What a revitalization for the 2D Super Mario series! Seriously, this game is fresh and a complete upgrade from what we've been getting recently, I think the last truly innovative 2D Super Mario Bros. was NSMBW, but this game truly blows the franchise out of the water. The Wonder Flowers make every single level feel unique and special, there's no "plains 1, plains 2, desert 1, desert 2" or anything going on here. Something I also really appreciate is how the game isn't tailored to be simple. It's hardly difficult, but I don't feel like my hand is being held through it, and some of the later levels and challenges are quite tough. The level designers hit the difficulty balance perfectly. I think this is going to be considered one of the greats, up there with Super Mario World.
So, why the half star off then? My first experience in playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder was in multiplayer, where I did the first world and a bit of the second with my friends. The gameplay on several stages runs just a little too fast for the "one character is also the camera" way the game handles things to really work. If you're ever in a spot where you have a run, which is a nontrivial number of the Wonder Effects, your team better be ready to book it, or they're being left behind. This problem also applies if you're outrunning the person who is the camera. Of course, none of these problems arise in single player, but the NSMBW multiplayer is better. I also find that World 3 is a little lame in comparison to the others, but the levels are still good - minor nitpick there.
Overall, I'm so glad this game came out and I hope that 2D Super Mario games continue to innovate and put out more games like this. Just a phenomenal time.
So, why the half star off then? My first experience in playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder was in multiplayer, where I did the first world and a bit of the second with my friends. The gameplay on several stages runs just a little too fast for the "one character is also the camera" way the game handles things to really work. If you're ever in a spot where you have a run, which is a nontrivial number of the Wonder Effects, your team better be ready to book it, or they're being left behind. This problem also applies if you're outrunning the person who is the camera. Of course, none of these problems arise in single player, but the NSMBW multiplayer is better. I also find that World 3 is a little lame in comparison to the others, but the levels are still good - minor nitpick there.
Overall, I'm so glad this game came out and I hope that 2D Super Mario games continue to innovate and put out more games like this. Just a phenomenal time.