Boost Mode

Four players playing the game with one player operating Boost Mode

Boost Mode is a feature introduced in New Super Mario Bros. U, where the player with the Wii U GamePad can interact with the game, not by controlling a playable character, but by using the GamePad's touch screen to manipulate the current gameplay.

Boost Mode allows the GamePad player to place rectangular platforms called Boost Blocks in the game to help or hinder the other players. To do so, the player taps an empty/vacant area on the touch screen. There are four different Boost Blocks: blue with a spade icon, red with a heart icon, green with a club icon, and magenta with a diamond icon. The icon of a blocks shrinks over time eventually disappearing. After that happens, the Boost Block itself goes through the same process. Only four Boost Blocks may be on screen at one time, and placing another results in the first platform placed disappearing.

If another player steps on a Boost Block with the icon still on it, it will spit out three coins and a star meter on the GamePad will have a section filled. Standing on ten platforms will fill the meter entirely, and as a result a Boost Star appears; by tapping the Boost Star on the GamePad, the player enters Super Boost Mode, allowing them to instantly defeat enemies and hit blocks by tapping them for a limited time, similar to a Super Star.

Boost Mode is not limited to platforms, however, as the player using Boost Mode can also stun/damage enemies by tapping them, which can be done repeatedly to keep them from attacking. Additionally, 3-Up Moon Blocks are intangible blocks that are invisible on the television but are transparent on the GamePad. If they are tapped, they become fully visible and tangible, allowing the other players to hit them. If it is not hit, a 3-Up Moon Block reverts to normal after about 5 seconds. When they are hit by the other players, these blocks release a 3-Up Moon then become permanently visible and solid Empty Blocks.

Nothing happens if the player taps Mario or any other character. Boost Mode cannot be used in Toad Houses.

If the player collects ninety-nine extra lives, Boost Block are replaced by Mini-Boost Blocks.

Boost Mode is not available in New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe due to being unable to access the Nintendo Switch's touch screen easily during docked play or multiplayer.

Effects when touching enemies

The following is a list of the effects on enemies that occur when touching them in Boost Mode:

• Goomba and its variants, Monty Mole, Porcupuffer, Broozer - Jumps backward
• Koopa Troopa, Buzzy Beetle, Big Buzzy Beetle, Spiny - Retreats to its shell
• Dry Bones, Bony Beetle - Collapses
• Waddlewing - Jumps in the air; jumps and starts to glide if it is on ground; drops Super Acorn
• Hammer Bro and its variants - Trips and cannot attack
• Piranha Plant and its variants (pipe) - Retreats to its pipe
• Piranha Plant and its variants (ground) - Cannot attack
• Bob-omb - Ignites
• Foo - Disappears then reappears
• Lava Bubble, Spiny Egg, Piranha Pod - Performs another jump
• Swoop - Swoops down
• Amp and Big Amp - Loses its electricity for a while, and can be stomped on
• Blooper, Mecha Cheep, Torpedo Ted, Rocky Wrench, Cannonball, Lakitu, Boo and its variants, Dragoneel and its purple variant, Skewer, Thwomp and Big Thwomp, Cheep Chomp, Spike Top - Pauses
• Mechakoopa, Burner - Deactivates
• Targeting Ted, Bull's-Eye Bill, Flame Chomp - Explodes
• Cheep Cheep and its variants - Swims/jumps to the other direction
• Goomba (balloon) - Its balloon pops if the balloon is touched
• Para-Beetle - Flies down
• Heavy Para-Beetle - Flies up
• Clampy - Opens its mouth when closed
• Grrrol and its mega-sized counterpart - Rolls in the other direction
• Bramball - Smiles and moves in the other direction
• Cooligan - Loses its sunglasses.
• Magmaw, Magmaargh - Minimizes
• Paragoomba, Paratroopa - Loses its wings
• Cog or moving wall - Moves in the other direction for a brief moment
• If a Boo from Circling Boo Buddies is touched, it pauses for a brief moment and quickly floats back to its original position.

Profiles

New Super Mario Bros. U

• Instruction manual description: "Use to help out your friends in a variety of different ways."

Gallery

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  Boost Mode in action

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	バディプレイ[?] Badi Purei	Buddy Play
Dutch	Booststand[?]	Boost Mode
French	Mode Coup de Pouce[?]	Helping Hand mode
German	Boost-Modus[?]	Boost Mode
Italian	Gioco assistito[?]	Assisted play
Portuguese	Modo Assistido[?]	Assisted Mode
Russian	Режим Поддержки[?] Rezhim Podderzhki	Support Mode
Spanish (NOE)	Partida Turbo[?]	Turbocharger game

Notes

• The icons on Boost Blocks are the four symbols used to sync the Wii U console and GamePad during the system setup.