Ever since it was a tech demo for the Wii U, New Super Mario Bros. U was little more than... well, a tech demo. But after its full reveal at E3 2012, well, things just got real.
- The numerous throwbacks to Super Mario World, a nice change of pace after the ones to Super Mario Bros. 3 found in New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario 3D Land.
- The first player can finally play as someone other than Mario.
- It's less of a thing to rejoice about in that this only applies in the various free modes; the first player is still pointlessly forced to play as Mario in the main story.
- Thankfully, Deluxe gives you the option to play as someone other than Mario even in the main story.
- It's less of a thing to rejoice about in that this only applies in the various free modes; the first player is still pointlessly forced to play as Mario in the main story.
- The announcement of the possibility of more characters, a power up selection that rivals Super Mario Bros. 3 (which means the game may have at least 8 different power-ups), and the option of making co-op players intangible to one another. However, the extra characters and intangible feature did not make it into the game.
- This game puts a twist on the usual Save the Princess Excuse Plot that while Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad, and Yellow Toad are visiting Princess Peach, Bowser's airship literally grabs the heroes and throws them all the way out of the Mushroom Kingdom, making Princess Peach once again a prisoner within her own castle. The four heroes must then race back to the Mushroom Kingdom to save her.
- The one-up trick now has an official game mode entirely devoted to it!
- Time Attack mode finally makes its official game debut in the Mario series!
- The world map, akin to Super Mario World (sort of), is now shared between all worlds. In other words, every world map is stuck to the next one and shares the same screen. Sure, it feels a bit "forced", as the whole thing now looks similar to a patchwork, but still, it's a very nice touch indeed.
- The "Boost Rush" mode. Every level is now a Fixed Scrolling Level, and it speeds up as you collect coins. Levels will get very crazy this time.
- The confirmation of this game coming out at launch, making it the first major Mario launch title since Super Mario 64.
- Looks like we can take the Baby Yoshis out of their levels now.
◊ - Sumo Bros are in! As is Kamek! And hell, Kamek even helps out Boom Boom with magic!
- All of the Koopalings now have different fighting styles, which pleases people considering that their battles in the last two games were both easy and similar. For example, Iggy's battle has him running on the ceiling and summoning lava monsters, and Ludwig summons clones to attack you.
- An accurate representation of what most gamers felt when dealing with the inevitable Final Boss battle against Bowser: "Okay, we made it to the top, and Bowser's turned giant again, cue chase scene—wait, we're outside? This is a new place to run from—HOLY SHIT, BOWSER JUST JUMPED IN FRONT OF ME THIS TIME! You mean I have to FIGHT him?! What the hell do I do now?! And Bowser Jr. is trying to get some hits in—wait a minute, his clown car is stuck! Maybe I can hit him and—I knocked him OUT of the car?! Wait...oh my god, I jacked his copter! Does this actually mean I can...I JUST LANDED AN ACTUAL HIT ON GIANT BOWSER?!?!?! That's it, THIS is the Best Boss Ever!"
- Nintendo will make New Super Luigi U that will feature Luigi in a single-player campaign with 80 new and challenging levels! Year of Luiginote , indeed!
- It seems that Luigi will get his trademark high jump and slippery traction for this title as well!
- On September 13th, 2018, Nintendo officially announced that the game will be making its way to the Nintendo Switch with New Super Luigi U included out of the box and Toadette being included as a playable character!
- Fans afraid that Blue Toad was Retconned out of the Deluxe team can be put at ease as of the release, since he's just become an alternate Toad skin (though he and Yellow Toad can't play at the same time).
