Super Mario Bros Wonder Review

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Fast Facts

Pure Wonder

I have been playing Mario since I was a young lad, one of my earliest gaming memories was playing the original Mario Brothers on the NES sometime in the 80s at my cousin’s house. Up until that point it had been Pong and very basic Spectrum and Amstrad games, it was a breath of fresh air.

When I think about it the Mario games have been a constant throughout my life and it is nice to now share them with my kids and see the childish wonder on their faces, like mine way back when. The mainstream Mario games, whether 2D or 3D have a special place in my heart, I love the exploration, the chirpy music and scouring levels for secrets. To be honest, they are pure joy in video game form. As much as I love Dark Souls and games of that ilk, nothing comes close to the wonderment of a mainline Mario title. Welcome to the Rapid Review of Super Mario Bros Wonder.

Elephant?

So, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. Yes, Bowser is behind it again and yes Mario and his pals must save the day. It’s a well-trodden road now for sure but for as much as the story is a rinse and repeat exercise, the gameplay more than makes up for it. You are in a new world now, the Flower Kingdom but the layout and gameplay loop is roughly the same as many 2D Mario games that preceded this one.

Each level has a few requirements. Collect all the Wonder Seeds the ‘Stars’ of this game if you will, hit the top of the flag at levels end and collect the three Wonder Coins. The Wonder Seeds act as barriers in progressing to new worlds and levels and completing levels nets you one. There are hidden ones too though and ones that are gained from activating Wonder Flowers. These flowers are a new thing in Mario Wonder and they make this game sing. Each level has one, sometimes hidden, sometimes not.

These Wonder Seeds turn each level on its head, changing it in some uncanny way. Maybe Piranha Plants will start singing and chasing you or maybe a level will be turned upside down, who knows? All I know is that they kept me on my toes and were a constant source of joy and wonder up until the games end.

A Family Affair

Anyone who has played a 2D Mario game before knows what to expect here. Wacky levels, castles and numerous worlds filled with interactable objects and strange enemies. Yes, you can run through just picking up the bare minimum but I am currently playing three different saves with my family and we do not leave the level until we have the green tick that shows we have found everything on the stage. It’s certainly fun finding a secret with my son to then repeat it with other family members on my other saves. It feels like a real family event playing this game, all working together towards one common goal. It’s beautiful.

Tied into this is my favourite improvement for this entry to the series. THEY HAVE REMOVED THE LEVEL TIMER! I know, it may only seem a small thing but in reality, it’s fricking huge. In past 2D Mario titles, especially when you like to look for secrets like we do, when the timer gets towards the end it’s a mad dash to the finish. I never really thought about it before but with no timer, you are left to explore, to experiment and especially with noce and younger players, there is no pressure. Take your precious time and absorb these wonderfully created stages. Bravo Nintendo, bravo!

Badges and Abilities

Another new feature is badges. You collect these as you progress through the game and they give you little abilities to help you on your way. Whether it’s coins for killing enemies, a floating hat ability or higher jumps, you can customize your playstyle depending on who’s playing and even more so, what level you are doing.

There are new suits to wear too, like the chunky elephant everyone has seen in the trailer. These suits are always entertaining to use and open up new traversal and combat opportunities. I will not spoil any of them though as it’s always fun to find and use them for yourself.

Share the Joy and Wonder

As I stated above playing this game multiplayer is where it shines most. The cooperative nature of it and the camaraderie between players is immense. The joy of one player missing the top of the flag but others hitting it, sharing powerups and finding secrets together is so rewarding. Mario Wonder is great but playing with close ones, it’s top-notch. There are also new online features where you can see other players and help each other but locally is where it shines for me, I am just old-school like that. I like to rub shoulders with my teammates and family alike.

From a presentation standpoint, I could not give a game higher marks. Mario Wonder oozes character, charm and creativity at every turn. The music is infectious, each stage is so bright and crisp and every time we play everyone has a smile on their face. It’s, from a sound and visual standpoint, as near a perfect game as I can think of.

There is a level here for everyone too. For the higher skilled gamers, there are the levels in the ‘special’ world that are tough as nails. On the other side of that there are characters that help younger players by not being killed by enemies. Mario Wonder caters for all, inclusivity is all the thing these days and I am here for it.

Now onto something I think does not get enough praise these days, the technical performance of Nintendo titles. I am playing Spider-Man 2 at the minute and while it’s also amazing, it has little issues here and there. Mario Wonder as with most Nintendo 1st party titles has been tested and runs like butter. No framerate issues, no glitches or bugs, everything just works flawlessly and I think this does not get the accolades it should. Games should work straight out of the games and Mario Wonder runs through those gates with its hands held high.

A Switch Owners Must Buy

As you can tell everyone in my house loves this game, it’s the great equalizer. Parents and children alike all huddled around the TV bouncing along to catchy music in this wondrous game. There’s so much to see, so much to do and with us all doing it together it had become more than a game, it’s a right of passage if you will. I am passing the joy of these games to my kids, teaching them the techniques of platforming and how to spot secrets.

It reminds me of when I first played Super Mario World. The untempered joy of finding a secret exit or new levels. This game has elevated the fun level in our home and let’s be honest, we can give a game no higher accolade than that. Thank you Nintendo, Mario Wonder is, well, a wonder.

5 out of 5

5

If you wish to purchase Super Mario Bros Wonder, you can here.