Nintendo's Super Mario Bros Wonder received a nomination for Game Of The Year (GOTY) at The Game Awards 2023 (TGA 2023). However, our favorite Italian plumber fell short of winning, losing out to Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate III. Nevertheless, we wanted to give Super Mario Bros Wonder one last look and list the reasons why it deserved the reward. We know this won't change the results, but here's why we think Super Mario Bros. Wonder should have won.

Why Super Mario Bros. Wonder Should Have Won Game Of The Year – TGA 2023

Super Mario Bros Wonder deserved Game of The Year for its gameplay, local and online co-op,

Nowadays, we don't see too many video games that offer two-player co-op, let alone four. In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, you can play with up to three other friends as one of several Mario characters of your choosing. In fact, Super Mario Bros Wonder allows you to play as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, two variants of Toad, Toadette, four different variants of Yoshi, and Nabbit.

The co-operative play goes beyond the couch, though. Super Mario Bros. Wonder's Online experience feels really innovative and brings players together without actually forcing co-op on them. For example, you can give players extra items you don't need, or vice versa. Additionally, if you die, a random online player might just come your way and save you the trouble of starting over.

Outside of co-op, Super Mario Bros. Wonder itself feels and looks great. Nintendo perfected the controls for 2D sidescrollers long ago, and they obviously didn't need to fix what wasn't broken. Additionally, the new Badges, which offer Mario different abilities, give you even more control over your experience. Personally, I loved Floating High Jump, which let me jump a little higher and control my landing.

Furthermore, the new Wonder Effect, which shakes up and distorts each level differently, makes the experience unique from past releases. At a certain point, these New Super Mario side scrollers felt too similar to each other. While New Super Mario Bros DS felt like a breath of fresh air, by the time we got to New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, the idea felt a bit tired out. However, Super Mario Bros Wonder fixed this problem by implementing new mechanics. Between Badges, Wonder Effects, and an expanded roster, it does enough to break away from repetition.

Additionally, Super Mario Wonder's art style and presentation must not be ignored. Whether you travel through the Wonder-effect filled levels, or just walk around the Petal Isles, you can't help but appreciate how good the game looks. The characters themselves also have great designs, with Mario looking both classic yet modern. Additionally, Kevin Afghani did a great job of providing voices for Mario and Luigi as he carries the torch from Charles Martinet.

Those are some of our reasons why we believe Super Mario Bros Wonder deserved the GOTY award.

Why Super Mario Bros Wonder Should NOT Have The Game Of The Year Award – GOTY Award TGA 2023

However, we do understand Super Mario Bros. Wonder has its flaws. Firstly, the game's length feels short, with only six worlds to explore. That said, players still have the Special World and Petal Isles, which technically amounts to eight. Nevertheless, we felt the campaign experience felt rather short.

Additionally, Super Mario Bros. Wonder doesn't really have the best boss roster. Instead of fighting unique enemies like Petey Piranha, Mega Goomba, or Monty Tank, we just fight Bowser Jr. several times. The final boss fight itself certainly felt fun, but the game could've used more variety throughout. Also, no playable Wario or Waluigi seems like such a shame considering how many other characters made the cut.

Lastly, the Wonder Effect does make campaign levels fun. However, at a certain point it feels more like a gimmick, as certain Wonder Effects are seen multiple times throughout the game. While still a fun feature, it didn't necessarily break the mold in terms of gameplay. As a 2D side-scroller in 2023, it's definitely challenging for Mario to re-invent the wheel so many times. Nintendo tried, and it worked for the most part.

And for these reasons, we understand why Super Mario Wonder didn't deserve the GOTY award at The Game Awards in 2023.

Overall, Baldur's Gate III came home with the award, making any of our arguments pointless. BG3 received critical acclaim from its Early Access days to its launch, making it no surprise to take home the award. Nevertheless, we obviously congratulate Larian Studios and all developers nominated throughout the entire show. Regardless of who wins, we're just excited to see our favorite games accomplish amazing feats. We look forward to seeing what exciting games await us in 2024.

Super Mario Bros Wonder released on October 20th exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. The other TGA 2023 GOTY nominees included Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom. Check out the full list of winners at the Game Awards 2023

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