When we think of Super Mario Bros., we’re instantly whisked away to those delightful 2D side-scrolling escapades that have pretty much defined Mario‘s legacy. It’s safe to say that these adventures are the secret sauce behind Mario‘s superstar status. All the power-ups, items, and quirky characters from the pixelated playground of yesteryears have grown into bona fide classics, the kind you’d call “icons” if you were feeling fancy. So, brace yourselves because the big news is that it’s making a comeback in 2023, with a swanky new makeover. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the all-new Super Mario Bros. Wonder video game, ready to strut its stuff on the Nintendo Switch this October.
Now, picture this: The story unfolds in the enchanting Flower Kingdom, a place that boasts six distinct worlds dancing around the Petal Isles, making for a total of seven enchanting zones to explore. But here’s the kicker, folksânot only do you get your dose of classic side-scrolling action, but you also get to navigate between different maps, picking your adventure aka course like it’s a dessert menu. Now, let’s dive into what’s shaking in Mario’s latest 2D side-scrolling extravaganza.
So, here’s the dealâMario and his gang scored an invite to the Flower Kingdom, courtesy of the suave Prince Florian. It’s all rainbows and sunshine until Bowser crashes the party, like the unwelcome neighbor who shows up uninvited to your barbecue and starts flipping your burgers – or tables. To make matters worse, that spikey nefarious beast cannot keep his fingers out of anything and touches the Wonder Flower, and ends up merging with the prince’s castle. Classic Bowser, am I right? Now, it’s up to Mario and the gang to put a stop to Bowser’s antics and rescue the Flower Kingdom. And hold on to your hats, because the first big reveal in this souped-up 2D side-scrolling game is none other than the Wonder Flower.
Imagine this: You stumble upon a Wonder Flower in the game, and suddenly, the world goes bonkers. Pipes start sprouting legs and doing the cha-cha, hordes of enemies pop out of nowhere, and even the characters decide to go all “extreme makeover” on you. It’s like the game developers said, “Hey, let’s throw a monkey wrench into the mix and see what happens!” Plus, there are new items in the mix, too, including the Wonder Seed and Badges.
But the fun doesn’t stop there, my friends. This new Super Mario Bros. installment opens up vast, open areas for you to frolic in. You’re not on a linear path anymore, my friend. You get to be the navigator of your own Mario ship, charting your course through each world’s map, picking and choosing your adventures like a seasoned traveler. And there’s a whole roster of twelve playable characters to choose from, including the usual suspects like Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and the whole gang. You can stick with your tried-and-true favorite, mix it up, or just leave it to chance. Oh, and did I mention Yoshis and Nabbit? They’re invincible, but they don’t get to have those nifty power-up transformations. Tough luck, fellas.
Now, let’s talk adversaries. There’s a new cast of baddies in town, like Hoppycats, Melon Piranha Plants, Condarts, Konks, Mumsies, Maws-Mawsâyou name it, they’re here to make your life difficult – in addition to Goombas, Boos, Koopa Troopas, Lakitus, you know, the usual familiar foes. And just when you thought you had it all figured out, they throw new power-ups into the mix, like the Elephant Fruit, Bubble Flower, and Drill Mushroom.
The Elephant Fruit? It turns you into, well, an elephant. You can use your trunk to smack things around, bulldoze through obstacles, and even leap across vast gaps. Plus, you can fill your trunk with water and water your surroundings like you’re auditioning for a gardening show to grow something which you can take advantage of. And here’s the kickerâit’s not just Mario who gets to be an elephant; Luigi, Peach, Daisy, the Toads, and Toadette can join the parade, too.
The Bubble Flower lets you blow whimsical bubbles that can capture and defeat enemies from a distance. You can even use the bubbles to create platforms, like a DIY bridge to adventure, to access inaccessible places.
Now, for the piĂšce de rĂ©sistance, the Drill Mushroom. It turns you into a human jackhammer, letting you drill through tough foes, ceilings, and even the earth itself. You can burrow, you can traverse underground, and, here’s the zinger, you can even drill into the ceiling. You know, for those moments when you want to take the high road (literally) and avoid a parade of enemies down below, or like the bubbles, access to places where not accessible by normal means.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the classic Fire form is back in action. But wait, there’s more. How you can use the power-ups has changed too. You can now hang on to an extra power-up, like saving dessert for later, and summon it when the moment’s just right. Need a change of flavor? Swap it out, my friend.
It does not stop getting better. You can now play with your friends too. You can team up with up to three friends locally on one Nintendo Switch system and race through these worlds together. You may share the collected power-ups with your pals during your team adventure. Plus, if Yoshi is being used, Yoshi can carry other players through tough spots. Finally, if a friend takes too much damage and turns into a ghost i.e. dies, he or she can be revived by floating to a friend. Sweet.
Oh, and let’s not forget about those Talking Flowers. They’re not just decoration anymore; they’re chatty little buggers. They’ll drop hints, crack jokes, and add a dash of whimsy to your adventure.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is all set to make its grand entrance on the Nintendo Switch on October 20th. Pre-orders are already live in the Nintendo eShop and on Nintendo.com for a cool US$59.99. You can pre-order both the digital and physical editions. The latter is available from Amazon.com, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Walmart.
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Images: Nintendo.
