From its first preview it was clear that this would mark a new stage for 2D Mario. After all, it promised us a new kingdom, new mechanics and the opportunity to try power ups that had not been seen before. But was this enough to give new life to this more than 35-year-old franchise? The answer is a resounding yes.
What you should know about Super Mario Bros. Wonder
What is Super Mario Bros. Wonder about?
While these games got us used to rescuing Princess Peach from the evil Bowser, Super Mario Bros. Wonder changes the play. Now there is no one to rescue, although the king of the Koopas remains the rival to defeat.
It all begins when Mario and company are invited to the Flower Kingdom by Prince Florian. Unfortunately they don’t spend much time in the kingdom before Bowser arrives to steal one of the Wonder Flowers and use its power for his plans for total domination.
If you are fans of these games you know that the story never shines for its complexity. After all the most important thing here is fun. However, it is appreciated that Super Mario Bros. Wonder make a change, however small, to the overall dynamic.
I also liked that as you progress through levels there are small sections with dialogue from Prince Florian. These help a little to learn more about the Flower Kingdom and its inhabitants. It is no longer just about advancing level after level until you reach the last one. Yes, there is a little more history than in the previous ones.
The gameplay that half the world knows, but with several tweaks
It could be said that if you have already played one 2D Mario you have already played them all. This is partly true with Super Mario Bros. Wonder for the general movement of the plumber and his friends has not changed much. You move from side to side, jump to avoid dangers, you can bounce off walls if you press the jump button at the right time, and you can press a button to gain more speed.
Although the basic gameplay is the same as always, the developers of wonder they decided to add modifiers in the form of badges. These can be obtained by progressing through the levels or by purchasing them in a special store. Each one has an advantage that allows you to do certain things.
For example, there is one that lets you crouch and then take a huge jump. Another gives you the opportunity to make one last saving jump in case you fall into lava pits. There is also one that allows you to use your shadow as a parachute to better control your landings.
It is entirely your choice to use them, as you can deactivate them at any time to have the classic feeling or put one on to help you in the more complicated levels. Furthermore, Prince Florian always gives you recommendations on which would be ideal for the level you are about to take.
Best of all, the levels where you get them function as a kind of training camp. Here you can try it and learn about its capabilities to use them whenever you think is appropriate. This opens the door to experimentation in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder lives up to its name
The biggest novelty of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the introduction of wonder flowers. These are hidden in the levels and when you touch them they cause various changes that can be very fun. Completing these sections rewards you with a wonder seed, which is necessary to continue progressing through the story.
Here the creativity of the team behind Super Mario Bros. Wondersince the alterations to the worlds are quite unique and peculiar. Although its effects are sometimes repeated, when it happens at different levels the dynamics and sometimes the difficulty change.
The changes range from altering the orientation of the levels, to turning us into different creatures. Additionally, the soundtrack of these sections adds to that feeling of discovery and fun, as the songs get very crazy.
Something that I found very pleasant is that even though marigold flowers are present in all their promotional items, they are not always easy to find. Many times you will have to use your curiosity and your jumping skills to find them.
Some are quite hidden and you probably won’t find them on your first pass through a level. You will constantly have to repeat levels if you want to get absolutely all of them. But I must warn you that those who want to reach 100% will find a great challenge in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
The creativity of the levels and power ups make the wait worth it
The developers behind Super Mario Bros. Wonder took advantage of all the time we were without a 2D title to surprise us. Each level feels quite unique, colorful and above all creative. Furthermore, the change of zones gives them a very good variety.
Almost every level has its own dangers and enemies that make you want to advance just to see what surprises await. Although in other games we have seen the typical underground, lava or ice levels, here they made an effort to give them a very pleasant and unique aesthetic. Super Mario Bros. Wonder has some of the prettiest levels in the entire series.
Plus it seems like they created the new power ups with certain levels in mind. The elephant one is useful in levels with more enemies, as it allows you to hit them and not just jump on them. The bubble one not only serves to trap enemies, it also allows you to use the bubbles as platforms to reach higher places. Finally, the drill is very useful to find hidden secrets or simply to go through sections buried in the ground without any enemy bothering you.
This creativity and variety extends to bosses as well. Although we often encounter Bowser Jr. protecting his father, no confrontation follows the same dynamic. The powers of the wonder flower cause the little one and the rest of the bosses to transform in peculiar and dangerous ways.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder seems like a child’s game, but it often proves otherwise
Seeing the progress, perhaps many think that they will easily complete Super Mario Bros. Wonder In its whole. But the reality is that reaching 100% here is one of the biggest challenges you will face. Especially if we talk about the special levels.
There are several things you must do to complete levels 100%. You must find all the wonder seeds in it, three special coins that are in each course and finally, touch the tip of the flag when you reach the end of the level. It sounds easy but it is not always. The special coins are sometimes very hidden and reaching the tip of the flag sometimes requires a lot of precision with your jumps.
Let’s not even talk about the most difficult levels. In Super Mario Bros. Wonder there is a star system that tells you how difficult a level is. One star means it’s a piece of cake, while five stars mean danger, as Don Ramón would say.
These 5-star levels will really test everything you’ve learned about using badges and power ups. They are extremely difficult challenges, but reaching the end will fill you with enormous satisfaction. To give you an idea of how difficult they can be, there is a level where I arrived with 30 lives and ended up with a game over. If we add to that the coins and the flag, get ready to cry blood.
Multiplayer makes Super Mario Bros. Wonder a fun mess
An important part of Mario games since New Super Mari Bros. Wii is multiplayer. Here he is back and playing with someone makes the experience much more fun. If with just one player it becomes chaos, with four it is a fantastic disaster.
Of course, this has its disadvantages, since following four players makes some levels more difficult. Plus you can overlook some collectibles. Unless you play with another Mario fan obsessed with exploring every corner.
My recommendation is that if you want a lot of fun, then play Super Mario Bros. Wonder in multiplayer. If what you want is to collect all the collectibles, then it is best to play alone to set the pace yourself and explore as much as you want to reach 100%.
Very fun, but with a couple of annoying problems
Since we’re talking about multiplayer, here we find a small problem with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The game does not determine the leader just by being player 1, but by the position in which they finish a level. If at the end of a course another of your classmates touches a higher part of the flag, then he becomes the leader. Regardless of whether he is player 2, 3 or 4.
This is a problem because the game’s camera follows the leader. That is to say, if he is very adept, then he will be able to advance through the levels, leaving everyone behind and not letting them see the dangers that await them. If, on the other hand, someone with little skill is the leader, then the rest will be forced to wait for him, breaking the rhythm of the game.
Another small problem that becomes a little frustrating is the constant screen to change badges. Absolutely every time you die you are sent to the badge selection screen, instead of immediately restarting the level. They should let players enjoy themselves without constantly telling them to wear badges. Or, make the recommendation after several deaths on the same level, not absolutely every time we lose.
Should you try Super Mario Bros. Wonder?
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is one of the most fun games you can find on Nintendo Switch, which makes it very easy to recommend. Even if you’re not a fan of plumber games, there’s a lot to appreciate here. From its creative levels and the changes of the wonder flowers, to the variety and challenge of collecting all its collectibles.
Something that might turn some people off is its length. If you insist on just completing the levels and don’t worry about 100%, then in just about 5 hours you will have reached the end. Although personally I think it has a lot of replay potential. Especially if you enjoy it with friends.
With Super Mario Bros. WonderNintendo shows that there are still many things to experience with this saga, even 35 years after its first installment. If they achieved this with a 2D title, we can’t wait for good Mario’s next adventure in three dimensions. If you get to play it, don’t forget to share your opinion on our Discord.
We played Super Mario Bros. Wonder on Nintendo Switch with a code provided by a Nintendo representative in the region.
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