They're silly, but his suits get the job done!

As part of our Game of the Year Awards, Nintendo Life is inviting you to choose one game as your Reader’s Game of the Year. You can vote for anything released on a Nintendo platform in 2009, be it WiiWare, DSiWare, Wii or DS, but you only get one vote, so use it wisely!

To remind you of some of the stellar titles we’ve seen in 2009, we’ll be writing a series of articles recommending some games that you may have forgotten about in the traditional Christmas rush. Here, Brad Long braves the dangers of the Mushroom Kingdom to put forward New Super Mario Bros. Wii for your consideration.

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Hot on the success of the DS handheld’s superb New Super Mario Bros., it was no surprise when Nintendo had a crack at a new 2D Mario game for the Wii. It certainly didn’t disappoint once it was finally unleashed upon the masses. Seriously, playing this gives you a wonderfully warm, fuzzy feeling, as if a koala vomited a rainbow in your brain.

Assuming that everyone has at one point played a classic 2D Mario game, you’ll feel right at home with New Super Mario Bros. Wii. It pays homage to the NES and SNES titles gameplay wise, while keeping the visual style of New Super Mario Bros. and bringing it fully fleshed out onto 480p widescreen. You’ll be jumping on Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Cheep Cheeps and all the old gang, but there is enough added to this game to make it different and interesting enough to keep you going.

For the first time in the series’ history, New Super Mario Bros. Wii incorporates a multiplayer mode and it works incredibly well. Some things become easier, but most things become harder as you’re trying to direct your mates or family to help you out. It truly works fantastically and is just as much fun as the single player mode.

In another first for the series, and games in general, it incorporates the new ‘Super Guide’, created by the master himself, Shigeru Miyamoto. A new way to bring in the less experienced and help them through what can be at times a very hard game, it sounds intrusive but remarkably it isn't, waiting until you die eight times before asking if you need some assistance in the form of Luigi showing you how it’s done. However, it won’t go so far as to show you the secret exits or the locations of the Star Coins.

All of this comes together on top of a catchy soundtrack, one of the best for a 2D Mario release yet. Koji Kondo wasn’t on board for this title, but Shiho Fujii and Ryo Nagamatsu did a great job of bringing out the joy and charm found in every level; the score suits the levels down to a tee and you'll be humming the tracks in no time.

A long awaited return to 2D console gaming, this game completely deserves the 10/10 we gave it back last month, and we can all be assured that Shiggy and the gang will be back for more with this one. If you only get one game a year, you’d be doing yourself an injustice missing out on this little gem. If you already bought your allocated title for 2009, make this next year’s game. You simply can’t miss this one!

If you think New Super Mario Bros. Wii deserves your vote as Game of the Year, make sure we know about it! Use the Contact Us form, message it to us on Twitter or leave a voicemail on our Skype line at the username NintendoLife. We'll have more games lined up for your consideration in the near future, so keep coming back to see which games we think deserve your vote as Nintendo Life Reader's Game of the Year!