Even as a fan of the New Super Mario Bros console releases, 2D Mario undoubtably slid from being one of gaming's most inventive platformers to a cautiously conservative throwback. Mario's classic side-scrolling iteration finally receiving the same degree of ambition and attention to detail reserved for 3D titles was certainly welcome. Super Mario Bros Wonder never runs out of fresh ideas from stage to stage, but long-time fans in particular may find that it gets carried away by its boundlessness. Rather than being offered the chance to explore and surprise oneself within Flower Kingdom, you're more likely to be overwhelmed by the bouquet.
The game is centered around the Wonder Seeds. Placed in the middle of each regular level, a good third of the stage turns into virtual insanity, from running with rampaging dinosaurs to hopping over possessed pipes. I particularly loved the stage featuring floating dragon fossils allowing for safe traversal over lava, where nabbing a Wonder Seed miraculously brings them back to fully fleshed life. The handful of rhythmic musical stages are absolutely sublime and deserve an entire game exploring the concept.
Despite all the creativity, its execution often fluctuates. Stages, rather than being complimented by their specific gimmicks, at times feel constrained by them, emphasizing the latest idea at the expense of the level's overall flow. It's as if Wonder lacks the self-assuredness that Super Mario is joyous even in its relatively mundane moments, working best as a cohesive whole, lightly sprinkled with new concepts. The badge system shows promise, but the game is generally easy enough that ability enhancements are inconsequential. Being able to kamikaze Mario into merely touching each stage's three Big Flower Coins and retain them upon death spoils the accomplishment of properly answering their challenge. Other complaints include unimpressive boss fights, the enjoyably stout Elephant form not maximizing its potential, and the absence of Yoshi as an assist character.
The excellent animations and rich, painstakingly crafted backgrounds are initially gorgeous. But, the game's later portion often presents unappealing combinations of yellows, reds, greens, browns and purples. The underground and lava worlds are particularly ghastly. An excellent soundtrack mixes past hits with new music emphasizing the organic sounds of acoustic guitar and wooden percussion.
While Wonder is a fantastic 2D platformer, you get the uncanny sense that Mario has something to prove. From the inelegant overworld, slightly bloated badge system, filler bonus stages, bothersome NPCs and sometimes jarring changes from one level to the next, its forceful attempts to impress betray the effortless genius possessed by the legendary combination of Super Mario Bros 3 and World. I'd even go so far to suggest that 2009 & 12's New Super Mario Bros titles offer a superior, if less dopaminergic experience.
I look forward to a sequel, but wish the developers craft something as at ease with itself...as it is creative. Afterall, within the Flower Kingdom of all places, only after ideas are given time to bud and bloom, can one truly appreciate their sweet fragrance.
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