Super Mario Bros. Wonder will see the plucky plumber return to his side-scrolling roots when the game hits Nintendo Switch next month.
This time, Mario is accompanied by a gaggle of friends, including familiar faces like Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Yoshi.
Throw in some stubborn new enemies and a raft of quirky power-ups, and you’ve got all the makings of a budding Nintendo classic.
When is Super Mario Bros. Wonder coming out?
Super Mario Bros. Wonder will be released on October 20 for Nintendo Switch.
What we know about Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first side-scrolling Mario game since 2012’s New Super Mario Bros. U.
Playable characters
The game features a total of 12 playable characters including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, two variations of Toad, Toadette, four types of Yoshi, and the mysterious masked rabbit called Nabbit.
Setting
Mario’s next adventure will transport players to the Flower Kingdom, a land made up of six worlds that circle the Petal Isles. The perilous courses will take you from the clouds to underwater caves to frozen mountains.
Enemies
Along the way, you can expect to encounter a fresh batch of enemies including pesky woodpeckers, known as “condarts” that get stuck in the scenery; Mumsies that can be unravelled; Hoppycats that mimic your movements; and melon piranha plants that spit seeds instead of fire balls.
Bowser is the big bad again, although here he’s morphed into a floating, green castle. Mario’s arch nemesis is joined by a legion of returning enemies including goombas, koopa troopas, boos and lakitus.
Power-ups
To help you battle the critters, you can pick up power-ups including new additions that turn you into a blustery elephant, give you the ability to trap enemies inside bubbles, and drill into the ground or ceiling.
There are also badges that can be equipped to give you longer-lasting perks, such as a dolphin kick to boost your swimming speed, a safety bounce to help you rebound from damaging drops, and the power to use vines to swing through the air like Tarzan.
But the strangest power-up of them all, if you can even call it that, is the unpredictable Wonder Flower. Encountering it will turn your world upside down. It can also unleash a stampede of enemies, tilt the world to free massive boulders or obstacles, send you floating through space, or flip your perspective. You’ll also need its seeds to unlock new levels.
Does Super Mario Bros. Wonder have co-op?
It’s all well and good playing solo, but nothing beats a co-op session with your pals.
Of course, Super Mario Bros. Wonder lets you play the entirety of the game with up to four other players.
As usual, you can expect the pace to be frantic if several people are attempting to race through the tricky levels as a team. Thankfully, that also means you’ll have someone on hand to revive you when you turn into a ghost - as long as they reach you before the timer runs out.
Is Super Mario Bros. Wonder multiplayer?
This time around, you can also play with randoms online… well, sort of. While others you encounter in the multiplayer mode can’t directly affect your game, they can offer you power-ups and bring you back to life.
The more helpful you are, the more points you’ll receive on your heart score, which other players can view.
In addition, you can leave “standee” boards to revive yourself and others next to difficult areas on the map.
Best of all, you can play through with your mates online in the same vein by creating a room. This way, you’ll be able to speedrun through courses together to see who can complete them the fastest.
Nintendo Switch OLED Mario Edition
To celebrate the upcoming release of the new game, Nintendo is releasing a bright red Mario Edition of its Switch OLED console.
The console features a Mario silhouette on the front and some coins hidden beneath the back panel.
Warp into a world of games with the #NintendoSwitch – OLED Model: Mario Red Edition system!
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 31, 2023
The system features a console, dock, and Joy-Con controllers all in the iconic Mario Red color, with a silhouette of Mario on the back of the dock.
Learn more: https://t.co/sGAG1rfH4p pic.twitter.com/giOAawtDWI
If you didn’t grab the Mario Red edition that landed in 2021 to mark the video game series’ 35th birthday, the new variant may be worth picking up.
The new Nintendo Switch OLED Mario Red Edition is available to pre-order now for £310 ahead of its October 6 release.
