Is there anything in gaming that gives you a warm fuzzy feeling quite like a new 2D Mario platformer? Often filled with joy and glee as well as delivering a real challenge at times. The last one we saw was New Super Mario Bros. U back in 2012 so it’s been a bit of a wait for fans to get their hands on something truly new. Super Mario Bros Wonder is a brand-new side-scrolling Mario title that serves up everything we love about the series.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is also full of actual wonder as the name suggests, And it gleefully throws new and fun surprises into the mix.
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Almost every level in the game presenting you with something new in terms of gameplay mechanics, which will keep adding and evolving the core of the game. It’s a similar design philosophy that Nintendo have used with the 3D Mario outings over the years.
Mario Story
Being a Mario game, there is a light-hearted tale stitching together the levels, which sees our moustached hero along with Luigi, Princess Peach and Princess Daisy. The crew are invited to the neighbouring Flower Kingdom by its ruler, Prince Florian.
To witness a demonstration of a Wonder Flower; a great treasure of the Flower Kingdom that can warp reality. Of course, Bowser and co. are never far away and interrupts the ceremony seizing the Wonder Flower and uses its power to merge with Prince Florian’s castle, turning himself into a giant flying fortress and imprisoning the citizens of the Flower Kingdom.
So, it’s up to our plumber heroes to find all the Wonder seeds and save the Flower Kingdom in that oh so standard way.
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It’s your standard Mario fare that does its job well. Setting the stage for you to jump through each level collecting X, Y and Z items and dispatching Bowser’s forces as you go about it.
New Mario Experience
Gameplay is as tight as a drum in Super Mario Bros Wonder. The game maintains that Mario feel even during the times it’s flipping the formula on its head. And thanks to the new Wonder seed system, anything is possible. Finding one of these seeds often changes the stage totally and it’s often a marvel.
Like some trippy drug-fuelled episode every Wonder seed you find, will warp and change what you expect to happen in the level.
From pipes coming to life, enemies bursting into a Broadway style musical number, to the camara perspective totally changing…these are just a few of the never-ending effects.
With the Wonder effect being a strong enough hook to hang the whole game on itself, but that wasn’t good enough for Nintendo. They have married it with some of the best core level design ever seen in a Mario title.
Mario World of Wonders
Gone is the rule book and laws of what a Mario titles can be and how it should play and instead we are greeted with a playground where the laws of 2D gaming are played with and stage specific elements evolve what is possible.
Worth noting that the level timer is also totally gone here, which is a huge change. So gone is the pressure of having to explore and engage in the level, all with hitting the flag pole in time. Now with it not being featured, you’re free to take your time and find all the secrets and hidden paths and are really just free to discover the unknown.
You play as one of the twelve playable heroes with a lot of fan’s favourites returning, with each for the first time playing and controlling the same. Gone is Luigi’s higher jump and Peach’s slow float.
However, Yoshi and Nabbit do keep a few special abilities to make them an easier pick. This will help youngers and new players get to grips with the game.
But, for the rest of the gang, this is where the new badge system comes into play. These unique powers are linked to badges that unlock and equip to your character, with the type of badge adding a unique buff or ability to help you out.
Play Together Wherever
You can play the game both on and offline with a group of your mates and its one of the few Nintendo titles, that really gets the online side of things. With an online side that has more in line with Dark Souls than anything else really.
You see ghosts of other players in the level, which can be a bit off-putting at first, but you soon get your head around it, with this system showing you where people may have found a secret you’ve missed or a pitfall you don’t see coming.
Plus, if you die you can float over to another player and touch them to come back, though you have a very limited window to do things.
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You can also drop a cardboard cut-out of your character anywhere on the level, which also works as respawn points. But also have a simple spin on the Dark Souls blood stain system, helping to highlight areas of danger or interest for others.
Co-op also doesn’t feature collision now. And this is a big change – it means you can’t bump teammates or throw them into pits. But again, Yoshi breaks this rule a little, as other players can ride on his back and be ferried around the levels.
Mario Painted Perfect
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is bursting with colour and charm as you would expect from a Mario title and is full of little touches that embodies the Mario identity and whimsy that you can’t not smile at. Making it easily the best looking 2D Mario game ever.
The audio of Super Mario Bros. Wonder gold tier and full of standout tracks, that help to set the tone and theme for each level, as well as hitting levels of grandeur that will surprise.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder may have been 11 years in the making but it has delivered a true statement of intent by Nintendo. Wonder reinvigorates a series that had some good entries in the last two decades but had played it a bit too safe.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is so full of joy, charm and, most importantly, wonder that 2D Mario is once again a genre-defining series.