New Super Mario Bros Wii

The most famous plumber in the world returns, and this time he's brought some friends with him. New Super Mario Bros Wii sees Princess Peach once again kidnapped by Bowser (gee, you'd think she'd take a self-defence course by now), and it's up to Mario to battle through the various levels until she is safely back with him again.

This game brings only minor updates to the Mario universe. New power ups, such as a penguin suit, an ice flower and a propeller helmet, add slight variations to the gameplay, otherwise it's pretty much business as usual – stomp on your enemy's head and keep moving. In the greater scheme of things, the big breakthrough for this title is simultaneous multiplayer. Luigi and two Toads join our hero on his adventures, and while players can choose to co-operate in story mode, the fact that the characters can knock one another around the screen may lead to some not-so-friendly competition, particularly for pick-ups. Thankfully, these urges are dealt with through specific multiplayer modes that rank the players based on score, coins or enemies defeated.

The designers have incorporated the extra control of the Wii nicely, utilising a shake of the Wii-mote for a spinning jump and crafting some level elements that rely on tilting the controller to progress. Perhaps most excitingly is the super guide, a player assist system designed by the godfather himself, Shigeru Miyamoto. If you fail to complete a level eight times, an option appears to allow Luigi to walk you through it, with the player able to retake control at anytime and choose to skip the level upon finishing it. New Super Mario Bros Wii doesn't break the mould like Super Mario Galaxy did, but when you've perfected the format all you can work with is the details, and that is where this game shines. Let's-a go!

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