September 28th 2023.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a game that's been easy to forget about up until now, but after getting the chance to play several levels of it, we're already convinced this is going to be a fantastic game that lives up to the legacy of the 2D Super Mario series. The visuals, while a bit too clinical for our liking, are still great and the game is packed with clever and unique features.
The levels are designed like traditional Super Mario stages, with a goal at the far right and a checkpoint flag in the middle, but to beat the levels you need to collect Wonder Seeds and Wonder Flowers. When you collect a Wonder Flower, Mario undergoes some sort of acid trip and from then on anything can happen. In one level, the pipes start shooting up and down and crawling off on their own, giving you access to previously unreachable heights. In another, it starts raining invincibility stars that allow you to sweep through hordes of enemies.
The game features a variety of different power-ups, from a parachute cap and wall climbing ability to an elephant power-up that can suck up water and spray it at enemies. There are also some really cool moving between the foreground and background elements, and more puzzle-like elements than usual. Plus, there are tons of hidden secrets to find, like special purple coins that can be used in an in-game shop.
The sheer level of imagination and detail that's gone into the game is incredible, and it's utterly charming as well. The facial animation on the monsters and other characters is wonderful, especially when anticipating their imminent doom. We can't wait for the game's release and to discuss all the amazing levels and features it has to offer.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder - you'll wonder how Nintendo does it. It's been an easy game to forget about up until now, but Nintendo's marketing blitz is about to begin. Thankfully, the game has all the makings of a classic platformer with an array of innovative features that will make it a strong competitor for Game of the Year.
As part of the soon-to-be-released Nintendo Direct, GameCentral got the chance to play several levels in both single-player and multiplayer. The visuals are a bit too clinical for our liking, but the game lives up to the legacy of the 2D Super Mario series.
The levels are designed like traditional Super Mario stages, with a goal at the far right and a checkpoint flag in the middle. But completing the level isn't the only goal; you're also in pursuit of Wonder Seeds and Wonder Flowers. These can be earned in side levels and tutorials, and offer perks like a parachute cap, wall climbing, and a safety bounce.
When you collect a Wonder Flower, things really start to get fun. Mario seems to undergo an acid trip and the level changes in ways you'd never expect. For example, in the level Welcome to the Flower Kingdom, pipes start shooting up and down and then crawling off on their own. In Scram, Skedaddlers!, it starts raining invincibility stars. In Bulrush Coming Through!, the Wonder Flower spawns a huge stampede of buffalo-like creatures.
Other levels have their own unique elements, like the Maw-Maw Mouthful level which is infested with weird new monsters that can eat coins, goombas, and even you. You can use the Wonder Flower to turn into a goomba and hide from the monsters. Jewel-Block Cave introduces a power-up that gives you a drill on your head. Bloomps of the Desert Skies has weird balloon-like creatures you can use as trampolines, and the elephant power-up allows you to shoot water and stun enemies.
The game is filled with clever ideas, visual clues, and subtle puzzles that make it truly unique. The Wonder Flowers alone manage to keep the promise of a new idea every level. The amount of imagination and detail that's gone into the dozen or so levels we saw is incredible. The facial animation on the monsters and other characters is wonderful, and the game is utterly charming. Super Mario Bros. Wonder has something for everyone and may well prove to be the equal of Baldur's Gate 3 and Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom.
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