Challenge Mode (New Super Mario Bros. U)
- This article is about the mode from New Super Mario Bros. U. For other uses, see Challenge Mode.
Challenge Mode is a mode exclusive to New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. It is a collection of various challenges of varied difficulty divided into specific categories, including Special and 1-Up Rally. While some challenges take place in a specific part of a course exclusive to the New Super Mario Bros. U campaign, there are some challenges that take place in a course exclusive to Challenge Mode, such as Penguin Bowling and Bubble Up. Each challenge has a specific objective and will award the player with medals (gold, silver, and bronze) depending on how they completed the challenge. For example, the Time Attack challenges have three medals, the Gold being achieved by completing the challenge in a set amount of time. However, some Special and Boost Mode challenges do not record scores and will always award the player with a gold medal for completing the challenge.
Every challenge has a difficulty rating, with one star being the easiest, and five stars being the most difficult.
There are five categories of challenges—Time Attack, Coin Collection, 1-Up Rally, Special, and Boost Mode Challenges. The lattermost is exclusive to the Wii U release of New Super Mario Bros. U.
In New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Boost Mode Challenges have been removed due to control limitations on the Nintendo Switch system. Neither Toadette nor Nabbit can be selected within the mode because they have different control attributes from Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad. The menu screen has a slightly different UI from the Wii U version, with the icons for each category receiving simple, gray-colored designs that change color when selected. The ? Block icon for the Special category is also changed to a three-dimensional one.
Time Attack[edit]
Time Attack is a set of challenges that task the player to complete the course in the allotted time. It is denoted by a clock and colored blue. It contains 20 challenges.
| Image | Name | Setting | Difficulty | Medals | In-game description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||||
| Time Attack Trial | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | 21.00 or less | 25.00 or less | 35.00 or less | Dash to reach the goal in 35.00 or less. | |
| Acorn Plains Speed Run | Acorn Plains-1 | ★☆☆☆☆ | 53.00 or less | 60.00 or less | 70.00 or less | Reach the goal in 70.00 or less. | |
| Full Speed Ahead | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 30.00 or less | 33.00 or less | 40.00 or less | Reach the goal in 40.00 or less. | |
| Stone-Eye Desert Dash | Layer-Cake Desert-1 | ★★☆☆☆ | 56.00 or less | 60.00 or less | 80.00 or less | Reach the goal in 80.00 or less. | |
| The Boo Ballet | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 15.00 or less | 24.00 or less | 40.00 or less | Reach the goal in 40.00 or less. | |
| The Boo-Ballet Encore | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 15.00 or less | 24.00 or less | 40.00 or less | Reach the goal in 40.00 or less while in mini form. | |
| Icicle Skating | Frosted Glacier-5 | ★★☆☆☆ | 79.00 or less | 80.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Reach the goal in 100.00 or less. | |
| Huckit Hustle | Sparkling Waters-1 | ★★★☆☆ | 67.00 or less | 72.00 or less | 85.00 or less | Defeat all of the Huckit Crabs, and reach the goal in 85.00 or less. | |
| Mini Mountaineer | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | 25.00 or less | 40.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Reach the goal ring in 100.00 or less. without touching the ground in mini form! | |
| Lurchin' Urchins | Sparkling Waters-4 | ★★★☆☆ | 61.00 or less | 65.00 or less | 75.00 or less | Reach the goal in 75.00 or less. | |
| Penguin vs. Torpedo | Sparkling Waters- |
★★★☆☆ | 45.00 or less | 50.00 or less | 60.00 or less | Pass through the goal ring in penguin form in 60.00 or less. | |
| Slick Slopes and Bullet Bills | Frosted Glacier-4 | ★★★☆☆ | 51.00 or less | 55.00 or less | 65.00 or less | Reach the goal in 65.00 or less. | |
| The Haunted Propeller | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | 23.00 or less | 30.00 or less | 50.00 or less | Reach the goal ring in propeller form in 50.00 or less. | |
| Fliprus Crossing | Frosted Glacier- |
★★★★☆ | 55.00 or less | 58.00 or less | 70.00 or less | Reach the goal in 70.00 or less. | |
| Rickety Sprint | Meringue Clouds-2 | ★★★★☆ | 58.00 or less | 63.00 or less | 75.00 or less | Reach the goal in 75.00 or less. | |
| No-Cash Dash | Layer-Cake Desert-4 | ★★★★☆ | 53.00 or less | 58.00 or less | 70.00 or less | Reach the goal in 70.00 or less without collecting a single coin. | |
| Poison-Swamp Scramble | Soda Jungle-2 | ★★★★★ | 65.00 or less | 70.00 or less | 80.00 or less | Reach the goal in 80.00 or less. | |
| Swing into Action | Rock-Candy Mines-5 | ★★★★★ | 65.00 or less | 70.00 or less | 75.00 or less | Reach the goal in 75.00 or less. | |
| Stoneslide Tower Climb | Layer-Cake Desert- |
★★★★★ | 60.00 or less | 70.00 or less | 90.00 or less | Reach the goal ring in 90.00 or less. | |
| Screwtop It Up | Rock-Candy Mines- |
★★★★★ | 65.00 or less | 75.00 or less | 90.00 or less | Reach the goal ring in 90.00 or less. | |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | タイムアタック Taimu Atakku |
Time Attack | [1] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 计时赛 Jìshí Sài |
Time Attack | [1] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 計時賽 Jìshí Sài |
Time Attack | [1] | |
| Dutch | Tijd | Time | [1] | |
| French (Canadian) | Contre-la-montre | Against the clock | [1] | |
| French (European) | Contre-la-montre | Against the clock | [1] | |
| German | Zeit-Attacke | Time Attack | [1] | |
| Italian | Contro il tempo | Against the clock | [1] | |
| Korean | 타임 어택 Taim Eotaek |
Time Attack | [1] | |
| Portuguese (European) | Contrarrelógio | Time trial | [1] | |
| Russian | На время Na vremya |
Timed | [1] | |
| Spanish (Latin American) | Contrarreloj | Time Trial | [1] | |
| Spanish (European) | Contrarreloj | Time Trial | [1] |
Coin Collection[edit]
Coin Collection is a set of not only challenges that task the player to collect a set number of coins, but also challenges that task the player to reach the goal after collecting no more than five coins. It is denoted by a coin and colored yellow. It contains 16 challenges.
| Image | Name | Setting | Difficulty | Medals | In-game description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||||
| Triple-Jump for Coins | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | 86 coins | 82 coins | 75 coins | Use the triple jump to collect coins, and reach the goal. | |
| Hot Hidden-Coin Hunt | Layer-Cake Desert-1 | ★☆☆☆☆ | 52 coins | 50 coins | 46 coins | Hit the P Switch, and collect the coins. *Challenge ends when the P Switch's effect ends. | |
| Stingy Big Piranha Plants | Acorn Plains-5 | ★☆☆☆☆ | Zero coins | Two coins | Five coins | Reach the goal ring, collecting a few coins as possible. *Challenge ends if you collect six or more coins. | |
| Lakitu's Cloud Heist | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 140 coins | 130 coins | 120 coins | Commandeer Lakitu's cloud, and use it to collect coins. | |
| Hot-Air Yoshi Ride | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 30.00 or less | 38.00 or less | 50.00 or less | Collect all the coins in 50.00 or less. | |
| Ghost House Coin Curse | Frosted Glacier- |
★★☆☆☆ | 150 coins | 145 coins | 135 coins | Collect as many coins as you can. *Challenge ends when there are no coins left. | |
| Perilous Coin Dodge | Meringue Clouds-3 | ★★★☆☆ | Zero coins | Two coins | Five coins | Reach the goal ring, collecting a few coins as possible. *Challenge ends if you collect six or more coins. | |
| Waddlewing Wipeout | Acorn Plains-1 | ★★★☆☆ | 67 coins | 60 coins | 40 coins | Defeat every Waddlewing, and collect at least 40 coins. *Challenge ends if you touch the ground before defeating all Waddlewings. | |
| Prickly Goomba's Coinless Run | Frosted Glacier-3 | ★★★☆☆ | Zero coins | Two coins | Five coins | Reach the goal, collecting a few coins as possible. *Challenge ends if you collect six or more coins. | |
| 200 Clifftop Coins | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | 200 coins | 195 coins | 160 coins | Collect as many coins as you can, and reach the goal. | |
| Dark Dark Coaster | Rock-Candy Mines-6 | ★★★☆☆ | 175 coins | 168 coins | 150 coins | Collect as many coins as you can, and reach the goal. | |
| Cloud-Top Coin Evasion | Meringue Clouds-1 | ★★★☆☆ | Zero coins | Two coins | Five coins | Reach the goal, collecting a few coins as possible. *Challenge ends if you collect six or more coins. | |
| Attack of the Bob-ombs | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | 50.00 or less | 65.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Collect all the coins in 100.00 or less. | |
| Spine Coaster Coin Cruise | Superstar Road-1 | ★★★★☆ | 140 coins | 130 coins | 120 coins | Collect as many coins as you can, and reach the goal. | |
| Castle Coin Bypass | Acorn Plains- |
★★★★★ | Zero coins | Two coins | Five coins | Reach the goal ring, collecting a few coins as possible. *Challenge ends if you collect six or more coins. | |
| Don't. Touch. Anything. | Superstar Road-7 | ★★★★★ | Zero coins | Two coins | Five coins | Reach the goal, but don't hurt enemies or collect coins! *Challenge ends if you collect six or more coins. | |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | コイン Koin |
Coin | [2] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 金币 Jīnbì |
Coin | [2] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 金幣 Jīnbì |
Coin | [2] | |
| Dutch | Munten | Coins | [2] | |
| French (Canadian) | Pièces | Coins | [2] | |
| French (European) | Pièces | Coins | [2] | |
| German | Münzsammlung | Coin collection | [2] | |
| Italian | Monete | Coins | [2] | |
| Korean | 코인 Koin |
Coin | [2] | |
| Portuguese (European) | Corrida às Moedas | Race for the coins | [2] | |
| Russian | Монетки Monetki |
(Small) coins | [2] | |
| Spanish (Latin American) | Monedas | Coins | [2] | |
| Spanish (European) | Monedas | Coins | [2] |
1-Up Rally[edit]
1-Up Rally is a set of challenges that task the player to finish the course after collecting a certain amount of 1-Ups. It is denoted by a 1-Up Mushroom and colored green. Fewer challenges belong to the 1-Up Rally set than any other challenge set, with 10.
| Image | Name | Setting | Difficulty | Medals | In-game description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||||
| The Goombrat Stomp | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | 3-Up | 2-Up | 1-Up | Jump on the Goombrats without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Stone-Eye Koopas | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | 30-Up | 15-Up | 1-Up | Jump on enemies without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Goomba Bounce Bash | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 40-Up | 20-Up | 1-Up | Jump on enemies without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Penguin Bowling | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 32-Up | 30-Up | 25-Up | Slide across the ice, without stopping, and defeat enemies to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Three Dry Bones | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | 30-Up | 15-Up | 1-Up | Jump on the enemies without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups! | |
| Bullet Bill 1-Up Bounce | Frosted Glacier-4 | ★★★☆☆ | 60-Up | 20-Up | 1-Up | Jump on enemies without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Star Connection | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | 77-Up | 70-Up | 60-Up | Topple enemies with consecutive Super Stars, and rack up the 1-Ups. | |
| Big Goomba Bounce Bash | Soda Jungle-1 | ★★★★☆ | 18-Up | 16-Up | 14-Up | Jump on enemies without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Airship 1-Up Rally | Soda Jungle- |
★★★★★ | 20-Up | 15-Up | 10-Up | Jump on enemies and cannonballs without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Paratroopa Panic | Original Course | ★★★★★ | 8-Up | 6-Up | 4-Up | Jump on the Paratroopas without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | れんぞく1UP Renzoku 1UP |
Continuous 1UP | [3] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 连续1UP Liánxù 1UP |
Continuous 1UP | [3] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 連續1UP Liánxù 1UP |
Continuous 1UP | [3] | |
| Dutch | 1UPs | - | [3] | |
| French (Canadian) | 1-UP | - | [3] | |
| French (European) | 1UP | - | [3] | |
| German | 1-Up-Rallye | 1-UP Rally | [3] | |
| Italian | 1-Up mania | - | [3] | |
| Korean | 연속 1UP Yeonsok 1UP |
Continuous 1UP | [3] | |
| Portuguese (European) | Corrida aos 1UPs | Race for the 1-Ups | [3] | |
| Russian | Жизни Zhizni |
Lives | [3] | |
| Spanish (Latin American) | 1UP en cadena | 1UP Chain | [3] | |
| Spanish (European) | 1UP | - | [3] |
Special[edit]
Special is a set of challenges challenges whose objectives vary. It is denoted by a ? Block and colored magenta. More challenges belong to the Special set than any other challenge set, with 21.
| Image | Name | Setting | Difficulty | Medals | In-game description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||||
| Fire, Bro! | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | 40.00 or longer | 25.00 or longer | 15.00 or longer | Dodge the fireballs for 15.00 or longer. | |
| Graceful Glide | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | 5-Up | 1-Up | 0-Up | Earn 1-Ups and reach the goal without touching the ground in Flying Squirrel form. | |
| Mole to Goal | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Let Monty Mole onto the lift, and get him to the goal. | |
| Marathon Glide | Soda Jungle-1 | ★★☆☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Use your Flying Squirrel powers to reach the goal without touching solid ground. | |
| Bubble Up | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Use Baby Yoshi's bubbles to reach the goal ring. | |
| Nonstop Flight | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Use your Flying Squirrel powers to reach the goal without touching the ground. | |
| Be Gentle to Giants | Soda Jungle-1 | ★★★☆☆ | No damage | Damaged once | Damaged twice | Reach the goal without damaging enemies. *Challenge ends if you damage enemies three times. | |
| Big Air at Sundown | Meringue Clouds-6 | ★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Reach the goal in mini form without using the Snake Blocks. | |
| Balancing Act | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | 60.00 or longer | 40.00 or longer | 15.00 or longer | Jump on the Wobble Rock to keep your balance for 15.00 or longer. | |
| Bowser's Airship Sneak | Soda Jungle- |
★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Reach the goal ring without hurting any enemies, touching any cannonballs, or collecting any coins! | |
| Larry's Groundless Battle | Sparkling Waters- |
★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Defeat Larry Koopa without touching the ground. | |
| No Climbing Allowed | Peach's Castle-4 | ★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Reach the goal ring in mini form. | |
| The Trial of Bullet Bill Hill | Meringue Clouds-3 | ★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Collect the Star Coin. | |
| Spin Jump, Get Dizzy | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | 14-Up | 7-Up | 3-Up | Stomp on enemies using only the Spin Jump without touching the ground to earn 1-Ups. | |
| Mole to Goal Returns | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Let Monty Mole onto the lift, and get him to the goal. | |
| Wobble and Rock | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | 30.00 or longer | 20.00 or longer | 10.00 or longer | Stay on the Wobble Rock as long as possible without jumping. | |
| Seriously! Fire, Bro! | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | 40.00 or longer | 25.00 or longer | 15.00 or longer | Dodge the fireballs for 15.00 or longer. | |
| Elevator Out of Service | Peach's Castle- |
★★★★☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Reach the goal ring without using the lift. | |
| Castle Crawl | Superstar Road-8 | ★★★★☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Reach the goal ring without dashing. | |
| Express Elevator | Peach's Castle- |
★★★★★ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Reach the goal ring in ice form without using letting enemies or coins touch the lift. | |
| Cashless Castle Crawl | Superstar Road-8 | ★★★★★ | Zero coins | Two coins | Five coins | Reach the goal ring without dashing or collecting coins. *Challenge ends if you collect six or more coins. | |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | その他 Sonota |
Others | [4] | |
| Chinese | 其他 Qítā |
Others | [4] | |
| Dutch | Speciaal | Special | [4] | |
| French (Canadian) | Divers | Miscellaneous | [4] | |
| French (European) | Divers | Miscellaneous | [4] | |
| German | Diverse | Miscellaneous | [4] | |
| Italian | Varie | Various | [4] | |
| Korean | 기타 Gita |
Others | [4] | |
| Portuguese (European) | Sortido | Miscellaneous | [4] | |
| Russian | Особые Osobyye |
Special | [4] | |
| Spanish (Latin American) | Otros | Others | [4] | |
| Spanish (European) | Otros | Others | [4] |
Boost Mode[edit]
Boost Mode is a set of challenges that task the player to use the namesake mode for completion. It is denoted by the and colored purple. It contains 13 challenges. This is the only set of challenges that only appears in the Wii U release of New Super Mario Bros. U.
| Image | Name | Setting | Difficulty | Medals | In-game description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||||
| Piranha Plant Hideaway | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Use Boost Blocks to reach the goal ring. | |
| Coins in the Forecast | Original Course | ★☆☆☆☆ | 30 coins | 20 coins | 10 coins | Use Boost Blocks to collect as many coins as you can. | |
| When Waddlewings Attack | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 25.00 or less | 40.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Use Boost Blocks to reach the goal in 100.00 or less. | |
| The Perpetual Shell | Original Course | ★★☆☆☆ | 10-Up | 5-Up | 1-Up | Use Boost Blocks to earn 1-Ups with the shell. *Challenge ends if the shell comes to a stop. | |
| Boost Block Coin Stalk | Sparkling Waters- |
★★★☆☆ | 80 coins | 70 coins | 60 coins | Use Boost Blocks to collect coins, and reach the goal ring. | |
| Icicle Falls | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | 25.00 or less | 40.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Use Boost Blocks to avoid the icicles, and reach the goal in 100.00 or less. | |
| Fuzzy Alert! | Original Course | ★★★☆☆ | 30.00 or less | 50.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Use Boost Blocks to collect all the coins in 100.00 or less. | |
| The High Road | Rock-Candy Mines-7 | ★★★☆☆ | Clear! | ‐ | ‐ | Use Boost Blocks to reach the goal ring without stepping on the moving platforms. | |
| Three-Legged Lava Race | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | 20.00 or less | 35.00 or less | 80.00 or less | Use Boost Blocks to reach the goal in 80.00 or less. | |
| Fuzzy Cliff Climb | Original Course | ★★★★☆ | 30.00 or less | 50.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Use Boost Blocks to reach the goal in 100.00 or less. | |
| Thwomp Castle Cash Flow | Original Course | ★★★★★ | 50.00 or less | 70.00 or less | 100.00 or less | Use Boost Blocks to collect all the coins, and reach the goal in 100.00 or less. | |
| Cloudy with a Chance of Fire | Original Course | ★★★★★ | 30 coins | 20 coins | 10 coins | Use Boost Blocks to collect as many coins as possible. | |
| Ultimate Boost Blast | Original Course | ★★★★★ | 40.00 or less | 60.00 or less | 80.00 or less | Use Boost Blocks to collect all the coins, and reach the goal in 80.00 or less. | |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | バディプレイ Badi Purei |
Buddy Play | [5] | |
| Dutch | Booststand | Boost Mode | [5] | |
| French (Canadian) | Coup de pouce | Helping Hand | [5] | |
| French (European) | Coup de pouce | Helping Hand | [5] | |
| German | Boost-Modus | Boost Mode | [5] | |
| Italian | Gioco assistito | Assisted Play | [5] | |
| Portuguese (European) | Modo Assistido | Assisted Mode | [5] | |
| Russian | Режим поддержки Rezhim Podderzhki |
Support Mode | [5] | |
| Spanish (Latin American) | Modo de apoyo | Support Mode | [5] | |
| Spanish (European) | Modo de ayuda | Help Mode | [5] |
Profiles[edit]
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe[edit]
- Website description:
- English (United States):
Test your skills with several themed challenges, some of which are played in courses not found in the main game.
- English (United States):
Gallery[edit]
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | おだいモード Odai Mōdo |
Question/Problem mode | [?] | |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 课题模式 Kètí Móshì |
Question Mode | [?] | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 課題模式 Kètí Móshì |
Question Mode | [?] | |
| Dutch | Missiestand | Mission mode | [?] | |
| French | Mode Défis | Challenge Mode | [?] | |
| German | Herausforderungsmodus | Challenge Mode | [?] | |
| Italian | Modalità Sfida | Challenge Mode | [?] | |
| Korean | 과제 모드 Gwaje Modeu |
Task Mode | [?] | |
| Portuguese | Modo Desafio | Challenge Mode | [?] | |
| Russian | Режим Испытания Rezhim Ispytaniya |
Challenge Mode | [?] | |
| Spanish | Modo Desafíos | Challenges Mode | [?] |














