Like the first Wii U collection, NES Remix 2 is a series of accelerated challenges from a selection of Nintendo’s 8-bit classics. As you successfully complete them you’ll steadily earn stars, unlocking additional games, even more Miiverse stamps, and remixed stages. The latter represent some of the best moments in this title, and I wish there were an even greater amount of them! In keeping true to the spirit of the NES era these challenges can get quite tough, especially later on. However Nintendo has done a good job in making sure that gamers of all stripes can have some initial success.

Choices are limited at the beginning, but this one brilliantly opens up with challenges from Super Mario 3, the best game in the collection! The title selection overall is a substantial improvement over its predecessor, with true giants of gaming – Super Mario Bros. 2 & 3, Kirby’s Adventure, Metroid, Punch-Out, etc. While a few have been surpassed by subsequent updates (Dr. Mario, Wario’s Woods) most of these games have stood the test of time. The Mario platformers in particular remain tremendous playing titles, and the nostalgic challenges only help them stand out that much more! If like me you have fond memories of riding a Birdo egg over the ocean, or hopping around like mad in a rare Kurbio shoe, you’ll be smiling early and often while playing this game!

This collection has succeeded in making me want to play the complete versions of these games. For those who haven’t experienced them in full, I strongly recommend doing so. Not just for being classics, but also because these condensed versions have spoilers, experiences best experienced in the actual games. It might be one thing to see a still picture of Samus battling Mother Brain, but it’s another entirely to actually participate. Having easy in-game access to each title’s eShop page makes this a very good marketing tool for Nintendo. An early promotion of some type would’ve made it a great one – imagine a discount for Remix 1 owners (there was one for Japan only) or reduced prices on individual VC games. Gamers of the 8-bit era like myself are buying this regardless, but it’s a bit of a missed opportunity to attract newer players who never wanted to “Join the Nintendo Fun Club”.

A new addition to this collection is Super Luigi Bros., a fun and sizable bonus. It’s the complete Super Mario Bros. game, played in reverse (you run right to left) and played with a genuine Luigi. That’s right, no more color swapped sprite – this is Luigi proper, with his trademark high jump in tow! These tweaks really do give the game a different feel, and provide a fresh challenge to those of us who’ve played the original over and over. While enjoying it, I must admit to being spoiled by subsequent remakes – the lack of saving between worlds will necessitate having some time if you wish to play it all the way through to completion. Oh, and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for random Luigi appearances, flashing up when you least suspect them! His “Year” may have ended, but Luigi keeps entertaining.

One area where I’d really like to see the series improve is multiplayer. The game encourages you to “have fun taking turns!” but this can hardly match simultaneous play. Certain games like Dr. Mario or Ice Hockey excel when played with two – could an attempt have been made to work some challenges around such a setup? “No dice? What a drag!” Imagine one person playing on the GamePad while the other used the TV! We didn’t even get full-fledged, comprehensive leaderboards – they are only used sparingly online here, which I’ll elaborate on shortly. Replay value was a routine concern expressed when talking about the first NES Remix (see Matt’s review in the last issue of PNM ) and more consideration towards it would be a big step in the right direction. The game does endlessly prompt you to use Miiverse where you can compare some scores, but whether or not this is sufficient substitution is highly debatable.

Speaking of Miiverse, another new addition to Remix 2 is the ability to share video recordings. Few reviews have talked about this feature as most were published before it was up and running, but it’s a largely underwhelming addition sadly that fails to maximize its potential. The idea itself is good (real good) but Nintendo has implemented it in a poor way. Each stage you complete has your successful run automatically recorded, which can then be viewed by hitting the playback icon. This is cool, but the real excitement comes from posting your results and seeing those of others. Sadly the way the game displays your posts is completely random – it’s the same with posts you see. You don’t have input on deciding what to post and view, or not – the game makes that decision on your behalf. This is largely a waste of what should’ve been an exciting plus, and a sad reminder of the “Eggplant Curse” Nintendo’s been under when it comes to online. I’m actually a bit amazed that they’ve promoted this feature in its present state. Of additional concern, the in-game promise that “Miiverse posts by friends will be prioritized.” appears sporadic, as I’ve confirmed first hand with multiple friends who are also playing this game.

Visually, these games are mostly true to the 8-bit originals, and that’s a good thing. The graphics are slightly smaller than the VC versions, cropped by a themed border with pleasant pixel artwork. Any other changes are very minor, unlikely to be noticed by all but the biggest NES fans. Personally I love the 8-bit look (not to mention sounds!) and they’re even better in the remixed levels! Seeing Kirby, Link, and Samus exploring the Mushroom Kingdom is the stuff of my childhood dreams – again, I only wish there were more remixed levels!

There are multiple control options offered – Wii U GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller, Classic Controller Pro, and Wimote. I appreciate the choices, and tend to alternate with either the GamePad for off-TV play or a Wiimote as it’s closest in feel to an NES controller. Analog controls don’t do these retro classics any favors, so whatever you use make sure you’re using the d-pad. I did have the occasional minor annoyance with collision detection, but once again it’s the sort of thing that will only be noticed by those who played these games to death. These instances can annoy, but ultimately don’t affect my enjoyment any, and it’s not like NES games didn’t have some issues with registering hits to begin with.

There’s one other talking point about Remix 2, although it’s exclusive to owners of the first game – Championship Mode. This is a Nintendo World Championships remix (the scoring competition that gave birth to the insanely expensive NES carts!) but it has some changes. While Super Mario Bros. remains, Rad Racer and Tetris have been replaced by Super Mario Bros. 3 and Dr. Mario. This has the aforementioned leaderborads, and their sampling here highlights how Nintendo dropped the ball by limiting them. It’s lots of fun comparing scores, and a loss that it can’t be done consistently. Nintendo needs to say “I am Error” and fix these oversights. This mode has a quicker flow more akin to Wario Ware and coupled with the leaderboards, it helps alleviate some of the replay value concerns. If you don’t own Remix 1, purchasing it should warrant strong consideration.

NES Remix 2 - Championship

 

In spite of some missed opportunities, I’ve had a blast playing NES Remix 2. This game deserves to find success, both critically and financially. Hopefully it will lead to the series moving forward. The title’s director recently discussed the possibility of more Remix collections – there’s still plenty of neglected NES gems (Star Tropics) and SNES and Game Boy ideas have already been tossed around. Even the possibility of including third party games was mentioned – can you imagine how cool that would be?! Clearly there’s lots of potential for the series to expand, and it’s sure to happen as long as a good number purchase this collection.  NES Remix 2 is an excellent way for retro gamers to get their 8-bit kicks!