Mario is a staple of gaming; there is no denying it. He’s done it all and seems at home in almost all environments, though those with a 2-D view feel the most natural. There’s no need to make certain the camera is in the right place, no uncertainty and a nice overview of it all. So what if multiplayer was added to the traditional playing mix? Then you would get the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and it is a great single-player game but a horrid multiplayer game. The latter is a bit harder to explain, so let’s start with the basics.

As you probably know, New Super Mario Bros. Wii has the same plot as any other Mario game: Peach/Toadstool gets kidnapped by Bowser, and it is up to Mario and Luigi (along with two toads this time) to save the day. That’s it. No need to drag things out, right?

So the basic premise is the same as before: Run each level, collect stuff, find the star coins and finish the level — preferably at the top of the flagpole to earn a 1UP. There’s the normal mushroom and star and fire flower, an ice flower that turns enemies into, well, ice, a mini-mushroom that’s useful for running on water, a penguin suit that allows you to nonslip and slide, and a spinner hat for high flying.

And it’ll take all of those items and skills to fully conquer a world. Control is tight and responsive — as it should be. Multiple Wii-motes are required, and the shake function is used to spin. And if it gets too intense for a player, that person can encase his/her avatar in a bubble to miss the current challenge. There is a catch: If the other player(s) don’t wish to release that avatar from the bubble, then all that player has to do is avoid it. Or sabotage the player so he’s over a pit when released. And if everyone is dead or in bubble, then it is considered a level failure and your party is kicked out of the level.

However, there are several problems with the engine. When there are multiple players/characters on screen, it pans out. While this is not bad when one person is playing, it makes it difficult to tell players apart: Mario and Luigi share the same color schemes and so do the toads. Couldn’t there be something else to tell players apart? Furthermore, once you (and your friends) get late into the game, it starts to take on a single-player feel. The blocks become more precisely placed, the shooter enemies begin to appear in greater density and the traps become suited for one person at a time. For example, the final “battle” is nothing more than an endurance run suited for one player and not two players. The platforms are not long and frequent enough to accommodate a team. So one player will live while the others struggle — if not die during the level. A hidden level uses the same technique, only with small rotating blocks the size for one. Plus, what I wouldn’t give to have the ability to move the screen around to properly prepare!

So yes, I’m a little bitter about how the game is balanced. The last thing I should worry about is whether or not my friend(s) can make that jump and if they’ll get lost in the rush. It bothers me that items affect everyone instead of one at a time (or a mixture of the extremes). Why can’t my friends and I carry an extra item or two for emergencies? Why can’t I take Yoshi beyond the level he’s resides in? And why can’t I use my GameCube controllers when it would fit perfectly with the game and provide a bit more control?

Graphically, the game doesn’t push the Wii to its limits. It’s somewhere between a high-end cartoon and old-school presentation. The worlds are bright and colorful, each one with its own feel: ice, desert, grasslands, clouds, volcanoes and star world. It’s the typical Mario “lands” that have been used countless times by his creators and followers. And it is a challenge to fault the game when it does it rather well.

Sound design wise, it’s a bit average. All the proper sounds associated with the favorite plumber are present. However, it’s the music that’s the real detractor. It’s pop. No, this is not well-designed music that almost everyone can stand behind and dream about placing in one’s favorite MP3 player. This is the type of “pop” that’s meant to conquer radio waves with a pure sugar coating. It is meant to be catchy and quickly digested and left behind just as quickly. This is not a soundtrack that I wish to have in my iPod.

So is Super Mario Bros. Wii worth it? If you have friends to sit down and enjoy this game with, then the answer is “yes.” If you’re by yourself, it’ll provide a fair amount of enjoyment. But this isn’t Mario at his best. To me, the levels don’t feel that inspired, and it isn’t suited for a variety of play styles. One has to be the “strong” player for the other players in order to survive. This isn’t a game meant for the novice. It is meant for a mixed team of players.

Ultimately, I just expected a lot more from a Mario game. Maybe I’m too old or too jaded. Or it fails to properly channel my inner child. All I know is that if my friends aren’t around, I don’t want this game in my library. That’s a shame considering the lineage and the overall solid quality of the game.