Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Year: 2023
Rating: E
Time Played: ~10 hours
For decades, it’s felt like the true innovation of the Mario franchise has been with its 3D titles. It almost became a running gag that the most creative Mario levels were the ones made by fans in Super Mario Maker. Then along came Super Mario Bros. Wonder. While each Mario game has had its own gimmick to make it interesting, this one went all out and had an entire game filled with gimmicks. Each level has something unique to experience, and you never quite know what’s coming next.
Everything in this game is so bright, crisp, colorful, and whimsical. Nothing overstayed its welcome. If anything, I wanted to replay levels because the transformation caused by the Wonder flower was so fun that I wished there was more of it. Some of the Wonder sections were legitimately hilarious, while others really broke the mold for what a Mario game could do. That the core of this game revolved around so many interesting gameplay ideas is merely testament to the inventiveness of Nintendo. Perhaps they’ve let the 2D platformer side of this franchise languish for so long so they could cram decades of ideas into a single package.
As per usual, the platforming in Super Mario Bros. Wonder is crisp and responsive. Even more difficult levels were doable with enough practice to get through the more challenging sections. And the best part is that the difficulty is almost entirely optional. There are enough easy levels that you can get through the game without too much trouble. But for those looking for insane levels that truly test your skills, Wonder has those as well. Being approachable for all ages and skill levels truly makes this a standout entry in the Mario series that’ll be difficult to beat.
The most jam-packed innovative Mario game in decades, I give Super Mario Bros. Wonder 5.0 stars out of 5.
