Mario hasn't changed much in nearly three decades, but his latest game, "The New Super Mario Bros. Wii," is one of the holiday season's top titles.

"New Super Mario Bros." on the DS was a welcome return to 2-D form for Mario and Luigi.

"New Super Mario Bros. Wii" takes that success and expands it, shoring up weak points from the first game and adding new features that have never been in a "Super Mario Bros." game.

Like "New Super Mario Bros.," the game's visuals are in 3-D but arranged on a 2-D plane, so the game play is similar to the classic "Super Mario" games.

The game feels most like a mixture of "Super Mario Bros. 3" and "Super Mario World," from the return of Bowser's seven Koopalings to the haunted houses in several worlds. There's an ice world, a desert world, deep caves and high clouds – in short, a variety of locations that will seem familiar to longtime players of the series but are presented in new and interesting ways.

Also interesting are the new items Mario and Luigi can find, from the Propeller Mushroom, which can be used for short flights upward, to the enemy-freezing Ice Flower and the new Penguin Suit. The Mini Mushroom that shrinks Mario returns from the DS game, along with the standard Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Starman items. Hungry dinosaur Yoshi appears, as well.

These items are all useful in getting through the game's numerous courses, which start out fairly easy but get harder. The game is tough in the old "Super Mario Bros." way.

It's easy to blunder into a pit or enemy, but players who plug away at a tricky stage will usually find the way through – if not, the new Super Guide will show them the path. Collecting Star Coins in each level allows players to buy hint videos.

But the most dramatic addition is a concept that's been around for decades: cooperative play, which has never been seen in a "Super Mario Bros." game. Up to four players can run, hop and bop through any of the game's levels, which adds a new dimension to the proceedings.

It's tricky to make jumps onto narrow platforms when playing solo; it's trickier when multiple players are bouncing off each other or accidentally on purpose throwing Koopa shells at their allies. Multiple players can pick up and throw each other, pound the ground for a screen- clearing blast, and use each other's heads as springboards.

While in standard multiplayer mode, the characters are meant to work together, there are two modes in which they compete. Free-For-All ranks players at the end of each stage by score, coins and enemies bopped. Coin Battle uses only coins as the deciding factor.

Nominal teamwork – or at least noninterference – is still needed to get through stages in these modes, because if everyone dies, game over.

PICKS AND PANS

Modern Warfare 2

3 stars

"Modern Warfare 2" is gorgeous, plays tightly, sounds amazing and is expertly made.

But one mission casts the player as an American infiltrating a terrorist group as it massacres civilians at an airport. The level can be skipped, but it still comes off as gratuitous because of the tacit participation required if one plays through it. The first game's helpless ride through a city in the midst of a coup d'etat was more effective.

Outside the campaign is the Special Ops mode, which lets one or two players participate in a variety of challenges, such as fighting off increasing waves of enemies with a sniper rifle, mines and a Predator drone.

The online multiplayer mode returns, with players able to select a soldier class or create their own with the weapons, equipment and perks they've unlocked. Everything but the most basic features requires play to open up.

The game comes a la carte; in the Hardened Edition, with an art book and a download token for "Call of Duty Classic"; and in the Prestige Edition, which includes the above, a set of night-vision goggles and a stand for them.

Microsoft Xbox 360, also for Sony PlayStation 3, PC; $59.99 to $149.99

Age rating: Mature

God of War Collection

3 1/2 stars

"God of War Collection" is great either as a primer for people curious about the upcoming "God of War III" or as a trip down memory lane for veterans of the bloody series.

As the warrior Kratos, players hack and slash and whip their way through Athens and the Temple of Pandora in the first game on a quest to defeat Ares, the god of war. In the second game Kratos, now a god himself, is cast down by Zeus and seeks his revenge.

Both games now run at 60 frames per second and the visuals have been overhauled for high definition.

Sony PlayStation 3; $39.99

Age rating: Mature

Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again

3 stars

"Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again" tasks players with guiding little wind-up toys through hazardous levels, rearranging pathways and barriers with the stylus, and steering them toward switches and away from traps.

Each stage's exit door will close a few seconds after a Mini goes through unless another one follows quickly, and there's no way to directly control Minis once they're moving.

With these restrictions, some puzzles can be very tricky, and figuring out when to activate the Minis and how to influence them to reach the exit along with a stage's items is satisfying.

Nintendo DSi (DSiWare download); $8 (800 Nintendo Points)

Age rating: Everyone

– Justin Hoeger

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2