New Super Luigi U video game review

I'm not sure I will ever let my wife play New Super Luigi U.

This is no rejection of the game. I'm just not sure I can deal with her peppering me with questions about the fate of Luigi's brother -- and my wife's personal gaming hero -- Mario.

New Super Luigi U doesn't simply put Luigi in the spotlight. Instead, Nintendo remade the popular New Super Mario Bros. game for the Wii U with Luigi as the star -- and Mario oddly (and eerily) missing.

The opening scenes match New Super Mario almost exactly, except you see Mario's cap as resting in the place where he normally sat. Pay attention throughout different levels, and you'll notice hedges, ice sculptures and other statuesque homages to the longtime star of the Nintendo franchise. "Bros." is even blatantly X-ed out of the game's cover. Did Mario take one too many tumbles down one of the game's infamous black voids, never to return?

The action gets noticeably different once you start bounding about the Mushroom Kingdom. Luigi sports green overalls and jumps farther and higher than his brother. This makes for new and interesting tactics throughout each level. Mario jumped with more precision and speed, while Luigi at times floats through levels, narrowly missing the chomp of a Piranha Plant. Hitting the right spots on cleverly designed platforms and collecting the right number of star coins in the nick of time left me cheering more than once.

The following games are among those now on sale, according to gamestop.com:

* Turbo: Super Stunt Squad (Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360; rated E)

* Serious Sam Collection (Xbox 360; rated M)

* Dynasty Warriors 8 (PS3, Xbox 360; rated T)

* Time and Eternity (PS3; rated T)

* Shin Megami Tensei IV Limited Edition Box Set (Nintendo 3DS; rated M)