It wasn’t surprising to see that the Koopalings were reprising their roles in New Super Mario Bros. U, as each of the seven Koopalings guarded the castles of every world in the last two games. This being the fourth installment, the nostalgia and even novelty of the Koopalings had worn off since they were brought back in New Super Mario Bros. Wii after a long absence from the main Mario titles.
Looking back at the original New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS, we see bosses that are unique and different from what we have seen from the newer installments, with some returning bosses as well as brand new ones. What if New Super Mario Bros. U featured bosses from other games instead of the used and abused Koopalings? Which bosses would we see in each world?
Naval Piranha
Acorn Plains
From: Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island
Piranha Plants litter the first couple of levels in the game, as well as many of the other levels played in the game. Why not start the first world with a simple and easy to understand boss? We already had Petey Piranha in the original New Super Mario Bros., so Naval Piranha from Yoshi’s Island would do well here.
Hiyoihoi
Layer Cake Desert
From: Super Mario Land
Don’t remember this one? Hiyoihoi is the main leader and boss of the the Easton Kingdom in Super Mario Land, home of the Tokotoko enemy. The Moai statues found in Layer-Cake Desert are way too similar to not make a connection with Tokotoko, thus making the Hiyoihoi boss the perfect match for this world. This obscure enemy is just what the New Super Mario Bros. series needs.
Cheepskipper
Sparkling Waters
From: New Super Mario Bros.
We wouldn’t blame you if you forgot about this one. Cheepskipper was the boss of World 3 in New Super Mario Bros., and as the name suggests, it is an altered and larger version of a Cheep-Cheep. There isn’t anything too special about the creature, but having a boss that has something a little more to do with the actual world would be a nice change of pace.
Crystal King
Frosted Glacier
From: Paper Mario
Some might say this one is a stretch, but how awesome would it be? While lacking any sort of personality, the Crystal King is one of the coolest bosses to have ever appeared in a Mario game. How the fight would commence in a 2-D side-scroller leaves a lot to be imagined, but it is entirely possible. The icy feel of Frosted Glacier is just the home for our frozen fiend.
Wiggler
Soda Jungle
From: Super Mario World
Looks peaceful, huh? Disturb it once and you will be in a world of hurt. Wiggler can lose his temper very easily, and we’ve seen him in boss fights in games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Bring this guy back as the boss of Soda Jungle, this time bigger and angrier than ever.
Major Burrows
Rock-Candy Mines
From: Super Mario Galaxy
Monty Mole had more of a presence in Acorn Plains, but the rocky environment and the mountain climate better fits the species. Major Burrows is a much larger and fearsome Monty Mole, keeping a spiky and dangerous shell atop his head. The ability to move underground would prove interesting for a boss battle in a New Super Mario Bros. game.
Giga Lakitu
Meringue Clouds
From: Super Mario Galaxy 2
Similar to Lakithunder of New Super Mario Bros.’s World 7, Giga Lakitu is a much more powerful Lakitu who throws Spiny shells and is able to zap lightning from his darkened cloud. This one is really a no-brainer as the entire world of Meringue Clouds is based in the sky and is constantly using, you guessed it, clouds.
What bosses would you have liked to see? Any ideas for completely new and original bosses? Sound off in the comments and share your ideas!