How Future 2D Mario Games Can Build on Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is now out, and it’s really great. We haven’t gotten a unique and creative 2D Mario game since 1991 because of the New Super Mario Bros. series. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is full of creative levels, neat new power-ups, a more expansive world, and so many other unique concepts. However, that doesn’t mean Wonder is perfect. While the game did fix and change many of the unoriginal ideas that stemmed from the New series, it does still have things that can be made better. So, here’s how future 2D Mario platformers can build on what Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduced and reinvented. *Spoilers if you haven’t completed Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

In Super Mario Bros. 3, a key new feature was added to 2D Mario: an overworld map. Instead of beating a level and immediately advancing to the next level, Mario would move around a world map level to level. This allowed players to choose which levels they wanted to play, as well as other things like Toad Houses and minigame shops to be added. However, overworld maps in 2D Mario games haven’t been about exploration – they were merely a more interesting and fun way of traversal. Super Mario 3D World was the first Mario game to have an open world where players could move freely around the area and not be restricted to the direction of the path on each map.

However, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is where things got interesting. The world structure in Wonder is different from most other Mario titles. There are six worlds (plus World Bowser) all connected by a central area called Petal Isles. However, this isn’t quite as interesting as it could have been. Aside from the few levels in this hub-like world, the Petal Isles is pointless since players can just warp to any level through the main menu. It would be awesome if the next 2D Mario game expanded on this with an area more like a hub world.

3D Mario has already done this, with areas including Peach’s Castle from Super Mario 64, Delfino Plaza from Super Mario Sunshine, and the Comet Observatory from Super Mario Galaxy. It would be awesome if Petal Isles served as a more essential part of the game, connecting the areas of the game while also having explorable areas within itself. A great example of this is Toad Town from Paper Mario: The Origami King, with the town connecting every section of the kingdom together while also having things to do inside it.

Levels also need to be expanded. More secrets, hidden exits, etc. I think that this type of thing could make the game more connected in a way, especially since some of Wonder’s worlds are small and very interconnected with slim to no room for exploration. Imagine if one level had a pipe in it blocked by a certain block, and the item needed to open that pipe is in another level, forcing you to go to that level to get the item and bring it to the level with the pipe. Wouldn’t that be interesting?

I also think 2D Mario worlds need more to do. Each world in Super Mario Bros. Wonder has one or two Poplin Shops, badge challenges, and the level. There aren’t many secrets. World 4: Sunbaked Desert is my favorite world, since it has so many free-roaming areas, secret levels, hidden areas, and so much more. I think this is what we need more of in 2D Mario, with more secret shortcuts, paths, and things like that. 2D Mario has had this before, such as World 2’s rock blocking an area to the third warp whistle in Super Mario Bros. 3 or the hidden Toad House in World 1 and 8 of Super Mario 3D World. Mario games have expanded on exploration in levels, but worlds should get that same treatment as well.

 

What is one thing you would change about Super Mario Bros. Wonder? Let me know in the comments below.

Ryan’s Fortress Twitter: @RyansFortress