New Super Mario Bros. U is a 2012 platform game developed and published by Nintendo as a launch title for the Wii U. The game is a sequel to New Super Mario Bros. Wii and is the first entry in the Super Mario series to feature high-definition graphics.

A platformer is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels with uneven terrain and suspended platforms of varying height that require jumping and climbing to traverse. Other acrobatic maneuvers may factor into the gameplay, such as swinging from vines or grappling hooks, jumping off walls, gliding through the air, or bouncing from springboards or trampolines.