New Super Mario Bros. 2

New Super Mario Bros. 2
For alternate box art, see the related gallery.
Developers	Nintendo EAD Nintendo SPD
Publisher	Nintendo
Platform	Nintendo 3DS
Release dates	Original release: July 28, 2012 August 17, 2012 August 18, 2012 August 19, 2012 August 24, 2012 December 6, 2012 June 21, 2013[?] June 21, 2013[?] Nintendo eShop: July 28, 2012[?] August 17, 2012[?] August 17, 2012[?] August 18, 2012[?] August 19, 2012[?] June 3, 2014[?] Gold Edition: July 1, 2014[?] July 4, 2014[?] August 28, 2014[?] November 27, 2014[?] 2015
Languages	English (United States) English (United Kingdom) Japanese Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Dutch French (Canada) French (France) German Italian Korean Portuguese (Portugal) Russian Spanish (Latin America) Spanish (Spain)
Genre	Platformer
Ratings	ESRB: - Everyone[?] CERO: - All ages[?] PEGI: - Three years and older[?] USK: - All ages[?] ClassInd: - General audience[?] GRAC: - All ages[?] GSRR: - Six years and older[?] ACB: - General[?]
Modes	Solo Play, Co-op Play, Coin Rush, Options
Format	Nintendo 3DS: Game Card Digital download
Input	Nintendo 3DS: Gamepad
Serial codes	CTR-ABEJ-JPN CTR-ABEE-USA

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a side-scrolling 2.5D platform game for the Nintendo 3DS. It was first released in Japan on July 28, 2012, and is the only original game in the New Super Mario Bros. series to be released domestically first. It is the fifteenth entry of the Super Mario series and the third in the New Super Mario Bros. line after New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS and its follow-up New Super Mario Bros. Wii for the Wii. As the sequel to New Super Mario Bros., it is an indirect follow-up to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and has various reused elements from them.

The game's main focus is on coins, with the primary goal being to collect one million. To reach the goal, the game includes many new items to aid the player, such as the Gold Flower, which turns Mario into Gold Mario. Like Super Mario 3D Land, the game also seems to be partly based on Super Mario Bros. 3, as it features Raccoon Mario, the P-Meter, and the Koopalings, all of which were introduced in said game.

According to Nintendo, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is the first Super Mario title and the first Nintendo game overall to be available for purchase in both packaged (retail) and digital (downloadable via the Nintendo eShop) versions. The digital version can be stored onto an SD card, where it requires 2,727 blocks (349.0 MB) to download, along with multiple other games, and be played on the Nintendo 3DS, but they cannot be shared with other Nintendo 3DS handhelds.

A follow-up to New Super Mario Bros. 2 (which also serves as a sequel to New Super Mario Bros. Wii), titled New Super Mario Bros. U, was released as a launch title for the Wii U on November 18, 2012.

Story

The following text is taken directly from the official website.

Mario and Luigi visit Princess Peach’s Castle. As usual, they enjoy chatting with Princess Peach about their adventures. As Princess Peach waves farewell, Mario and Luigi use tail transformations to snag a bunch of Coins from the sky. No sooner do they land for a break than a black shadow approaches overhead. They hear a loud boom as Bowser’s minions appear in an aircraft and slam to the ground right on top of them. In surprise, they stare as Princess Peach appears and calls for help. She’s been kidnapped again! The heroes set out in pursuit and a new adventure begins!

The opening cutscene

Standing on the balcony of Peach's Castle, Mario and Luigi wave goodbye to Princess Peach to go on a coin hunt as Raccoon Mario and Fox Luigi. However, as soon as they return, the Koopalings suddenly appear, crashing their Koopa Clown Car onto the ground, as well as damaging the brothers, making them revert to Super Mario and Super Luigi. Roy Koopa reveals Princess Peach from his back. They soon fly away in their Koopa Clown Car, and Mario and Luigi chase after them.

After defeating all of the Koopalings, the brothers head out of World 5-Castle and see Peach locked in a cage inside the Koopa Clown Car, which transfers her to Bowser's Castle.

When Mario and Luigi arrive at Bowser's Castle, they find Bowser and Peach, who is locked up in a cage. One of the duo has to step on the ! Switch behind Bowser, making the bridge collapse and sending Bowser to his doom. Just before the bros. can celebrate their victory, Peach's cage gets pulled off screen. After riding some bony platforms, Mario and Luigi find the Koopalings in their Koopa Clown Car. They power Bowser up and Bowser transforms into a gigantic size. At the top of the tower is a giant switch with Peach's cage dangling above that, when pressed, sends Bowser falling through the floor. Afterward, the princess is released from her cage. Then, everyone returns home, with Mario holding Peach in his arms and Luigi following closely behind, collecting coins along the way.

During the credits, the Koopalings can be seen in the background carrying the now regular-sized Bowser with the Koopa Clown Car. Bowser's immense weight exceeds its capacity. The story's description concludes with the Koopa Clown Car crash-landing, scattering everyone throughout the ground.

Gameplay

Mario having used a Gold Ring to turn several enemies golden, so as to earn coins.

The message received after maxing out the coin counter at 9,999,999 coins

The basic gameplay is very similar to the previous New Super Mario Bros. games, especially New Super Mario Bros. Wii. However, New Super Mario Bros. 2 focuses on collecting coins, with many and varied ways to collect many coins at once, such as golden items that award the player with them. The game's overall objective is to collect one million coins, with coins collected in levels being added to a total that is shared between the game's three save files and Coin Rush. The reward for collecting one million coins is a new title screen featuring a Gold Mario statue. The reward for maxing out the coin counter at 9,999,999 coins is a gold Raccoon Mario statue.

Like New Super Mario Bros., the bottom screen displays a kind of map, showing the length of the level and where the player is, as well as showing the Star Coins collected, points total, number of extra lives, and also providing an item storage. It also shows the total number of collected coins in a stage, with the record number displayed next to it. There are nine worlds: six main worlds and three special worlds. Each world contains a different number of levels, including Ghost Houses, Fortresses, and Castles. Reznors and Koopalings are found at the end of each fortress and castle, respectively. Unlike New Super Mario Bros., when the player enters a secret area, the screens are not switched, with the gameplay remaining on the top screen and allowing the player to use their reserved item.

Other details in gameplay were added in New Super Mario Bros. 2. Among these details is the game's music that slightly changes depending on the situation; for example, when playing as Raccoon Mario or Fox Luigi, a drumbeat is added, similar to how a drumbeat is added while riding Yoshi in other Super Mario games. Once a Gold Ring is activated, twinkling noises appear. Another example is that if Mario goes to the very top of the screen and out of sight, the music gets quieter.

A two-player co-op mode is also available, in which a second player plays as Luigi accompanying Mario in the single-player game; both players may select which character they would like to be, however. This mode can only be played with two Nintendo 3DS consoles and two game cards. The gameplay is not much different from the single player, although in co-op coins and lives are shared between the two players, with each collected coin or extra life earned (though not collected) counting as two. Each player also has their own item storage, which can be accessed at any point. Several mechanics from the New Super Mario Bros. Wii multiplayer, such as the bubble and item boxes giving two items, are retained for this mode. In addition, the camera only focuses on one player at a time (denoted by a colored arrow above their character; red for Mario and green for Luigi), and can be changed during the level by ground-pounding the player currently in control, if the other player enters another section of the level first, or if the player of focus loses a life or enters a bubble.

Coin Rush

Coin Rush menu.

Main article: Coin Rush

Also featured in New Super Mario Bros. 2 is Coin Rush mode, a time attack-esque mode that challenges the player to collect as many coins as they can in three randomly selected single-player levels without losing a life. Levels are selected depending on the pack chosen. The Mushroom Pack selects three levels from Worlds 1, 2, and Mushroom; the Flower Pack chooses levels from Worlds 3, 4, and Flower; and the Star Pack chooses levels from Worlds 5, 6, and Star. Ten downloadable course packs are also available for purchase in the in-game store, also accessible in this mode, which allows the player to play three custom-created courses. In Coin Rush, players have the option to either play normally or as White Raccoon Mario.

Coin Rush records can be exchanged via StreetPass and challenged. Beating another player's record results in getting a Crown Coin (worth 1,000 coins). SpotPassing allows the player to put their total into the Worldwide Coin Total on the official website.

Controls

Main menu

• Select: /
• Confirm:
• Back:
• Play as Luigi in single-player mode: ++ (while selecting file after defeating Bowser in World 6)
• Delete all save data: Press and hold +++ (when the Nintendo 3DS logo disappears)

In-game

• Move: or
• Dash: Hold / or / while moving
• Jump/stomp: / or /
• Crouch: or
• Ground Pound: or (in midair)
• Wall Jump: / or / (while holding or in the direction of a wall, while sliding down it)
• Double/Triple Jump: / or / (when landing after a running jump)
• Pick up/throw: Press and hold / or /; release to throw
• Pause: /

Worlds

Unlike in previous New Super Mario Bros. games, there are six numbered worlds as opposed to eight, each with a Fortress in the middle and a Castle at the end; with three additional, secret worlds: World Mushroom, World Flower, and World Star. World Mushroom and World Flower are accessed via Warp Cannons, while World Star is only available after beating the game. The first two special worlds also allow Mario to reach World 6, the world where Bowser is located, faster, with the shortest route being through the use of Warp Cannons, from World 1 to World Mushroom, then from World Mushroom to World Flower, and finally from World Flower to World 6. Warp Cannons themselves have also been reworked from previous games into more extensive levels known as Dash Mario stages, where Mario runs automatically and continuously through the level after being launched from the cannon and must jump at the right times to clear obstacles and collect coins. After clearing the level, Mario arrives at the destination world.

Worlds
World 1 ×24 ×4 ×2	Courses
	World 1-Rainbow	World 1-1
	World 1-2	World 1-3
	World 1-Tower	World 1-Warp Cannon
	World 1-4	World 1-5
	World 1-A	World 1-Castle
A grassy field with mushrooms, similar to other first worlds in the Super Mario series. The boss is Roy Koopa and its Warp Cannon leads to World Mushroom. Unlock criterion: start a new game
World 2 ×30 ×4 ×2	Courses
	World 2-Rainbow	World 2-1
	World 2-2	World 2-3
	World 2-A	World 2-Tower
	World 2-Ghost House	World 2-4
	World 2-5	World 2-B
	World 2-Castle
A vast desert filled with sand, palm trees, and cactuses, similar to World 2 from New Super Mario Bros. The boss is Iggy Koopa. Unlock criterion: complete World 1-Castle
World Mushroom ×21 ×3 ×1	Courses
	World Mushroom-Rainbow	World Mushroom-1
	World Mushroom-2	World Mushroom-Ghost House
	World Mushroom-A	World Mushroom-3
	World Mushroom-Warp Cannon	World Mushroom-B
	World Mushroom-Castle
The first Special World of New Super Mario Bros. 2. The boss is Larry Koopa and its Warp Cannon leads to World Flower. Unlock criterion: use World 1-Warp Cannon
World 3 ×30 ×3 ×2	Courses
	World 3-Rainbow	World 3-1
	World 3-2	World 3-3
	World 3-A	World 3-Tower
	World 3-Warp Cannon	World 3-4
	World 3-Ghost House	World 3-5
	World 3-B	World 3-Castle
An archipelago of several islands, with a forested portion later on in the world. The beach and forest portions are similar to World 4 and World 5 from New Super Mario Bros. Wii, respectively. The boss is Wendy O. Koopa and its Warp Cannon leads to World Flower. Unlock criterion: complete World 2-Castle or World Mushroom-Castle
World 4 ×33 ×5 ×2	Courses
	World 4-Rainbow	World 4-1
	World 4-Ghost House	World 4-2
	World 4-A	World 4-Tower
	World 4-B	World 4-3
	World 4-4	World 4-C
	World 4-5	World 4-Castle
A snowy field filled with trees and ice, similar to World 5 from New Super Mario Bros. and World 3 from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The boss is Morton Koopa Jr. Unlock criterion: complete World 3-Castle
World Flower ×21 ×3 ×1	Courses
	World Flower-Rainbow	World Flower-1
	World Flower-A	World Flower-Warp Cannon
	World Flower-Ghost House	World Flower-2
	World Flower-3	World Flower-B
	World Flower-Castle
The second Special World. The boss is Lemmy Koopa and its Warp Cannon leads to World 6. Unlock criterion: use World Mushroom-Warp Cannon or World 3-Warp Cannon
World 5 ×30 ×4 ×2	Courses
	World 5-Rainbow	World 5-1
	World 5-2	World 5-Ghost House
	World 5-3	World 5-Tower
	World 5-4	World 5-A
	World 5-5	World 5-6
	World 5-Castle
A sky-themed world with Mushroom Platforms and high cliffs, similar to World 7 from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The boss is Ludwig von Koopa. Unlock criterion: complete World 4-Castle or World Flower-Castle
World 6 ×30 ×4 ×2	Courses
	World 6-Rainbow	World 6-1
	World 6-Ghost House	World 6-2
	World 6-A	World 6-B
	World 6-3	World 6-Tower
	World 6-4	World 6-5
	World 6-Bowser Castle
A lava-filled world with several volcanoes, haunted regions, and Bowser's Castle, similar to World 8 from New Super Mario Bros. The boss is Bowser. This world must be completed to rescue Princess Peach. Unlock criterion: use World Flower-Warp Cannon or complete World 5-Castle
World Star ×24 ×1 ×1	Courses
	World Star-Rainbow	World Star-1
	World Star-2	World Star-3
	World Star-4	World Star-5
	World Star-6	World Star-7
	World Star-Castle
The final Special World. The boss is Dry Bowser. Unlock criterion: complete World 6-Bowser Castle and accumulate 90 Star Coins

Characters

Playable characters

Name	Description
Mario	The main protagonist who sets out to save Princess Peach.
Luigi	The second player in Co-op mode and unlockable for Solo Play by holding + + on the file select screen after clearing World 6-Bowser Castle.

Non-playable characters

Name	Description
Princess Peach	The damsel-in-distress, who was kidnapped by Bowser's Koopalings in the Koopa Clown Car.
Toads	Toad appears in Toad Houses and gives Mario items.

Enemies and obstacles

Enemies

The enemies listed in this table match those in the Super Mario Bros. Encyclopedia. The default order they are listed derives from the official guidebook with adjustments that ensure enemies are listed next to their immediate relatives. The gold variants of listed enemies are lumped with their normal counterparts and the Big Chain Chomp is absent in the guidebook, but they are recognized as distinct in the encyclopedia.

Name	Description	Levels		Pts.	New
		First	Last
Goomba	Common enemies that walk in a single direction, turning when they encounter an obstacle. They can be defeated with a single stomp.	World 1-1	World Star-1	200	—
Gold Goomba	Golden Goombas that give extra coins when stomped. They also turn when they encounter an obstacle, but they may walk in a single direction.	World 1-4	World 5-3	200
Goomba Tower	Stacks of Goombas that walk in unison. They can be defeated individually.	World 1-1	World 6-2	200	—
Gold Goomba Tower	Stacks of Gold Goombas that must be jumped on one by one. They give extra coins when defeated.	World 1-A		200
Paragoomba	Winged Goombas that hop as they walk and are capable of turning around to chase down Mario. They turn into regular Goombas when stomped.	World 2-2	World Star-1	200	—
Gold Paragoomba	Gold Goombas with wings that jump as they walk and are capable of chasing down. They can be defeated with most attacks.	World 2-2		200
Mini Goomba	Small Goombas that attach themselves to Mario, weighing them down until they either perform a Spin Jump or walk for a few seconds. They hop about erratically and can turn to chase down Mario.	World 4-1	World 6-2	200	—
Gold Mini Goomba [conjectural]	Small Gold Goombas that weigh Mario down.	World 4-1	World 5-3	200
Bone Goomba	Goombas with skull helmets, identical to regular Goombas gameplay-wise.	World 1-Tower	World Flower-Castle	200
Koopa Troopa (Green)	Turtle enemies that walk in a single direction, turning when they encounter an obstacle. They normally go into their shells. When attacked, then can be picked up or thrown. Green Koopa Troopas walk off ledges.	World 1-1	World Star-5	200	—
Koopa Troopa (Red)	Red Koopa Troopas turn around when they reach the edge of platforms. They can be defeated, then turn into the regular enemy when the shell hatches.	World 1-1	World Star-5	200	—
Gold Koopa	Koopa Troopas with golden shells. When attacked, they go into their shells. They can be thrown to create coins.	World 1-4	World Star-5	200
Koopa Paratroopa (Green)	Winged Koopa Troopas that hop along the ground in high arcs. They turn into regular Koopa Troopas when stomped.	World 1-3	World Star-1	200	—
Koopa Paratroopa (Red)	Red-shelled Koopa Paratroopas fly up and down or side to side in the air.	World 1-3	World Star-1	200	—
Gold Koopa Paratroopa	Koopa Paratroopas that have a trail of coins following them.	World 1-4	World 5-A	200
Climbing Koopa	Koopa Troopas that move either horizontally or vertically along fences, climbing to the other side once they reach the edge. They can be defeated by punching them from the opposite side of the fence they are climbing.	World 5-Tower	World 5-Castle	200	—
Buzzy Beetle	Shelled enemies that can be kicked, picked up, or thrown after being jumped on, and are impervious to fireballs. Some walk on ceilings and drop down to attack Mario when approached.	World 2-3	World 6-1	200	—
Spike Top	Buzzy Beetle variants that have spikes on their shells, preventing them from being jumped on.	World 2-3	World 6-1	200	—
Dry Bones	Skeleton Koopa Troopas that collapse when attacked, but later rebuild themselves.	World 1-Tower	World Star-Castle	200	—
Big Dry Bones	Larger versions of Dry Bones that appear in castle levels.	World 2-Tower	World 6-Bowser Castle	200	—
Hammer Bro	Enemies that throw hammers in arcs at Mario and periodically jump between platforms.	World 2-2		1000	—
Boomerang Bro	Hammer Bro relatives that use damaging boomerangs, which return to them after being thrown.	World 2-2	World Mushroom-Warp Cannon	1000	—
Fire Bro	Hammer Bro relatives that throw fireballs which bounce along the ground.	World 6-3		1000	—
Gold Bro	Variant of Hammer Bro relatives that throw coins which collects them.	World 2-2	World 6-3	1000
Sledge Bro	Hammer Bro variants that stun Mario after they jump.	World 2-2		200	—
Lakitu	Cloud-riding enemies that throw Spiny Eggs at Mario, stopping where there are four Spinies on-screen at once. If Mario defeats a Lakitu, he can ride on its cloud until it disappears. Lakitus contained within square clouds throw coins for a short period of time before moving off-screen.	World 5-2	World Star-5	1000	—
Gold Lakitu	Lakitus with yellow shells riding in golden clouds, who throw coins.	World 5-2	World Star-5	1000
Spiny	Enemies that hatch from Spiny Eggs and cannot be jumped on.	World 2-4	World Star-5	200	—
Spiny Egg	Eggs thrown by Lakitu that hatch into Spinies when they hit the ground.	World 5-2	World Star-5	200	—
Piranha Plant	Plants that either move in and out of Warp Pipes or lunge at Mario from the ground. Warp-Pipe-dwelling Piranha Plants do not emerge if Mario is nearby.	World 1-2	World 6-2	200	—
Gold Piranha Plant	Gold versions of Piranha Plants that come out of pipes. When defeated, their pipe shoots coins into the air.	World 1-A	World 6-2	200
Big Piranha Plant	Big Piranha Plants that appear outside of pipes, thrashing towards Mario.	World 1-A	World 5-6	200	—
Gold Big Piranha Plant [conjectural]	A larger variant of Gold Piranha Plants.	World 1-A		200
Fire Piranha Plant	Piranha Plants that aim at Mario and shoot a single fireball. Some move in and out of Warp Pipes like normal Piranha Plants and hide when Mario is nearby, while others are grounded. A single Warp-Pipe-dwelling Fire Piranha Plant in World 6-2 has the ability to shoot three fireballs in a row.	World 5-6	World 6-2	200	—
Gold Fire Piranha Plant	Gold Fire Piranha Plants spit fireballs like the normal ones. When defeated, their pipe shoots coins into the air.	World 6-2		200
Big Fire Piranha	Large Venus Fire Traps that shoot big fireballs.	World 5-6		200	—
Bone Piranha Plant	Skeletal Piranha Plants that are immune to fire. The player can defeat them by attacking them with Raccoon Mario's tail.	World 1-Tower	World 5-Castle	200
Big Bone Piranha Plant	Larger versions of Bone Piranha Plants. They appear in castles and fortresses and thrash towards Mario.	World Mushroom-Castle	World 5-Castle	200
Cheep Cheep	Slow-moving fish that are either found swimming endlessly forward or back and forth. In World 4-2, they constantly jump from the water to attack Mario, leaving them vulnerable to being stomped.	World 1-5	World 4-5	200	—
Gold Cheep Cheep	Gold-colored Cheep Cheeps that jump out of water with coins behind them.	World 3-1		200
Big Cheep Cheep	Big Cheep Cheeps that are either found swimming endlessly forward or back and forth, like their smaller counterparts. They also have Cheep Cheep Babies swimming in a trail behind large ones.	World 1-5	World 3-B	200	—
Spiny Cheep Cheep	Fish that are normally found swimming back and forth, but speed up to chase down Mario when approached. They can only be frozen temporarily, after which they will gain an angry expression.	World 1-5	World 3-2	200	—
Deep Cheep	Fish that endlessly swim forward in a sine wave-like pattern. They briefly give chase when approached, though stop once they move past Mario.	World Mushroom-2		200	—
Big Deep Cheep	Big Deep Cheeps that retain the chasing behavior of their smaller counterparts. They also have Deep Cheep Babies swimming in a trail behind them.	World Mushroom-2	World Mushroom-2	200	—
Cheep Chomp	A large fish that, once approached, begins chasing down Mario indefinitely, periodically lunging at Mario in an attempt to eat him. When defeated, it drops three 1-Up Mushrooms.	World 1-5	World 4-5	200	—
Fishbones	Skeletal fish that swim back and forth, charging towards Mario when approached. Their eyes faintly glow in the dark.	World 3-Tower	World Star-6	200	—
Porcupuffer	An aggressive fish that moves along the surface of water bodies, following Mario by the horizontal position and occasionally leaping from the water to attack.	World Flower-2	World Star-4	200	—
Blooper	Squid-like enemies that move in an erratic pattern and follow Mario. They are often found concealed behind foreground elements, emerging once Mario draws near.	World 3-5		200	—
Blooper Nanny	Bloopers that have Blooper Babies swimming in a trail behind them. They normally chase down Mario like an ordinary Blooper, though they will occasionally pause and deploy their Blooper Babies before spawning a new set.	World 3-5		200	—
Urchin	Stationary enemies that appear in underwater levels.	World Mushroom-2	World 3-A	200	—
Small Urchin	Stationary underwater enemies that can be defeated with the Fire Flower, Super Leaf, Gold Flower, or Super Star.	World 3-2	World 3-A	200
Boo	Ghosts that follow Mario when his back is turned, but hide their face when he looks at them. Groups of Boos are found circling around the mansion. During the Wonder Effect, they sing opera alongside their king.	World 2-Ghost House	World 6-4	200	—
Gold Boo	Boo variants that leave a trail of coins behind as they move.	World Mushroom-Ghost House	World 6-Ghost House	200
Big Boo	Bigger variants of Boos that have the same behavior.	World Mushroom-Ghost House	World 6-Ghost House	200	—
Gold Big Boo	Large Boos that go in the opposite direction of Mario, leaving coins behind them.	World Mushroom-Ghost House	World 6-Ghost House	200
Boohemoth	A gigantic Boo who chases Mario in certain Ghost House levels.	World 2-Ghost House	World Flower-Ghost House
Peepa	Ghosts that move in circles and sometimes carry platforms.	World 2-Ghost House	World Star-3	200	—
Thwomp	Large rocks that fall when Mario gets close before returning to their original position.	World 1-Castle	World Mushroom-Castle	200	—
Big Thwomp	Large Thwomps that can break through stone blocks.	World 1-Castle	World Mushroom-Castle	200	—
Whomp	Walking Thwomp variants that fall face-first.	World Mushroom-Castle	World Star-3	200	—
Big Whomp	Big Whomps that may reveal objects behind them after they fall.	World Mushroom-Castle	World Star-3	200	—
Bob-omb	Bombs that ignite if they are jumped on or come into contact with fireballs, then explode shortly after. When ignited, they can be picked up and thrown to defeat other enemies. Some are found being shot from Cannons, while others are found locked in Ice Walls and require nearby explosions to detonate.	World 2-B	World 6-2	200	—
Para-bomb	Parachuting Bob-ombs that are sometimes shot out of cannons.	World 2-B	World 6-2	200	—
Bullet Bill	Bullets that fly straight forward, moving out of the way when they make contact with one another. They are shot from Bill Blasters and Bill Blaster Turrets or appear from the edges of the screen.	World 3-B	World 6-B	200	—
Gold Bullet Bill	Golden Bullet Bills that leave trails of coins behind them.	World 5-5	World 6-B	200	—
Banzai Bill	Large Bullet Bills that fly straight forward, defeating regular Bullet Bills in their path. They are always found being shot from Banzai Bill Cannons.	World 5-5	World 6-B	200	—
Gold Banzai Bill	Golden-colored Banzai Bills that fly forward, leaving behind a trail of coins.	World 5-5	World 6-B	200
Fuzzy	Enemies that follow tracks and hurt Mario upon contact. If they fall off a track, they will twirl in the air.	World 2-A	World 4-C	200	—
Big Fuzzy	Larger variants of Fuzzies.	World 4-C		200	—
Crowber	Birds that circle above Mario before swooping down to attack and leaving the screen.	World Mushroom-Warp Cannon	World 6-4	200	—
Swoop	Bats that hang onto the ceiling, then swoop towards Mario when approached. In World 6-6, they have eyes that glow in the dark.	World 5-Ghost House		200	—
Pokey	Cactus enemies that appear in desert levels and move slowly.	World 2-3	World 2-B	200	—
Fire Snake	Flames that jump in a high arc, chasing Mario across Semisolid Platforms. They temporarily enlarge after every few hops.	World 2-4	World Star-7	200	—
Wiggler	Caterpillars that become agitated and move faster after being jumped on.	World 3-Warp Cannon	World 3-4	200	—
Chain Chomp	Enemies tied to posts that lunge at Mario at regular intervals. If their post is ground pounded three times, they are set free and can be used to break through blocks.	World 2-5	World Mushroom-B	200	—
Big Chain Chomp	This Chain Chomp pulls Iggy's chariot during his boss battle. Hitting Iggy causes the Big Chain Chomp to become enraged and lunge at Mario more quickly.	World 2-Castle		None	—
Scuttlebug	Spiders that hang down from webs and can be defeated by jumping on them.	World 3-3	World Flower-2	200	—
Coin Coffer	Enemies that cough out coins when attacked.	World Star-1	World Star-7	200	—
Flame Chomp	Black spheres that chase Mario. They carry four fireballs in tow, which they periodically spit at Mario. Once they run out of fireballs, they begin to glow and chase down Mario with increased speed before exploding.	World 6-B		200	—
Amp	Electric balls that shock Mario upon contact.	World 4-B	World Flower-Warp Cannon	200	—
Lava Bubble	Fireballs that jump out of lava.	World 1-Castle	World Star-7	200	—
Grinder	Buzzsaws that move along tracks.	World 3-Castle	World Star-Castle	200	—

Obstacles

Name	Description	Courses
		First	Last
Balls of Fire	Flames that jump in an arc.	World 2-Castle	World Star-7
Banzai Bill Cannon	Cannons that shoot Banzai Bills.	World 5-5	World 6-B
Bill Blaster	Cannons that shoot Bullet Bills.	World 3-B	World 6-B
Bill Blaster Turret	Stacks of Bill Blasters that rotate and shoot Bullet Bills.	World 5-5
Bob-omb Cannon	Cannons that fire Para-bombs. Some automatically aim left and right.	World 2-B
Boo Wall	Boos control these walls and shift them to force Mario down particular paths.	World 4-Ghost House
Boulder	Giant rocks that appear underwater and can break through blocks.	World 3-5
Boulder (ice)	Spiked balls of two sizes that can only be defeated by Gold Mario, which appear in snow levels.	World 4-1
Bowser Statue	Bowser statue heads that breathe large fireballs.	World 6-5	World Star-Castle
Bowser's Fireball	These flames first appear while Mario is approaching Bowser, who is offscreen at the time. He spews them during his boss battles as well. Dry Bowser spews blue-colored fireballs.	World 6-Bowser Castle	World Star-Castle
Burner	Constant streams of fire that can also rotate.	World 5-Tower	World 6-Bowser Castle
Current	Currents that push the player downward over a pit.	World 1-5	World Star-3
Fire Bar	A series of fireballs that spins in a circular motion.	World 4-Castle	World Star-7
Ice	Icy terrain that reduces Mario's traction. Ice make it difficult to make precise jumps and avoid oncoming hazards. In World 4-Tower, ice rises from the ground.	World 4-1	World 4-3
Large spiked ball	Large spiked balls of two sizes that can break through stone tiles.	World Mushroom-Castle	World 4-Castle
Lava	Scorching moats that causes Mario to instantly lose a life upon contact.	World 1-Castle	World Star-Castle
Poison	A liquid hazard that can cause the player to instantly lose a life.	World 3-3	World Flower-2
Quicksand	Sand pits that slowly engulf the player.	World 2-5	World 2-B
Skewer	Large spiked pillars that damage Mario if he touches them.	World 3-Tower
Spike Block	Floating blocks of spikes that damage the player.	World 3-B	World 5-6
Spiked ball	Spike balls that appear in fortress and castle levels.	World Mushroom-A	World 6-5
Spikes	Pointy obstacles that harm the player.	World 1-Castle	World Star-Castle
Volcanic debris	Rocks that fall slowly and break upon hitting either the ground or a block.	World 6-1
Whirlpool	A swirling vortex of water that pulls Mario down a pit. It periodically stops.	World 3-2

Bosses

Name	Description	Levels
		First	Last
The Koopalings
Roy	Roy's strategy is charging at the player, eventually ramming into a wall and being temporarily stunned (at which point he is vulnerable), as well as spinning in his shell and casting magic attacks. His room becomes increasingly narrower during battle. He takes three hits to defeat.	World 1-Castle
Iggy	Like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Iggy rides a Big Chain Chomp carriage, which transports him around the arena. Mario has to avoid both the Chain Chomp's lunges and Iggy's magic attacks by using the four smaller blue platforms. Iggy's Chain Chomp carriage also exits the arena on one side from either the top or bottom, eventually reappearing on the other side in the opposite direction. Additionally, he enters the arena on the same side as the exit. He takes three hits to defeat.	World 2-Castle
Larry	Larry's attacks include jumping and shooting magic balls that bounce diagonally. His room has four shifting walls protruding from the floor and ceiling. He takes three hits to defeat.	World Mushroom-Castle
Wendy	Like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Wendy's battle takes place in a flooded room. Mario must wait for the water to be drained so he can stomp Wendy, while avoiding Cheep Cheeps and bouncing magic rings. She takes three hits to defeat.	World 3-Castle
Morton	Morton attacks the player with spiked balls he creates from his wand, as well as shell attacks. He takes three hits to defeat.	World 4-Castle
Lemmy	Lemmy's battle takes place on a conveyor belt. He rides a circus ball and creates miniature ones with his magic, which bounce down the belt and can push Mario off. He takes three hits to defeat.	World Flower-Castle
Ludwig	Mario or Luigi must use the five gray Pipe Cannons on the floor to blast against Ludwig, causing him to fall onto the floor, dizzy and vulnerable to attacks. He takes three hits to defeat.	World 5-Castle
Other bosses
Reznor	Reznors originate from Super Mario World and are fought as mini-bosses in every main world, standing on top of Long ? Blocks above a collapsing bridge. The basic way of defeating them is to hit the blocks under their feet.	World 1-Tower	World 6-Tower
Bowser	Mario or Luigi must jump on the ! Switch to send Bowser falling down beneath the bridge into the lava. After that, the Koopalings enlarge him, and Mario or Luigi must go onto the roof and hit a massive ! Switch to defeat him. The latter part does not occur in the Gold Classics Pack.	World 6-Bowser Castle
Dry Bowser	Dry Bowser is fought in much the same way as Bowser, though Dry Bowser moves faster, breathes blue fireballs instead of orange ones, throws bones instead of sledgehammers, and is immune to fireballs, while the platforms in the second phase are also smaller. Mario or Luigi must jump on a ! Switch for Dry Bowser to fall off the bridge into the lava. The Koopalings then enlarge Dry Bowser, and Mario or Luigi must go onto the roof and hit a massive ! Switch to defeat Dry Bowser.	World Star-Castle

Items and objects

Items

These are collectibles, pickups, and health-restoring objects.

Name	Description
Coins	Collecting 100 of these gives the player an extra life.
Hidden Coins	An outline of a coin that becomes a coin if Mario goes through it.
10-Coins	Gives the player 10 coins.
100-Coins	Gives the player 100 coins, immediately giving Mario an extra life.
Red Coins	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.
Blue Coins	These coins are just like normal coins, but they appear by hitting a P Switch.
Star Coins	Three of these are located in every course in hard-to-reach or hidden areas.
Moon Coins	Three of these are located in every course in hard-to-reach or hidden areas only appearing in World Star.
Crown Coins	Exclusive to Coin Rush. They are 1000 coins each.
1-Up Mushrooms	Gives the player an extra life.
Gold Mushrooms	Rewards Mario 50 coins (or 100 coins if he is Gold Mario).
+ Clocks (blue)	Adds 10 seconds to the time limit.
+ Clocks (green)	Adds 50 seconds to the time limit.
Keys	A key is awarded to the player character character after they defeat a castle boss. Picking it up completes the level and unlocks the next world.
Koopa Shells	Koopa Troopas temporarily retreat into their shells when stomped, which can then be kicked, picked up, or thrown. They bounce off of opposing walls and can damage the player character character on the rebound, but they can be stopped with a well-timed jump or fireballs.
Gold Shells	Gold Shells leave trails of collectible coins as they slide. These shells come only from stomped Gold Koopas.
Buzzy Beetle Shells	These work like Koopa Shells, but they are impervious to fire. Fireballs cannot stop them.
Spiny Shells	These work like Koopa Shells and, because they are upside down, they can be stomped.
Springboards	A spring that lets the player jump high into the air. It can be picked up and carried around.
Gold Blocks	Golden Brick Blocks that Mario or Luigi can wear producing coins from it if he keeps moving.
Flying Gold Blocks	These Gold Blocks fly across the overworld map and are available in the course they fly above when accessed.

Power-ups

Items that transform Mario's appearance and give him unique abilities.

Power-up	Form	Description
N/A	Small Mario	Mario's weakest form. He starts each life in his Small form. If Small Mario touches an enemy or obstacle, he loses one life.
Super Mushroom	Super Mario	Turns Small Mario and Mini Mario into Super Mario.
Fire Flower	Fire Mario	Turns Mario into Fire Mario.
Super Leaf	Raccoon Mario	Turns Mario into Raccoon Mario.
Gold Flower	Gold Mario	Turns Mario into Gold Mario.
Mega Mushroom	Mega Mario	Turns Mario into Mega Mario.
Mini Mushroom	Mini Mario	Turns Mario into Mini Mario.
Super Star	Invincible Mario	Turns Mario into Invincible Mario.
Invincibility Leaf	White Raccoon Mario	Turns Mario into White Raccoon Mario.

Objects

Objects are interactable elements of the environment that cannot be picked up or collected by Mario. For objects that primarily function as obstructions or hazards, see above.

Name	Description
Blocks and containers
? Block	A block that is guaranteed to hold contents, typically coins or power-ups, but also occasionally other items. Some ? Blocks are 10-Coin Blocks that release up to ten coins when struck in succession. A few are hidden and only become visible when struck.
Assist Block	Assist Blocks contain an Invincibility Leaf. Appears after five lives are lost in the same course and makes the file's stars lose their sparkles upon doing so.
Brick Block	A block that may or may not hold contents. Empty Brick Blocks break when hit if the player is at least in their Super form. Like ? Blocks, some Brick Blocks are 10-Coin Blocks and Hidden Blocks.
Donut Block	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.
Dotted-Line Block	Intangible blocks that transform into tangible Red Blocks for a brief period of time when a nearby ? Switch is pressed.
Flying ? Block	A type of ? Block that flies in a rhythmic pattern. Once hit, it becomes an Empty Block.
Ice Block	A block made of ice that serves as a platform.
Ice Donut Block	Donut Blocks made of ice. There are long and short varieties.
Long ? Block	A three-block-wide ? Block that holds either three coins or two coins and a power-up.
Note Block	A block that, when Mario jumps on it, makes him jump higher.
Red POW Block	A block that causes a large tremor on the ground when hit.
Rotating Block	Blocks that twirl. Brick Blocks and ? Blocks are fastened to them.
Roulette Block	A block with various items scrolling on it. Mario can hit it and release the power-up shown.
Roulette Coin Block	A block with various amounts of coins scrolling on it. Mario can hit it and release the amount of coins shown.
Snake Block	Green blocks that move like a snake once Mario steps on it.
Stone Block	Blocks that can only be broken by Mega Mario, explosions, enemy attacks, and certain obstacles.
Treasure chest	Chests appear in Yellow Toad Houses, where they contain a reserve Gold Flower.
Trigger objects
! Switch	Red ! Switches trigger something that causes coins to appear.
? Switch	Changes or adds things to an area, such as platforms, for a limited time.
Conveyor Belt Switch	Switches that change the direction of certain Conveyor Belts.
Gold Ring	Turns all enemies gold and increases the amount of coins rewarded to the player once defeated.
Large ! Switch	Large ! Switches cause Bowser or Dry Bowser to sink into the lava.
P Switch	Turns bricks into coins or vice versa, or causes the revealing of Blue Coins.
Red Ring	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.
Switch-Burner	Block-like switches that control Burners. Striking them temporarily turns the Burners off.
Pipes
! Pipe	An L-shaped pipe Fire Mario or Gold Mario can activate with fireballs. A coin comes out of the yellow end for each fireball shot into the black end. After twelve fireballs, a Mega Mushroom, three 1-Up Mushrooms/Gold Mushrooms, or a Super Star can come out.
Bubble-jet pipe	These underwater pipes expel strong currents that push the player character.
Pipe	Pipes going through the ground that transport the player to new areas.
Pipe Cannon	Pipes that launch the player to another location or a hard-to-reach platform.
Small pipe	Mini variants of warp pipes that can be accessed with a Mini Mushroom.
Climbable objects
Fence	Fences the player can climb.
Hanging vine	Hanging vines of varying lengths in forest-themed levels. They function like rope swings.
Moving Fence	Fences that move on a track.
Pole	Climbable poles. Mario clings to one by jumping onto it.
Rope	Loose tightropes. Mario's movement is slower as he tries to keep balance, but his jumping height is greater.
Rope (strung)	Taut rope that can be clung to and traveled along like monkey bars to reach distant areas.
Rope (untied)	Rope that Mario can swing back and forth on.
Vine	Used as a ladder that can lead to Coin Heaven, or a secret place. Comes out of a Hidden Block or brick.
Web	Webs the player can climb.
Platforms
Bone lift	Skeletal lifts that rise from lava. Standing on one for too long causes it to slowly fall. Super Bowser destroys bone lifts when he swipes his claws.
Circus ball	Bouncing balls that are summoned by Lemmy Koopa in his boss battles or appear as Castle obstacles. They can be bounced off of to reach higher areas.
Coin Volcano	Hills made up of slope tiles with distinct red crusts. If a Bob-omb explodes near the red crusts, they disintegrate and release coins.
Conveyor Belt	Moving platforms that carry the player from one place to another without them having to move at all.
Crate	Crates float in poisonous water. Standing on one causes it to slowly sink, but it floats back to the top once jumped off.
Elevator lift	Stationary lifts that move in a specific direction once stood on. Moving off and touching it again makes it move in the opposite direction.
Flatbed Ferry	Lifts that travel along tracks. Some tracks are self-connected or lead to a rounded end that sends the Flatbed Ferry back the way it came. Others lack an obstruction at the end, causing the lift to fall.
Floating barrel	Large barrels that float in water. They gently sink while Mario is on top of them.
Ghost-coaster	Lifts carried by Peepas. They carry the platforms through the sky when touched, periodically shifting them abruptly and shaking them.
Haunted Stairway	The steps materialize when a nearby ? Switch is pressed. They appear only for a brief period of time.
Lift	Platforms that move in any direction.
Mushroom Trampoline	Mushroom Platforms serve as a trampoline.
Paddle Platform	A paddle wheel-like platform made of four smaller platforms that moves in a wheel on tracks.
Raft	Platforms that activate whenever the player steps on them, constantly moving right as long as the player continues to stand on them.
Scale Lift	Scale-like lifts that when Mario lands on one platform, the parallel one rises. It will fall off if he stands on it for too long.
Seesaw	Platforms that teeter to one side when a player or element stands on the opposite side.
Segmented platform	Rideable creatures made of bone used to aid Mario and sail across lava.
Sinking and Rising Mushrooms	Mushrooms platforms that either rise or fall a certain length when stood on, depending on their color.
Sky Move Lift	An airship that constantly moves to the right. They come with a deck with a one-block-wide gap, as well as a higher deck that acts as a Semisolid Platform.
Stretch Shroom	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.
Tilting mushroom	Mushroom Platforms that tilt back and forth on their own.
Trampoline Block	A hidden block that, when Mario jumps on it, makes him jump higher, similar to a Note Block.
Other objects
Checkpoint Flag	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 his Small form, he transforms into his Super form.
Door	A door found in Ghost Houses, fortresses, and castles that takes the player to another portion of the level. Large doors serve as entry points to a boss.
Goal Pole	Flagpoles found at the end of every level. Touching one completes the level.
Goal Pole (secret)	Red flagpoles found at the end of some levels. Touching one completes the level and leads to secret exits.
Hinged panel	Panels that, once passed through, prevent access to the area before.
Little bird	Small birds that live in the Mushroom Kingdom. They appear on Peach's Castle in the opening cutscene.
Trick door	Some of the doors found in Ghost Houses are illusions crafted by Boos. Attempting to open one makes it disappear.

Downloadable content

Title screen of New Super Mario Bros. 2: Gold Edition

Main article: Coin Rush § Downloadable content

Downloadable content for New Super Mario Bros. 2 was first announced in a Nintendo Direct Mini dedicated entirely to the game, showcasing the three downloadable Coin Rush course packs and their price tags along with the release dates. The downloadable packs were available for purchase on the in-game shop, available for 200¥ for Japan, €2.50 for Europe, $2.50 for America, HKD$20 for Hong Kong, and 60 Nintendo Points for Taiwan. This is the first game of the Super Mario franchise to feature standard downloadable add-on content, and the first Nintendo game after the Japanese release of Fire Emblem Awakening to do so.

The service started on October 2 for Japan, Europe, and Oceania, and October 4 for North America, featuring three course packs. Two more packs were released on October 25, two more were released on December 5, and the last two were released on December 20 (North America and Europe) and December 21 (Japan and Australia). In addition, a single pack, which could be downloaded for free until January 31, 2013, was also released on November 27. In total, there were ten course packs available for purchase.

In Europe, the game received a Nintendo 2DS bundle, which includes the game with all ten downloadable course packs pre-installed (titled New Super Mario Bros. 2: Special Edition).

In North America, the game received a special-edition Nintendo 3DS XL with the game and all ten downloadable course packs pre-installed (titled New Super Mario Bros. 2: Gold Edition) during the 2014 holiday season. In Japan, from July 1 to August 31, 2014, New Super Mario Bros. 2: Gold Edition was available as a free download for Nintendo 3DS LL owners as part of the "Nintendo 3DS LL Monthly Recommended Software Campaign".

With the discontinuation of digital purchases for Nintendo 3DS in March 2023, it is no longer possible to buy the downloadable course packs, though they can still be downloaded by those who purchased them when they were available.

Pre-release and unused content

Main article: List of New Super Mario Bros. 2 pre-release and unused content

The game was originally to be titled New Super Mario Bros. Gold, but since the stages were said to stand on their own without the coin theme, the name was changed. The Platform Panic Pack Coin Rush DLC was also set to be released as the seventh pack, but with the announcement of the Gold Classics Pack it was moved to being pack eight.

Glitches

Main article: List of New Super Mario Bros. 2 glitches

Enemies in Blocks

This glitch can be done in World Star-1 and requires Super Mario. First, Mario should Ground Pound some Brick Blocks near a Brick Block with nothing below it to make it possible to hit. It has a P Switch inside that Mario must press. Then Mario must run to the second platform after the ? Switch and wait for the P Switch to wear off. Then, if done correctly, the Koopa will be stuck inside some Brick Blocks. After turning right, it will appear slightly to the right for only a split second and then return to its original position. It can still dance to the beat in the music.

Red Ring glitch

Due to an oversight, in World 4-A, if the player activates the Red Ring but ignores the Red Coins and goes to the Mushroom Trampoline between two blue Warp Pipes that spawn Goombas after the Checkpoint Flag, the coins from the bottom will spout out, even though the player has not collected the Star Coin yet. After that, if the player then backtracks to the Red Coins' location, they will still be there and can even be collected and still reward a power-up.

Staff

Main article: List of New Super Mario Bros. 2 staff

Development

The development of a 2D Super Mario game for the Nintendo 3DS was first brought up during an earnings briefing in November 2010, with Shigeru Miyamoto speaking about the possibilities of 2D and 3D Super Mario games on the Nintendo 3DS. Later, after the release of Super Mario 3D Land, Satoru Iwata officially announced that a 2D Super Mario game for the 3DS was in development, which was revealed to be New Super Mario Bros. 2 during the non-English Nintendo Direct on April 21, 2012.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 had a more unique development cycle than the other games in the series. Not only was the game developed by the Entertainment Analysis and Development team, but also by members of other development teams, including Nintendo Software Planning & Development, as part of the "Mario Cram School," a program meant to teach other teams about the development of Super Mario games. Also different is that the game's stages were designed before the mechanics and main focus were thought of.

The focus on coins came about early in development, with Takashi Tezuka and Toshihiko Nakago speaking about coins; at the time, development of Super Mario 3D Land, which features the ? Box, had recently wrapped up. The coin concept was first implemented with the golden Koopa Troopa, and soon after Tezuka suggested the one million coin goal. The developers then began to fill the stages with coins, and created more ways to collect them, such as the additional golden enemies and Gold Mario. Because of the game's coin focus, the developers considered naming it "New Super Mario Bros. Gold," but the "2" was chosen instead since the game features more stages than the previous entries in the New Super Mario Bros. series as well as new elements, which the developers felt allowed it to stand alone as a standard 2D Super Mario title.

Implementation of the co-op mode was originally met with conflict; Tezuka suggested adding it, but the staff opposed him due to being unsure on how it could be implemented, and that it couldn't be done within the remainder of the given development timeframe. Earlier in development, a prototype mode featuring both Mario and Luigi in the single-player stages had been developed. Using this, the developers worked on refining it, making it more similar to New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Issues with the Nintendo 3DS' screen kept the camera from expanding to accommodate both players, so instead the camera was made to focus on a single player at a time, with both being able to fight for control over it.

The concept of the Coin Rush mode was thought of before the coin theme of the game was. Yusuke Anamo was thinking about how to make the game more replayable, but also something that could be played even in free time. In addition, after making the stages more coin-oriented, the developers noticed that, no matter how often the game was played, the million-coin goal was very difficult to reach. It was then that they decided to incorporate collecting large amounts of coins into the new mode. The Coin Rush downloadable course packs were originally announced before the game was released; the courses themselves, however, had not been created at the time. The idea of downloadable content had come up during the development of both New Super Mario Bros. 2 and New Super Mario Bros. U, and from both teams; the development team for New Super Mario Bros. 2 had thought of the idea of downloadable Coin Rush courses, and since this game was to be released first it was decided that content would be created for it first.

Reception

New Super Mario Bros. 2 has received generally positive reviews from critics. IGN gave it an 8.5/10 and Nintendolife gave it a 9/10. Most critics considered it a solid Super Mario game, though they also criticized its easy difficulty and unoriginality. As of August 18, 2012, New Super Mario Bros. 2 has received a 78% average on Metacritic, with 22 positive and 13 mixed reviews.

Reviews
Release	Reviewer, Publication	Score	Comment
Nintendo 3DS	Keza MacDonald, IGN	8.5/10	"It is impossible not to be drawn in by the simple perfection of New Super Mario Bros 2's mechanics and level design – this is as pleasurable and effortless as 2D platforming gets. But it's also impossible not to be disappointed that it's over so quickly, and doesn't offer anything really new. The best Mario games reinvent themselves at the same time as paying loving homage to what went before; they take something you know and love and make it feel new all over again. New Super Mario Bros doesn't do that - but it's a delightful game while it lasts, and still the best 2D platformer on the 3DS."
Nintendo 3DS	Oli Welsh, Eurogamer	8/10	"This is a high-quality game by anyone's standards, but that doesn't change the fact that I spent a good deal of my time playing it feeling blasphemously bored. Fortunately, the true Mario tradition is in safe hands in Tokyo, no doubt to return and restore our faith in some mind-bending new adventure next year. But perhaps New Super Mario Bros. should be allowed to grow old a bit more gracefully than this."
Nintendo 3DS	Jim Sterling, Destructoid	7/10	"New Super Mario Bros. 2 is good. It was always going to be good, because Nintendo makes good games. That was never in doubt. However, it's a markedly more vacuous experience, bereft as it is of fresh gameplay and rigidly sticking to a formula with such zeal one would almost believe it a religious imperative of the developers. The coin collecting silliness may alter the player's approach somewhat, but it is nonetheless superficial and many players will doubtless get bored of it before hitting their million. The gimmick serves as an allegory for the entire game, really -- a glittering distraction, lacking any real substance. At its core, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a Mushroom Kingdom coin -- shiny and addictive, but carrying no practical value whatsoever."
Aggregators
Compiler		Platform / Score
Metacritic		78
GameRankings		78.40%

Sales

As of September 30, 2021, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is the 5th best-selling game for the Nintendo 3DS, having sold about 13.39 million copies worldwide (after Mario Kart 7, Pokémon X and Y, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Pokémon Sun and Moon).

Promotion

Nintendo made a special gold-themed week exclusively for the American Nintendo eShop to celebrate the release of the game, where every category's image was replaced with something from the game and the backgrounds were gold-colored.

US and Canada Club Nintendo members who purchased New Super Mario Bros. 2 from the Nintendo eShop by September 20, 2012 and completed the surveys within four weeks after downloading could receive double the amount of coins (for a total of 100 coins) as they would receive if they bought the game at retail (50 coins). European Club Nintendo members that purchased the game from the Nintendo eShop received 250 free Stars. Likewise, Australian Club Nintendo members received double the amount of Stars (i.e. 400 instead of 200).

Profiles

• Nintendo eShop description:
  • English (United States):
    

The bros are back for an all-new adventure worth its weight in gold! Jump, bounce, and power-up through visually stunning side-scrolling worlds as you race to save Princess Peach™. Gold Flowers, Gold Blocks, and Gold Rings make collecting coins more fun than ever before! Can you collect a million coins? Use all your speed-running and coin-collecting skills to best your friends in the new StreetPass-enabled Coin Rush mode. Team up with a friend and play through the entire game via Local Wireless. (Requires two copies of the game.)

• • English (United Kingdom):
    

Mario returns to Nintendo 3DS in a side-scrolling action adventure, packed with great power-ups and crammed with coins! Players can expect classic Mario action with a golden twist - an extra challenge to collect one million coins! As well as playing solo, or teaming up with a friend via Local Play, there's Coin Rush mode, where the aim is to grab as many coins as possible in the time limit, adding a strategic edge to the fun!

Gallery

For this subject's image gallery, see Gallery:New Super Mario Bros. 2.

• 

  Raccoon Mario and Fox Luigi

• 

  Gold Mario and Silver Luigi

• 

  Mario with a Gold Block

• 

  Reznor

Multimedia

For the complete list of media files for this subject, see Multimedia:New Super Mario Bros. 2.

Ground Theme

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Underground Theme

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Athletic Theme

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Underwater Theme

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Help:Media file • Having trouble playing?

References to other games

A recreation of World 1-1 in the Gold Classics Pack

Mario Bros.

• Phase 1 is remade as part of the Gold Classics Pack.

Super Mario Bros.

• In the first phase of Bowser's and Dry Bowser's battles, Bowser throws sledgehammers and breathes fire, and Mario must wait for him to jump then get past him, very much alike to this game.
• While the game loads (such as when starting up the game or looking for a second player in Co-op Play), the loading chime plays the first part of this game's Ground BGM.
• Small Mario sprite from Super Mario Bros. appears in some parts of Coin Rush mode, such as to show which course the player will play or while counting the coins obtained in the levels.
• The maximum number of lives results in crowns like in this game.
• World 1-1, 1-2, and 1-4 are remade as part of the Gold Classics Pack.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels

• In the Third Course of the Gold Classics Pack, the message "Thank You!!" is written out in coins, similar to the "Arigatō!" message in World 9-4 that is written in coral.

Super Mario Bros. 3

• Nintendo of Europe has cited New Super Mario Bros. 2 as being the "rightful successor" to this game.
• Raccoon Mario, the P-Meter, Note Blocks, and Wood Blocks return.
• Sky Move Lifts are reminiscent of the coin-filled Treasure Ships.
• The P-Wing appears, replacing the "P" icon of the P-Meter.
• The first room of World 6-Bowser Castle features a vertical shaft traversable using a Donut Block, which is reminiscent of a similar obstacle in World 8-Bowser's Castle.
• The floor in Bowser's room is checkered, similar to those of several Fortresses in this game.
• Toad Houses, except for Green Toad Houses, have the same music (albeit in the form of its Super Mario 3D Land arrangement) and feature a choice of three power-ups.
• The loading chime plays a small part of this game's overworld theme.
• World 1-1 and 1-5 are remade as part of the Gold Classics Pack.

Super Mario World

• Chocolate Island-styled backgrounds are used in some of the levels.
• Reznors and the standard boss theme return from this game.
• When the bridges break in the Reznor battles, they sound like breaking blocks in this game.
• When the player presses a switch, it makes the P Switch noises from this game.
• Roy's boss fight takes place in a room with walls that close in on the player, like in this game.
• The loading chime plays a small part of this game's overworld theme.
• Mario and Luigi have the ability to look up.
• The Moon Coins have an imprint of a 3-Up Moon.
• Diagonally flying Bullet Bills return.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

• The "2" in the logo uses the Pump font, the same as Yoshi's Island's international logo.

Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2

• The intro is similar, with Mario and Luigi being distracted by a flying power-up so the Koopalings can kidnap Princess Peach.

Super Mario Sunshine

• If Mario jumps on a Toad, its mushroom cap bounces. If attacked from a distance, it flinches. This feature first appeared in this game.

Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time

• The giant 100-Coin makes a reappearance in this game, based on its appearance from this game.

New Super Mario Bros.

• The game is direct sequel to this game.
• Mario's Mini and Mega forms return.
• Mega Mario earns several 1-Up Mushrooms by destroying the Goal Pole like how he can earn 1-Up Mushrooms by destroying objects in this game.
• Dry Bowser also returns alongside his throwable bones.
• This game's arrangement of Super Mario Bros.'s Ground BGM is used during the Dash Mario stages.
• The "Mega Mario" theme returns.
• Several enemies retain their behaviors from this game, such as Big Whomps, Scuttlebugs, and Whomps
  • Both varieties of Whomp also reuse their crushing sound effect.
  • Scuttlebugs reuse the sound effect they make when they drop into the screen.
• Coin Coffers evade the player as Moneybags does in this game.
• Big Cheep Cheeps retain their large size from this game.
• Flying Gold Blocks behave similarly to the red Flying ? Blocks in this game, hovering on the world map and appearing near the player's spawn point within levels.
• The cloud-filled backgrounds seen in athletic levels and bonus areas are designed after the cloud-filled backgrounds seen in similar locations in this game and the background of World 6-Bowser Castle is designed after the background normally seen in castle boss rooms in this game.
• One-way panels, quicksand, retracting staircases, tightropes, Snake Blocks, and tracks use their designs from this game.
• Nonlinear world progression returns and is again displayed using branching paths on the world select screen.
• World maps are also highly linear and progress from left to right, like in this game.
• World 6 is filled with withered trees, like World 8.
• The level progression bar is obscured by Boos in Ghost Houses, like in this game.
• The first level in both games feature a hidden vine leading to a Hard Block platform with a 1-Up Mushroom and an aerial sub area.
• World 1-Tower's secret exit is found in a similar manner to World 1-Tower's secret exit: via a hole on the right side of a room with shifting obstacles.
• The Hard Block platforming section of World 6-1 is reminiscent of the Red Block platforming section of World 5-C in this game.
• The entrance to the secret passage beneath the first Star Coin in World 1-5 is denoted by a Brick Block structure similar to the one used to denote the entrance to the zone containing the third Star Coin in World 6-5.
• World 6-4 is aesthetically based on World 8-1 from this game.
• Toad Houses once again become permanently accessible after beating every level in the game.

Yoshi's Island DS

• Bowser is fought as a giant in the background, just as he was in this game.

Super Mario Galaxy

• The Toads' reaction to a raccoon tail whip (by spinning around happily) is reused from the Toads' reaction to a Star Spin in this game.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii

• This game is indirect follow-up to this game.
• Numerous elements from the game return.
• The music and graphic style are reused from this game, with added vocals to the overworld and athletic themes, as well as vocal riffs "paah" included in the tower, castle and ghost house themes.
• The level environments are reused from this game.
• The second phase of Bowser's battle can be compared to the second phase of Bowser in this game, except Mario needs to move from platform to platform vertically instead of horizontally.
• The bubble system returns, and the multiplayer gameplay is reused (though Mario and Luigi cannot pick up each other as before).
• The Koopalings taunt the same way before they fight in and are fought similarly to New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
• The Koopalings aid Bowser in a manner very similar to how Kamek aids Bowser in New Super Mario Bros. Wii, right down to being knocked down by Bowser the same way upon him becoming giant.
• Stars can be earned on the file, like in this game.

Super Mario 3D Land

• The Invincibility Leaf returns, as does the Assist Block.
• Peepas, Coin Coffers, and Goomba Towers return.
• Toad Houses use the same music as in this game.
• During the credits, Mario carries Peach in a similar fashion to this game, except he is not flying, but walking on the ground.
• + Clocks return with similar functions.
• Items from Toad Houses work their effects immediately, rather than being placed in an inventory.
• The max lives are 1,110 (shown as three crowns), like in this game.

Mario Kart 7

• Raccoon Mario's tail whip and transformation sounds are re-used from this game.

References in later games

Artwork of Gold Mario from Mario Golf: World Tour

New Super Mario Bros. U

• The Note Block, ? Switch block materialization, and underwater Warp Pipe sound effects are reused.
• The Coin Rush win sound effect is repurposed as the challenge new high score sound effect.

Super Mario 3D World

• Three bonus worlds in this game are called World Star, Mushroom, and Flower, just like in New Super Mario Bros. 2.

Mario Party: Island Tour

• Bone Goombas and Bone Piranha Plants return.

Mario Kart Arcade GP DX

• Gold Mario appears as a downloadable alternate color scheme for Metal Mario.

Mario Golf: World Tour

• Gold Mario returns as a character.
• Moon Coins appear in the game.
• The background of World Star is the same as the one for (Gold) Mario's Eagle/Albatross/Hole-In-One animation.

Mario Kart 8

• Twisted Mansion's entrance has a statue of a Boohemoth above it.
• Bone Piranha Plants also make an appearance in Bone-Dry Dunes.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition

• Gold Mario appears as a Leader.

Super Mario Maker

• Gold Mario returns as a costume.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

• A stage based on New Super Mario Bros. 2, Golden Plains, appears in this game.
  • Collecting 100 coins on the stage turns the fighter gold, similar to Gold Mario.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

• The Ground Theme appears as a playable song on the Mushroom Kingdom U stage.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

• Gold Mario returns as a character.

Super Mario Odyssey

• Gold Mario returns as a costume for Mario.
  • Wearing this outfit scares Bowser, referencing Gold Mario's ability to defeat Bowser with a single fireball.

Super Mario Party

• The sound effect that plays when Mario or Luigi collects a Gold Flower from New Super Mario Bros. 2 is recycled when a player uses the Golden Drink.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• The Golden Plains stage reappears in this game.
• Gold Mario and Fox Luigi make an appearance as spirits.
• The Ground Theme reappears as a Super Mario-series song.
• Palutena's Guidance for Piranha Plant mentions the Gold Piranha Plant, Bone Piranha Plant, and Big Bone Piranha Plant.

Super Mario Maker 2

• The 10-Coins and 50-Coins reappear as course elements.

Mario Kart Tour

• Gold Mario appears as a playable character previously exclusive to the game's Coin Rush mode before being introduced as fully playable during the 2023 Anniversary Tour.
• Bone Piranha Plants appear in SNES Bowser Castle 3 and GBA Bowser's Castle 4.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

• Gold Mario appears as an unlockable outfit for Mario.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

• King Boo chases the player(s) in a slow auto-scrolling section similar to Boohemoth.
• Bone Goombas and Bone Piranha Plants return.
• During musical Wonder Effects, Marimba Block notes are based on the chords of the background music, like how Note Block notes are based on the chords of the background music in New Super Mario Bros. 2.

Mario Kart World

• Coin Shells function like they do in New Super Mario Bros. 2
• Boohemoth returns in the background of Boo Cinema.
• Gold Blocks can be seen in Great ? Block Ruins.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	Newニュー スーパーマリオブラザーズ 2[?] Nyū Sūpā Mario Burazāzu Tsū	New Super Mario Bros. 2
Chinese (simplified)	New 超级马力欧兄弟 2[?] New Chāojí Mǎlì'ōu Xiōngdì 2	New Super Mario Brothers 2
Chinese (traditional)	新超級瑪利歐兄弟 2[?] Xīn Chāojí Mǎlì'ōu Xiōngdì 2	New Super Mario Brothers 2
Korean	뉴 슈퍼 마리오브라더스 2[?] Nyu Syupeo Mario Beuradeoseu 2	New Super Mario Bros. 2

External links

• Mario Portal Game Archive (EN)
• Mario Portal Game Archive (JP)
• Launch trailer
• Official Japanese website
• Official American website
• Official American Gold Edition PDF manual
• Official European website
• Official Oceanian website
• Official Taiwanese website