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Games I Play With Family: New Super Mario Bros. Wii

Last Thanksgiving and Christmas, I brought New Super Mario Bros. Wii over for my family to try. How did it go?

I took New Super Mario Bros. Wii home to my family last Christmas (and Thanksgiving), and we had a lot of fun with it, but what surprised me the most was how independent and unique everyone seemed to play.

I first played with both my parents, and there was a clear difference. My dad really wasn't so unique. Growing up with him, I recall he most often played Super Mario Bros. and its sequels, and he's the one with the most experience. Truthfully, I'd say he'd be the most dull family member when it came to the game, steadily progressing forward, running when needed, a fireball here, a fireball there.

However, add in my mother's awkward clumsiness and unfamiliarity into the equation, and things quickly got a lot more exciting. Actually, it's hard to believe things grew more interesting, because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't convince her to use the run button! Playing the game became more centered on helping her progress. We would pick her up for a jump over a large gap here, and go back to stomp a goomba in her way there. The game changed, it was almost entirely different, all because my dad and I had become care-takers for my mom, and it certainly was a new, delightful experience.

A day or two later, one of my sisters and her husband played a bit, and again, the New Super Mario Bros. Wii became a new game. This time, rather than protect or guide any player, we were a bit more contentious, and a bit more argumentative, too. Both my sister and brother-in-law would try to cross gaps at the same time, and bump into each other, then wind up having a playful fight, perhaps, or my sister would draw into the bubble to protect herself, then in opposition of an enemy, we'd kill her, sending her plummeting to her death. In a few cases, we'd even see a bit of retaliation, a smidgen of revenge when one player felt wronged, but once more, the game was fresh and new.

New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a title I love to play, because each time I pick up the controller, I seem to find a little something new. Adding in my family as the supporting cast added a bit of a zesty flavor, and the next time we get together, I think I just might play it with them again...


 
#Family  #Games i...  #Jason ross 

Comments

Kathrine Theidy Staff Alumnus

03/20/2010 at 06:33 PM

Nice little write-up, mate.

New Super Mario Brothers Wii is definitely the type of game where the experiences changes based on the players, and that's what makes it great. Though I find that it works best as a two-player co-op game. Four players can get pretty hectic, and honestly, if you're trying to make progress in the game then it isn't a good way to do it. It's more for party play, to just see if you can make it through the stages and watch the insanity ensue, than it is for completing the game.

I remember one instance from when my sister and I were playing. It was the first fortress, there is a part where you have to run under a rotating gear. I started to run under it, but then I realized I wouldn't make it, so I turned to go back. My sister was already running full-speed ahead towards the gear, so we ran into each other and then got crushed by the gear. So much for teamwork...

Kathrine Theidy Staff Alumnus

03/20/2010 at 06:33 PM

Nice little write-up, mate.

New Super Mario Brothers Wii is definitely the type of game where the experiences changes based on the players, and that's what makes it great. Though I find that it works best as a two-player co-op game. Four players can get pretty hectic, and honestly, if you're trying to make progress in the game then it isn't a good way to do it. It's more for party play, to just see if you can make it through the stages and watch the insanity ensue, than it is for completing the game.

I remember one instance from when my sister and I were playing. It was the first fortress, there is a part where you have to run under a rotating gear. I started to run under it, but then I realized I wouldn't make it, so I turned to go back. My sister was already running full-speed ahead towards the gear, so we ran into each other and then got crushed by the gear. So much for teamwork...

Jason Ross Senior Editor

03/20/2010 at 07:01 PM

I also went through the whole game, stage by stage, with at least my roommate, but sometimes one of our other friends, and I've got to say I think the craziest stage is actually in World 7 for that, the fortress stage there, for obvious reasons. If anyone is behind in the game, I won't spoil the stage, but my adventures with my roommate are being saved for another time.

(Though he is stingy with power-ups, to say the least.)

Lukasz Balicki Staff Alumnus

03/21/2010 at 11:45 AM

Articles like this makes me wonder why people don't like the multiplayer in NSMB Wii. Since depending on who you play with, the game is feels like a different experience.

Kathrine Theidy Staff Alumnus

03/21/2010 at 03:42 PM

Well Lukasz, my theories on why people don't like the mutliplayer in NSMBWii are:

1. They just plain don't like multiplayer games.

2. They're trying to seriously complete the game and the other players are holding them back.

3. They haven't found the right group of people.

Jason Ross Senior Editor

03/21/2010 at 04:12 PM

I've also found a lot of people don't like communicating when playing a game. Personally, I'm finding it harder and harder to play console games without someone like my roommate in the room, even when it's single player. Video gaming used to be a personal, private thing, but gaming with others, I've found it's almost always a more rewarding experience.

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