Super Mario Bros. Wonder was revealed as a surprise at the end of the latest Nintendo Direct, and it already looks to be one of the series' more unique entries. In about two and a half minutes of gameplay, it has already shown a few traits that make it stand apart from the rest of the Super Mario Bros. series. The game will not be releasing until October, but the trailer made a strong enough first impression to ensure fans won't forget about it. In fact, it'll be worth seeing how many more new ideas the game will feature.
With Mario being Nintendo's biggest franchise, rumors of new Super Mario games are bound to pop up frequently. After all, the series has not only released a lot of games, but it has extended its reach in several different directions. From the original platformers, to the sports spinoffs, to the RPGs, Super Mario Bros. has proven to be a remarkably versatile IP. Even within the platformer genre, the series has managed to keep things fresh with a long list of settings and gimmicks for its many games. Super Mario Bros. Wonder has shown a few gimmicks of its own, and there's likely more to come.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder's New Features Are Weird, Wild, and Wonderful
The first detail worth noting is that, for the first time, Daisy is playable in Super Mario Bros. after over twenty years of being relegated to side games. She joins the returning cast of Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad for Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Also of note is that in addition to Yoshi's recurring role as a ridable steed, one short scene in the trailer showed four players playing as four different Yoshis, implying a potentially expanded role for him as well. Daisy has been a popular character for a while, so it's good to see her finally get her due in a Super Mario Bros. platformer.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder showed off a few unique new powers that will appear alongside other returning Super Mario power-ups. The most prominent new power is the Wonder Flower, which causes bizarre changes in the world when touched. Its effects include creating stampedes, making Mario grow absurdly long, and bringing pipes to life, with other effects sure to appear as well. The end of the trailer also revealed an apple power-up that turns Mario into an elephant that can punch enemies away. It will be interesting to see how these new power-ups affect Super Mario Bros. Wonder's gameplay and level design.
The gameplay of Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks to be largely classic Super Mario Bros.-styled platforming, but with a few twists. In addition to collecting Super Mario Bros.' classic coins, there are also some unnamed purple fragments for players to collect in the Wonder Flower segments, although their purpose is unclear. Players will also be able to collect Wonder Seeds by completing levels and performing mid-level tasks. Other gameplay features include using Mario's hat as a glider and sliding along rails in autoscrolling segments. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is mixing some new ideas with old-school Mario platforming, and the result should be exciting.
It has been a few years since Mario's last big adventure, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks like it's fully prepared to make up for lost time. Combined with Super Mario RPG's announced remake, the future is looking very bright for Mario and friends. The addition of Daisy, the bizarre effects of the Wonder Flower, and the levels shown off in the reveal are a strong start for the new Super Mario title. Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks to be one of Mario's weirdest adventures, and possibly one of his best.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder will be released on October 20, 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.
