Super Mario Bros. Wonder Review: It’s-a Masterpiece

gamepur.com:

Nintendo has done the impossible with Super Mario Bros. Wonder, staying faithful to a tried and true formula while making the most iconic 2D platformer feel like a new and exciting experience.

Super Mario recently went through a spell of feeling pretty stagnant – bland, maybe – as it seemed Nintendo was pulling the reigns on the developer’s creativity. For the past few years, players have debated the ominous “Mario Mandate,” citing several of Mario’s most recent titles, from Paper Mario to New Super Mario Bros., as “proof” that Nintendo was against innovation and creativity.

But then 2023 happened, and Mario couldn’t possibly be any less milquetoast. Sure, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was brilliant and worked to pave the way for high-quality animated video game movies in the future, but then June came along, and the Mario floodgates opened.

Since the Super Mario Bros. Wonder reveal on June 21, I have been dying to turn into an elephant. And now that it’s here, I can’t get enough.

Same 2D Platformer, but A Brand New Mario

Playing Mario Wonder is what I imagine it would feel like to return home after a long business trip. It’s familiar and cozy, and you fall right back into place as if you’ve played this game your entire life. Because for all intents and purposes, if you grew up on Super Mario, you have played Wonder.

At its core, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is just a continuation of the New Super Mario Bros. franchise. You have the same base moveset, enemies have the actions, and levels contain familiar elements. But all that is simply the foundation that Wonder builds upon, and boy, does it build.

From the get-go, Super Mario Wonder rocks players with its creativity. Level 1, you’re an elephant. Level 2, you are surrounded