New Super Mario Bros. 2

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a side-scrolling platform game for the Nintendo 3DS. It was released in Japan on July 28th, 2012, in Europe on August 17th, in Australia on August 18th and in North America on August 19th, while in Italy the game was separately released on August 24 for the retail cartridge. It's the thirteenth title in the main Super Mario series, the eighth title to be a Super Mario Bros. installment, the third in the New Super Mario Bros. line after New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS and New Super Mario Bros. Wii for the Wii and the sequel to New Super Mario Bros. The game was announced by Satoru Iwata in a Nintendo conference in April 21, 2012. Like Super Mario 3D Land, the game 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. It also combines elements from New Super Mario Bros. and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, as this is a follow-up to those games. This game is so far the only one of the New Super Mario Bros. sub-series to not include Bowser Jr.

According to Nintendo, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is the first Nintendo game (and specifically the first Mario title) to be available for purchase in both packaged (retail) and digital (downloadable via the Nintendo eShop) versions. The game can be stored onto an SD card, along with multiple other games, and be played on the Nintendo 3DS, but they cannot be shared with other Nintendo 3DS handhelds. This game is based around coins, and the game's overall goal is to collect one million of them.

Story
Standing on the balcony of her castle, Mario and Luigi wave goodbye to Princess Peach to go on a coin hunt in their raccoon suits. 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 lose their raccoon power-ups. 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 in a cage. As they are about to free her, the now-empty Clown Car 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. He attempts to use his massive hands to destroy the path, but the bros. still manage to climb up and press a giant ! Switch. The giant Bowser then falls through the floor, and the princess is released from her cage, and rewards each Bro. with a kiss on the nose. 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. However, Bowser's immense weight exceeded its capacity, and the Koopa Clown Car crash-landed, scattering everyone throughout the ground.

Gameplay
The gameplay is very similar to the previous New Super Mario Bros. games. However, New Super Mario Bros. 2 focuses on collecting Coins, with many and varied ways to collect plenty of coins at once, such as golden items that award the player with them. Like New Super Mario Bros., the bottom screen displays a kind of map, showing the length of the level and where the player is. There are nine worlds: six main worlds and three special worlds. The item storage reappears too. 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.

A two-player mode is available, and the second player plays as Luigi normally through the stages alongside Mario. This mode can only be played with two Nintendo 3DS consoles and two game cards.

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, a drumbeat is added, similar to how a drumbeat is added while riding Yoshi in other 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.

Coin Rush
Another mode, the Coin Rush, challenges the player to collect the most coins they can in three randomly-selected levels through three different options. The Mushroom option will choose three levels from amongst Worlds 1, 2, and Mushroom; the Fire Flower option chooses three levels from amongst Worlds 3, 4, and Flower; and the Star option choose three levels from amongst Worlds 5, 6, and Star. In other words, Mushroom is the easy difficulty choice, Fire Flower is the medium choice, and Star is the hard choice.

Also, 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.

The game's overall objective is to collect a million coins, and coins collected in levels are added to a total that is shared by the game's three save files. The reward for collecting one million coins is a new title screen featuring a Gold Mario statue. If the coin counter maxes out (9,999,999 coins), the reward is a Gold Raccoon Mario Statue. Paid DLC is available for purchase starting October 2 in Japan, Europe, and Australia and October 4 in North America; the price tags are 200¥ for Japan, €2.50 for Europe, and $2.50 for America.

Main Menu

 * Select an option: /
 * Confirm:
 * Go back a step:
 * Delete all save data: Press and hold +++ (when the Nintendo 3DS logo disappears)

Basic Controls

 * Move: /
 * Dash: Press / while moving
 * Jump/stomp: /
 * Crouch:
 * Ground Pound: (in midair)
 * Wall Jump: / (while pressing / in the direction of a wall, while sliding down it)
 * Double/Triple Jump: / (when landing after a running jump)
 * Pick up/throw: Press and hold /
 * /: Pause menu

Nintendo eShop Description
''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.)

Playable

 * Mario
 * Luigi (Player 2 in Co-op mode, and unlockable for Solo mode after beating Bowser by holding +  at the title screen)

Bosses

 * Reznor (All towers)
 * Koopalings (All castles except World Star and World 6)
 * Roy Koopa (World 1)
 * Iggy Koopa (World 2)
 * Wendy O. Koopa (World 3)
 * Morton Koopa Jr. (World 4)
 * Ludwig von Koopa (World 5)
 * Larry Koopa (World Mushroom)
 * Lemmy Koopa (World Flower)
 * Bowser (World 6) and (Gold Classics Pack)
 * Dry Bowser (World Star)

Supporting Characters

 * Princess Peach
 * Toad

Returning Enemies
* Either the enemy doesn't transform into gold or never appeared in a level with Gold Rings. Note: When enemies get affected by a Gold ring touched by Mario, some behave differently from their normal behaviour.

Add-On Content
Downloadable content was announced in a Nintendo Direct Mini dedicated entirely to the game showcasing the three packs and their price tags along with the release date. The downloadable packs are available for purchase starting October 2 for Japan, Europe and Australia and October 4 for North America. Two more packs have been released on October 25, two more were released on December 5 and the last two was released on December 20 (North America and Europe) and 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.

References to Other Games

 * Mario Bros.: Round 1 is remade as part of the Classic Courses 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. Also, 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 overworld theme. 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 Classic Courses Pack.
 * Super Mario Bros. 3: Raccoon Mario, the P-Meter, Jump Blocks and Wooden Blocks return. The P-Wing makes a cameo, replacing the "P" icon of the P-Meter. The floor in Bowser's room is checkered, similar to those of several Fortresses in this game. Like in this game, Toad Houses feature a choice of three power-ups. Also, the loading chime plays a small part of this game's overworld theme. The Toad Houses also play the music that they played in this game. World 1-1 and 1-5 are remade as part of the Classic Courses Pack.
 * Super Mario World: Chocolate Island backgrounds are used in some of the levels. Reznors and the battle theme return from this game. The Koopalings ride the Koopa Clown Car. The moons on Moon Coins strongly resemble 3-Up Moons from this game. Also, when the bridge breaks in the Reznor battles it has a similar sound to the blocks when they break in this game, and when the player hits a switch, it makes the P-Switch noises from this game. The loading chime plays a small part of this game's overworld theme. Mario and Luigi can look up as well.
 * 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 World 2: Yoshi's Island: The Koopalings in the final battle aided Bowser by spraying magic from their scepters in a manner similar to Kamek in Yoshi's Island.
 * Super Mario 64: Whomps and Scuttle Bugs return. The Wall Jump, Double Jump, and Triple Jump return.
 * Super Mario Sunshine: If Mario jumps on a Toad, its mushroom cap will bounce. If attacked from a distance, it will flinch. This feature first appeared in this game.
 * New Super Mario Bros.: A direct sequel to this game. Mario's mini and mega forms return. Dry Bowser also returns. The game's remix of the Super Mario Bros. theme is used during the Dash Mario stages, as well as the Mega Mushroom theme.
 * 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: Another sequel to this game. Numerous elements from the game return. The music and graphic style 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 also had the same voices from and also taunt the same way before they fight and are fought similarly to New Super Mario Bros. Wii. In addition, they also aided Bowser in a manner very similar to how Kamek aided Bowser in that game.
 * Super Mario 3D Land: The Super Leaf retains its look from this game, as it did in Mario Kart 7. The Invincibility Leaf also returns, as does the Assist Block. Peepas, Coin Coffers and Goomba Towers return. Toad Houses use the same music as in this game, which, in itself, is a remix of the theme from Super Mario Bros. 3. 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. Once again, items from Toad Houses work their effects immediately, rather than being placed in an inventory.
 * Mario Kart 7: Raccoon Mario's tail whip and transformation sounds are re-used from this game.
 * Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time: The 100 Gold Coin makes a reappearance in this game, this time it is based on its appearance in Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time.

References in Later Games

 * New Super Mario Bros. U: The Note Block makes the same sound effect in this game, Boost Rush is similar to Coin Rush, when the player plans in the form of Power Squirrel Mario heard the same sound effect when P-Meter is full (when the player is Raccoon Mario).

Reception
New Super Mario Bros. 2 has received average to positive reviews from critics. IGN gave it an 8.5/10 and Nintendolife gave it a 9/10. Most critics considered it a solid Mario game, though they also criticized its 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. To date, the game has sold over 3.25 million units worldwide, at least 1 million of that being in Japan.

Trivia

 * American Club Nintendo members who purchase New Super Mario Bros. 2 from the Nintendo eShop by September 20th and complete the surveys within four weeks after downloading can 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 purchase the game from the Nintendo eShop will receive 250 free Stars. Likewise, Australian Club Nintendo members receive double the amount of Stars (i.e. 400 instead of 200).
 * A puzzle based off this game can be found at the StreetPass Mii Plaza.
 * Nintendo made a special gold-themed week on 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; however, this did not occur in other regions.
 * In international releases, this is the first Nintendo game to, along with being also downloadable via Internet, have exclusive downloadable content that was never seen in a Mario game.