New Super Luigi U is released in Europe today

"New Super Luigi U" is out on the Nintendo Wii U in Europe today. It will be released in Australasia tomorrow and North America later next month.

It is a downloadable content package for "New Super Mario Bros. U" that changes Luigi into the main character, replaces Mario with Nabbit (who is a bad guy in the original game), and alters all the game levels to have their time limit reduced by 100 seconds. Sounds like great fun!

If you like "freebies", you will be delighted to know that there are loads of great free Flash online games featuring Luigi in the MarioSonicGames.com and MarioWebGames.com websites, five of which you can play here:

  Luigi's Revenge

  Luigi's Day

  Luigi - Castle on Fire

  Luigi Vlax

  Luigi's Mansion

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is released on the 3DS in the UK today

"Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon" for the Nintendo 3DS is out in the UK, the rest of Europe and Australasia today, having already been released in North America at the end of last week.

The game is the direct sequel to 2001's "Luigi's Mansion" for the Nintendo GameCube. It includes a cooperative multiplayer mode that can either be played locally or online via the Nintendo Network.

Since you're currently online reading this, you might like to have a quick play of the excellent free Luigi (and Mario) online games in the MarioWebGames.com website.

Mario Party 9 is out today on the Nintendo Wii in the US

"Mario Party 9" for the Nintendo Wii is released in North America today, having already been released in Europe and Australasia last week.

It is the second Mario Party game for the Wii, the ninth on all Nintendo home consoles, and (slightly confusingly given the name of the new game) the twelfth overall.

As with all the previous games in the series, the new one features a variety of classic Mario franchise characters which two to four people can play as, competing in a virtual board game interspersed with minigames. There are 80 minigames in Mario Party 9, which have a larger focus on gameplay than they did in the previous game, divided into four categories: Free-for-all, 1-vs.-Rivals, Bowser Jr., and Boss.

Sounds like a lot of fun to me!

Mario Sports Mix is out on the Wii in the UK today

"Mario Sports Mix" for the Nintendo Wii is released in the UK today (having already been released in Australasia and the rest of Europe in January). It will be out in North America on February 7th.

The game features Mario and friends in Mario-based locations, and the sports that can be played are volleyball, both field hockey and ice hockey, dodgeball, and street basketball.

In addition to the usual Mario characters, guest appearances are made by The Ninja, White Mage, Black Mage, Cactuar and Moogle characters from the Final Fantasy game series, while the Slime monster from the Dragon Quest series also appears.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story for the Nintendo DS is released tomorrow

The third title in the Mario & Luigi RPG game series, "Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story", is due to be released on the Nintendo DS and DSi in North America tomorrow (and in Europe on October 9th and Australasia on October 22nd).

The game's new features compared to the previous title in the series include lots more mini-games, plus the ability to play as Bowser and use his own unique battle system, which allows players to hold the DS sideways and use the touchscreen and microphone to perform special moves (such as blowing on the microphone to make Bowser breathe fire). Additionally, Bros. Points (BP) have been brought back from the first game in the series, only this time they are called Special Points (SP) because of Bowser's playability.

You can play a free online Mario RPG game here if you wish: Super Paper Mario Online Game

There are hundreds of fantastic free Mario and Luigi online games for you to enjoy in the MarioSonicGames.com website.

Mario & Sonic Online Game Recommendations - Part 8

Here is Part 8 in my ongoing, but now more occasional, series of Mario and Sonic online game recommendations (see this post and also Part 7 for previous entries in the series), which this time features three new Sonic games for you to try:

Sonic the Hedgehog: New Sonic Matchit
This is a Flash version of the classic and addictive "match the hidden pairs of picture cards" game featuring Sonic characters for the cards, plus music and sounds sampled from the first ever Sonic game that appeared on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis way back in 1991.
(And if you like this game, you might also like to try the original Java version of Sonic Matchit.)

Sonic the Hedgehog: Sky Chase
In this Flash version of the Sky Chase Zone from the classic 1992 game "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" your mission is to help Sonic (who is flying on the wings of Tails's Tornado airplane) to defeat all the Valkyn badniks and finally to take on Dr. Robotnik in an aerial battle.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic Smash Brothers
This brilliant Sonic the Hedgehog version of "Super Smash Bros. Brawl" features 15 different characters for you to battle it out with (3 to begin with and 12 more that can be unlocked), including Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, Cream, Shadow, Silver and 8 more.
(And here is a Flash version of Super Smash Bros. Brawl for you to play too if you wish - it features Sonic characters as well as Mario and other Nintendo stars.)

As always, you can find these games at my MarioSonicGames.com website together with over 150 more.

A Mario Online Game Recommendation

A bit of a change from my previous online game recommendations now (click here to read the last one)... with just one Super Mario Flash game for you to try out this time, which I hope will prove entertaining and challenging enough on its own:

Super Mario Bros.: Paper Mario World (W1)
This is the second game sponsored by my www.mariosonicgames.com site (see also Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy's Whack-A-Nik, which was the first game sponsored by my site).

It is World 1 of a pair of games (World 2 is currently undergoing development) partly based on Super Paper Mario, but primarily being original games in their own right. It is a very tough challenge to complete the game, but hopefully you're up to that challenge and will find it enjoyable along the way. :-)

You get to take Paper Mario on a journey through lots of mini-levels, complete with his trusty hammer which you can use to whack Goombas and the like. You can also jump on them in the usual Mario fashion if you prefer - but me, I like squishing them with the hammer best! :-) Enjoy!

Mario & Sonic Online Game Recommendations - Part 7

Here is Part 7 in my ongoing series of Mario and Sonic online game recommendations (see also Part 6):

Super Mario Bros.: Monoliths Ultimate Mario World (and its sequel
Super Mario Bros.: Monoliths Ultimate Mario World II)
This is an excellent Flash version of the original "Super Mario World" game, with an even better sequel to play once you've completed it.

Super Mario Bros.: Super Mario World Flash
Another great Flash rendition of Super Mario World, but this time with a slightly altered format that results in a completely new version of the classic game.
(And if you like the above game, you might also want to try Super Mario Bros.: Super Mario World Revived.)

Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic Blox
Although superficially very similar to the all-time classic "Tetris", this game has some unique Sonic additions that make it even more fun and challenging.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Chaos Crush
A Sonic the Hedgehog version of "Breakout", with the added benefit of Sonic, Shadow and Silver the Hedgehog power-ups.

Enjoy! You can now play over 130 Mario and Sonic online games by visiting my www.MarioSonicGames.com website. More recommendations coming soon...

A nice little Mario "time-waster" game

I think this little Mario game is great for whiling away the time during coffee breaks, although it does eventually get insanely difficult... see what you think - it runs directly within this blog post:

You can play loads more Mario (and Sonic) online games by visiting my www.MarioSonicGames.com website.

Mario & Sonic Online Game Recommendations - Part 6

Here is Part 6 in my ongoing series of Mario and Sonic online game recommendations (see also Part 5, which includes a summary of all my previous recommendations). This is a little bit different to the previous parts, as one of my game recommendations actually runs from within this blog post...

Until the first version of the Nintendo GameBoy was released in 1989, early handheld video games were expensive single-game machines with basic LCD displays and simple gameplay - pretty much like the ones that are sometimes given away as free gifts with fast-food meals nowadays. But they were (and still are) great fun to play, due in large part to that very simplicity - they're perfect for short bursts of "boredom relieving". Here are some Flash online recreations of a few of them for you to try:

1982 Nintendo Game & Watch: Donkey Kong Jr.
(Monochrome LCD "Wide Screen" type, Model No. DJ-101)

1983 Nintendo Game & Watch: Donkey Kong II
(Monochrome LCD "Multi Screen" type, Model No. JR-55)

1983 Nintendo Game & Watch: Mario Bros.
(Monochrome LCD "Multi Screen" type, Model No. MW-56)

1983 Nintendo Game & Watch: Mario's Bombs Away
(8-Colour LCD "Panorama Screen" type, Model No. TB-94)

2003 McDonald's Happy Meal Game: Sonic Speedway
(Monochrome LCD Single Screen - included here as a modern-day comparison)

If you haven't already tried it out (I recommended it in Part 5 of this series), here is a Flash recreation of a handheld game that provides a real modern-day comparison with those early handhelds:
2007 Nintendo DS Game: Sonic Rush Adventure

Enjoy! You can play loads more Mario and Sonic online games by visiting my www.MarioSonicGames.com website. I'll post some more recommendations in the near future...

Mario & Sonic Online Game Recommendations - Part 5 (With a Summary of Parts 1 to 4)

This is the continuation of my series of Mario and Sonic online game recommendations that I began over in my personal blog. To start off with, and to save you having to flip back and forth between the two blogs, here is a summary of the previous 4 parts, consisting of 17 different game recommendations for you to try:

Part 1:
Super Mario Brothers: New Super Mario Flash
Play as either Mario or Luigi in this brilliant fan-produced Flash remake of the classic 8-bit and 16-bit Super Mario Bros. platform games. As well as including its own excellent ready-made series of levels for you to play, the game also features a programmable level editor for you to create and play your very own levels (and some example level codes are included for you to try too). This is rapidly becoming one of the most popular Flash games on the web - play it for yourself to see why.

Super Mario Brothers: Super Mario X
An entertaining Super Mario platform game with lovely original Flash graphics and a unique twist in gameplay.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic Xtreme
A fast-paced and challenging Sonic platformer with Super Mario "Wigglers" to defeat in addition to classic Sonic Badniks.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Amy's Whack-A-Nik
Go on, you know you want to - Use your mouse to control Amy Rose's "Piko Piko Hammer" and whack as many SWATBot Badniks as you can in the time limit!


Part 2:
Super Mario Brothers: Super Mario Sunshine 64
A superb fan-produced 2D version of the 2002 Nintendo GameCube game "Super Mario Sunshine", complete with a fully-functioning FLUDD.

Super Mario Brothers: Mario Bros. in Pipe Panic
Play as either Mario or Luigi in this lovely Super Mario Bros. themed homage to the all-time classic "Pac-Man" arcade game.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Ultimate Flash Sonic
One of the most popular Flash games on the web, and it's easy to see why - this incredible fan-produced effort is as close to a perfect game as you will find anywhere. With fast-paced, flawless Sonic platforming fun all the way, this game incorporates the best elements of all the classic 8-bit and 16-bit Sonic games, and includes unlockable extra characters, levels and other fun bonuses too.

And just in case you want it, here is a lovely little cheat password for the Ultimate Flash Sonic game that allows you to level-select the Ice Paradise zone when you play the main game as Tails, and also allows you to have Tails follow you if you want when you play the game as any other character (just like in the 16-bit Sega Mega Drive/Genesis "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" game if you have Tails follow Sonic): 115013101010101

(Additional note: If you use the above cheat password and have Tails follow Cream, he replaces Cheese the Chao who normally follows Cream.)

Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic Rivals Dash
An official Flash mini-version of Sega's excellent 2006 "Sonic Rivals" game for the Sony PlayStation Portable, this has a 2-player option in addition to the single-player game for some real "Rivals" fun.


Part 3:
Super Mario Brothers: Luigi Gunman
Also known as "Mario World Overrun", this truly unique Mario game offers an exciting and challenging combination of first-person-shooter action and tower-defence strategy, all based in a Super Mario World setting.

Super Mario Brothers: Super Mafia Bros.
The classic original Super Mario Bros. game gets "The Godfather" treatment in this brilliant single-level homage.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog Flash
An excellent official Flash mini-version of Sega's 2005 "Shadow the Hedgehog" game for the Nintendo GameCube, Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Xbox, complete with the gunplay that is now synonymous with Shadow.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Scene Creator
One of a series of three slightly differing Sonic Scene Creators (click here and here for the other two), this is great fun for Sonic fans who have an artistic side in addition to their gaming side.

Super Smash Flash
The name (almost) says it all - this is an awesome fan-produced version of Nintendo's 2001 GameCube game "Super Smash Bros. Melee", but with the added bonus of being able to play as (or against if you prefer) Sega characters such as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Shadow in addition to the standard Nintendo characters. The game features a host of unlockable extra levels and characters in single-player mode, plus there is a 2-player mode for some serious "VS." brawling action.


Part 4:
Super Mario Brothers: Mario Remix
This clever fan-produced game is actually three different games in one great package - grab hold of Mario and go and play some "Super Mario World" with him, and when you're done with that, go and play some "Megaman" and then some "Gradius" with him too!

Super Mario Brothers: Bullet Bill (and its sequel
Super Mario Brothers: Bullet Bill 2)
Play a version of the classic original "Super Mario Bros." game, but with a quite literally smashing twist - you get to play as a Bullet Bill! Smash blocks, bash Mario, avoid scenery!

Sonic the Hedgehog: Ultimate Robotnik Duels
Take over the controls of one of Dr. Robotnik's (a.k.a. Eggman's) amazingly destructive flying machines for a head-to-head "death match" battle. You can play as any of the main characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog games, or even as Super Mario - so you can have your very own "Mario vs. Sonic" fight if you wish! Features brilliantly entertaining single-player and 2-player modes, and also a neat spectator mode where you can watch your computer play against itself.

(Just in case you want some more "Mario vs. Sonic" action, and just in case you haven't played it yet and haven't found out, you can also have a Mario vs. Sonic fight in the Super Smash Flash game I recommended in Part 3 above... plus you might also want to check this out: Mario vs. Sonic Interactive Flash Movie)

Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic Boom
Shoot Sonic from a giant cannon and try to get him as far as you can. Hit the bonus items to increase Sonic's flight distance, but avoid the traps and bombs that will slow him down and stop him. Features unlockable extra characters and bunuses.


And now... here is Part 5, with my next four game recommendations for you to try:

Super Mario Brothers: Classic Mario Bros.
In case you didn't know, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the first appearance of the original "Mario Bros." arcade game. When that game was launched way back in 1983, it was actually the first time that a Mario game had the name "Mario" in the title - 1981's "Donkey Kong" being the first ever Mario game. It was also the game that first introduced Mario's brother, Luigi, to the world, and was the game that established the brothers as being plumbers by trade (Mario was a carpenter in Donkey Kong) with pipes being a key feature of gameplay. This was the game that set the scene for all that was to follow...

To celebrate this milestone in video gaming history, why not have a play of this superb fan-produced version of the original game - as well as the great single-player game, there is also a 2-player "VS." mode for added retro-enjoyment.

Super Mario Brothers: New Super Mario Bros.
If you enjoyed the retro-trip provided by the game above, why not play this rather twisted version of the first ever "Super Mario Bros." game from 1985 next? It features some very interesting and amusing variations on the classic original.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Sonic Rush Adventure Flash
This official Flash mini-version of Sega's excellent 2007 "Sonic Rush Adventure" game for the Nintendo DS handheld console actually features a simulation of the DS, complete with a mouse-driven "stylus"! Using the stylus to control the Wave Cyclone waterbike, you must perform stunts, collect rings and avoid obstacles in this race against the clock.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Character Designer
Another great game for all you Sonic fans with an artistic flair (see also the three different Sonic the Hedgehog: Scene Creators I recommended in Part 3 above).

Enjoy! You can play all of the above games, plus loads more, at my www.MarioSonicGames.com website. More recommendations soon...