New Super Mario Bros. U: Game Informer details/updates to details

Update: Austin posted a few more New Super Mario Bros. U details earlier today, but we’re bumping this post to the front page with even more information.

– Three Yoshi variations
– Pink Yoshi: inflated with a GamePad/Wiimote shake
– This can take Mario even higher than the flying suit can
– Pink Yoshis don’t help in horizontal movement
– Large surface area useful for collecting a bunch of airborne coins
– Gold Yoshi: shake the controller to light up the immediate area
– Also stuns nearby enemies
– Gold Yoshis show up in the Fire Snake Caverns
– Blue Yoshi: can shoot bubbles
– Can ride the adult version of Yoshi in numerous levels
– Yoshi can still eat fruit
– Collect five to fill a meter
– This rewards Yoshi’s rider with a power-up
– Camera pans out a bit in co-op
– This helps you see hidden star coins and pipes that you normally wouldn’t come across in single-player
– Boost Mode: Place up to four floating platforms at a time
– Use the GamePad touch screen in Boost Mode to pop friends out of bubbles, stun enemies, make it easier to reach the flagpole, manipulate environmental objects, swat Paratroopas
– Turn on Boost Mode by powering up the GamePad – that’s it
– Players will go through pre-selected packs of levels in Boost Rush Mode
– Collecting coins makes the auto-scroll faster
– Limited amount of lives given at the start of each pack
– Dying doesn’t reset the clock

Original details from earlier today

– Does not break from the large map to zoom in on areas like Cookie Dome/Forest of Illusion; that was a reference to a Super Mario World feature
– Cookie Dome and Forest of Illusion do not appear to be worlds in NSMBU
– Confirmed areas: Acorn Plains, Sparkling Waters, Frosted Glacier, Layer Cake Desert (with melting desserts all around!), an area similar to Forest of Illusion, an area similar to SMB3’s Sky World, an area surrounded by a giant tornado, Fire Snake Caverns (unsure if this is a level name or a world name)
– Confirmed powerups: Super Mushroom, Starman, Fire Flower, Ice Flower, Mini Mushroom, Super Acorn
– Running up walls a la Super Mario World is back- but only if you’re mini Mario

Via GameInformer