NSMBWii

New Super Mario Bros. Wii was released this past week.  I picked up my copy at GameStop at 9am last Sunday morning.  The bleary eyed clerk had to pull mine out of the cardboard box it was shipped in since I think I was the first one to ask for it. :^)

As of tonight, Mario is Quick Saved on World 7-2 and I'm relishing the experience of running and jumping my way to Bowser.  I've played and/or conquered every Mario game starting from Donkey Kong forward on and this game is the pinnacle of the 2-dimensional Super Mario Bros. series.  The critiques I've read seem to blast the lack of originality of the game while in the same breath say it doesn't live up to the original games?!?  Human beings will quite readily complain about anything without being paid and the ones who do get paid for it are truly sad.  :^(

Anyway, despite being on the tragically non-HD Wii, the graphics are wonderful.  The Goombas on the screen look just like the ones imagined in the instruction manual rather than needing a great deal of actual imagination. :^) All the enemies you'd expect are here including several pulled from long ago like the Giant Hammer Bros and the Circle of Boos.  All of this is on top of some truly challenging levels and a fun multiplayer experience.