While many "Mario" games have come and gone since the heyday of the Super Nintendo, "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" and its DS predecessor are the true heirs to the spirit of "Super Mario World" and its sequel, "Yoshi's Island."

"NSMB Wii" even cribs from its side-scrolling brethren: the flagpole at the end of the level with the little castle hut from the original, the Koopa kids and the item storage system from "Super Mario Bros. 3."

But this isn't just a retro throwback: "New Super Mario Bros. Wii" is a classic in its own right.

The ice flower introduced in "Super Mario Galaxy" is usable as a regular item for the first time. New are the propeller suit, an interesting vertically launched twist on the raccoon tail/super cape, and the penguin suit, which combines ice flower power with a cute outfit and belly-sliding action.

Yoshi is back after a limited appearance in "Super Mario Sunshine," but he's restricted here, unable to travel from level to level, which is terribly frustrating. In "Sunshine," the presence of a Yoshi served to open up new areas in each subworld. In "NSMB Wii," the linear gameplay doesn't require that sort of restriction.

Yes, Mario can't use his propeller suit or fireballs while atop the dinosaur, but that's a choice that gamers faced in "Super Mario World," too. At least let the player decide when to abandon him.

Additionally, there's no indication whether levels have multiple endings. It's usually easy to suss out - just find the blank space where a new path should go - but it would be nice to know for sure before tromping through the wrong stage six times.

And burning through a level repeatedly is no small feat. The levels in "NSMB Wii are hard." There are tricky jumps, tricky enemies and really tricky hiding spots for star coins.

If the game weren't hard enough already, kidnapped Toads appear in previously completed levels. This involves Mario picking up the Toad and making it to the ending line without getting hit, essentially. And believe me when I say good luck with that.

There's an odd juxtaposition at the heart of "NSMB Wii," however: Though the levels are hard, the game isn't.

Through hints purchased with star coins at Peach's castle, players can watch videos on how to get secret endings to levels, locate star coins and get unlimited lives. If you can't do something, it's likely the game will tell you how to do it. And with unlimited lives, who cares if you waste 20 on a level?

If you do die repeatedly, Nintendo has implemented the Super Guide. Luigi pops in, takes over and finishes the level on his own, though the player can take control at any time.

I know people will gripe about this feature ruining the game, but everyone has a different level of ability. For those who aren't as skilled (or stubborn), it's a way to let them keep playing, get better and come back to conquer it later.

The real draw here: "NSMB Wii" features the first simultaneous multiplayer in a Mario platformer, and it is awesome. The game gets better with the addition of each player.

Up to four - Mario, Luigi, Blue Toad and Yellow Toad - can get in on the action. Players can pick up their comrades and throw them down holes or carry them through a tricky part, and it's useful and entertaining to jump off other players' heads.

When a player dies, they lose a life, but they float back on the screen in a bubble and can rejoin the action. As long as there's one person left alive, play goes on. Players also can bubble up whenever they want to catch up to other players or avoid death.

The best part is that players can be as competitive or cooperative as they like. And the results are unpredictable and often hilarious, with all the mid-air collisions and sheer chaos of four independent actors on the same screen.

The multiplayer makes for a lot of replay value in some well-designed levels. There's a lot to love here - and with the holidays just around the corner, this is a great gift for kids and adults of all skill levels.