StarTopic Super Mario Bros. Wonder |ST| It’s a Wonderful Extra Life

[DaToonie]

So happy to have Mario back to full glory. It’s been so long since it felt like 2d Mario was the complete package. It really can’t be overstated just how bland it’s been. And for so long! I know it’s been said a million times, but damn.

There’s a lot of little and big things here that make a difference, but if I had to point to one thing that really sold me on the game it’s the new enemies. Every world has new enemies and almost every level has them too. There’s also some one off enemies that are essentially just for flavor like the owls. That’s just not the kind of thing you see anymore and it made me so happy.

YES, this is something I'm still thinking about after completing the game that has stuck with me. I somewhat recently replayed Yoshi's Island, and there's just

This Dude that showed up in ONE level, I promptly killed, and NEVER saw again. I didn't even remember the enemy whatsoever and was losing it when it scuttled on-screen.

It's not at all something I need to see in more games or anything (single use assets doesn't seem healthy to expect as a commonplace thing), but I find it so endearing, and in the case of that Yoshi's Island enemy, funny as hell.

 

[Stilt Village]

Just realized this game doesn’t have warp zones. I get why but it stands out when almost every course-based Mario game has them. It does kind of go with the game feeling like Mario Land 2 though, especially the whole “collect the macguffins to access the castle” thing.

Spoiler

Eh, we haven't had true warp zones that let you skip around the whole game since like World. The shortcuts to a specific later world in specific spots got to be pretty silly by 3D World where skipping through the game was impossible anyway due to the green star requirements.

Aside from maybe Bowser's Fury, Wonder is actually the most open a Mario game has been since 64. You can play the whole back half in pretty much any order you please, and very little of each world is on the critical path.

Anyway, I've come to brag that I just one-shotted the invisible Mario section of the final secret level on my first attempt. Feels like I just blew up the Death Star by turning off my targeting computer and using the Force.

 

[DittoM]

I want to ask a question but I forget how to spoiler tag on here.

Anyways, I just finished the game myself and absolutely loved it. I’m not even a big 2D Mario fan but there were so many moments in this game that had me smiling from ear to ear.

 

[Kartina]

And 100%ed the game, amazing final levels like always, I hope that whoever decided that every mario platformer (and even splatoon) should have a super hard secret level got a big promotion because that’s an amazing trope and more games should use it (where’s my secret super hard final shrine in botw and totk?).
And now for some spoiler talk

Spoiler: 100% completion spoiler

I’m in tears after using the final badge, I don’t remember the last time I laughed so hard for a videogame. I’m speechles, this shit is special and easily the best 100% completion reward I’ve ever seen.

 

[Raccoon]

I want to ask a question but I forget how to spoiler tag on here.

Anyways, I just finished the game myself and absolutely loved it. I’m not even a big 2D Mario fan but there were so many moments in this game that had me smiling from ear to ear.

[SPOILER](spoilers go here)[/SPOILER]

 

[Magic-Man]

This maybe a spoiler but when do you get the drill power up? There are a lot of stages I’ve beaten where I know I need it but I don’t have it yet. For reference I’m on world 2 Pokipede Pass stage. Help would be appreciated. Thanks family.

After World 3! It's actually one of the demo stages.

 

[DittoM]

Spoiler

For the final badge, does anyone know if you need to 100% the game or just beat the final level of Special World?

 

[Thunder84]

I’m gonna have to play Tropical Freeze again after this to compare, feeling very confident that it and Wonder are my top two 2D Nintendo platformers now, by a significant margin. My goodness, this game is incredible.

 

[BlackthornOrion]

Spoiler

For the final badge, does anyone know if you need to 100% the game or just beat the final level of Special World?

Pretty sure that to get to the actual final level of Special World, you kinda have to 100% the game first anyway (except for getting all the standees)

 

[stingylettuce]

Just beat the game today

Spoiler

What an amazing game. Sure there were some levels here and there that I wasn’t so hot about, but man it sure was a blast playing through it. My favorite levels have got to the be the lava ones for the music alone, and Muncher Fields as well - that one evoked so much Mario 3 for me, I adored it.

 

[SeaBusCBus]

is there anything that indicates there is a secret exit on a world?

 

[darthdiablo]

is there anything that indicates there is a secret exit on a world?

Yes if you see no green mark on the level after you thought you got everything (purple coins, flagpole, wonder seeds)

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Really love the overworld exploration for World 4. And the drill powerup is really fun to use. Good stuff!

 

[curl-6]

I actually quite like how the levels are relatively brisk and bite sized.

Where a game like TOTK is a three course banquet, Mario Wonder feels like being at a party with a snack table where you grab a cookie here, a strawberry there, enjoying each one then moving on to the next.

 

[ExoticSpice]

I’m gonna have to play Tropical Freeze again after this to compare, feeling very confident that it and Wonder are my top two 2D Nintendo platformers now, by a significant margin. My goodness, this game is incredible.

I was happy about the game when I played the second level and I just love the hippo levels. lol

 

[slide's]

I’m only halfway through it but world 5 rocks so hard—love the backgrounds & colors, love the blacklit fluorescent swamp vibes, love all the new enemies, every wonder effect is a banger

 

[Phendrift]

I’m only halfway through it but world 5 rocks so hard—love the backgrounds & colors, love the blacklit fluorescent swamp vibes, love all the new enemies, every wonder effect is a banger

Yeah it manages to simultaneously be the poison forest, spooky and ruins world trope all at once and feels totally unique combining those.

And agreed, every wonder flower in that world was awesome.

 

[Cheetah6442]

I’m only halfway through it but world 5 rocks so hard—love the backgrounds & colors, love the blacklit fluorescent swamp vibes, love all the new enemies, every wonder effect is a banger

Yeah it manages to simultaneously be the poison forest, spooky and ruins world trope all at once and feels totally unique combining those.

And agreed, every wonder flower in that world was awesome.

I also love how the poison isn't your typical type either(which you also have in this game). In World 5, it has a more ominous, dangerous feeling/look to it. It actually made me wonder as to what is going on in the environment to make it look like this.

 

[Notsowise]

Yes if you see no green mark on the level after you thought you got everything (purple coins, flagpole, wonder seeds)

Where do I look for this green mark?

 

[BlackthornOrion]

Where do I look for this green mark?

On the level select menu that pops up when you hit (I think) L when you're on the overworld map. There'll be a a checkmark sorta "behind" the wonder seed/purple coins/ flagpole icons if you've 100%'d a level.

 

[Djehuty]

This is a great and creative game.

With really weird flaws that makes me question the whole “no deadline thing”

This game absolutely needed another year of dev, cause going from world 2 to 3 was certainly whiplash.

I also have some issues with the postgame

Spoiler

the special world is nice if surprisingly easy, however it really needed something beyond it, like in the case of Mario world they had this special world that was connected to all the worlds and then they had a real bonus world, it just feels really short especially after 3d world

On the bright side at least the boss has gone from 3 hits to 4 hits.

 

[Phendrift]

This is a great and creative game.

With really weird flaws that makes me question the whole “no deadline thing”

This game absolutely needed another year of dev, cause going from world 2 to 3 was certainly whiplash.

I also have some issues with the postgame

Spoiler

the special world is nice if surprisingly easy, however it really needed something beyond it, like in the case of Mario world they had this special world that was connected to all the worlds and then they had a real bonus world, it just feels really short especially after 3d world

On the bright side at least the boss has gone from 3 hits to 4 hits.

Spoiler

the single special world that you can even access before the post game is definitely less coming off of 3D World and Odyssey’s absolutely massive post games that just kept going and going

 

[Raccoon]

With really weird flaws that makes me question the whole “no deadline thing”

the quote, as I understand it, was that there was no planned deadline in the pre-production stage, so they were able to commit to the Wonder Effect theme without concern. once the game entered full production there was a schedule

 

[Djehuty]

Spoiler

the single special world that you can even access before the post game is definitely less coming off of 3D World and Odyssey’s absolutely massive post games that just kept going and going

Spoiler

yeah, I liked the idea in world since there was still a postgame after that but in this game you can finish the postgame before you beat the game which is a bit lame

 

[skullwaker]

Not gonna lie yall, this might be my favorite looking 2D platformer of all time. It’s so incredibly detailed and polished and the art style is so CLEAN. It’s definitely up there with Yoshi’s Woolly World and Kirby’s Epic Yarn for me. I’m sure I’m forgetting some others so I’d love to hear what others think are the best looking.

 

[Pillydillsy]

If this game and odyssey represent the future of mainline Mario, consider this the golden age of Mario

 

[Bulletbill10]

I really like the "crown gets the camera" system. For more competitive sections, it really makes you feel like you're getting a prize. For skills that are less equal, it mostly makes the skilled player in control to keep things moving, but sometimes the less skilled player gets it, and then they can actually play at their own pace for a while.

I really just like that it's less of a free for all than it was in NSMB. This games a bit less of a "party game" vibe without the backstabbing, but the focus on the platforming is much better when you're trying to get through the game.

 

[ziggyrivers]

For more competitive sections, it really makes you feel like you're getting a prize.

Although you present a valid point, I see it as an annoyance. My boyfriend and I play to have fun and teamwork when necessary. It’s annoying because or how we play ahhaha

 

[Djehuty]

Not gonna lie yall, this might be my favorite looking 2D platformer of all time. It’s so incredibly detailed and polished and the art style is so CLEAN. It’s definitely up there with Yoshi’s Woolly World and Kirby’s Epic Yarn for me. I’m sure I’m forgetting some others so I’d love to hear what others think are the best looking.

For my money sonic mania is still the best looking 2d platformer

 

[KilgoreWolfe]

So I managed to beat The Final Final Test.

And I missed the top of the flagpole.

 

[OctoSplattack]

Took me more lives than I'd like to admit, but beat the Final-Final Test and got the top of the flagpole on the first try. I gotta say, the reward for beating it is really cute. I love the acapella sound effects! Of course, it is at this point I realize that I'm missing... a bunch of badges? Huh. Guess I need to search the shops for the rest of them...?

EDIT: I indeed needed to buy the rest from the shop. All six medals have been achieved!

 

[Shakaan]

I just finished the game, it was fantastic. I'm gonna miss playing this game, it just puts a smile on my face.

It's up there with SMB 3.

Spoiler

I missed the top of the flagpole in the last level, but since you're invisible in the last room i'm not redoing it, that's just cheap.

Not gonna lie yall, this might be my favorite looking 2D platformer of all time. It’s so incredibly detailed and polished and the art style is so CLEAN. It’s definitely up there with Yoshi’s Woolly World and Kirby’s Epic Yarn for me. I’m sure I’m forgetting some others so I’d love to hear what others think are the best looking.

Yoshi's Island and this one are the best looking ones imo.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Not gonna lie yall, this might be my favorite looking 2D platformer of all time. It’s so incredibly detailed and polished and the art style is so CLEAN. It’s definitely up there with Yoshi’s Woolly World and Kirby’s Epic Yarn for me. I’m sure I’m forgetting some others so I’d love to hear what others think are the best looking.

All I can say is it looks very good for a 2d Mario game, but still quite a bit behind other larger scale 2d games like Tropical Freeze, Rayman Legends, and Ori. Still, I do like the trippier vibe they're going for here.

At least those are my opinions halfway through world 4, so still more to see!

 

[Pillydillsy]

All I can say is it looks very good for a 2d Mario game, but still quite a bit behind other larger scale 2d games like Tropical Freeze, Rayman Legends, and Ori. Still, I do like the trippier vibe they're going for here.

At least those are my opinions halfway through world 4, so still more to see!

I dunno, as much as I love those games art styles, wonder is just SO beautiful. Like the first time me and my friends saw it we thought it was claymation

 

[Mekanos]

Going through for 100% now and dang I missed a lot of levels lol. Love the Cosmic Hoppo level in world 1. On world 2 now. I wasn’t gonna bother initially getting all the purple coins and golden flagpoles but the levels are fun enough that I’m gonna do it too.

 

[Twilight]

Got the game today, 100% the first world, good game.

Some are surprised by the animations, or the wonder effects, I'm surprised that there are multiple text boxes with dialogue in a main 2D Mario that isn't just an end of the castle or ending thing.

Visually the jump in animations and the model quality from the New games is pretty large, basically what they should have been aiming for since the Wii, but is nice that they are finally catching up to a lot of other great platformers in that regard, the background details remind me a lot of Kirby, and so does a lot of the enemy design, which is a positive. Feel they could have gone further and changed the style of the floor tiles, pipes, etc. but still, looks really good overall.

Music is a very mixed bag, the new overworld theme is mostly great besides the guitar synth, and I really liked the enemy guantlet theme, the rest either I don't care much for the melody, and with others I wonder if it's the instrumentation that makes me not like it much, there hasn't been much effort to update the synths they use for the music besides the vocals that now sound like a proper acapella, I can totally hear the enemy guantlet track being done with live instruments in that big band style like 3D World if it was in that game, 2D Mario is still behind pretty much every spin off and the 3D titles when it comes to the production values of the soundtrack, and even if they don't end up using live instruments, the synths are still behind something like Kirby. That is what sticks out the most as a negative for me so far.

Levels so far are pretty good for the most part, most of them are on the shorter side, but mechanics and effects seem to be reused often so how well they end up pushing them is something I'll reserve my judgement on. The badge challenges also remind me of Kirby, like the ability rooms from Return to Dreamland. I like the badge system, tho I would like to see some of them become a part of his permanent moveset in a future title.

Title screen is boring af, no sense of wonder there.

 

[OctoSplattack]

There is something super satisfying about beating The Final-Final Test online. Just did it with a Luigi, and we were ride-or-die. If one of us couldn't get revived in time, the other would die with them so we could start from the checkpoint together. We were a team. We were getting to the flagpole together, no matter what. It was a beautiful ten minutes of platforming with a random guy/gal/enby. I just wish Yoshi and Mario could have made it to the end with us.

 

[Deleted member 645]

My top three 2d platformers from the last decade were Shovel Knight, Rayman Legends, and DKC Tropical Freeze. IMO the only one I might still like more than Mario Wonder is Tropical Freeze, and even then it's pretty close.

Tropical freeze is another level of platforming to me. Best 2d platformer I’ve played in recent years.

 

[zumaddy]

Took a little break and came back to start World 4, was a little bit bummed out upon first impression since I don't like dull, desert levels. Then I walked into the actual map and went "nevermind this looks great"! Love how many 2D Mario conventions this killed off.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

Tropical freeze is another level of platforming to me. Best 2d platformer I’ve played in recent years.

I'm loving Wonder, but so far the only thing I think it does better than TF is the world map. Maybe enemy design too, but it's pretty close there.

 

[totofogo]

Whew the backgrounds in world four are also gorgeous

 

[jazzyartist]

And roll credits. Time now to 100%.

Never stop having this much fun with these characters, Nintendo. Truly hope “weird Mario” is here to stay moving forward.

Never forgetting this one.

 

[Hocot8]

My poor thumb after that last level.

Took a little break and came back to start World 4, was a little bit bummed out upon first impression since I don't like dull, desert levels. Then I walked into the actual map and went "nevermind this looks great"! Love how many 2D Mario conventions this killed off.

That's exactly how I feel about desert worlds too. And World 4 was probably the best world in the game for me.

 

[OctoSplattack]

Wait, HD Rumble can be used to make sounds? You can hear the musical blocks through the controller. The Switch has been a thing for almost seven years. How did I not know this?

 

[hk-rara]

Brooo this last legit level is insane! When through my 99 lives and based on peoples comments, I def was not in the last room yet. First gameover in the playthrough. At least it is now when I have 100% everything else. Trying to do it offline in a weird sense to prove myself, but maybe next time I play, I might turn it back on

 

[Mekanos]

Took a little break and came back to start World 4, was a little bit bummed out upon first impression since I don't like dull, desert levels. Then I walked into the actual map and went "nevermind this looks great"! Love how many 2D Mario conventions this killed off.

World 4 reminded me of SMB2 in more than a few ways, but especially with how puzzle oriented it is. Might be my favorite world in the game.

 

[PixelKnight]

Finished up special world, got all the wonder seeds and defeated Bowser. What a fun game! The boss fights felt a bit weak and few in number, and as for the final one,

Spoiler

videogame boss = giant boss and respawning hands feels a bit unimaginative compared to the rest of the game even if the rhythm element was cool.

Not sure I can be bothered to go back through and hit the top of every flagpole just to do one more mega-frustrating level, the end sequence was a great sign-off for me. But I really enjoyed this, my favourite Mario platformer since SMW.

 

[ermitron2]

Did I finish the final-final test or did the final-final test finished me....

that last part was just mean lol

 

[Romancedawn]

Ay for real, when did the Pro Controllers ever have speakers on them? It’s late so I’m playing with the music pretty low while everyone sleeps. As I run across the music note platforms I can hear it like surround sound. For a minute I was wondering how the sound was traveling out of my tv like that. All these years and I never knew the pro controllers could produce sound!

 

[Mekanos]

Ay for real, when did the Pro Controllers ever have speakers on them? It’s late so I’m playing with the music pretty low while everyone sleeps. As I run across the music note platforms I can hear it like surround sound. For a minute I was wondering how the sound was traveling out of my tv like that. All these years and I never knew the pro controllers could produce sound!

It's technically the controller vibrating to generate sound. But yeah, it's pretty neat.