DigitalBattle.com

Though many have decried Nintendo’s Wii as a mere toy or gimmick with its motion sensing controller the fact that both Microsoft and Sony unveiled their own motion-sensing devices at E3 means that at least in some facet a more hands-on style of gaming is here to stay.

Nintendo is once again changing the industry and pushing things in a new direction, but they’re still showing their love for those of us who cling to older, more simple styles of game play. Along with Super Mario Galaxy 2 they’ve unveiled another Mario game, one that allows players to do something rather unusual: play together.

In theory many of the Mario games have been two player, but not in a true cooperative sense. You’d simply take turns going through levels, sitting back and watching when it wasn’t your turn. New Super Mario Bros. Wii as it’s called changes all that. Now you and up to three friends can be jumping, smashing and stomping on screen simultaneously. Two players will control the plumber duo of Mario and Luigi with the other two playing as Toads.

Things won’t be all fun and games though, because at the end of every level the players are ranked by number of coins collected, their score and how many enemies they defeated so as you can imagine it’ll be possible to take a more aggressive approach. Players can pick each other up to save them from danger or hurl them into a nearby bottomless pit. In certain portions of the game you’ll use your Wiimote’s motion controls to manipulate the environment, which could certainly be used to hinder other players.

As always there’ll be power-ups to help you including a propeller suit which allows you to fly with a flick of the wiimote and Mario will be able to turn into Penguin Mario, which will probably offer some much needed traction on the annoying ice levels. Yoshi will of course be coming back and all four characters can ride one, but watch out- competitive players can swallow their teammates as easily as enemies. The game will be out for the holidays this year.