Super Mario Bros. Wonder: discover our psychedelic review of Nintendo's latest release

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the all-new opus revolving around Nintendo's flagship hero, and whose adventures await players on Switch from October 20, 2023. It's a game that takes you back to the best of 2D, with a hint of the wacky! We've tested it, and we'll tell you all about it!

It's an announcement we weren't expecting... At a Nintendo Direct on June 21, Nintendo unveiled a new title in the popular Super Mario Bros. franchise, Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Released on October 20, 2023, this 2D side-scrolling platformer promises to bring a new dimension to the Mario universe. Exclusively designed for the Nintendo Switch console, this title promises to be completely wacky.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder trailer:

Super Mario Bros. Wonder, while not changing too much from previous installments, stands out for its innovative gameplay and surprising new features, to say the least. Players can bring objects to life with a new flower, talk to plants and even transform into an elephant, adding a touch of eccentricity to the adventure. In addition, Princess Daisy joins the ranks of playable characters, bringing welcome diversity to the list of protagonists players can embody. Two characters, Yoshi and Carrotin, are immune to damage. Ideal for enjoying the experience if you don't want to challenge yourself (but that doesn't stop them dying if they fall...)! New zones, new enemies, new transformations... What a great way to spend time on your console!

Super Mario Bros. Wonder continues the horizontal scrolling of the saga's classics, while introducing the concept of "prodigy flowers" to transform the environment and give Mario special powers. Fans of the franchise will be delighted to learn that the game features local cooperation, allowing them to team up with friends for even greater gaming pleasure. In addition to Mario and Daisy, other iconic characters such as Peach and Toad will also be playable, offering players a variety of play styles.

Our review of Super Mario Bros. Wonder:

So, is this new opus crazy or not? We're not going to lie, the answer is yes... and we love it! As for the story, we dive into the Kingdom of Flowers in a rather amusing way, while collecting"prodigy seeds" which, with each new level, transform it in surprising and totally unexpected ways. It's totally WTF and totally worth the detour... So, you'll find yourself with pipes that decide to move by themselves, you'll suddenly turn into a slimy ball or a balloon without having asked for anything, or you'll play in an overhead view, changing the map completely. It's surprising, far from logical, and allows you to play in a completely different way, making the level even more complex to approach. A stroke of genius! On the other hand, we'd have liked the game to be a little more delirious, but that's just us.

Graphically speaking, it's flawless. We particularly appreciate the detail of each action, especially when Mario and co. take a pipe, pushing the action to the limit with a rather realistic animation. It's this kind of detail that makes us love Nintendo more and more, and the direction the publisher seems to be taking in designing its franchise. Everything is very pretty and well realized. In short, we love it!

In terms of gameplay, Nintendo has injected a breath of fresh air with three new transformations: elephant, which lets you smash bricks in your path or collect water via the trunk to water dried flowers; bubble, which lets you create bubbles to imprison enemies or reach remote areas by jumping on them; and drill, which lets you dig into the ground or ceiling to avoid enemies and access areas that are inaccessible under normal circumstances. Three transformations that bring their own share of novelties, and encourage us to think of the action differently, far from the other opuses in the franchise. But fans can rest assured: the essence of the Mario games is still there, with transformations that don't change (like the mushroom or the fireball flower).

We also appreciate the"action badges", which allow players to move around the levels in different ways (higher jump, grappling hook, ability to glide after a jump...). These actions are a welcome change from the franchise's previous opuses, and also allow players to return to certain levels, with other action badges, to unlock new secret areas. Real added value!

As for the map, it's a mix between linear and "free" zones, where you can choose the order of the levels to complete. This is well thought-out, and allows you to switch levels if some of them are too complex to complete. Note, however, that the game is open to all, and that the levels are still accessible to younger players, albeit challenging.

In short, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is without doubt THE hit of the year on Switch! A Mario on acid to be seized as a matter of urgency!