Super Mario Bros. Wonder: 5 Takeaways From Mario’s Next Adventure
31.08.2023 - 18:13
/ variety.com
Variety spent some time playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Here are five takeaways from our gameplay session.
Goodbye, Mushroom Kingdom, and hello, Flower Kingdom! Mario leaves his home turf behind and enters a brand new land in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Ruled by the petite Prince Florian, the Flower Kingdom is populated by all new inhabitants.
The typical, mushroom-headed Toads get a floral makeover, and talking flowers cheer you on as you complete levels and defeat new types of enemies. In addition to the normal Koopas, Piranha Plants and Goombas, there are chomping Maw Maws, bouncy Bloomps and the adorably angry Goombrats. One thing stays the same, though: Bowser is here to cause trouble.
As he enters the Flower Kingdom, a Wonder Seed merges the Koopa King with his airship, creating a monstrous Super-Bowser that Mario must vanquish. Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduces some fun new power-ups, including the previously shown Elephant Mario, which allows the red-capped adventurer to transform into a mustachioed elephant, grow a giant trunk and store water in it (Mario can then spout water to stun nearby enemies).
Another power-up turns Mario into a drilling machine, allowing him to break items and scurry underneath obstacles. It resembles the Spin Drill item in Super Mario Galaxy 2. Another power-up lets you blow bubbles to use as temporary platforms and reach new heights.
Of course, Wonder also features the classic Mario power-ups, including the Super Mushroom, Fire Flower and Super Star. The trademark of this game, what sets it apart from all other Mario adventures, is the Wonder Flower. An item typically found toward the middle of each level, the Wonder Flower spices up platforming in unexpected ways.