New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a good fit if you want familiar 2D Mario platforming, optional collectibles and the choice to play alone or share a screen with friends. Its levels reward careful jumps as well as quick reactions, while multiplayer adds a second challenge: players can help each other or get in each other’s way. The Nintendo Switch game includes both New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U, so there’s a more forgiving route into the format and a faster, tougher campaign to try later. Knowing the character differences and how co-op works will help you choose where to start.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe brings together two related adventures. The main New Super Mario Bros. U campaign is the natural starting point for most players: its courses introduce the game’s movement, enemies, power-ups and collectibles at a steady pace. New Super Luigi U is a separate campaign with redesigned, shorter courses and a stricter time limit. It changes the feel of familiar platforming by asking you to move quickly and make decisions with less room to hesitate.
| Campaign | What changes | Good starting point for |
|---|---|---|
| New Super Mario Bros. U | The main adventure, with a gradual introduction to its courses and mechanics | Players new to the game or looking for a more relaxed pace |
| New Super Luigi U | Redesigned, shorter courses and a 100-second timer for each level | Players who enjoy fast decisions and tighter platforming challenges |
Both campaigns use the same basic side-scrolling idea: run, jump, avoid enemies and reach the goal. The difference is how much time a level gives you to look ahead. In New Super Mario Bros. U, you can often pause briefly to judge a jump or look for a Star Coin. In New Super Luigi U, the short timer makes that slower approach harder to sustain, so it’s useful to learn the controls in the main campaign first.
Most courses are built around a few clear tasks: cross gaps, move past enemies, use a power-up or find a route through the level. The challenge comes from combining them. A jump that is easy on an empty stretch may be harder when you need to avoid an enemy, land on a narrow platform or keep moving before a hazard reaches you.
Pay attention to what lies beyond the next platform, not just the gap in front of Mario. A safe landing may lead straight into an enemy or a moving hazard, so try to spot the next obstacle before you leap. When a section feels unfamiliar, slow down on stable ground and watch the enemy’s movement pattern. A short pause can be more useful than running at full speed into a jump you haven’t assessed.
Running gives you more distance on a jump, but it also reduces the time you have to correct your approach. Use a run-up when the gap clearly calls for it; for a small platform or a carefully placed landing, controlled movement is usually easier to judge. If you miss repeatedly, change the take-off point or wait for a better opening instead of making the same jump at the same speed.
Power-ups are most useful when they solve a specific problem. The Super Acorn gives Mario a Flying Squirrel form that can glide and gain a little extra height in the air, making it useful for extending jumps. It can help with a long gap, but it doesn’t remove the need to steer toward a safe landing. A Fire Flower lets you attack enemies with fireballs, which can make some encounters easier to manage from a distance. A Super Mushroom provides extra resilience against a hit.
Don’t assume a power-up will make every section safe. A glide may carry you past the platform you meant to land on, and attacking an enemy won’t help if the main danger is a moving platform or a pit. Before using a reserve item, consider whether the next course section is a better place for it.
Star Coins encourage exploration, but reaching one may require a riskier jump or a route away from the goal. If you’re learning a course, completing it first can help you understand its layout before you return to look for anything you missed. Some courses also contain secret exits that open alternate paths on the map, so a dead end or an unusual route may be worth investigating.
In multiplayer, agree on whether the group is trying to finish the level or collect everything. One player making a sudden detour can leave others behind or pull the group into a more difficult section. For a first playthrough, completing the course is a sensible priority; return for optional items when everyone is ready to take their time.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe supports up to four players on one console. Everyone shares the same course and screen, so co-op is immediate and easy to understand, but it is not a separate set of parallel runs. Players can jostle one another, crowd a landing spot or move at different speeds. A course that feels straightforward alone can become hectic when several characters are jumping through the same space.
Before starting, make sure each person has a controller and agree on a rough pace. In a difficult section, let one player take the lead and give others a moment to follow. If someone falls behind, the bubble mechanic can help that player rejoin the group; check the on-screen control prompts for the button used with your controller. Bubbling is a way back into the action, not a way to complete a tricky jump for someone else.
The shared camera is another reason to stay aware of the group. If one player rushes ahead while another is trying to collect a Star Coin, the slower player may have less room to react as the level scrolls. Call out when you want to explore, wait for a teammate or move on. Those small decisions prevent co-op from turning into four people competing for the same space.
The character choice can make a meaningful difference for less experienced players. Mario, Luigi and the Toad characters provide the standard platforming experience. Toadette and Nabbit offer more forgiving options, though their special abilities work in different ways.
| Character choice | What to expect | Useful for | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario, Luigi or Toad | Standard platforming without the extra assistance of Toadette or Nabbit | Players who want the usual challenge and power-up options | Less forgiving when timing jumps or avoiding enemy contact |
| Toadette | Can use the Super Crown to become Peachette, with extra aerial recovery and a floatier feel | Players who want more help correcting a jump in midair | Extra recovery helps with movement, but does not make every fall or hazard harmless |
| Nabbit | Enemy attacks do not hurt him, but he cannot use ordinary power-ups like the standard characters | Players who want to focus on finishing courses without worrying as much about enemies | He is less suited to players who want to practise using the full range of power-ups |
For a mixed-skill group, giving a newer player Toadette or Nabbit can reduce frustration while experienced players take standard characters. That does not remove the need to watch for gaps and other course hazards. If the aim is to learn the game’s usual movement and power-up timing, a standard character is the better choice.
The game suits players who enjoy compact, goal-focused levels and the satisfaction of improving a jump through practice. It also works well for local groups that want a simple way to play together without needing everyone to learn a complex control scheme. The two campaigns offer different pacing, and the extra character options let a group adjust the challenge without changing the basic style of the game.
It may be a weaker fit if you specifically want online co-op, a large open world or a game built around long-term competitive multiplayer. Its shared-screen format is designed for people playing together locally, and its core activity remains side-scrolling through courses. Players who prefer a more deliberate pace should begin with New Super Mario Bros. U rather than jumping straight into New Super Luigi U’s tighter timer.
This approach keeps a first session focused on learning rather than trying to collect every item at once. In co-op, it also gives the group a shared plan, which matters when several players are moving through the same space.
The game’s co-op is local, with up to four players sharing one console and screen. It does not offer online co-op, so players looking to team up over the internet should take that limitation into account before choosing it.
New Super Luigi U is included in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. It is a separate campaign within the game, with redesigned courses and a faster pace rather than simply repeating the main adventure unchanged.
Yes. The main campaign is the better place to learn the basics, and Toadette or Nabbit can make some parts more approachable. Beginners should still expect to practise jumps and pay attention to hazards, especially when playing in a group.
No. Enemy attacks do not hurt him, but that does not remove the challenge of navigating the course, and he cannot use ordinary power-ups. Gaps, timing and other hazards still matter.
Usually, the main New Super Mario Bros. U campaign is the more comfortable starting point. New Super Luigi U is a better next step if you want shorter stages and more pressure to keep moving.
Choose New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe if you want a straightforward platformer that can be played solo or shared locally, with optional collectibles and a second, more demanding campaign. Start with New Super Mario Bros. U, use the character abilities that suit your group and save New Super Luigi U for when you’re ready for a faster pace.
