After a long wait of over a decade, the drought for a new 2D Mario game is finally over. Super Mario Bros. Wonder has emerged, promising a fresh side-scrolling adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom. While 3D Mario titles often steal the spotlight, the 2D games offer their own unique creativity and enjoyment. Despite following a familiar formula of navigating stages to reach the flagpole, each title adds its own fun and imaginative twists. If you’re curious about what awaits in Mario’s next 2D adventure, here’s everything you need to know about Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Release Date:
Prepare yourself for the arrival of Super Mario Bros. Wonder this fall on October 20. The wait for a new 2D Mario game is finally coming to an end.
Platforms:
Get ready to be amazed exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. Super Mario Bros. Wonder will be available only on this platform.
Trailers:
The exciting reveal of Super Mario Bros. Wonder took place during the June Nintendo Direct event, serving as the climactic “one last thing” announcement. While the trailer doesn’t delve much into the game’s story, it showcases the new art style and gameplay mechanics. Notably, the trailer introduces a mysterious character in the form of talking flowers, which are spread throughout the stages, offering greetings to Mario as he passes by. Additionally, the trailer highlights the Wonder Flowers, a new item that dynamically alters the levels in unexpected ways.
Gameplay:
The heart of Super Mario Bros. Wonder lies in its gameplay. As a 2D platformer, you’ll primarily engage in running and jumping through obstacle-filled courses, aiming to reach the flagpole at the end. One significant departure from the traditional formula is the introduction of Wonder Flowers. Collecting these flowers triggers various surprising changes to the levels, such as transforming Mario into a spiked ball, bringing pipes to life, and enabling Mario to stretch and squash in peculiar ways. Another exciting addition is an apple power-up that grants Mario an elephant’s trunk, turning him into an elephant with unique abilities. While details about this form are scarce, it holds immense potential for exciting gameplay possibilities.
In terms of traditional power-ups, we’ve observed the Mushroom and Fire Flower, but the introduction of the elephant form steals the spotlight. The gameplay also showcases hand and foot grinding on rails, swimming up rainclouds to dump water, and limited movement between the foreground and background. Furthermore, Mario and Peach can use their hats to glide, extending this ability beyond the princess’s exclusive repertoire. This universal gliding ability appears to be inherent rather than a power-up, as neither character’s appearance changes during the glide.
The game features a classic overworld map, allowing players to navigate and select levels. Each level offers two collectibles to find, along with a star rating indicating the difficulty.
Confirmed playable characters include Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Yoshi, and even Daisy. However, multiplayer appears to be limited to a maximum of four players at a time.
Preorder:
As the game’s release approaches, Super Mario Bros. Wonder preorders are now available on Nintendo’s official store and major retailers. The game is sold as a standard version priced at $60. Unfortunately, there are no preorder bonuses, but those who preorder can enjoy the convenience of preloading the game before its official launch. Additionally, if you possess a Nintendo Switch Game Voucher, you can use it for the purchase.
