New Super Mario Bros. 2

This 2012 side-scrolling 2.5D platform adventure for the Nintendo 3DS sees Mario and Luigi rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser. The core gameplay loop involves traditional stage navigation, but the unique focus is on coin collection, with an ultimate goal of gathering one million coins. A key feature is the Gold Flower power-up, which transforms the player into Gold Mario, allowing them to convert enemies and blocks into currency, adding a layer of wealth accumulation to the classic platforming challenge.

This title is a side-scrolling, 2.5D action-adventure platformer released in 2012 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS handheld system. The core experience follows the familiar structure of classic platforming adventures, tasking players with navigating vibrant worlds, overcoming environmental hazards, and defeating enemies across numerous stages. The narrative begins when Princess Peach is unexpectedly captured by Bowser’s forces, prompting Mario and Luigi to embark on a rescue mission that takes them across various lands.

Core Gameplay Focus: The Pursuit of Riches

The primary distinguishing feature of this installment is its intense focus on currency collection. While traditional platforming objectives remain, the overarching goal is centered around accumulating a massive amount of in-game coins. This emphasis introduces a new layer to the standard gameplay loop, encouraging exploration and mastery of movement to maximize coin hauls.

New Power-Ups and Coin Mechanics

To facilitate this goal, several new mechanics and items are introduced. The most notable addition is the Gold Flower. When Mario obtains this power-up, he transforms into Gold Mario, gaining the ability to turn nearly anything he touches—including blocks and enemies—into coins. This mechanic directly ties into the central objective of reaching a significant coin milestone.

What is the main objective of this adventure?

Beyond rescuing the Princess, the game sets a specific, ambitious target for the player: to collect one million coins throughout the entire playthrough. This secondary objective runs parallel to the main progression, offering replayability and incentives for players to revisit levels with optimized strategies for wealth accumulation.

Platforming and Atmosphere

The game maintains the accessible, responsive controls expected of the genre while utilizing the 3DS hardware to present its environments. Players will utilize classic abilities alongside new maneuvers to traverse the stages. The atmosphere blends familiar Mushroom Kingdom aesthetics with the visual flair associated with the game's coin-centric theme.

Additional Content Availability

As a main title released for the platform, this game does not feature any downloadable content (DLC) or official expansions released post-launch. The experience is self-contained within the initial release package.