New Super Luigi U is complicated; on the one hand it offers a very challenging set of levels for you to complete using a new control style. However on the other hand, it also causes a lot of frustration, maybe more than the average gamer may be willing to put up with? But does this make it a good or bad game?

The game’s setup is basically the same as New Super Mario Bros U in every way, reusing all the assets, music and overworld. This is to be expected as New Super Luigi U is supposed to be DLC for the aforementioned New Super Mario Bros U, but as this DLC also got a standalone release; you would have thought some changes or additions would be included.

The biggest difference is the levels themselves, which have been made slightly shorter. This is due to the new start time you have to deal with. You get 100 seconds. That’s it. Worst of all, the music starts off rushed and faster than normal making you want to blast through the level as fast as you can.

NO! NO! STOP! I WANT TO TAKE MY TIME!

Even that would be fine if the levels themselves were not as hard as they are. They initially start out rather simple but, after a short time playing, you will notice there are no midway check points, meaning if you die you have to start the level all over again. Combine that with the fact that some levels require you to take just one path to complete it fast enough and you have a recipe for frustration. God forbid if you haven’t memorised that levels path as enemies, environment hazards and projectiles can appear and mess you up at any time. You can’t understand the frustration of dying with the end pole in sight more than ten times over unless you do it yourself; it’s infuriating.

And No, I don’t just suck at Mario games. It’s quite hard. Really!

Add to this Luigi’s differing control scheme, which is like if someone at Nintendo said, “I really would like Mario to run faster, jump higher, slide around more than a dog trying to run on a hardwood floor”, and this game becomes scarily close to the Mario Lost Levels scale of hard. The problem is New Super Luigi Bros U asks the player to take on expert-like levels with a new control system and it just feels like you have been thrown into the deep end. This means that New Super Luigi U is not a game you should play if you want to chill out in your evenings after a hard day or you may find yourself heading back out into the world again to purchase a new electrical appliance.

This can happen folks, be prepared.

But despite all of this, New Super Luigi U is not that bad a game. The challenge can be compared to Super Meat Boy; it requires learning the level and mastering the control scheme to a large degree. This means will have to play the game precisely and carefully, which can put off a lot of gamers. This is very obviously the intended play style so you can’t hate on the game too much as Mario veterans or more hard-core player types will relish this challenge and will come at this game with full force. Even fans of New Super Mario Bros U will also enjoy this game as it is actually a decent bit of DLC for you to enjoy if you have already completed New Super Mario Bros U.

However, as a standalone game, New Super Luigi U can feel like a bit of a rip off. Since the game is retailing at the standard price (give or take) for Wii U games and it is just a copy of New Super Mario Bros U, it just isn’t worth it for the average player. Buying it as a DLC is definitely the better option here because it is really is aiming itself at that hard-core Mario loving audience (and it’s cheaper!)

Lastly, there’s Nabbit. I don’t understand the design behind this character at all. Nintendo made the game much more difficult and then gave us a character that is invulnerable to harm (except from environment hazards such as pits or lava)? This also means that anyone playing as this little guy gets an easier ride then most and since is he one of the 4 available characters, if you are playing 4 players then one person is forced to be this guy, which will either cause tension or annoyance.

Hahahah! I can just run down here while you have to struggle!

Final Thoughts

There isn’t really that much to say about New Super Luigi U, and therein lies the problem. While the new controls, reduced timer and smaller but harder levels generate a challenge they are hardly anything to talk about. The game is technically DLC so it shouldn’t be expected to rock the boat too much and, being honest, you will get a rush when you complete a level that has been causing you trouble for ages. If you love a challenge, pick up the New Super Luigi U DLC now. If you just want a nice simple Mario platformer and don’t feel like forking out for a new TV/controller, then stick with New Super Mario Bros U!