With a new Nintendo event coming up, we here at the site feel that now would be a perfect time to break out some new speculation and preview coverage on some of the things expected to appear at the event. In the case of New Super Mario Bros. U, a lot of the stuff worth talking about comes from the recent Game Informer coverage.

First off, lets take a look at a couple of the more interesting screens. Most of them aren't even worth mentioning, but some details can still be gleamed.

In this much-discussed picture, we see the return of Torpedo Ted, originally seen in Super Mario World. If anything, it looks like their presence might indicate a level of challenge on par with New Super Mario Bros. Wii, as every appearance this enemy has had in the series thus far has been during a challenging level.

In this screenshot, Yoshi has a fruit meter. We have no idea what this could mean, but my guess is that filling it up either makes Yoshi grow, or it spits out a power-up or 1-Up Mushroom.

Lastly, in this picture, it's possible to make out some Miis in the background. It could refer to any number of things, but it would be safe to say that this likely just speaks to an aesthetically pleasing detail more than any new gameplay mechanic.

The new coverage also revealed a series of details about the new game. Perhaps the most interesting piece of information is that the world map is clearly inspired by Super Mario World, where all levels are branching, share one giant map rather than a bunch of smaller ones, and it can be panned around and explored at any time. Within this map, however, are several themed worlds, and Game Informer spotted seven: Acorn Plains, Sparkling Waters (a tropical world), Frosted Glacier, Layer Cake Desert (that's no typo), areas similar to Forest of Illusion and Sky World, and "a world surrounded by a tornado". Notice the food and beverage themes in a couple of the worlds, as well as the two seemingly inspired worlds. It almost sounds like the name of this should have been New Super Mario World.

Not much has been revealed of the boss content, but it has been stated that mid-world fortresses will be guarded by Boom-Boom (of 3D Land and Super Mario Bros. 3 fame), and the Koopalings will make their third appearance in the New Super Mario Bros. series. Since there are seven Koopalings and one Bowser, I'm sure it's safe to say that at least eight worlds will be present (with the obvious potential for a ninth).

Finally, new to the series is a Boost Rush mode, an auto-scrolling feature that pushes Mario through levels quickly, adding an additional challenge.

For all of the screenshots and video that we have seen so far, it is clear that New Super Mario Bros. U takes equal inspiration from New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario World. With that said, it will be interesting to see what personality the game can provide standing on its own, and hopefully Nintendo can deliver just that in the coming week.