New Super Mario Bros 2

New Super Mario Bros 2 is the second sequel to New Super Mario Bros, following New Super Mario Bros Wii in that regard. The first NSMB was the side-scrolling Mario title for the Nintendo DS, just as NSMBWii was for the Wii, and now NSMB2 fills the same role for the Nintendo 3DS.

Most notably, the game's existence was leaked in early 2012 among various (typically Nintendo-like) sales charts, as well as through a registered — and vague — domain name/HTML address as soon as in April in the same year. Later in the same month, Nintendo confirmed the game's actual title, as well as a worldwide near-simultaneous release date for August 2012. Despite the unlikeliness of such a quick development cycle, this stunt is still impressive.

Known information so far includes (but is not limited to) further throwbacks to Super Mario Bros 3 (akin to Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7) — namely, Raccoon Mario's first polygonal appearance (just as 3D Land did the same for Tanooki Mario) as well as the classic P-Charge Bar featured in Bros. 3.

But the big change in this game is the focus on coin collection. Mario is tasked with collecting a million coins during his adventure, and new ways to earn money are everywhere, from golden enemies to Gold Fire Flowers that turn whatever the fireballs hit into coins.

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This game has examples of:

• Two and a Half D: Just like its predecessors.
• Continuity Nod: As seen in the Iwata Asks video, Luigi's Raccoon form still has Kitsune ears and tail.
• Co-Op Multiplayer: It can be played with two player, but only through Local Connection.
• Development Gag: In a sense. "New Super Mario Bros. 2" was the Working Title for New Super Mario Bros Wii.
• Gold Fever: In some places, you'll have to risk dangerous enemies in order to get coins, or your pursuit of coins might screw you out of getting a special item or something. With the goal being a whole million coins, Mario may not get Gold Fever, but the player might.
• Gold Makes Everything Shiny: Sparkly golden variations of regular enemies, which reward you with coins upon defeating them.
  • Also, golden Fire Flowers that turn Mario gold and allow him to shoot fireballs that turn blocks and enemies into coins.
• Shout-Out: The Reznors make a roar that sounds very similar to Godzilla's.
• Third Is 3D: While it's not titled "New Super Mario Bros. 3", it is the third game to use the NSMB name, and it has 3D functionality.
• Video Game Settings:
  • Green Hill Zone: Confirmed in the first released screenshots (see the image above).
  • Lost Woods: Confirmed in the first released screenshots.
  • Slippy-Slidey Ice World: Confirmed in the first released screenshots.
• X Meets Y: The presence of the P-Charge bar alone is enough to declare this game the love child of New Super Mario Bros and Super Mario Bros 3.