Review: "Super Mario Bros. Wonder" is a masterclass in chaotic joy

For over a decade, the 2D Mario games were trapped in a comfortable, incredibly profitable, but undeniably stale formula. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the creative explosion fans have been begging for. Taking heavy inspiration from the surreal nature of the original games, Wonder introduces the "Wonder Flower," an item that completely breaks the rules of whatever level you are playing. One moment you are dodging Goombas, and the next you are a herd of stampeding hippos, or the level itself turns into a musical theatre production, or you are crawling along the ceiling as a slime.

The sheer volume of ideas packed into this game is staggering. Instead of relying on a few core mechanics and stretching them over 80 levels, Nintendo throws a completely new mechanic at you every single stage, uses it to perfection, and then throws it away. The animation has also received a massive overhaul. Mario and his friends finally have expressive, kinetic animations that give the game a vibrant, cartoonish energy that has been missing since the Super Nintendo era.

If there is a flaw to be found, it is that the game is aggressively easy for the first three-quarters of its runtime. While the final secret worlds offer a brutal challenge that will test even the most hardcore platforming veterans, getting there can occasionally feel like a leisurely stroll. The boss fights are also disappointingly repetitive, heavily recycling Bowser Jr. encounters. However, as an exercise in pure, unadulterated joy, it is arguably the best 2D Mario game since Super Mario World.