New Super Mario Bros U details… detailed

Behold the power of the P-Acorn!

In the first volley of games for the Nintendo Wii U, Mario decidedly stands out. Isn’t that the norm though? Even now in the days when there seems to be a Mario title (or a few) out every year, it’s still something of an event to see the brotherly plumbers tackle King Koopa- or as you probably know him, Bowser.

The Wii U launch will be no different as the sole title that I’m looking forward to over all the rest is New Super Mario Bros U. The title is set to offer everything you’d expect from an old school (2D) Mario game and then some.

Here’s a look at what’s new (and some of what’s back) in NSMBU, straight from Nintendo:

• Challenge Mode: Challenge Mode tasks players with completing specific objectives, such as clearing a course without touching a single coin or touching the ground. There are four single-player Challenge categories: Time Attack, Coin Collection, 1-Up Rally and Special (miscellaneous challenges). Boost Mode Challenges require two players, with one player using the Wii U GamePad controller and the other using a Wii Remote controller. Once players complete a Challenge, the game saves a replay of the action so players can show off their accomplishments.
• Coin Battle: Up to five players can play together and compete to see who can collect the most coins. One player will use the Wii U GamePad controller while the other four players use the Wii Remote controller. The player using the Wii U GamePad controller in Boost Mode can place Boost Blocks to help grab hard-to-reach coins. Players can also use the GamePad to edit and customize the coin layout in courses found only in Coin Battle. The coin layout can then be saved and played by the players using Wii Remote controllers.
• World Map: New Super Mario Bros. U is the first side-scrolling Mario game since 1991’sSuper Mario World that features a seamless World Map with named worlds and courses. The map contains many secret exits, which might change the map and cause shortcuts to appear. The worlds are interconnected, so people can play through the game in a nonlinear fashion.
• Nabbit: From time to time, a creature named Nabbit will appear on the world map. Players must enter the course and catch the speedy Nabbit to recover items stolen from Toad. If Nabbit is nabbed, players receive a powerful P-Acorn, which will allow them to fly continuously through an entire stage. The only way to obtain a P-Acorn is to catch Nabbit.

P-Acorn? Yep, you read it right.

Look for New Super Mario Bros U to scamper onto retail shelves right alongside the Wii U console when it drops on November 18th.