Super Mario Bros Wonder is aptly named, as the game offers a genuinely remarkable and enchanting experience for lovers of the series as well as newcomers. Wonder is a priceless find that shouldn’t be missed when it launches on the Nintendo Switch on October 20.
Super Mario Bros Wonder was announced earlier this year, to considerable fanfare. The side-scrolling Mario games may not be as well-known as Super Mario Galaxy and Odyssey, but they serve as a nostalgic reminder of the franchise’s beginnings and continue to pioneer the genre. Wonder piqued fans’ curiosity right once with its unique power-ups, particularly the remarkable elephant transformation for Mario and his companions. But how does Wonder stack up against prior Mario games?
Super Mario Bros Wonder Characters and Story
Similar to nearly every Mario game that came before it, Super Mario Bros Wonder‘s plot isn’t memorable. The objective is the same as it always is: the player must vanquish Bowser by exploring several mini-worlds and gathering Wonder and Royal Seeds. Wonder’s gameplay is the main focus of the adventure, much like practically all Mario games before it, so the story isn’t significant.
Wonder offers a wide variety of playable heroes, such as Princess Peach, Daisy, Mario, and Luigi. A variety of vibrant Yoshis and Nabbits are also available for players to choose from, but doing so grants these characters the extremely beneficial benefit of not taking damage. Power-ups won’t work on Elephant Yoshi, so anyone hoping to see him is out of luck. In co-op though, Yoshi is rideable, though veteran fans who want to test their talents should select a non-buffed character.
While having characters who don’t take damage is a fun way to alter the difficulty for harder levels (and a good option for smaller children), if you’re used to playing as Yoshi in Mario games, you’ll miss out on Wonder. A better approach would have been to let the player toggle this bonus on or off for each character, allowing everyone to play as their chosen hero regardless of skill level.
Super Mario Bros Wonder Gameplay
Wonder’s gameplay is breathtakingly gorgeous, offering something for the more experienced player while remaining accessible enough for newer enthusiasts. Plenty of replay value is provided by the option to either rush through each level to see how good you are at it or take your time and look around for hidden secrets. This is particularly true of the game’s mini-buffs, which offer the player a variety of strategies for completing each level and numerous incentives to play them again, such as power-ups and badges.
Wonder’s power-ups come in a good range to accommodate various playstyles and skill levels. Of course, with its adorable design and original animations (such as Elephant characters straining to fit into Warp Pipes and doors), the Elephant power-up is sure to be a fan favorite. Returning are the beloved Super Mushroom and Fire Flower, as well as Bubble Flower, a bubble version of the latter, and Drill Mushroom, which lets the player transform into a drill form. The Wonder Flower, which only emerges at certain locations and completely transforms the level with a dash of whimsy and magic best experienced on one’s own, is by far the most thrilling power-up.
Power-ups are accompanied by badges. Badges are unlocked through mini-game levels or purchased at Poplin Shops and grant the user a buff like the ability to earn more coins, or even physical buffs like being able to float longer while jumping or use a grappling vine. Since some heroes can see secret blocks that others can’t, these possibilities give even more motivation to go back and replay previous levels, especially as various characters.
Super Mario Bros Wonder Level Design
The level design in Wonder mirrors the perfected art of Mario games, delivering a delightful blend of fun and challenge in its side-scrolling platformer format. True to Mario’s legacy, each world and level in Wonder exudes uniqueness and joy. The game achieves remarkable depth through whimsical enemy animations, creative designs, concealed secrets, and captivating set pieces.
Following the Mario tradition, Wonder presents multiple worlds, each boasting its thematic coherence extending seamlessly across individual levels. The worlds themselves invite exploration, harboring hidden levels and secrets within the captivating overworld.
Far from being a tedious task, replaying levels in Wonder is a joy, as each one is meticulously crafted and imbued with vitality. The levels come to life with vibrant colors, charming details, and an overall sense of excitement. The exceptional music in Wonder is the perfect companion to each stage, maintaining its pleasant appeal even during challenging moments when it plays on a loop. Music becomes a central theme in Wonder, influencing gameplay, jump timings, and even some encounters with enemies, all executed with masterful precision.
Wonder’s level design masterfully treads the line between novelty and nostalgia, offering a familiar yet extraordinary experience that consistently brings a broad smile to the reviewer’s face, instilling a genuine sense of wonder.
Wonder Flowers: Transformative Game Elements
While badges provide consistent mechanical variety, the real game-changer in Wonder is Wonder Flowers. These are not your typical power-ups; instead, they are reality-altering objects that introduce significant twists to the gameplay. Each stage features a unique Wonder Flower gimmick, offering a level of variation surpassing that of any other 2D Mario title.
Wonder Flowers are often concealed, but their discovery is essential for collecting specific Wonder Seeds and unlocking pathways to other levels. Their effects range from making pipes move in unconventional ways, such as undulating like worms, to more drastic alterations.
For instance, in one level, a Wonder Flower transforms Mario into a Goomba with limited jumping abilities. Instead, he can walk on spikes, providing a means to navigate hazardous terrain. In another stage, Mario inflates into a balloon, allowing him to float upwards, bouncing around and collecting Superstars to overcome obstacles.
While some level names hint at the Wonder Flower’s gimmick, the actual effects often surprise players. The diversity of effects ensures they don’t overstay their welcome, appearing in specific stage sections and rarely repeating. However, a few feel somewhat underutilized, leaving room for deeper exploration.
Despite its relatively short length, with six main worlds completable in around eight hours, Wonder stands out with its mechanical variety, courtesy of the Wonder Flowers. While it may have fewer worlds compared to titles like New Super Mario Bros. U or Super Mario 3D World, which received additional content in their Switch ports, the innovative gameplay additions make Mario’s latest adventure feel refreshingly expansive.
Visual Marvel: Super Mario Bros Wonder‘s Stunning Aesthetic
While maintaining the core aesthetic of the New Super Mario Bros. games, Super Mario Bros Wonder elevates its visual identity with a significant infusion of personality. The game embraces glittery, sparkly, and glowing effects, particularly pronounced when activating Wonder Flowers. Even in moments of reality remaining undistorted, the various worlds and stages boast diverse palettes, ensuring each feels uniquely distinct.
The visual allure of Super Mario Bros Wonder extends beyond environmental details. Playable characters, notably more expressive than their counterparts in the New Super Mario Bros. games, exhibit a newfound vitality. Movement and facial expressions are seamlessly animated, enriched with delightful nuances such as Mario’s hat falling off when entering a pipe, only for his hand to swiftly retrieve it before the screen transition. Even enemies, including the humble Goombas, showcase improved animations, marching with newfound gusto.
While Nintendo may not excel in graphical complexity, it proves unnecessary when the visual design is as captivating as in Super Mario Bros Wonder. The game sidesteps the need for photorealism, recognizing that a departure from its charmingly cartoony style would be detrimental. With its vibrant colors, varied landscapes, and gorgeous animations, Super Mario Bros Wonder not only captivates the eye but also runs seamlessly on the aging Switch, demonstrating the enduring power of masterful visual design.
Multiplayer Marvel: Enhanced Cooperative Play in Super Mario Bros Wonder
Super Mario Bros Wonder introduces a delightful multiplayer experience, supporting both local and online co-op gameplay. While I couldn’t test these features in the final version, I had the opportunity to explore them during an earlier preview event.
Traditionally, side-scrolling Mario games with local cooperative multiplayer, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii, brought joy but also had the potential for amusingly chaotic sessions that turned into playful torment among friends. Past iterations allowed players to create platforms using the Wii U gamepad in New Super Mario Bros.
U, ostensibly to assist others in reaching higher levels. However, this feature could be exploited for trolling, causing characters to bump heads during jumps and fall into pits. Factor in characters obstructing each other and a scrolling screen leading to the demise and respawning of lagging players, and the result is a simultaneously frustrating and amusing gameplay dynamic.
Super Mario Bros Wonder revolutionizes the multiplayer experience with a simple yet impactful change—characters now phase through each other instead of colliding. While they continue to interact with the same enemies, items, and objects, the crucial difference is that they can no longer knock each other into hazards. This single modification significantly improves the cooperative experience, eliminating one of the major sources of frustration when playing with friends.
Despite this improvement, screen scrolling remains a consideration—players need to maintain a consistent pace, or those lagging will be pulled forward as floating ghosts.
Wonder Flowers: Unleashing Chaos and Creativity
The introduction of Wonder Flowers in Super Mario Bros Wonder marks a significant departure from traditional power-ups. Hidden in most levels, these flowers, when activated, unleash wild changes that redefine how Mario looks, moves, and interacts with the game world. Unlike simple alterations such as increased speed or color changes, Wonder Flowers playfully discards familiar Mario rules and traditions, surprising even seasoned players.
Upon activation, pipes may slink around like snakes, the world may be submerged in water, Mario might transform into a towering figure, or the entire level may pause to present trivia questions. Some effects completely transform the gameplay experience, such as one flower that shifts the perspective into a top-down action game, defying the typical 2D platformer format. In another instance, Mario turns into a Goomba, unable to jump or move quickly, requiring stealthy maneuvers and item usage.
These Wonder Flower experiences are fleeting, lasting only a few minutes at most, and players can choose to ignore the flower and complete the level conventionally. However, each course in Wonder becomes an exciting journey to discover the next creative twist on Mario. The game rekindles the sense of wonder reminiscent of playing Super Mario 64 for the first time, capturing the excitement of encountering new enemies and worlds.
The sense of wonder extends beyond Wonder Flowers to Nintendo’s decision to introduce mostly new enemies and power-ups. While classic elements like the Fire Flower and Koopas make a return, encountering novel foes like walking firework shooters adds an element of surprise and exploration. New power-ups, such as the Elephant Fruit, Drill Helmet, and Bubble Flower, continually reshape how players navigate levels and confront enemies. Super Mario Bros Wonder emerges as a relentlessly fresh and exceptionally creative video game, reviving the spirit of wonder that has been absent in many 2D Mario titles for a considerable time.
The Healing Power of Wonder: A Prescription for Joy
Before concluding, it’s worth mentioning the narrative aspect of Super Mario Bros Wonder. While the game’s creativity and freshness shine in various aspects, the story remains conventional, featuring Bowser stealing a magical power and posing a significant threat. Mario embarks on a journey through seven worlds to gather the necessary resources to thwart the infamous villain. While not groundbreaking, the showdown against Bowser proves to be satisfying.
However, Mario games aren’t renowned for their thrilling narratives or dramatic character arcs. Players, including myself, return to these games because the best ones have a unique ability to elicit smiles, deliver endless inventiveness, and provide an overall feel-good experience.
Although it’s essential to clarify that Super Mario Bros Wonder didn’t cure any real-world ailments, the reference to a COVID-19 infection serves as a playful nod. If any video game could have a positive impact on someone’s well-being, it would be Wonder.
Super Mario Bros Wonder emerges as a visually stunning, cartoonish burst of creativity and silliness that brings a smile with every play session. Spending time in the game made me genuinely feel better, evoking a sense of childlike wonder where anything was possible in each course. By the end, I had encountered unexpected delights in a Mario game, and the experience, while not a cure for illness, felt like a refreshing escape. If I could bottle the feeling of playing Wonder and save it for a rainy day, I would do so without hesitation.
Super Mario Bros Wonder: A Fresh Take on Side-Scrolling Mario
Super Mario Bros Wonder stands out as an outstanding Mario game that breathes new life into the 2D format. With enhanced graphics and captivating mechanics, this installment delivers a fresh and enjoyable Mario experience from beginning to end. The introduction of badges and Wonder Flower effects adds a delightful variety, ensuring engaging gameplay despite its relatively shorter duration compared to titles like Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, and New Super Mario Bros. While Super Mario Bros Wonder may not completely revolutionize side-scrolling Mario, it stands as a fun and charming platformer, deserving of our Editor’s Choice award.
Super Mario Bros Wonder: A Display of Gaming Excellence
Super Mario Bros Wonder stands as a testament to Nintendo’s ability to innovate within the classic realms of gaming, particularly the fundamental actions of running and jumping. This game serves as a splendid showcase, appealing to both nostalgic players and those introduced to the franchise through recent blockbuster movies.
Each frame bursts with charming details, from enemies displaying expressions as they approach Mario reaching out to catch his hat after navigating a warp pipe. The game is a pristine extravaganza, a result of countless hours of animation and programming talent dedicated to creating spectacles that unfold in mere seconds, leaving players dazzled in their wake.
In essence, Super Mario Bros Wonder doesn’t just focus on exploration and discovery; it’s also about sitting back and relishing the ride, showcasing its excellence in the most delightful ways.
Super Mario Bros Wonder Verdict: A New Standard in 2D Mario Platforming
Super Mario Bros Wonder sets a new benchmark for the visual aesthetics of 2D Mario platformers. With its vibrant colors, lively design, and overall joyfulness, the game captivates players. What truly sets it apart is the ability to consistently surprise and delight, introducing creative twists through its unpredictable Wonder Effects.
These effects transform levels into entirely different experiences for brief intervals, akin to a delightful dessert amid the main course of each stage. The irresistible charm of these moments, along with the introduction of the formidable Elephant Mario, consistently brought a smile to my face.
In nearly every aspect, except for the absence of advanced challenges, Super Mario Bros Wonder feels like a 21st-century successor to Super Mario World. This compliment speaks volumes about its excellence and innovation in the world of Mario platformers.
