Super Mario Wonder is not just a pretty great 2D platfomer, but for me it was a good source of personal validation. I've never gelled with many aspects of 2D Mario, gave NSMBU a shot on multiple occasions and just bounced off immediately, and also the specific 2D Mario mechanics made me indifferent at best to 3D World and made it actively dislike 3D Land. So when this game was announced I didn't pay it any mind really, thinking it'd be the same ol' shit they've been making for the better part of thirty years.
Well the game leaked a week early and I pirated it for a laugh, and wouldn't you know it? They drastically changed the Mario formula, and in doing so addressed the many things I've never liked. They've removed the incredibly dated timer and score mechanics (apologies to all mario score attackers out there)! Lives are still present but in Tropical Freeze fashion they can be purchased in the in game shops for little cost. The four power-ups in the game are specifically for offense and puzzle utility, while the more important movement abilities are handled through the badge system, which means even if you're tiny baby character on death's door, you can still preform your glide or whatever. A far cry from something like 3D Land where having and losing the tanuki suit is basically playing a different game. Most importantly, there's even a badge that let's your character swim! In a straight line! Mario Wonder on the bleeding edge of major innovations in 2d platforming here!
Besides that base control is what you'd expect out of Mario. Presentation is obviously aces and you'll play it baffled that they stuck to the New aesthetic for so long. Level design is good on the whole, the Wonder Flower stuff is kind of a less repetitive version of Triple Deluxe's super power gimmick, while being inventive and fun. Difficulty is on the lighter end which isn't surprising but the game can bear it's fangs when it wants to, and there's a specific part of one of the end game levels that's the shittiest designed thing I've ever played so the devs can eat my ass with the ever-jumpy fire stick shit. Sneaking in a complaint here, the Bowser Jr fights are nothing to the point where some worlds don't even bother ending with one, the final boss is solid at least. Ultimately, despite sailing the seven seas for this game I'll be buying it when I can to fuck with the online features and play with friends hopefully.
Well the game leaked a week early and I pirated it for a laugh, and wouldn't you know it? They drastically changed the Mario formula, and in doing so addressed the many things I've never liked. They've removed the incredibly dated timer and score mechanics (apologies to all mario score attackers out there)! Lives are still present but in Tropical Freeze fashion they can be purchased in the in game shops for little cost. The four power-ups in the game are specifically for offense and puzzle utility, while the more important movement abilities are handled through the badge system, which means even if you're tiny baby character on death's door, you can still preform your glide or whatever. A far cry from something like 3D Land where having and losing the tanuki suit is basically playing a different game. Most importantly, there's even a badge that let's your character swim! In a straight line! Mario Wonder on the bleeding edge of major innovations in 2d platforming here!
Besides that base control is what you'd expect out of Mario. Presentation is obviously aces and you'll play it baffled that they stuck to the New aesthetic for so long. Level design is good on the whole, the Wonder Flower stuff is kind of a less repetitive version of Triple Deluxe's super power gimmick, while being inventive and fun. Difficulty is on the lighter end which isn't surprising but the game can bear it's fangs when it wants to, and there's a specific part of one of the end game levels that's the shittiest designed thing I've ever played so the devs can eat my ass with the ever-jumpy fire stick shit. Sneaking in a complaint here, the Bowser Jr fights are nothing to the point where some worlds don't even bother ending with one, the final boss is solid at least. Ultimately, despite sailing the seven seas for this game I'll be buying it when I can to fuck with the online features and play with friends hopefully.