritic<ref>{{cite|url=www.metacritic.com/game/wii-u/new-super-mario-bros-u|title=New Super Mario Bros. U|publisher=Metacritic|accessdate=May 13, 2024|language=en}}</ref> and had an 84.48% on GameRankings.<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20191209013358/http://www.gamerankings.com/wii-u/632934-new-super-mario-bros-u/index.html|title=New Super Mario Bros. U for Wii U|publisher=GameRankings|accessdate=May 13, 2024|language=en}}</ref> GameXplain gave the single-player and multi-player modes 4 stars out of 5,<ref>{{cite|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqF2T1AkIek|title=New Super Mario Bros. U - Video Review (Wii U) [HD]|publisher=YouTube|author=GameXplain|language=en|date=November 15, 2012|accessdate=May 13, 2024}}</ref> IGN gave it a score of 9.1 out of 10,<ref>{{cite|url=www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/15/new-super-mario-bros-u-review|title=New Super Mario Bros. U Review|publisher=IGN|accessdate=May 13, 2024|author=George, Richard|date=November 15, 2012|language=en}}</ref> EGM<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20121116100744/http://www.egmnow.com/articles/reviews/egm-review-new-super-mario-bros-u|author=Carsillo, Ray|accessdate=May 13, 2024|title=EGM Review: New Super Mario Bros. U|publisher=EGMNOW|language=en|date=November 15, 2012}}</ref> gave a score of 9/10, Joystiq gave it 4.5 stars out of 5,<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20121118053042/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/15/new-super-mario-bros-u-review|title=New Super Mario Bros. U review: A return to form|publisher=Joystiq|accessdate=May 13, 2024|date=November 15, 2012|language=en|author=Mitchell, Richard}}</ref> Polygon<ref>{{cite|url=www.polygon.com/2012/11/15/3647880/new-super-mario-bros-u-review|publisher=Polygon|date=November 15, 2012|language=en|title=New Super Mario Bros. U review: new tricks|author=Kollar, Phillip|accessdate=May 13, 2024}}</ref> and Destructoid<ref>{{cite|deadlink=y|archive=web.archive.org/web/20121117144425/http://www.destructoid.com/review-new-super-mario-bros-u-238434.phtml|title=Review: New Super Mario Bros. U|publisher=Destructoid|accessdate=May 13, 2024|language=en|author=Sterling, Jim|date=November 15, 2012}}</ref> gave the same score of 8.5/10, VentureBeat<ref>{{cite|url=venturebeat.com/2012/11/15/new-super-mario-bros-u-is-far-from-new-review/2|title=New Super Mario Bros. U is far from new (review)|publisher=VentureBeat|date=November 15, 2012|accessdate=May 13, 2024|language=en|author=McLaughlin, Rus}}</ref> gave it a score of 83/100 (83%), Games Radar gave it 4 stars out of 5,<ref>{{cite|url=www.gamesradar.com/new-super-mario-bros-u-review|language=en|publisher=Gamesradar|title=New Super Mario Bros U review|author=Gilbert, Henry|date=November 15, 2012|accessdate=May 13, 2024}}</ref> and Gamespot gave a score of 8.5.<ref>{{cite|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=tux1HawsuNw|title=GameSpot Reviews - New Super Mario Bros. U|author=GameSpot|publisher=YouTube|date=November 17, 2012|accessdate=May 13, 2024|language=en}}</ref>

The game has been praised for its balanced gameplay and challenge mode, with IGN's Rich George describing it as "the best thing to come to Mario's world since 3D", while criticizing it as not pushing the [[Wii U]]'s visuals and audio potential. He also stated, "though it doesn't necessarily redefine Nintendo's iconic hero, it still manages to capture the sense of carefree adventure that many of us felt as kids." He also criticized the game's "weak graphics and audio, plus the return of the irritating chaotic, bouncy multiplayer mode." He praised the progressing difficulty in the game and the additional difficulty of Challenge Mode.
{|class="wikitable reviews"
!colspan="4"style="font-size:120%;text-align:center;background-color:silver"|Reviews
|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6;"
|Reviewer, Publication
|Score
|Comment
|-
|Jim Sterling, [https://www.destructoid.com/review-new-super-mario-bros-u-238434.phtml Destructoid]
|8.5/10
|align="left"|"''New Super Mario Bros. U is a great little platformer that kicks off the Wii U launch with a bang. Players know exactly what they're getting with this one -- an entertaining and incomplex bit of gaming that provides challenge and smirks in equal measure. While certainly a "safe" game to launch with, it is by no means unremarkable, and the only people who would fail to have fun are those with a fundamental aversion to Mario or platformers in general. Literally everybody else would find it incredibly difficult to dislike this one ... even if some of those latter stages will make them temporarily despise it. Because nobody likes lava levels. Nobody.''"
|-
|Christian Donlan, [https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-11-15-new-super-mario-bros-u-review Eurogamer]
|9/10
|align="left"|"''Is the plumber's Wii U debut as good as his recent 3D outings? Not quite, but for the New Super Mario Bros. series, it's a real step forward in detailing, imagination and character. There's always been a keen Mario brain working away inside these 2D design exercises. Now, it feels like there's a proper soul to go along with it.''"
|-
|Richard George, [https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/11/15/new-super-mario-bros-u-review IGN]
|9.1/10
|align="left"|"''It's difficult to find freshness or brilliance in a 2D landscape. Mario's world is now three decades old. That would seem to suggest new territory is scarce, and in some ways the formulaic New Mario series had come to reinforce that fear. But New Super Mario Bros. U demonstrates there's not just life left in this type of game, but that it can be modern and nostalgic at the same time. Nintendo's approach here strikes a great balance in all areas, ranging from its difficulty to design to enemies and bosses. And for everything the basic Story Mode does right – and that's a considerable amount – the Challenge Mode will be remembered as a key moment in the life of the New Mario series, where Nintendo realized it didn’t have to sacrifice the core gamer’s experience at the expense of a more casual audience. This is how Mario can and will appeal to everyone.''"
|-
!colspan="4"style="background-color:silver;font-size:120%;text-align:center;"|Aggregators
|-style="background-color:#E6E6E6;"
|colspan=2|Compiler
|colspan=2|Platform / Score
|-
|colspan=2|Metacritic
|colspan=2 style="background-color:LimeGreen"|[https://www.metacritic.com/game/wii-u/new-super-mario-bros-u 84]
|-
|colspan=2|GameRankings
|colspan=2|[https://www.gamerankings.com/wii-u/632934-new-super-mario-bros-u/index.html 84.48%]
|}
{{br}}
===Sales===
As of March 31, 2014, ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' is the 3rd best-selling game for the Wii U, having sold about 4.16 million copies worldwide. As of September 30, 2021, it had sold 5.82 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite|author=Nintendo|date=May 10, 2022|url=www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/finance/software/wiiu.html|title=Top Selling Title Sales Unites|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=May 13, 2024|archive=web.archive.org/web/20170802044950/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/finance/software/wiiu.html|language=Japanese}}</ref>

==Updates==
<div id=fh3 class=mw-headline>1.1.0</div>
'''Release date:''' November 18, 2012

Released at launch, the first update adds the game's Miiverse functionality.

<div id=fh3 class=mw-headline>1.2.0</div>
'''Release date:''' March 15, 2013<ref>{{cite|author=Bonds, Curtis|date=March 15, 2013|url=www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/33579/update-v120-released-for-new-super-mario-bros-u|title=v.1.2.0 Released for ''New Super Mario Bros. U''|publisher=Nintendo World Report|accessdate=November 28, 2014|language=en}}</ref>

The second update causes any Miiverse posts made in-game to be posted to a separate "Game Posts" community rather than the standard community.

<div id=fh3 class=mw-headline>1.3.0</div>
'''Release date:''' June 20, 2013<ref>{{cite|url=mynintendonews.com/2013/06/20/new-super-mario-bros-u-update-allows-wii-u-pro-controller-use|author=Colette|title=''New Super Mario Bros. U'' Update Allows Wii U Pro Controller Use]|publisher=My Nintendo News|date=June 20, 2013|accessdate=May 13, 2024}}</ref>

The third game update adds the ability for the game to receive the ''New Super Luigi U'' downloadable content and puts a prompt in-game to go to the Nintendo eShop to download it. The update also adds support for the Wii U Pro Controller.

==''New Super Luigi U''==
[[File:NSLU NA Box Art.png|thumb|100px|''New Super Luigi U'' retail box art.]]
{{main|New Super Luigi U}}
In July 2013, as part of the [[Year of Luigi]] celebration, a large-scale expansion pack titled ''[[New Super Luigi U]]'' was released as downloadable content for ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' on the [[Nintendo eShop]], and was later released as a standalone title at retail. The pack contains 82 new courses in place of the original ones, featuring Luigi as the main character in the place of Mario, who does not appear at all within the game.

The game features the same multiplayer, with the option of playing as Yellow Toad, Blue Toad, or Nabbit (who cannot power-up like the other characters, but is impervious to enemy damage). The game features similar physics to that of Luigi's style of gameplay in ''[[Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels]]'', in that the characters run faster and jump higher, but stop slower. The levels have also been designed to be more challenging, with each one being shorter and featuring a 100 second time limit.

The Mario & Luigi Deluxe Set Wii U bundle released in November 2013 includes with it both games put onto one disc, titled ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U + New Super Luigi U]]''. In addition to being a compilation of both games, this release includes several bonus videos.

With the discontinuation of digital purchases for Wii U in March 2023, it is no longer possible to buy ''New Super Luigi U'' as DLC for ''New Super Mario Bros. U'', though it can still be downloaded by those who purchased it when it was available.

==Development==
As stated above, ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' was based upon the ''New Super Mario Bros. Mii'' Wii U experience demo shown off at E3 2011.<ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/04/mario_wii_u_based_on_new_super_mario_bros_mii|title=Mario Wii U "Based On" New Super Mario Bros. Mii|author=Newton, James|publisher=Nintendo Life|accessdate=May 13, 2024|date=April 17, 2012}}</ref> A translation of a Spanish online magazine revealed that the new title was in development and would be revealed at {{wp|E3 2012}},<ref>{{cite|url=www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/04/miyamoto_to_show_wii_u_mario_at_e3|title=Miyamoto To Show Wii U Mario at E3|publisher=Nintendo Life|date=April 16, 2012|author=Newton, James|accessdate=May 13, 2024}}</ref> with the game fully revealed to be ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' during the E3 trailer.<ref>{{cite|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4pJnV5OxPI|title=Wii U - ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' E3 Trailer|date=June 5, 2012|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=May 13, 2024|author=Nintendo of America}}</ref>

''New Super Mario Bros. U'' began development soon after the completion of ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', using pre-existing elements from the Wii game, as development equipment for the Wii U did not exist at the time.<ref name="Iwata NSMBU 1">{{cite|url=iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/0/|title=Iwata Asks : ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' : "What Should Be New?"|accessdate=May 13, 2024|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The game's singular, interconnected world map was inspired by the one seen in ''Super Mario World''; Masataka Takemoto desired to take the map from that game and use the Wii U in order to recreate and expand upon the concept.<ref name="Iwata NSMBU 3">{{cite|url=iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/3|title=Iwata Asks : ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' : One Map|accessdate=May 13, 2024|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The map being seamless also had a role in Miiverse integration, as with the setup of the map it was possible to display comments across each of the levels.<ref name="Iwata NSMBU 4">{{cite|url=iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/4|title=Iwata Asks : ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' : Reading the Posts in your Hands|accessdate=May 13, 2024|publisher=Nintendo}}</ref> The concept of drop-in play with one player on the Gamepad placing blocks was brought up early in development. When the Wii U Gamepad was brought up during development, the team began to conceptualize ways to use it, talking specifically about the drop-in play. Wanting to make a feature with "controls that you can understand right away with no explanation," the concept of using the GamePad to place blocks the other players can jump on went through.<ref name="Iwata NSMBU 1"/>

Challenge Mode was based upon the idea of setting a self-challenge in the previous games, as well as the challenge site for ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''. Because of ideas like this, the developers decided to put the Challenge Mode into the game from the beginning. The challenges were created with all types of skill levels in mind.<ref name="Iwata NSMBU 2">{{cite|url=iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/1|title=Iwata Asks : ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' : "Mottainai (What a Waste)!"|publisher=Nintendo|accessdate=May 13, 2024}}</ref>

Boost Rush Mode was based on the Free-for-All Mode featured in ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'', in that they wanted a similar mode for playing the main game stages in short bursts. The developers tried connecting courses together and playing them through, but found it uneventful; they then added the concept of collecting coins resulting in the screen scrolling faster, and found it to fit a ''Super Mario''-style of gameplay.<ref name="Iwata NSMBU 3"/>

==Pre-release and unused content==
[[File:NSMBU Prerelease Miis Screenshot.png|thumb|upright=0.85|Four Miis in Acorn Plains-1.]]
{{main|List of New Super Mario Bros. U pre-release and unused content}}
Miis were originally going to be playable in the game's Story Mode. In the final game, Mii playability is restricted to the bonus modes. Additionally, Boost Mode was also originally titled "Assist Play". The Acorn Plains map as seen in the E3 showcase for the game is also very different from the version seen in final game.
{{br}}

==Gallery==
{{main-gallery}}
<gallery>
NSMBU Four Characters Jumping Artwork.png|[[Mario]], [[Luigi]], [[Blue Toad (character)|Blue Toad]], and [[Yellow Toad (character)|Yellow Toad]]
NSMBU Mario and Yoshi Jumping Artwork.png|Mario and [[Yoshi]]
NSMBU Waddlewing and Super Acorn Artwork.png|A [[Waddlewing]] holding a [[Super Acorn]]
NSMBU Goomba Alternate Artwork.png|[[Goomba]]
NSMBU group art.jpg|Group art
</gallery>

==Media==
{{main-media}}
{{media table
|file1=Overworld Theme New Super Mario Bros U.oga
|title1=Overworld Theme
|length1=0:30
|file2=New Super Mario Bros U Athletic Theme.oga
|title2=Athletic Theme
|length2=0:30
|file3=NSMBU Snow Theme.oga
|title3=Snow Theme
|length3=0:30
|file4=NSMBU Title Theme.oga
|title4=Title Theme
|length4=0:30
}}

==Glitches==
{{main|List of New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U glitches}}
By entering a Warp Pipe or door in any stage exactly when the timer hits zero, the player does not die, and they can explore the level indefinitely.

==Staff==
{{main|List of New Super Mario Bros. U staff}}
''New Super Mario Bros. U'' was produced by [[Takashi Tezuka]] and Hiroyuki Kimura, with Masataka Takemoto as the director and Tsutomu Kaneshige and Shinichi Ikeamtsu as the general coordinators. [[Satoru Iwata]] was the executive producer, with the general producer being [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]. Masanobu Sato was the lead designer, and Shiro Mouri was the programming director. The music was composed by Shiho Fujii and Mahito Yokota, with [[Koji Kondo]] as sound adviser.

==References to other games==
*''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]'': [[World Coin-2 (New Super Mario Bros. U)|Coin Courses-2]] is based on the levels in this game with similar platforms and [[Koopa Troopa]]s acting like as [[Shellcreeper]]s.
*''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'': The second level is an underground level with a secret path over the ceiling passing over the exit [[Warp Pipe]], leading to a [[Goal Pole (secret)|secret exit]]. In the final battle with [[Bowser]], when Mario hits the switch, it causes an [[axe]] to fall and break the bridge. Sprites from this game are used in the game menus.
*''[[Super Mario Bros. 3]]'': [[Boom Boom]] is fought as the mid-boss of each world. The [[Super Acorn]] is comparable to the [[Super Leaf]], as it has a [[P-Acorn|P-variation]]. The [[Koopalings]], which originated from this game, have [[airship]]s once again. Airship levels, and the castle rooms before entering a Koopaling's airship, both use a remastered version of the airship theme from ''Super Mario Bros. 3''.
*''[[Super Mario World]]'': The world map is connected again and a ghost ship, similar to the [[Sunken Ghost Ship]] level, appears in this game. The Warp Pipes have a similar structure to the ones in ''Super Mario World''. Most of the worlds are named after food again. Some of the world's features are similar to those found in [[Dinosaur Land]] (e.g. Acorn Plains having jagged mountains or Soda Jungle being one-third based on the [[Forest of Illusion]]). ''Super Mario World'' has the exact same number of exits that this game has: 96.
*''[[Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island]]'': The name of the [[Challenge Mode (New Super Mario Bros. U)|Challenge]] "[[Spin Jump, Get Dizzy]]" is a reference to that of a level from this game, [[Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy]]. Bubble Baby Yoshi's abilities maybe a reference to how Yoshi can shoot bubbles in this game including how the player can bounce off the bubbles. [[Kamek]] uses his magic to enhance Boom Boom's attacks, just as he did with this game's bosses. He also grows Bowser to a large size, similar to the final fight with [[Baby Bowser]].
*''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'': Depressions form on [[Cloud Lift]]s when the player stands on them, like in this game.
*''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'': The [[Red Shell]] and [[Green Shell]] use their artworks from this game, but the Green Shell's artwork is mirrored.
*''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'': The title is the sequel to this game. Many graphical, audial, and technical assets were reused from this game. Kamek growing Bowser with magic could also be a reference to this game's final fight, where similar events transpired.
*''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'': Balloon Baby Yoshi and Glowing Baby Yoshi's abilities are similar to those of [[Blimp Yoshi]] and [[Bulb Yoshi]], respectively. [[Magmaargh]]s and [[Magmaw]]s return from this game.
*''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'': Boom Boom's voices are reused, as well as the motion patterns of some of the enemies.
*''[[Mario Kart 7]]'': The [[Mii]]s reuse their voice clips from this game.
*''[[New Super Mario Bros. 2]]'': The title is a follow-up to this installment. The [[Note Block]] sounds are reused. The Goal Pole also produces the flag containing the emblem of the topmost character, also seen in this game.
*''[[Paper Mario: Sticker Star]]'': The [[Ghost House]] doors use the design from [[The Enigmansion]] in this game rather than the one from ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii''. The [[Bony Beetle]]'s design is reused. Also, Bowser Jr. uses the same glass dome in his clown copter as in this game.

==References in later games==
*''[[Mario Kart 8]]'': [[Mecha Cheep]]s reappear in the underwater sections of [[Water Park]].
*''[[Mario Golf: World Tour]]'': [[Layer-Cake Desert]], [[Sparkling Waters]], and [[Rock-Candy Mines]] appear as downloadable courses in this game. Some pieces of Mii gear are based upon both [[Nabbit]] and the [[Boss Sumo Bro]], both of which originate from this game. Nabbit returns as a downloadable playable character.
*''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'': A stage based on ''New Super Mario Bros. U'', [[Mushroom Kingdom U]], appears in this game.
*''[[Mario Party 10]]'': A few of the minigames take place in areas that resemble some of the worlds in ''New Super Mario Bros. U'', such as [[Cheep Cheep Leap]] taking place in Sparkling Waters and [[Fruit Scoot Scurry]] taking place in Layer-Cake Desert.
*''[[Super Mario Maker]]''/''[[Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS]]'': The fourth game style in these games is based on ''New Super Mario Bros. U''.
*''[[Super Mario Run]]'': The graphics, as well as most of the music, are based on ''New Super Mario Bros. U''.
*''[[Mario Party: Star Rush]]'': The underwater theme from ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' appears as a song from ''New Super Mario Bros. U'' in the Rhythm Recital mode for this game.
*''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'': The stage [[Mushroom Kingdom U]] from ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' returns as a stage in this game. The Koopalings, Nabbit, Boo, Hammer Bro, Banzai Bill, Thwomp, Bob-omb, Flying Squirrel Toad, Super Mushroom, Fire Flower, and Super Star appear as spirits, using their artwork from ''New Super Mario Bros. U''.
* ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]'': Like the previous ''Super Mario Maker'' games, the fourth style in this game is based on ''New Super Mario Bros. U''.
*''[[WarioWare: Get It Together!]]'': This game features a [[New Super Mario Bros. U (microgame)|microgame]] based on ''New Super Mario Bros. U''.

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap={{hover|New|ニュー}} スーパーマリオブラザーズ U
|JapR=Nyū Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Yū
|JapM=New Super Mario Bros. U
|Kor=뉴 슈퍼 마리오브라더스 U
|KorR=Nyu Syupeo Mariobeuradeoseu Yu
|KorM=New Super Mario Bros. U; as named in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe]]''
|ChiS=New 超级马力欧兄弟 U<ref name="SMM2">''Super Mario Maker 2'' in-game name</ref>
|ChiSR=New Chāojí Mǎlì'ōu Xiōngdì U
|ChiSM=New Super Mario Bros. U
|ChiT=New 超級瑪利歐兄弟U<ref name="SMM2"/>
|ChiTR=New Chāojí Mǎlì'ōu Xiōngdì U
|ChiTM=New Super Mario Bros. U
}}

==Trivia==
*If the Miis are selected as P1, they will be colored like [[Mario]]. If P2, they will be colored like [[Luigi]]. If P3, they will be colored like [[Wario]]. If P4, they will wear blue shirts and dark blue overalls, similar to Luigi's light blue alternate costume from the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' series. This could be a reference to the player 4 in some of the Wii U [[Virtual Console#Wii U|Virtual Console]] ports of the [[Game Boy Advance]] iteration of ''[[Mario Bros. (game)|Mario Bros.]]''
*When the Mario Bros., Toads, or Miis are not moving, they stop and stare at the screen until the player starts moving them again.
*Sometimes, on the title screen, Luigi almost trips over instead of jumping and ground-pounding the ground.
*In this game, ''[[New Super Luigi U]]'', and [[New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe|their Nintendo Switch port]], [[Yellow Toad (New Super Mario Bros. series)|Yellow Toad]] and [[Blue Toad (character)|Blue Toad]]'s in-game voices are swapped compared to ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. However, their voices in the menus and character selection screen are still the same as the previous game. In ''[[Super Mario Maker 2]]''{{'}}s ''New Super Mario Bros. U''-style, [[Toad]]'s voices are a combination of both of them.
*Bowser transforming Peach's castle into a stronghold of his in this game is similar to the climax of ''[[Super Mario Bros.: Peach-hime Kyūshutsu Dai Sakusen!]]''

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130620090224/http://newsupermariobrosu.nintendo.com/characters/#/new-enemies American Website for ''New Super Mario Bros. U'']
*[https://www.nintendo.co.uk//Games/Wii-U/New-Super-Mario-Bros-U-593118.html European Website for ''New Super Mario Bros. U'']
*[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wiiu/arpj/index.html Japanese Website for ''New Super Mario Bros. U'']
*[https://www.youtube.com/user/NewMarioUEN Official YouTube channel of ''New Super Mario Bros. U'']

==References==
{{NIWA|NWiki=1|StrategyWiki=1}}
<references/>

{{NSMBU}}
{{Super Mario games}}
{{Wii U}}
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