How big is New Luigi U, the brotherly themed DLC pack for New Super Mario Bros U? So big that it's not just a downloadable expansion anymore.

New Super Luigi U will launch as DLC on June 20 for $19.99. On August 25, it will hit stores for $29.99. Nintendo said this was to facilitate players who may not own the original game but want to play as Luigi.

Read more: Nabbit the bunny added for multiplayer »

Tying in to what Nintendo is cheekily referring to as "The Year of Luigi," the company announced a new large-scale piece of downloadable content for New Super Mario Bros U. The "New Super Luigi U" DLC puts Mario's brother in the starring role.

Read more: All stages getting revised »

Undoubtedly, many will be surprised by the inclusion of New Super Mario Bros. U on our top 10 list for 2012. Why was it not showered with the universal adoration that so many other titles on our list have--especially considering that mainline "Mario" games have always been synonymous with top-notch platforming?

Perhaps we've been Mario'd out. The Wii U game launched mere months after New Super Mario Bros. 2 for 3DS--a game that was rote and by-the-numbers. We've had a Mario game every year since 2009--how can franchise annualization possibly lead to innovation?

Read more: Why Mario U made our Top 10 »

You might be among the lucky ones to snag a Wii U this weekend, and our own Andrew Yoon claims New Super Mario Bros U is a must-have for the system. But if you marathon through the game as soon as you get it, don't worry. More courses are on the way.

Read more: 'We're trying to think of ways of play that are different' »

It's easy to dismiss New Super Mario Bros U as "just another" Mario game, especially as it comes hot off the heels of another mainline game--NSMB2, which launched on 3DS this past summer. However, unlike its handheld predecessor, the Wii U version of the game doesn't just regurgitate the same Mario ideas. It constantly surprises with excellent level designs, fantastic boss battles, and exhilarating multiplayer modes. Simply put, this is the best game in the New Super Mario franchise to date.

Read more: The best 2D Mario since Yoshi's Island »

Nintendo fans, why do you have to be so hard to please all the time? Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime feels the company did quite a bit to sate fans this year, but they just keep demanding more. He says he "loves" this habit of the gaming community, but at the same time it "troubles [him] tremendously."

Read more: "And then they say 'What else?'" »

E3 2012 is officially in the rear-view mirror, which means it's time for the Weekend Confirmed crew to talk about all types of impressions, news, and more. Garnett is joined by the Jeffs--Cannata and Mattas--and a trio of special guests: David Ellis from 343 Industries, and N'gai Croal and Justin Blankenship from HitDetection. There's far more than can be covered in one show, but the crew still manages to touch on a huge list of titles. Halo 4, Dishonored, SimCity, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Rayman Legends, New Super Mario Bros. U, Watch_Dogs, The Last of Us, Beyond, Need For Speed: Most Wanted, Resident Evil 6, and The Cave are just some of the games discussed in this week's info-packed episode.

Listen: Weekend Confirmed Episode 116 »

QUICKTAKE: This holiday, Nintendo is bringing 2D Mario platforming back to the Wii U in the not-so-cleverly named New Super Mario Brothers U. The red-overalled plumber brings success for Nintendo wherever he goes, and based on the E3 playable demo, this maiden Wii U Mario outing will entertain, even if it doesn't surprise.

Read more: Getting the crowd in the mood »

As you can't have a Nintendo platform without a Mario game, the company naturally announced one during its E3 showcase today. New Super Mario Bros. U continues the four-player co-op tomfoolery from NSMB on Wii, but also lets someone help them out using the tablet.

Watch: Boost Mode. Boost!