Super Mario Bros. Wonder felt like the start of a new era for everyone's favorite plumber. It happily ditched outdated Wii-era designs to embrace an aesthetic packed with untold amounts of bounce and whimsy. This new look has built on last year's Donkey Kong Bananza and the upcoming Mario Tennis Fever, and now a refreshed take on the platformer that started the era is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 to remind us exactly what Mario has in store for his 40th anniversary.
I gave the original game an impressive 4/5 in my original review because I found it to be an enticing platformer filled with gorgeous graphics and great ideas, but perhaps not pushing its central Wonder Flower gimmick as far as one might have hoped. Despite reinventing itself graphically, the experience was still comparable in many ways, while the multiplayer experience outside of co-op boiled down to boring and clumsily designed races that weren't fun to play.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition aims to remedy these multiplayer shortcomings by bringing us a host of new modes, content and locations that will transform this once predictable journey into something that truly feels like the start of a new generation for the beloved mascot.
Welcome to Bellabel Park
The titular Bellabel Park consists of two distinct locations known as Attraction Central and Toad Central, each featuring unique levels and mini-games that you can enjoy alone or with friends either locally or online. Let's start with Attraction Central, which consists of two separate squares designed for local and online multiplayer. It's another piece of the overworld that you can explore at your leisure as you hop between different levels, each with their own mini-games.
I wasn't able to explore it on my own terms with a Nintendo rep pulling the strings and instead directing us to very specific minigames. From what I can see, though, there seems to be a decent number of levels to choose from, each with great unlocks as well, though I doubt it would be much fun to play on your own.
Rosalina also joins the cast of playable characters alongside Luma that can be used as part of Luma's Co-Star mode. The second player can fly around the field with Luma, collecting coins and defeating enemies without taking damage.
One stage had us clinging to a flying flower and climbing towards the finish line, trying to avoid enemies and obstacles along the way, while another had us controlling one of the cute hopping hippos from the campaign as we moved around the stage trying to do the same. It was fun jumping between levels trying to carry an increasingly heavy Yoshi trying to eat everything in sight, or guiding our co-op partner around platforms that we had to spawn out of the ether using mouse mode. I would almost liken it to Mario Party, where each level is a game in itself designed to last anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes.
Chaos is the name of the game, and I found myself screaming equal parts triumph and frustration as the tables turned countless times in one game. There is some new currency and form of progression to be found in Bellabel Park, but during the demo it was difficult to understand exactly what that would entail. Being able to compete online and locally adds another layer to the experience, but nothing beats the sheer joy of being able to enjoy it with friends.
You can also head over to Toad Central where you'll find some new challenges to complete in exchange for collectible patches. These can be played either alone or with a few friends, and the main purpose seems to be to complete things as fast as you can. While I didn't get to try this part of Wonder during my preview, it's one of the main reasons I picked up the Switch 2 version.
Taking down the Koopalings
Adding to the existing campaign, the Koopalings have taken refuge in the Flower World and Mario and friends must hunt them down. Before you make your way through all-new stages and boss fights with Bowser's offspring, you'll need to collect some easy-to-find clues to pinpoint their location. It's great to see them making a comeback, even if their overall design remains largely unchanged.
Rounding out the new additions is Assist Mode, which makes the player character invisible as they no longer take damage and are immune to falling traps. This mode is primarily aimed at younger players or perhaps those who want to collect collectibles without the grief of going through level challenges. It's not something I'll be using, but with so many other modern games introducing similar features, it's no surprise that Mario is following suit.
Super Mario Bros. Nintendo Switch 2 Edition The Wonder is another upgrade that will be a tempting proposition for new and existing owners. The exact amount of new content to be found in Bellabel Park remains under wraps, but it seems that Nintendo wants to improve upon the flaws of the base game while also experimenting with what it means to be 2D Mario in the modern age. response? Short, sweet and filled to the brim with shiny gold coins to fight for.
