The latest issue of Game Informer magazine has revealed some juicy new info on Wii U’s upcoming first system-seller game.

If there’s one thing more tiring than hearing the plot of a new Mario game, its hearing a writer like me trying to be humorous and pretending to be surprised that Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach again. So let’s save ourselves the embarrassment, shall we? You know the score, and didn’t come here for the narrative – but instead for details on the new levels and modes we can expect.

7 worlds have been revealed by Game Informer, including:

  • “Acorn Plains”;
  • a tropical world called “Sparkling Waters”;
  • “Frosted Glacier”;
  • “Layer Cake Desert”, which has melting dessert platforms;
  • an area similar to Super Mario World‘s Forest of Illusion
  • a world similar to Super Mario Bros. 3‘s Sky World;
  • and another as of yet unnamed world that is surrounded by a tornado.

The over-world map is also reported to be giant, holding dozens of levels this time around. The map offers the player the freedom to pan and explore around it in its entirety, and you can zoom in on certain areas. You can sometimes choose which world to go to next at as several worlds are offered at once, rather than the linear approach of simply moving on to each world in a pre-set sequence.

Boost Rush mode offers a more challenging take on the levels, and automatically scrolls, forcing you to keep up and run fast. You can expect Bowser’s Koopalings as bosses at each castle, as well as his minion Boom-Boom returning as the mid-world fortress boss.

The New Super Mario Bros. games are certainly fun, but as a huge Nintendo fan even I must admit that the series seemed to be getting too formulaic for me to get excited about this new instalment. However, this news has captured my interest far more than any previous screenshots, videos or the E3 showings. I’m glad that Nintendo aren’t simply saying “here’s the fire world, the ice world, desert world…” this time around, and offering something different with the cake, acorn and tornado worlds. If new gameplay mechanics and power-ups are introduced too then this may well become yet another Mario-must-purchase.

[Source: NintendoEverything via Official Nintendo Magazine UK]