Str8JaktJimNintendo released more information about the next Mario game overnight in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct. It’s been 11 years since the last 2D Mario game (New Super Mario Bros U for the Wii U if you don’t count the Mario Maker series). Let’s see what the big N has in store for us.
What is happening here?
Mario and the gang have been invited to the Flower Kingdom, just beyond the Mushroom Kingdom. Then that dastardly Bowser shows up and steals the Wonder Flower. With this new power Bowser merges with the Flower Kingdom’s castle and Mario’s adventure begins.
This new land has 7 different zones to traverse. These feature a variety of different landscapes such as desert, ice, sky, and underwater themes. While they may sound familiar to Mario fans but the way that Super Mario Bros. Wonder shows them off is something that hasn’t been seen before.
Just as the environments are different, so too are the enemies. There’s the staples players expect from Mario games, like Goombas, Koopas and Laikitus, but there are plenty of new obstacles as well. Maw-Maws eat everything, like the fish enemy Boss Bass from Super Mario Bros 3, except Maw-Maws are on land, while Hoppycats jump whenever Mario does. There are many more new and interesting enemies.
Who can I play as?
The Super Mario Bros Wonder Direct showed off a gamut of playable characters. Alongside Mario players can choose Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yellow and Blue Toad, or Toadette. They all play the same but allows for some freedom of expression through character selection. A number of different coloured Yoshis are also available, plus Nabbit. Nabbit and the Yoshis don’t take damage, giving less skilled players a chance to progress through levels. They can still die from falling down pits and won’t transform with powerups.
Speaking of powerups, there’s a new assortment ready to help players through levels. The elephant powerup gives Mario the ability to hit enemies with his trunk, destroy blocks and dash across 2 tile gaps. Mario now has a bubble powerup. This can be used to kill enemies not normally killable, such as Dry Bones. Bubbles can also be used as platforms to get to out of reach areas.
The biggest new powerup is the Wonder Flower. When Mario finds a Wonder Flower it triggers a Wonder Effect. Pipes can move, enemies stampede, or even the level tilting. There are lots of different effects which will make searching them all out a lot of fun.
The Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct showed off gameplay modifiers called Badges. These make changes to the way Mario players but allowing him to float, give an improved wall jump or draw coins towards him. My favourite Badge was the Grappling Vine, which is sure to take platforming to an entirely new level. Only one badge can be active at a time.
What else is in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct?
Up to four players can journey together with local co-op. If a player is defeated in this mode, the become a ghost. If they reach another player in time, they can be revived. If someone is playing as a Yoshi, they can be ridden.
The Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct also announced online play. When playing online, the faint outlines of other players called shadows can be seen on the world map and in levels. Like in local co-op, if you die you become a ghost and can be revived by touching another player’s shadow. Players can share items to help each other out. Helping others raises player’s Heart Points. The more Heart Points a player has the more they’ve helped others. There is also the option to host a room and compete against friends in race and challenge levels.
To round out the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct, Nintendo announced a Mario Red Edition of the OLED Switch, available on the 6th October 2023. Super Mario Bros. Wonder launches on 20th October 2023.
Chris Inglis
Str8JaktJim