The game is much of the same as Nes Remix in terms of how players progress through the games and leaving the core gameplay of each title the same, which can lead to some frustrating moments while battling against some of the game's awkward controls, but it is still a fun release and a more enjoyable release than the original game. It helps a lot that the game features much better classic games this time around, most of which are considered among the best games to ever release for the Nintendo Entertainment System way back in the day.
It includes 12 titles this time around, but the smaller roster of games is hardly a problem, since the new release comes with some of the best games to ever release on NES. Dr. Mario, Ice Hockey, Kid Icarus, Kirby's Adventure, Mario Open Golf, Metroid, Punch out, Super mario Bros The Lost Levels, Super Mario Bros 2, Super Mario Bros 3, Wario's Woods and Zelda 2 are all included in it, and many gamers will have already played these games in the past and will be familiar with the titles, though several of the games include tutorial missions to complete just in case.
It seems pretty funny to think all Nintendo had to do for the release was add even better games to the mix than what was included with the first NES Remix to make the game an even bigger success, but luckily for fans of the classic games, there is plenty of additional content that adds even more fun to the new release. Each of the games includes between six and sixteen different challenges to complete before unlocking any additional content. These levels are based completely on the original games and typically highlight some of the coolest moments in the game before having a showdown with the game's final boss. It's a pretty addictive process that will leave many gamers wishing they could play more of the original game without switching consoles.
Arguably the most fun gamers will have with the game though is in the Remixed levels. There are twenty different stages for each game for this part of the new release, and there are plenty of great new ideas that completely change the way players experience these classic releases. Some of the coolest remixed levels have players facing off with multiple bosses at a time, speed running through endless levels or using characters in games they weren't originally designed for. We don't want to spoil all of the surprises in the special levels of the game, but needless to say, there is plenty of special content included that will greatly satisfy old school gamers the first time they see the levels in action.
Another cool addition available exclusively in NES Remix 2 is Super Luigi Bros. The game is essentially a full game remixed starring the brother in green to celebrate the end of the Year of Luigi. The game is the only part of the game available for two players and stars Luigi, who has the ability to jump higher than Mario. The biggest difference though is that Luigi runs to the left to progress through every level. The new game is definitely a lot of fun and possibly the best inclusion in the full release.
One other cool feature for players to try out is the Championship Mode unlocked only through owning both NES Remix 2 and the original NES Remix. The special mode imitates the real life 1990 Nintendo World Championship, where players attempt to complete a series of tasks within a certain time limit. The objectives stretch across multiple games from the two Wii U collections. The event includes goals for the original Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3 and Dr. Mario, so players need to be familiar with several different titles in order to succeed. The mode is pretty distracting and will have players shooting for the world record for hours at a time, but it soon loses its allure, as players either learn they're good enough to accomplish the goal and lose interest or simply stop playing the mode after discovering it's too difficult.
The other content in the game includes some new stamps to use in Miiverse, but the star rank system and other gameplay mechanics remain almost exactly the same. Most players that pick up a copy will be sure to aim for the highest star rating across all stages to 100% complete the game and unlock all of the hidden items the game has to offer. This can take quite a lot of time to accomplish, so the game has a high replay value. Though some of the missions can be difficult, they're never impossible, and their is a good variety of mission types in the game including puzzles that can usually be solved with the assistance of a friend or searching for solutions online or platforming objectives that can be completed to perfection with enough retries.
NES Remix 2 doesn't make any vast improvements to the game's main presentation. Many of the same menus and animations make up a large part of missions, and the classic NES titles are unchanged from their original versions in many missions as well. This also means it has a pretty killer soundtrack with classic 8-bit blips and bloops that make up some of the most beloved themes in all of video games. The game does suffer from a few problems not seen in its predecessor, most notably some lag issues that occur during some of the most insane missions in the game. It's not a major problem, but it does make a few missions less special, and it's definitely strange to see games that have been played for hundreds of hours on the NES suddenly start lagging all of these years later.
Ultimately, it is worth a pickup for fans of classic Nintendo games. Many gamers that own a Wii U will have undoubtedly grown up with the NES and these classic games featured in the new collection, and it offers one of the best ways to go back and play each title for a single purchase. NES Remix 2 suffers from a few problems including a smaller library of games to choose from, some control issues and some lag, but these problems are pretty easily overlooked, as the majority of the game works as it should and is tons of fun for all gamers. Don't hesitate to pick up a copy!!!