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First, the bad news: Super Mario Bros. Wonder<\/em> doesn\u2019t cure covid-19. Trust me on that. But, if you ignore that one flaw and focus on everything else\u2014the gorgeous graphics, the immensely creative levels, the pitch-perfect music\u2014it\u2019s easy to see this is one of Nintnedo\u2019s best Mario <\/em>games in years.<\/p>\n\n
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Actual Italians Tell Us What They Think About Super Mario<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nCheck Out Super Mario Bros. Wonder:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>Amazon<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\nSuper Mario Bros. Wonder<\/em>, out now on Switch, is the latest entry in Nintendo\u2019s historic Mario <\/em>franchise, and the first traditional 2D sidescroller starring everyone\u2019s favorite plumber in over a decade. Wonder <\/em>is also the first new Mario <\/em>game to launch after the immensely popular animated film starring Chris Pratt and Jack Black. And let\u2019s not forget, It\u2019s also the first Mario <\/em>game to feature a new voice actor as the famous Italian hero. All of that adds up to a weird, higher-than-normal amount of pressure and eyeballs on what was already a very hyped, highly anticipated Super Mario Bros.<\/em> game. <\/p>\nPut in a similar situation, I\u2019d suspect other studios and developers might play it extremely safe, creating something solid but familiar. Thankfully, history has shown us over and over that Nintendo isn\u2019t like most other game companies, and Wonder <\/em>is a testament to that.<\/p>\nAt first glance, you might assume Super Mario Bros. Wonder<\/em> is just another 2D Mario <\/em>platformer, starring the iconic character, all his friends, the evil Bowser, and a plethora of new levels to hop through while collecting coins. And yes, that\u2019s still the basic formula at work here in Wonder<\/em>. But Nintendo uses that simple and proven design as a foundation for something wacky and fresh.<\/p>\nWild, wacky weeds<\/strong><\/h2>\nThis is most evident in the new Wonder Flowers, power-ups hidden in most levels that, when activated, trigger wild changes that alter how Mario looks, moves, or interacts with the world. These changes aren\u2019t simple, either, like making Mario run a bit faster or making levels simply change color. Instead, Wonder Flowers dramatically and playfully throw out all the Mario rules and traditions veteran players might expect.<\/p>\n
Once you trigger a flower, pipes may start to slink around like snakes, the world might become filled with water, Mario might turn into a super tall monstrosity or the entire level might stop and prompt you to answer some trivia questions.<\/p>\n\n<\/p>\n<\/span><\/p>\n
Screenshot: Nintendo<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nSome of my favorite effects completely changed how I played the game, with one flower altering the perspective of the stage, turning Super Mario Bros. Wonder<\/em> into a top-down action game instead of a 2D platformer. Another time, a flower turned me into a Goomba\u2014unable to jump or move fast\u2014and filled the level with enemies who wanted to eat me. This meant I had to time out my moves and use mushrooms to hide and…oh wait a minute, would you look at that! I\u2019m playing a stealth game starring Mario.<\/p>\nNone of these Wonder Flower experiences stick around too long, ending after a few minutes at most, and you can ignore the flower and complete the level normally if you so desire. But each time I started up a course in Wonder<\/em>, I was excited to see the next creative twist on Mario. It reminded me of when I first played Super Mario 64<\/em> as a kid and didn\u2019t know much about the series or what to expect. Each new enemy and new world threw me for a loop. And Wonder <\/em>recreates that feeling of well\u2026wonder that has been missing in so many 2D Mario <\/em>games for so long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder<\/h2>\n\n
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BACK OF THE BOX QUOTE<\/h2>\n \u201cWonder Flowers should be legal in the Mushroom Kingdom.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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TYPE OF GAME<\/h2>\n 2D cartoon platformer with optional co-op and online features.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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LIKED<\/h2>\n Fantastic levels, gorgeous art, feels great to play, Wonder Flowers are a blast.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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DISLIKED<\/h2>\n Opening levels are too easy; story isn\u2019t memorable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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RELEASE DATE<\/h2>\n October 20, 2023<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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PLAYED<\/h2>\n 10 hours to complete main levels, 6 hours spent doing special levels and collecting stuff<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/aside>\n
It\u2019s not just the Wonder Flowers that add to this sense of wonder, but Nintendo\u2019s decision to stuff the game with mostly new enemies and power-ups. (Though some classics like the Fire Flower and Koopas do make a return, too.)<\/p>\n
I\u2019d often encounter some odd new enemy, like a walking firework shooter, and have to take a moment to figure it out. And once I had grokked it, I\u2019d run into a new power-up\u2014like the famous Elephant Fruit\u2014and would then learn a new way to interact with or use it. Other power-ups like the Drill Helmet and Bubble Flower change how you explore levels or take out enemies. The result is that Super Mario Bros. Wonder<\/em> feels endlessly fresh, and is one of the most creative video games I\u2019ve played in a long time.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s fun, but is it hard?<\/strong><\/h2>\nOf course, all this wacky Wonder Flower stuff isn\u2019t enough to make a Mario <\/em>game good. The other big factor is how it actually feels to play, and Wonder <\/em>nails this aspect perfectly. <\/p>\nRunning and jumping feel weighty, but not too heavy. Mario has a sense of momentum and heft, but he doesn\u2019t feel like a lead weight holding the action back. Likewise, he doesn\u2019t bounce around wildly like a bouncy ball covered in grease. I always felt like I had complete control of Mario, no matter how wild things got. So when I landed a cool move or pulled off a tricky jump, I felt like I did it. And when Mario died, it was always my fault and I knew what I did wrong and how to not screw it up next time.<\/p>\n