The best of the New Super Mario Bros. line, enriched for Switch. The level design sparkles with ideas, Nabbit and Toadette welcome newcomers, and local multiplayer stays joyful chaos. A rock-solid platformer to share.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer4 players3+
Co-op
Description
Mario, Luigi and their friends cross worlds packed with pipes, enemies and secrets to free the kingdom from Bowser's clutches. Published by Nintendo, released worldwide in 2019. Over a hundred and sixty levels, four-player co-op, accessible helper characters, a Boost mode and timed challenges.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Impeccably built, it is also the least daring of the modern 2D Marios: its hundred and sixty levels show exemplary precision and the jump stays a benchmark of responsiveness, yet the formula already felt lukewarm on Wii U. For family play or for getting started it still hits the mark, especially four-player in joyful chaos. For surprise, look toward Wonder.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
The pinpoint jumps and inventive level design fly thick and fast, but it's four-on-one-screen where everything boils over: you shove, bounce off and sabotage each other as much as you help, in glorious disorder. Side modes and hidden challenges stretch it further, and every stage revisited as a group becomes a party.
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾2 GB📅11/01/2019
Published by Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (Nintendo Switch) price, value & rarity
At the end of every world waits a clash against the Koopalings and Bowser, true to the series spirit yet freshly reworked here. Shifting platforms, projectiles to dodge and jump timing make for readable but tricky bouts, ideal solo or in co-op. The final Bowser, towering and theatrical, crowns a journey where each arena tests your mastery of the jump.
Better with friends
Four Marios on the same line quickly descend into joyful pandemonium: you help each other clear a passage, but one clumsy jump sends an ally into the void and triggers howls of laughter. Cooperation constantly rubs against mayhem, especially in tight stages where everyone gets in the way. Reviving a buddy or knocking them off on purpose is the spice of these family-friendly sessions, easy to relaunch for some good-natured chaos.
Is New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe still worth playing in 2026?
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a flawlessly built platformer, but also the least daring of the modern 2D Marios. Its hundred-and-sixty-plus stages are exemplary in their precision, and four-player co-op still sparks chaotic laughter. The catch is a formula now very familiar, already felt as lukewarm at its Wii U launch. In 2024 Mario's jump remains a benchmark for responsiveness, yet the whole lacks the spark of Wonder or the 3D entries. For newcomers or family play it still lands cleanly. For surprise, look elsewhere.
