The best 2D Mario game in decades? Yes. Does it rank right next to Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World overall? I personally didn't think so. However, I'm also old, so nostalgia may play a big part in that take. I will say, not counting Yoshi's Island, the art style is literally the best it's ever been in a 2D Mario game. Never before have they looked this vibrant and lively. The colors pop. The animation is immaculate. The creativity here is through the roof, standing toe to toe with Super Mario Land 2, and nearing the heights of, dare I say, the Mario and Luigi series. Level design is great. The new powerups are a delight. Mario's controls are fine-tuned to perfection.
I'm only going to mention one complaint; at seven hours, it's a bit too long for me to want to replay. I think the beauty of Mario platformers before the New era is that you can beat them in about two sittings if you're dedicated. Which is a vital reason as to why I love those games so dearly! I can hop back in, revisit these worlds, and reach the end without making a huge time commitment. Wonder took me about four days to complete; these weren't short sessions, either. I think, even with replays, that gap can only be shortened so much, with the Wonder Seed locks on vital paths. I'm working on 100%, but after that, who knows when I'll touch this game again?
All in all, I really liked Super Mario Bros. Wonder. I'm just not sure if I loved it. It might just be that I'm growing out of this series, but I doubt it. Odyssey still managed to wow the child deep down inside me, the kid who would spend hours playing Super Mario 64, despite my gripes with it. While I absolutely enjoyed my time with Wonder, I unfortunately didn't come out head over heels for it. It's a great platformer, but I wouldn't say it raised the bar, at least not in every aspect. Though I digress. Maybe this wasn't a home run in my heart, but it's headed the right direction. I like this step forward for 2D Mario. I hope the team at Nintendo gives us a couple more of these, and I absolutely recommend it.
I'm only going to mention one complaint; at seven hours, it's a bit too long for me to want to replay. I think the beauty of Mario platformers before the New era is that you can beat them in about two sittings if you're dedicated. Which is a vital reason as to why I love those games so dearly! I can hop back in, revisit these worlds, and reach the end without making a huge time commitment. Wonder took me about four days to complete; these weren't short sessions, either. I think, even with replays, that gap can only be shortened so much, with the Wonder Seed locks on vital paths. I'm working on 100%, but after that, who knows when I'll touch this game again?
All in all, I really liked Super Mario Bros. Wonder. I'm just not sure if I loved it. It might just be that I'm growing out of this series, but I doubt it. Odyssey still managed to wow the child deep down inside me, the kid who would spend hours playing Super Mario 64, despite my gripes with it. While I absolutely enjoyed my time with Wonder, I unfortunately didn't come out head over heels for it. It's a great platformer, but I wouldn't say it raised the bar, at least not in every aspect. Though I digress. Maybe this wasn't a home run in my heart, but it's headed the right direction. I like this step forward for 2D Mario. I hope the team at Nintendo gives us a couple more of these, and I absolutely recommend it.
2 Comments
Thank you!
NOWITSREYNTIME17
7 months ago