Gamer Geek Lounge
Super Mario Wonder Review
By Gamer Geek 1 November 2023
As of October 20, 2023, Mario fans around the world have had the chance to play a brand-new Mario game. Instead of a remix of other games from the Wii U and DS, we have been given an creative and artistically beautiful new game that is set in a brand-new kingdom as well! We also saw the return of the classic 2-D side scrolling gameplay that long-time fans have always loved. And it’s honestly one of the most fun and imaginative games I’ve played in years.
Super Mario Bros. is the original franchise that helped to skyrocket Nintendo to the top of the video game world back in the 1980’s. With a series that’s almost forty years old, there are always questions of how to keep the gameplay fresh and keep gamers engaged. So, how well did Nintendo do with this during the development of Super Mario Wonder? In a word, amazing! Let’s get to the details of what makes this game so great.
From bringing us an entirely new kingdom to explore and save, to amazing new gameplay features, Super Mario Bros. Wonder keeps players guessing and having fun. Our adventure in this game begins when our crew from the Mushroom Kingdom begin a visit to a neighboring kingdom, the Flower Kingdom. While this is a never-before-seen kingdom for longtime fans, that doesn’t mean that we won’t see familiar things, such as warp pipes, goombas, and of course, Bowser.
Players are introduced to a similar style of gameplay that was seen in Yoshi’s Crafted World. The background we see during our 2-D side scrolling gameplay is part of the playable area. You can find warp pipes that send players into the background to collect coins and other materials. This adds a cool new element to the gameplay. It’s like how fans felt when we realize we could punch certain spots in the fence in Super Mario World to flip to the back side and avoid the Koopas. This also means that players need to be mindful of every pipe so that they won’t miss an important collectible.
Nintendo also treats us to familiar sky missions by giving us a few of the standard vines we are accustomed to from previous entries, but also gives players a cute little flower that will spin like a helicopter and lift our character into the sky. I enjoyed seeing angry purple clouds that serve as enemies. And the underbelly of the world is quite unique from everything I’ve been able to play so far.
Now, the part that has most of us excited in the newest addition to the Mario franchise, the Wonder Flower. You’re tasked with finding Wonder Seeds in this new game, instead of the star coins we’re use to from the past several entries. During our time in each level, you can still find hidden areas and blocks, but the Wonder Flower is what you’re going to really enjoy. This flower transforms the entire world, where you’ll need to complete whatever mission you need to, in order to collect the large purple coin hidden within, and collect the Wonder Seed.
Your character can change when the Wonder Flower is activated, or you may stay the same. I’ve experienced several changes to my character so far, and I spend more time laughing and in awe than concentrating on the task at hand. This is far more exciting than simply looking for hidden areas or pipes! You never know what will happen when the Wonder Flower is activated, so you’re in for a completely new experience during gameplay.
Image of power-ups available in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Nintendo also brought new power-ups to the table. I mean, who knew that a bubble flower would be such fun or so useful? You get to shoot out bubbles that will scoop up and eliminate enemies, and even pick up coins for you! You can get an elephant power up that will transform your character into, you guessed it, an elephant. Use your trunk to break bricks, send enemies flying, and collect and spray water at enemies and seemingly dead flowers. I won’t go into all the power ups in this review, but I wanted to touch on a couple of them, so players have an idea of the new gameplay aspects.
The new graphics look amazing and create a beautiful experience for players of every age and skill. I love seeing Mario or Luigi go into a pipe and reach back to grab their hat. The crouch has been upgraded to look like Mario and Luigi are pulling their hats down over their eyes and duck walking around. I particularly like to see the Elephant Mario/Luigi crouch. Watching them crawl on their belly in their oversized bodies is fun. Gamers get to experience a high-definition cartoon world in this game, which makes it more lifelike in my opinion.
Finally, we get to playability. The Super Mario Bros. Wonder game is fun for all ages. If you have younger children, let them play as Nabbit or Yoshi to be invincible. That will let them experience a less frustrating playthrough. It will also keep you from constantly having to revive them. From newbies to experienced Mario players, this game will be a blast. You can even use the online feature to begin a multiplayer game with friends, or randomly play with other players from around the world. This is particularly helpful when it seems you need two players to accomplish a task.
Some players may miss things and need to replay the world until they have collected all the Wonder Seeds or coins. Other levels are easy, and you’ll only play them once. A great feature added to this game is that you get to see difficulty ratings for each level before you attempt them. This is helpful when you are playing on your own or local co-op, as you’ll be able to decide if you want to play the level now or wait until later. It can also help you decide if you need to call in reinforcements to help you in that level.
The only real issue that I have with the game is the co-op crown that players receive. I’m sure if you’ve played any of the Mario games in co-op from the last few years, you’ll remember the player that gets the level clear first or at a higher point will be rewarded with a crown. It can cause frustration with younger players or those with special needs, or for us super competitive gamers that hate to be second place. The crown can also distract from gameplay when a younger player is constantly trying to get said crown.
Overall, I enjoy this Mario game immensely and recommend it to any fan of the series. I also recommend it for families to play with their kids, nieces, and nephews, etc. Longtime fans will be pleased with the callbacks to former games as well as all the new features. Newcomers will be blown away by the graphics, the powerups, the transforming worlds, and everything else the game has to offer. I give this a 9.5 out of 10! So, pick up a copy and have fun solo or with other Mario fans!
Final Score:
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a 9.5 out of 10!
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