I’ve been playing a ton of Super Mario Bros. Wonder for the past two weeks (plus I did a hands-on as part of our current cover story) and the review embargo has officially lifted. However, due to restrictive embargo guidelines that don’t allow us to discuss large parts of the game, we’ve chosen to hold our final review until the game is available for purchase. With that said, I wanted to share some brief thoughts on the limits of restriction.
I really enjoyed my time with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The game is aptly named for a title that creates an intense sense of wonder around every corner. Each stage introduces new tricks with proper and well-designed on-ramps, then expands on them in fun and unique ways. I never really knew what I was getting into every time I went to a new course, and I was almost universally delighted when I started making my way.
The Wonder Effects are the stars of the show, bringing pleasant surprises every time you experience them. Whether it’s a change of course, your character, or a combination of both, it’s always a fun and exciting opportunity whenever I find a Wonderflower. In my conversation with him, director Shiro Mori told me that one of his main goals with Super Mario Bros. Wonder was to fill the game with secrets and mystery, and he’s pretty much succeeded in that endeavor. I never knew what I would encounter next, and while it was, in part, thanks to the new enemy types, power-ups, and stage conventions, Wonder Effects kept me entertained more than any other component of Super Mario Bros. Kept on your toes. Wonder Package.
Even outside of this novel addition, Super Mario Bros. Wonder plays very well. Not that Nintendo has ever given us reason to doubt their ability to produce a well-crafted platformer, but Wonder maintains the series’ sterling reputation. Since most of the characters play the same way, I’m sure many people will find a character they like to play thanks to their distinct expressions and animations. And whether you’re talking about the new sound effects that accompany each action, the tracks that pay homage to the series’ past, or the brilliant all-new compositions, I never had to turn down the volume during my playthroughs. Didn’t consider doing it. Tight controls, fantastic sound design, and an expressive art style combine to create an experience that appeals to all the senses that video games can reach.
While most of my time with Wonder was spent in single player, I also had a good time with multiplayer. Local options let you run through stages with a friend (or three) on the couch via traditional co-op, while online offerings include the ability to set up course races with friends. I’m disappointed that you can’t do traditional co-op online (especially since other recent games in the series have accomplished this), but I enjoyed the course races I took part in.
You can also activate a passive, permanent online mode, which populates your course with ghosts, including players who are currently playing the level or have recently passed through it. When it’s activated, if you lose a life, you can respawn by swimming to a nearby player or stand that they left behind. This helped me on a couple of occasions, but turning it on also spoiled some of the secrets, as you can see other players’ ghosts and stands, which were invisible to me. It didn’t ruin the experience, but I eventually turned it off to preserve some of the mystery.
Keep your eyes peeled Sports Informer Our full review of Super Mario Bros. Wonder in the coming days, as well as this week’s All things Nintendo And The Game Informer Show Podcast In the meantime, you can check out our exclusive coverage hub here. Super Mario Bros. Wonder comes to Switch on October 20.