Super Mario fans are in for a big treat this year. Not only are they getting a remake for Super Mario RPG, but a brand new Super Mario Bros. game as well. Super Mario Bros. Wonder marks a new side-scrolling adventure that follows the classic Super Mario gameplay.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Release Date – October 20th, 2023

Super Mario Bros. Wonder will release on Friday, October 20th exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. The game costs $59.99 (USD) plus tax and is currently available for pre-order.

The game takes inspiration from the original Super Mario Bros. for the NES, as well as New Super Mario Bros. games for the Nintendo DS, Wii, and Wii U. The last game in the series was New Super Mario Bros. U for the Wii U back in 2012. However, the game received a re-release for the Switch in 2019. So, what does Wonder do different from previous titles? Let's find out.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Gameplay

Super Mario Bros. Wonder's gameplay encapsulates everything we love about Mario side-scrolling platformers. Players get placed on an open-world board with a somewhat straightforward direction, each with their own set of environments, levels, shops, and secrets. Our heroes must travel throughout the map, collecting coins, power ups, and wonder seeds, all in an effort to progress through the campaign.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a 2.5D side-scrolling platformer that lets you play as eight different characters from the series. Not only do you have a choice of playing as the titular character and his brother, Luigi, but you also get Princesses Peach and Daisy, Toad & Toadette, and Yoshi and Nabbit.

Most characters play identically to each other, except for Yoshi and Nabbit. The two characters actually can't lose lives unless they directly touch lava, or fall off the map. While neither character is able to pick up any power ups, like the brand new elephant ability, they're both impervious to enemy damage. So if you want a very easy-going experience, playing as these characters might be up your alley.

Additionally, Yoshi also has the ability to let fellow players ride on his back. So if you need to get to those hard-to-reach areas, you might consider teaming up with a friend to jump off each other.

In terms of actual gameplay, Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks very similar to its predecessors but with some notable differences. For one, we got some brand new power-ups to shake things up:

  • Elephant Fruit – Turns the player into a humanoid elephant. You can use your trunk to defeat enemies, deflect their attacks, and store up water to potentially reveal some secret areas.
  • Bubble Power-up – Gives the player the ability to shoot up to two bubbles at once. These bubbles help drift enemies away, which is especially helpful against indestructible foes. Additionally, the player is able to hop on the bubbles, giving you another way to get to those out-of-the-way spots.
  • Drill Power-Up – Gives the player a fighting chance against spiky foes who otherwise can't be destroyed normally. Additionally, this ability lets you ground pound with your drill and reach secret areas and rewards.

But there's something much bigger in Mario Bros. Wonder that should surely switch up the experience. Badges are a brand new way for the player to boost their abilities without needing to switch to certain power ups or characters. These badges give players an extra ability to help them navigate the worlds around them. Some of the new badges include:

  • Dolphin Kick – Gives you a speed boost while swimming underwater while letting you destroy underwater blocks
  • Safety Bounce – Allows you to bounce off dangerous surfaces such as lava once, giving you an extra chance to survive
  • Coin Magnet – pulls all coins near you instead of having to physically touch them.

Overall, badges bring a whole new level of gameplay to the Mario Bros. series. Now players can use these abilities as they navigate through the seven different worlds of the map.

Lastly, we need to mention the Wonder Seeds, but before we do so, we need to mention the Wonder effect. Some levels in Mario Bros. Wonder include Wonder Flowers. After touching them, all sorts of crazy things could occur. Some of the effects include:

  • Character transformations – Mario and Co., will get stretched out or transformed into different objects which they will need to navigate with until touching a Wonder Seed
  • New Hazards – Whether it's a herd of Belrushes or Hoppos rolling around, you may need to dodge or be careful of oncoming obstacles
  • Chase – Some Wonder Effects include being chased. An example shown in some of the trailers shows King Boo chasing our beloved heroes.

Overall, collecting wonder seeds ends this effect, turning everything back to normal. Each level includes at least two wonder seeds, and you always get one for completing a level. Collecting Wonder Seeds also opens up new levels, so be sure to collect them all.

And that's everything we know about Super Mario Wonder's gameplay. Now let's move onto the story.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Story

Instead of searching for our favorite princess in eight or so different castles, Super Mario Bros. Wonder takes a different approach. Since Peach is now a playable character, she obviously doesn't need to be saved this time around.

Our heroes receive an invitation from Prince Florian of the Flower Kingdom, but their trip is spoiled by Bowser. The King Of The Koopas merges with Prince Florian's castle after touching the mysterious Wonder Flower, turning the classic antagonist into a giant flying castle.

Once again, Mario and co. must travel the lands of the Flower Kingdom to stop Bowser and restore peace. As you adventure through multiple worlds, you collect more wonder seeds which let you progress through the map.

While we're not saving Princesses for the time being, Super Mario Bros. Wonder brings a familiar experience either by yourself or with friends.

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