We first heard about Super Mario Bros. Wonder in the June 2023 Nintendo Direct. Nintendo gave us little information about the game, but we've been patiently waiting since then. The company finally released more details about the latest Super Mario title in a dedicated presentation for the game, and there's a lot to cover.
From new power-ups to playable characters, many exciting changes are coming to the classic platformer we all know and love. Without further adieu, let's get into the details.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Direct: Everything We Know
The Flower Kingdom
Super Mario Bros. Wonder occurs in The Flower Kingdom, where Mario and the gang visit Prince Florian. The adventure begins after Bowser steals a Wonder Flower and uses it to wreak havoc.
Nintendo shares information about four areas in the game: Pipe-Rock Plateau, Fluff-Puff Peaks, Shining Falls, and Petal Isles. Three more regions were kept secret, and players will likely have to wait until the game comes out to see them. The levels have diverse terrains, including an arid desert, a swampy cave, an underwater area, and more.
Map selection is more open in this Mario game as well. Players can move through levels in order or walk freely in an area to play courses in any order.
The talking flowers we saw in the previous Direct aren't just for show either. They'll give players helpful hints and coins.
Playable Characters
There will be eight playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad (a blue or yellow one), Toadette, Yoshi, and Nabbit.
Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Toadette all play the same, meaning none have unique perks to make gameplay easier. On the contrary, Yoshi and Nabbit cannot take damage. Furthermore, Yoshi can flutter jump and spit objects back at enemies. Both Yoshi and Nabbit can still fall to their deaths, so players shouldn't be too careless when playing as these characters.
Power-ups
We all know about the Elephant power-up in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but we got more insight on how to use it. Players can become an elephant to attack enemies, ram into blocks, and spray water. Nintendo also showed us every character's Elephant Form. Elephant Peach is clearly the cutest.
The new power-ups don't stop there. Nintendo introduced the Bubble Form, which lets players blow bubbles to capture and defeat opponents. Players can also use bubbles as platforms. The Drill Form is another addition that lets your character easily kill spiky or rock enemies. With this ability, you can even burrow into the ceiling or ground to avoid tough foes.
Though new power-ups exist, old ones like the Fire Flower will still show up in the game. On top of that, Nintendo added a feature that allows players to store one power-up.
Nintendo also showed never-before-seen foes, like Hoppycats that mimic your character's jumps and Melon Piranha Plants that spit out seeds. There are plenty more new faces in store as well. If you're worried you won't see your favorite villains, don't be! Familiar enemies, like Boos and Goombas, will appear in the latest title.
We also learned a little more about the Wonder Events in the game. Wonder Flowers activate strange scenarios, such as level warps with stampeding enemies, overflowing bubbles, and moving pipes. Characters can also change into balloons, Goombas, and more, altering gameplay in fascinating ways.
Badges
Nintendo mentioned badges in the Direct as well. These unlock as you progress through the game's levels. Badges are special abilities that make gameplay a little easier. For example, Parachute Cap allows your character to float to the ground. Meanwhile, Crouching High Jump gives your character a charged jump that's higher than normal.
Multiplayer Modes
Nintendo also noted Super Mario Bros. Wonder's co-op modes. You can play locally with up to four others. Online co-op lets you see other players on the world map and in courses. You can even interact with online players by greeting them with emoticons and sharing in-game items.
If someone dies in either mode, they become a ghost. Another player must touch the spirit to revive the dead player before time runs out. In this case, the person who became a ghost won't lose a life.
People can also create rooms to play courses with friends, including races.
Last but not least, the Nintendo Direct presentation closed with a new Mario Red Edition OLED Nintendo Switch. It features the Italian plumber and coins on the machine's dock. This limited edition Switch will be released on Oct. 6 for $350.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is scheduled to arrive on Oct. 20 for $59.99, with pre-orders already available.
This article was originally published on dbltap as Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Direct: Everything We Know.
