The Facts: At their E3 press conference, Nintendo unveiled a new mainline Mario game for the Wii. While some suspected such an announcement, what we did not anticipate was that this new title would be multiplayer focused.

We only saw one level demonstrated by Nintendo insiders, but it was enough to illustrate the fact that teamwork–and treachery–will be at the forefront of this new Mario game. Four players took the screen as Mario, Luigi, Yellow Toad, and Blue Toad and made their way across a panning and zooming two-dimensional level. Along the way, they were able to collect coins, power ups, and stomp class baddies. We also got to see a new Propeller Suit which players put on to shoot up in the air by waggling the Wii-mote and then glide back to the ground.

The focus of the gameplay appears to be point collection, much like in the Mario Party games. At the end of the level we were shown, point totals throughout the level were tallied up, and the players were ranked one to four based on their performance (enemies defeated, coins collected, power ups obtained, etc.). As the players made their way through the level together, the camera would pan in and out to allow players to see each other and the map.

There were not any details about a story (not that it matters in a Mario game) or a specific setting for this game, though it apparently takes place in the traditional Mushroom Kingdom. However, we did learn that New Super Mario Bros. Wii will be released in time for the holiday season . . . this year. That’s right; you will be playing this game around Christmas. That’s not too shabby considering this is the first time we’ve seen this game.

The Spin: I am still a little hesitant to buy into this type of game mechanic in a mainstream Mario title. I don’t feel this way because I am a Mario purist; I feel this way because I was not convinced by what Nintendo showed me.

I could not tell whether or not the level demonstrated is an actual lever from the game or just a technical demo. If it was from the game, the environment seemed it bit open and listless. Now, I realize that in order to support four players on screen at once, that the level design will have to be large, but something just seemed to be lacking. It didn’t really look like a Mario game. Then again, maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.

Also, I wonder if there is any way to play this game by oneself. Unless there’s online support–which there almost definitely should be, considering the co-operative premise of the game–it would be extraordinarily difficult to coordinate all your friend’s schedules just to play a game of Mario. Call me old fashioned when it comes to my Mario games, but sometimes I just get in a mood where I want to put the game in and rush through a world or two just to get my fix. I don’t want to depend on the whereabouts of my pals just to get that satisfaction.

All things considered, this is definitely a new direction for Miyamoto and the Mario franchise, which is refreshing. I would just like to see a bit more before I start revving up my hype machine. One thing is nice, though: we won’t have to wait several years to play it for ourselves. The announcement that it will be available this holiday season made my inner geek tingle. Now let’s hope there are no delays.

Here’s a bit of the demo courtesy of IGN.com