The 2D Mario games are classic. They have a heritage dating from 1985 with the original Super Mario Bros. for the NES. These games came with a regular formula, a platforming game with power-ups, a timer, and a score, typically with a multiplayer mode. But Mario’s most recent mainline entry, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, redefined everything about this formula, breathing a new life into the 2D Mario series.
What Came Before Wonder
The 2D Mario platformer series has unfortunately become stagnant before Mario Wonder. The previous mainland games have all been part of the New Super Mario Bros. series. When the game New Super Mario Bros. came out for the Nintendo DS, it had a lasting influence on fans of Mario. It had been a long time since the last 2D platformer in the series, which was Super Mario Land 2, for the Game Boy.
The DS game brought fresh, new ideas into the Mario franchise. Later, Nintendo brought the series to the home console with the title New Super Mario Bros. Wii, allowing for multiplayer with up to four players. Later, the 3DS handheld got New Super Mario Bros. 2. However, some started to feel that the amount of variety didn’t change much between each game.
Although these games provide an exciting, fun platforming experience, including multiplayer, they are not very different from each other. Each game tended to introduce only one or two new characters or sometimes none. There was occasionally a new power-up, too, but nothing all that overwhelming. In particular, the level design between each game varies little, which is why many Nintendo fans were starting to feel weary of the New Super series.
The Super Mario Maker series was also released, where players could create levels. But Mario Maker wasn’t original; it’s essentially a level editor for four classic Mario titles. It had been a while since Nintendo gamers got a new and unique Mario experience. Fortunately, they wouldn’t have to wait for long.
Wonderful New Additions
Nintendo’s newest 2D game in the Super Mario Bros. series introduces many new features. First, this game features the most playable characters of any mainline Mario game, with twelve characters to select. This lineup includes Princess Daisy, the first time she’s been playable in a platformer. This exciting roster also includes colored Yoshis and Nabbit, which have a significantly different play style from the others.
There are also several new power-ups which heavily impact the game. One of these power-ups is the Super Drill, allowing players to burrow into the ground or the ceiling. Perhaps the strongest power-up is the Bubble Flower. This power-up allows your character to shoot a bubble that can trap enemies and turn them into coins. The player can also bounce on these bubbles in the air, allowing one to create a platform anywhere they want.
A significant difference from the other games is that there is no timer ticking down a time limit; you can explore each level as long as you want! There’s also no score, which has been a staple of the 2D Mario games. The most important thing that makes Wonder stand out from other games is the Wonder Effects. If you grab a Wonder Flower in the course, this triggers an effect that heavily modifies gameplay. Your character could turn into a Goomba, or start floating, or the whole level might start shifting around. Anything can happen in this game’s levels, providing many new experiences.
Multiplayer and More
Like other 2D Mario classics, Wonder wouldn’t be complete without a multiplayer mode. Mario Wonder exceeds expectations with several brand-new forms of multiplayer gameplay. First, there’s local multiplayer, with multiple players playing on one Switch. There are a maximum of four players, like in previous entries. However, a significant difference from earlier games is that the players can’t pick each other up anymore. In the previous New Super titles, you could sabotage your friends by picking up their character and throwing them in a pit, but this is no more.
It doesn’t stop there, though, since Mario’s most recent adventure also features a form of online multiplayer. Although online players don’t have any way of directly interacting, they can place standees that can revive players from ghost form when they fall into a pit or die from an enemy. Online players can even race on certain specific levels. These standees are obtained through shops using flower coins, which the player collects throughout levels in the game.
Additionally, the flower coins are also used to buy certain badges. The player applies a badge before entering one of the levels; they can completely change the gameplay. For example, some badges give your character a higher jump. There’s one that creates extra platforms in the levels. There’s even a badge that turns you invisible! These new additions help enhance the game and give replay value. Mario Wonder sets a precedent for the 2D Mario franchise. Instead of the same old features and game mechanics we’ve seen often, it provides fresh, new experiences.
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