History VideoGame / NewSuperMarioBros1

* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: The [[http://bowserdeath.ytmnd.com/ apparent demise of Bowser in World 1]] might be a little unnerving for some. [[spoiler:He doesn't stay dead, however, as he shows up in [[DemBones skeletal form]] in World 8, and Bowser Jr. revives him properly for the final battle.]]

** The game starts with a homage to World 1-1 from the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'', and there is a Bowser battle that can be defeated simply by breaking the bridge and dropping Bowser in the lava (or down a pit ala ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''), replacing the axe with a button.

** This game reuses the engine and a number of assets from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64 DS'' two years prior, making it feel more closely connected to that game than to any of its successors. Among other things, the models for Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser are all directly taken from ''64 DS'', the minigame mode returns with nearly every minigame from ''64 DS'' either intact or remade in this game's artstyle along with brand new additions, and the game reuses the "Buh bye!" and "It's-a me, Mario!" voice clips when closing and opening the DS while the game is running. Furthering the connection is that pre-release footage of this game sees Mario and Luigi utilizing elements of their ''64 DS'' movesets that were ultimately cut out, though game still introduced Wall Jumps and Triple Jumps from the 3D moveset nonetheless.

** This game reuses the engine and a number of assets from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64 DS'' two years prior, making it feel more closely connected to that game than to any of its successors. Among other things, the models for Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser are all directly taken from ''64 DS'', the minigame mode returns with nearly every minigame from ''64 DS'' intact, and the game reuses the "Buh bye!" and "It's-a me, Mario!" voice clips when closing and opening the DS while the game is running. Furthering the connection is that pre-release footage of this game sees Mario and Luigi utilizing elements of their ''64 DS'' movesets that were ultimately cut out.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: Closing the DS without turning the game off will result in Mario saying "Ba-bye." Opening it back up will cause Mario to greet you with "It's-a me!"

** This game reuses the engine and a number of assets from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64 DS'' two years prior, making it feel more closely connected to that game than to any of its successors. Among other things, the models for Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser are all directly taken from ''64 DS'', the minigame mode returns with nearly every minigame from ''64 DS'' intact, and the game reuses the "buh bye!" and "it's-a me, Mario!" voice clips when closing and opening the DS while the game is running. Furthering the connection is that pre-release footage of this game sees Mario and Luigi utilizing elements of their ''64 DS'' movesets that were ultimately cut out.

* ColorCodedMultiplayer: The minigame mode assigns each player with a color and one protagonist from [[VideoGame/SuperMario64 Super Mario 64 DS]]. The player order is red (Mario), green (Luigi), yellow (Wario), and blue (Yoshi).

* ColorCodedMultiplayer: The minigame mode assigns each player with a color and one protagonist from [[VideoGame/SuperMario64 ''Super Mario 64 DS'']]. The player order is red (Mario), green (Luigi), yellow (Wario), and blue (Yoshi).

[[caption-width-right:350:Out of the way! Giant Plumber coming through!]]

* BattleDiscretionShot: In the opening cutscene, Mario takes a short beating from Bowser Jr. offscreen.

** Ground pounding bosses would do double damage to them in this game. Later games would have ground pounds do normal damage to bosses to prevent cheesing.

* UniqueEnemy: Whomps only appear in world 3-Castle. Most of them stand in the background and wait for Mario to appear, and there is only one single Big Whomp, who walks across a platform instead.

** This is the only game in the ''[[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros New]]'' subseries to not have the Koopalings as the main bosses, but unique opponents like Giant Goomba and Petey Piranha. Bowser also appears as early as the end of World 1. In the other games, he doesn't appear until the final boss battle, and in this game he doesn't have a second phase where he turns into a giant. [[OverlordJr Bowser Jr.]] appears as every tower boss, and also lacks his Koopa ClownCar, acting more as an {{expy}} of Boom Boom from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''.

* BubblyClouds: World 7, which houses several sky-themed levels where the only safe platforms are the clouds and the top of the green and red mushroom trees. Some of the other worlds also have specific levels set in the sky.