Like the previous games in the New Super Mario Bros. series, New Super Mario Bros. and New Super Mario Bros. Wii, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a 2D platformer, and some of the characters and objects in the game are 3D polygonal renderings on 2D backgrounds. This results in a 2.5D effect (also seen previously in the first New Super Mario Bros. game) that visually simulates 3D computer graphics. New Super Mario Bros. 2 continues the style of gameplay from the first New Super Mario Bros. game, featuring side-scrolling platform action as Mario or Luigi attempt to rescue Princess Peach from Bowser and the Koopalings. Power-ups include the Mini Mushroom and Mega Mushroom returning from the first game, and the Super Leaf from Super Mario Bros. 3, which allows the player to tail-whip enemies or to fly.[2][3] Similarly to Super Mario 3D Land, an Invincibility Leaf will appear if the player loses at least five lives during any non-cannon levels. The Invincibility Leaf grants both raccoon abilities and invincibility until the end of the stage.[4] The story has both single-player and multiplayer options: two players, each with their own Nintendo 3DS and copy of the game, play together simultaneously as Mario and Luigi.[5] Like the previous games, players can collect Star Coins hidden throughout each level, which can be spent to unlock new areas on the overworld map.[6]
New Super Mario Bros. 2 has a strong emphasis on collecting gold coins, in which the emphasis features various new items that are dedicated for producing large numbers of coins. These include Gold Flowers that can turn blocks into coins, rings that can temporarily turn enemies gold, and a mask-esque block that produces coins as Mario (or Luigi) runs.[7][8] All coins collected are totaled on the title screen and on the overworld map. If the player has SpotPass enabled in the game, this total can be uploaded to Nintendo Network and the player will be updated with the grand total of all coins collected by all players worldwide.
In addition to the main game, New Super Mario Bros. 2 features a Coin Rush mode, made accessible after the player completes the first world in the game. In Coin Rush, the player must play through three randomly-chosen levels collecting as many coins as possible. Both Star Coins and Moon Coins add several coins to the player's running total in this mode. However, the player is given only one life and each level gives a time limit of 50 or 100 seconds. The 1-up Mushrooms are replaced by Gold Mushrooms in this mode. If checkpoint flags have been passed or timers have been collected, the time limit will be extended. Getting to the top of the ending flag causes the number of coins gained in a level to double. If the player completes the run, the accumulated total of coins that are collected can be saved as the player's high score, which can be transmitted to and challenged by other players via StreetPass.[9] Additional course packs can be purchased as downloadable content.[10]
