Super Mario Bros. Wonder is stuffed with decades of ideas that change the direction of Nintendo’s iconic plumber. Whether you’ve loved the series since 1985 or just saw the movie, this Switch game is a must play. Read our full review.
The second level of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a musical. Or, to be precise, it can be a musical. Whether or not a flock of Piranha Plants break into song depends on which words of the title “Super Mario Bros. Wonder” you prefer.
If you’re here for the “Super Mario Bros.” of it all, this level (and every level) can be enjoyed as a loyal continuation of the plumber’s work in the 2D platformer genre that has maintained a healthy and consistent cadence since the series debuted in 1985. Dash from left to right, jump over pits, concuss enemies, collect the occasional power-up, and after a few minutes of adventuring ever eastward, leap onto the flagpole that ends one level and unlocks the next.
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But, if you’re curious about the “Wonder” — if you’re not too precious about video game tradition — you can find within each Wonder stage a Wonder Seed, a Mario-sized ball of botany that morphs the environment into something indeed quite wonderful. Like a musical number sung by Piranha Plants.
To choose wonder is to flood the atmosphere with lava-lamp plasma, send gravity into convulsions, or transform your hero into any variety of creatures — or even inanimate objects. As my stoned college roommate once postulated while ripping an apple bong: “You always see the scenery, but have you ever wanted to be the scenery?” Reader, he dreamt so we could live. For a moment, Mario gets to be the background, literally transforming into a personified rectangle platform.
The brilliance of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is that the choice is one of “and,” not of “or.” The traditional and the topsy-turvy coexist. Across six worlds, the creators of Wonder offer a menu of familiar stages that, should you like, can be prepared with extra spice — or paired with the family-friendly equivalent of ayahuasca. That particular drug comparison isn’t flippant: At one point Toad licks the ol’ Wonder Seed and suddenly he’s riding a dragon.
Wonder Seeds can add a splash of difficulty, but help is perpetually available in a fashion that’s considerate rather than patronizing. Gone are time limits. Extra lives can be purchased at a low cost with the game’s abundant purple currency. A new badge system allows players to select from a growing collection of special abilities that range from helpful (a high, floating leap) to playful (a Piranha Plant grappling hook) to silly (a triple jump tied to a musical rhythm).
Prince charming
Badges are worn by a little royal bug named Prince Florian who joins you on your journey and provides the majority of conversation on this road trip, alongside very talkative flowers sprouting across every corner of the Flower Kingdom, eager to provide a tip for a metatextual wink.
Each unlockable upgrade or special move is assigned to a badge that can be found or purchased.
