Mario has been stomping Goombas, breaking blocks, and running left and right for almost 40 years. How is Nintendo supposed to keep its side-scrolling classic fresh after all this time? First, you change the location to a completely new realm. You then introduce a bunch of new enemies and power-ups. But what really takes things over the top is the introduction of a new mechanic that changes everything you think you know about Mario games. What you get is Super Mario Bros. Wondera game that dazzles and delights while living up to its name in various ways.
Warning: This review includes some light spoilers, including the number of worlds and descriptions of some hidden levels.
The game begins simply enough with Mario and his team (Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, Nabbit, and, for the first time, Daisy) visiting Prince Florian of the Flower Kingdom. But then Bowser breaks in and steals a Wonder Flower, which somehow allows him to merge with Prince Florian’s castle to create a floating mechanical fortress of doom. From there, your job is to collect Wonder Seeds (this game’s version of stars and sparkles) while helping the Florians restore order to their troubled land.
Right away, this has some subtle but important implications for the rest of the game. The first is that Wonder Flowers immediately has wild and unpredictable effects. The second is that since you’re not just challenging a princess trapped in a castle, the entire Flower Kingdom is working with you to take down Bowser. Sometimes that means you could be rescuing some trapped miners. But other times it’s the Florians who help Mario (who also has a new voice actor for the first time) by rebuilding a bridge or donating a Wonder Seed at the start of a new world. The friendly little flowers scattered throughout each level will even shout words of encouragement or funny jokes as you run. But what’s impressive is that even in a relatively simple platformer like this, there’s a sense of community that makes this world feel more lived-in than many epic RPGs.
You’ll encounter a host of familiar baddies along with some new enemies in an incredible variety of environments and levels. Wonder features six main worlds, each with a distinctive theme. But within them, you’ll still encounter haunted houses, pirate ships, underwater settings, and more. New to this game is the addition of badges, which are earned by completing specific levels and some may even be needed to find secrets or reveal alternative exits. Some allow you to jump further or float, while others make additional coins appear. There are even protective badges, like the one that automatically saves you if you fall into lava or poison. It’s a mechanic that feels inspired by recent roguelikes, such as helland does a great job of adding customization and replayability.
However, the game’s biggest twist is the Wonder Flowers themselves. In addition to the one Bowser stole, there is also one hidden in almost every level. And if you find it, you better be prepared for the unexpected. Touching them transports you to an alternate dimension where the rules of the Marioverse have been completely rewritten. In one level, superstars rain down from the sky, while in another, you might transform into a giant slime. You may also encounter Wonder Flowers, which turns the game from a side-scroller into a top-down 2D maze, or suddenly find yourself as the target in a shooting gallery.
Almost every flower is different and the possibilities seem endless. In a recent volume of Ask Nintendo DeveloperI found out that the team had a wall of sticky notes with over 2,000 ideas, and after playing Wonder, I think so. Wonder Flowers feels like they add an extra half level to each stage – they’re a delicious dessert on top of an already filling meal.
Even without the help of Wonder Flower, the sheer variety of level types is impressive. In addition to the classic stages that culminate in grabbing a flag, there are also races, badge challenges, puzzle levels, and more. There are KO Arenas that let you choose your power-up of choice (Fire Flower, Elephant Suit, Bubble Mushroom, or Piercing Hat) before defeating waves of enemies, while Time Out levels provide quick 30-second bursts of excitement. You’ll never get bored, even if you want to switch from the standard platform jumping.
I also have to say that this might be the best Mario and friends have ever seen, and that includes recent 3D titles like Odyssey. There are a lot of details in each level and character. From the determined face Mario makes when he runs, to the little flames that sprout from your feet every time you jump.
Wonder’s map is also surprisingly attractive. At first, he wasn’t sure if the ability to roam freely added much. But as I progressed, I found a number of secret corners that wouldn’t have fit together if the game was limited to a handful of paths. And since Wonder Flowers gives Nintendo the freedom to mix and match mechanics and enemies, there’s a lot to see.
Nintendo even managed to fix a complaint I had about the pacing of previous 2D Marios. Since they are intended for both experienced players and children who might be new to the franchise, they often contained more challenging levels after the completion of the story. This meant that the beginning of the game could be a slog as you raced through easier levels to get to the more challenging parts. But with the addition of difficulty levels and hidden paths that lead to 5-star levels long before you finish the game, there isn’t the same rush to get to the “good stuff.” And I must say that the 4 and especially 5 star levels are perfectly balanced. Completing it feels like a rewarding challenge, without being punishing.
I have some minor complaints about things like the enemy mummies (pulling on their wrappings seems a bit tedious) and I fear the elephant suit might be a little overpowered compared to the drill hat. The 5 star levels and pacing stages are also so good I wish there were more, I just can’t get enough. And I’m a little disappointed that the adorable penguins from the movie didn’t appear somewhere in Wonderful ice levels.
But overall, Super Mario Bros. Wonder It is a wonderful game. Its art and animations have a level of polish that’s virtually unmatched by rival titles, and the addition of Wonder Seeds subverts your expectations and makes this 40-year-old franchise feel new and innovative. Of many ways, Wonder Reminds me of my favorite 2D Mario game: Super Mario world. While I wish it didn’t take Nintendo more than 10 years to create a proper sequel to its last mainline platformer, if that’s what it takes to get a game like this, I’m happy to sit back and wonder what’s next for Mario.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/super-mario-bros-wonder-review-the-joy-of-pure-imagination-141108387.html?src=rss
