New Super Mario Bros. released with critical and commercial success, with many considering it as the main contributor in the revival of the 2D platforming genre.

The game's success led to a line of sequels, starting with New Super Mario Bros. Wii (2009).

While the game is seen in 2D, most of the characters and objects are 3D polygonal renderings on 2D backgrounds, resulting in a 2.5D effect that visually simulates 3D computer graphics.

[6] In addition, some minigames previously available in Super Mario 64 DS have returned with 3D graphics and now offer multiplayer options for added replay value.

Mario/Luigi activate a button, causing the bridge to collapse and Bowser to fall into the pit filled with lava below him.

They activate a button, causing the bridge to collapse and Dry Bowser to fall into the deep pit below him and break.

Bowser Jr. then looks at the screen and growls, breaking the fourth wall, and continues dragging his father.

The game's new power-ups were also introduced at the same time, including the Blue Koopa Shell and the Mega Mushroom.

Characters, enemies, and objects could now be created with much more detailed animations, without requiring that they would be designed by hand.

[11] Physics play an important role in New Super Mario Bros.'s improved game mechanics.

Without the rigid restrictions of tile-based sprites and backgrounds, the designers were free to explore new gameplay mechanics.

New Super Mario Bros. features original music composed by Asuka Ohta and Hajime Wakai under the direction of the Super Mario Bros. series composer, Koji Kondo,[13] who also created the "Aboveground BGM", the main theme for regular levels.

[15] New Super Mario Bros. was released by Nintendo in North America on May 15, 2006,[16] in Japan on May 25, 2006,[16] and in Europe on June 30, 2006.

[18] At the time, it was the best-selling debut for a Nintendo DS game in Japan,[18] but it has since been surpassed by Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

[26] Its high praise and success is what many consider to be a driving point towards the rebirth of the 2D side-scroller, which after the development of 3D graphics for games in the mid-90s', saw a decline in popularity.

Harris also stated that it was possibly his new favorite platforming game, supplanting his previous, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island.

[33] Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer stated, "I've done this sort of thing before hundreds of times across thousands of days in what feels like a dozen Mario games.

[31] Though the game includes various new features such as a versus mode and new enemies and power-ups alongside other additions and improvements to the gameplay, GameRevolution disconcertedly asked the question, "Can Mario ever truly be new again?".

The Computer and Video Games magazine was entertained by the "finely crafted slice of Mario", along with the extra minigames offered.

They believed that the audio was very good for a Nintendo DS game, predicting that "it'd still scare the pants off the hard-of-hearing.

[52] An expansion to the game titled New Super Luigi U was released as DLC on June 20, 2013, but was later rereleased as its own disc.