NES Remix 2 review

More retro goodness

Review written by
Ryan Hoshaw

June 1st, 2014

Anyone who has played the first NES Remix will have a sense of familiarity with the sequel. Different games are remixed, but the same concept remains: NES titles reorganized into micro-game challenges. The price of $14.99 is also the same as its predecessor. Included with this download is Super Luigi Bros. This is the full, original Super Mario Bros. game featuring Luigi, but here is the twist: you do the level backwards (right to left)!

NES Remix 2 offers better-known and arguably better-quality classics. Where the first game featured games that haven't aged very well, such as Balloon Fight, Tennis, and Clu Clu Land, Remix 2's list features games for which the NES is most known. These include the likes of Super Mario Bros 3, Kirby's Adventure, and Metroid. Even though the concept is the same as the first Remix, this game is just overall more fun. However, it has less unlockable titles. Where NES Remix had sixteen games, the sequel has only twelve.

The GamePad has no particularly useful function in Remix 2 outside of playing without the TV. Also, just like the first game, there is no local multiplayer offered. Once again, Wii U owners have to either play by themselves or pass the GamePad around. As I mentioned in my review of NES Remix, this is by far the most glaring weakness of the series. Nintendo did manage to remedy the lack of online leadership boards with the new Championship Mode, which is unlocked by downloading both NES Remix 1 and 2.

Just like its predecessor, the difficulty largely depends on the gamer's experience with each of these titles. The speed in which each micro-game is completed successfully is again measured on a three-star system. As a general rule, it seemed easier to obtain all three stars for the micro-games but harder to achieve rainbow status. Again this depends on experience, but newcomers to the 8-bit era may struggle with titles such as Kid Icarus, Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link and Wario's Woods.

With each micro-game that is played, 'bits' are earned, rapidly accumulating to unlock stamps that can be used in Miiverse posts. Each day a certain title, such as Super Mario Bros. 3, will earn twice the amount of bits for every play.

Remix 2 is ultimately an excellent game which offers a variety of gameplay. If you have played the first game this one will feel very familiar, but with better-known and better-quality titles. If you own both Remix games, there are more exclusive features that can enhance the experience. This game would be more fun if it was multiplayer, but it is overall very entertaining.