# New Super Mario Bros. U
**New Super Mario Bros. U** (New スーパーマリオブラザーズ U) is a 2D side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the [Wii U](https://www.edgepedia.org/wii-u) console, released on November 18, 2012.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/) It is the fourth main entry in the [New Super Mario Bros.](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-super-mario-bros) series, following the [Nintendo DS](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-ds), Wii, and Nintendo 3DS installments, and its headline feature is asymmetric multiplayer: up to five people can play at once, with one player assisting or hindering the others through the Wii U GamePad's touchscreen.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) • [3](https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/new-super-luigi-u/0/0/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | Wii U launch title, November 18, 2012; developer and publisher Nintendo[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/) |
| Reception | Metascore 84 from 70 critic reviews (93% positive); user score 7.9 from 1,160 ratings[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/) |
| Player count | Up to five simultaneous players: one Wii U GamePad plus up to four Wii Remotes[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) |
| Signature feature | Boost Mode: the GamePad player taps the touchscreen to place Boost Blocks, stun enemies, and disrupt mechanisms[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) |
| Game modes | Story Mode, Challenges (1-2 players), Boost Rush (1-5 players), Coin Battle (2-5 players)[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) |
## Premise and structure
The story follows the series formula: during a dinner at [Princess Peach](https://www.edgepedia.org/princess-peach)'s castle, Bowser's Koopa fleet invades Mushroom Kingdom airspace, with Bowser at the helm and the seven [Koopalings](https://www.edgepedia.org/koopalings) each commanding a custom airship. The castle is assaulted, Peach is trapped inside, and Mario, Luigi, and Toads set out to rescue her.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/)
Progression runs through a [Super Mario World](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-mario-world)-style overworld map connecting the courses. Each course contains three Star Coins to collect, a Checkpoint Flag, and a Goal Pole; towers and castles end in boss encounters. If a player loses a life on the same course five times in a row while playing alone, a Super Guide Block appears that lets Luigi demonstrate and clear the course.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf)
## Boost Mode and multiplayer
The game supports up to five players at once, one on the Wii U GamePad and up to four on Wii Remotes, with Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad as the on-screen characters.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) In Boost Mode, the GamePad player controls no character; instead, tapping the touchscreen places up to four Boost Blocks at a time in the course, stuns certain enemies by touching them, and halts lifts and other mechanisms. If the other players step on ten Boost Blocks while the blocks display a playing-card symbol, a Boost Star appears that temporarily lets the GamePad player defeat enemies and hit blocks directly.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) GamesRadar's review judged the feature most useful as a way for less confident players to join in, noting that many experienced players would barely use it.[4](https://www.gamesradar.com/new-super-mario-bros-u-review/)
Beyond the story, the game offers Challenges for one or two players (only Boost Mode challenges support two), Boost Rush, in which one to five players race through sped-up versions of courses for the fastest time, and Coin Battle, a two-to-five-player competition to gather the most coins.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) [Cooperative](https://www.edgepedia.org/cooperative) play uses the series' bubble mechanic: players who lose a life or enter a bubble float back to the group, and if all players are bubbled at once the team returns to the World Map without losing a life.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf)
## Development context
The game was developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis & Development division, with Takemoto as director, and was covered in Nintendo's Iwata Asks interview series with [Satoru Iwata](https://www.edgepedia.org/satoru-iwata).[5](https://www.nintendo.com/de-ch/Iwata-fragt/Iwata-fragt-New-Super-Mario-Bros-U/New-Super-Mario-Bros-U/1-Was-soll-es-Neues-geben-/1-Was-soll-es-Neues-geben-686442.html) • [6](https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/0/) Developers stated that because [New Super Mario Bros. 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-super-mario-bros-2) for the [Nintendo 3DS](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-3ds) had come out immediately beforehand, doing the usual thing would not satisfy players, so the team aimed at players looking for a stiffer challenge as well as first-timers.[6](https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/0/) The game also integrated Miiverse, the Wii U's social network: players' handwritten posts appeared on the World Map and at spots where other players had lost lives, with spoiler filtering available.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf) • [7](https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/4/)
## Reception
The Wii U original scored 84 on Metacritic from 70 critic reviews, with 93% positive and none negative, and a user score of 7.9 from 1,160 ratings.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/) Eurogamer Portugal called it the best 2D [Super Mario](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-mario) since Super Mario World, and [Machinima](https://www.edgepedia.org/machinima) praised its inventive level design, content volume, and Boost Mode.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/) GamesRadar's review credited the game with new power-ups such as the Flying Squirrel suit, denser stages with more secrets than New Super Mario Bros. 2 or Wii, and dozens of challenge minigames, while criticizing HD visuals that were inconsistent between stages and gameplay that remained less innovative than the 3D Mario titles.[4](https://www.gamesradar.com/new-super-mario-bros-u-review/) [Giant Bomb](https://www.edgepedia.org/giant-bomb)'s more reserved 60/100 review argued the game was well made but reflected the series' by-the-numbers design philosophy.[1](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/) GamesRadar later ranked it 17th on its list of the best Wii U games, calling it the best Mario game since the SNES days.[8](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-wii-u-games/)
## New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Nintendo ported the game to the [Nintendo Switch](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch) as **New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe**, released January 11, 2019. The package bundles New Super Mario Bros.
## References
1. [New Super Mario Bros. U Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u/)
2. [New Super Mario Bros. U Electronic Manual (Wii U), Nintendo](https://www.nintendo.com/eu/media/downloads/games_8/emanuals/wii_u_6/new_super_mario_bros__u_2/ElectronicManual_WiiU_NewSuperMarioBrosU_EN.pdf)
3. [Iwata Asks: New Super Luigi U, Nintendo](https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/new-super-luigi-u/0/0/)
4. [New Super Mario Bros. U review, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/new-super-mario-bros-u-review/)
5. [Iwata fragt: New Super Mario Bros. U, Nintendo CH](https://www.nintendo.com/de-ch/Iwata-fragt/Iwata-fragt-New-Super-Mario-Bros-U/New-Super-Mario-Bros-U/1-Was-soll-es-Neues-geben-/1-Was-soll-es-Neues-geben-686442.html)
6. [Iwata Asks: New Super Mario Bros. U, Page 1, Nintendo](https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/0/)
7. [Iwata Asks: New Super Mario Bros. U, Page 4, Nintendo](https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wiiu/nsmbu/0/4/)
8. [The 25 best Wii U games of all time, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-wii-u-games/)
9. [New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/game/new-super-mario-bros-u-deluxe/critic-reviews/)
10. [New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Official Site](https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/new-super-mario-bros-u-deluxe-switch/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Individual game titles › Individual Nintendo-platform game titles › Nintendo 64, GameCube, and Wii titles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license