Have you ever wanted to play as Mario, but also be an Elephant? If so, your time has finally come. Super Mario Wonder drops on the Nintendo Switch on October 20th. If you count the Mario Maker games more as sandbox experiences, this will be the first side-scrolling adventure for everyone’s favorite plumber since Super Mario 3D World on the Wii-U. Of course, it did breathe new life when it was ported to the Switch in 2021. A Nintendo Direct this morning gave us some new information about Super Mario Wonder.
The basic premise of Super Mario Wonder is that a friendly neighbor to the Mushroom Kingdom called The Flower Kingdom has come under siege by Bowser. Bowser has collected a Wonder Flower and merged his ship with Prince Florian’s castle. Mario must save the Flower Kingdom with the help of a few of his friends. As someone who’s played a ton of side scrolling Mario, it was a refreshing change to find out that we’re going to visit somewhere other than the Mushroom Kingdom. Don’t get me wrong, I would have played this game no matter where it took place and likely would have enjoyed the heck out of it but there is something super satisfying about getting some new scenery.
The Flower Kingdom has six worlds. We got the names of the first four worlds. All six worlds surround a body of water called The Petal Isles, which is also the name of a water-based world in Super Mario Wonder. Mario starts his adventure in Pipe Rock Plateau and will also visit Fluff-Puff Peaks and Shining Falls.
Playable characters include Mario, Luigi, Blue or Red Toad, Peach, and Daisy. They don’t have any special abilities apart from each other, so there’s no harm in playing your favorite. Nabbit returns to allow players of lower skill level like younger children to play without a constant fear of death. Along with Nabbit, Yoshi will also be playable as a no-damage character.
The Flower Kingdom opens up new possibilities for the Super Mario Franchise. We’re getting three new power-ups - Elephant Form, Bubble Form, and Drill Form. Elephant Form turns characters into an elephant version of themselves that is capable of destroying lots of bricks all at once. Also, bigger feet mean the ability to run over larger gaps than is normally possible. Bubble Form gives Mario and friends the ability to blow bubbles. This is good for capturing enemies, especially those impervious to normal attacks. Mario can also use the bubbles like floating platforms making it easier to avoid pitfalls, lava, and other hazards and making it easier to get to hard to reach places. Drill Form gives Mario a drill on his head to protect him from enemies or dangers that may fall from above. The drill can allow Mario to burrow into the ceiling or dig down into the ground.
The best, or at least the trippiest, new power-up is the Wonder Flower. Bowser is wreaking havoc on the Flower Kingdom having merged with the Wonder Flower so it’s only fair that we should get some use out of it too. It looks really fun to hit a Wonder Flower but weird things can start to happen like the warp pipes becoming bendy, Mario floating through space, or stampedes of enemies running through the course. It’s important to use the Wonder Flower because it allows Mario to return the course to normal and Wonder Seeds can be used as currency to unlock later courses.
Super Mario Wonder will have in-game badges that can be earned in normal gameplay or purchased with coins found in different courses. Badges work as a sort of extra power-up allowing Mario to get certain advantages. For example, the parachute badge allows Mario to turn his hat into a parachute and glide down from high places. The coin magnet badge allows Mario to attract coins making it easier to get paid.
If Pikmin 4 was a clinic in how to incorrectly implement multiplayer and online functionality, Super Mario Wonder looks like it will be a shining example of how to do it correctly. Local co-op for up to four players will give families a chance to sit around the Nintendo Switch and have countless hours of fun. Online multiplayer will also be available. A general lobby will be able to connect players around the globe. While players won’t be playing with each other per se, they can interact with each other to save players who might be about to lose a life. Players will be able to send each other short messages and emojis to convey their gratitude for the assist. Players who play as Nabbit or Yoshi won’t take normal damage but Yoshi can be ridden even by other Yoshis and even elephant form characters.
Multiplayer with friends in a private room will also be available with the same level of functionality. It will also add objective based gameplay, such as racing through courses or being the first player to find a Wonder Flower.
All in all, it looks like there are plenty of new ideas being explored in Super Mario Wonder. I’m excited to try the new power-ups, fight new enemies, and go on a Wonder Flower trip. There are sure to be even more secrets to uncover in the Flower Kingdom when Super Mario Wonder releases on the Nintendo Switch on October 20th.
