Soaring away

New Super Mario Bros. 2 was one of just three 3DS games shown off during Nintendo's E3 conference, but the publisher clearly hopes it'll set a new gold standard as the precious metal is all over the place.

The new Golden Flower power-up gives Mario the ability to fire golden balls that turn blocks and enemies into coins, and the currency rattles around all over the place. From what we've seen so far, you'll be racking up extra lives like there's no tomorrow. There's also a nice homage to Super Mario World you'll pick up on.

What do you think of Mario's next 3DS outing? It's out in North America on 19th August and kickstarts the ability to download retail games on the eShop.

Mario Hits the Mushroom Kingdom Jackpot
Bowser has once again kidnapped Princess Peach, but this time, Mario has another objective. The Mushroom Kingdom is bursting with more gold coins than before. Each level is littered with gold as coins rain down from overhead pipes, trails of coins are left behind special gold enemies and gold pipes transport Mario into coin-filled caverns. It's up to players to collect as many coins as possible throughout their adventure.

Features:

The game records all the coins players collect throughout the game, so completing a level is only part of the fun. Every level is filled with golden opportunities, such as gold rings that turn enemies into valuable gold versions and a Gold Flower that gives Mario the ability to turn almost anything in his path into coins.

The return of Raccoon Mario gives Mario the ability to fly and access hidden areas.

Players will have the option to either purchase the game at retail stores or download the entire game through the Nintendo eShop.