Console Corner: New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Nintendo Switch review

Mario keeps us Switch-ing on.
Plenty of life in the old plumbers yetPlenty of life in the old plumbers yet
Plenty of life in the old plumbers yet

What do you get when you take the brilliant New Super Mario Bros. U, add in all its DLC, apply some gloss and polish to the looks and throw in some cool gameplay alterations?

Platform gaming perfection is one answer, the other is New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe for Nintendo Switch.

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In the same vein as Mario Kart 8 and its Deluxe version, Nintendo has released the 2012 title with all the bells and whistle for the Switch generation.

Plenty of life in the old plumbers yetPlenty of life in the old plumbers yet
Plenty of life in the old plumbers yet

I played NSMBUD immediately after completing Mario Odyssey, which let me tell you is some act to follow. Odyssey is the best 3D platform game ever made so is re-adjusting to classic 2D Mario an anti-climax? No. at. all.

Here platforming feels as good as it ever has and actually fully scratches a gaming itch only briefly satisfied via world-altering pipes in Odyssey.

The levels in NSMRUD kooky, cool and in many ways original - which is an achievement in itself given the rich history of the Mario franchise and all that has gone before.

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There are some neat additions too. Toadette is a playable character and is effectively easy mode for kids or newbies (if that is even possible with Mario?!).

Plenty of life in the old plumbers yetPlenty of life in the old plumbers yet
Plenty of life in the old plumbers yet

Luigi U is a cool extra as well where Mario is ditched from the roster and Luigi takes centre stage in a race against time to finish altered levels. You get 100 seconds to finish the level and Luigi sports super slippy shoes to boot.

Multiplayer is madcap chaotic fun and the crowning achievement of NSMBUD. It more than holds it own up against the likes of Rayman which is widely considered the finest multiplayer platformer out there.

I thought I might find it difficult to adjust and enjoy 2D Mario again so soon after completing the majestically brilliant 3D Odyssey.

But if anything it acted as the perfect buffer.

NSMBUD proves there is plenty of life left in the 2D Mario yet and the possibilities are greater than ever with the Switch’s capabilities at developers’ fingertips.