The Super Mario franchise is set to continue its domination of the Nintendo platform with the release of its new instalment, according to critics.
Super Mario Bros: Wonder is a psychedelic take on the traditional 2D platformer that jazzes up Mario’s usual Bowser-thwarting adventure with Wonder Effects that, as Polygon’s Chris Plante put it, sees “the levels themselves collapse and contort, disobeying the laws established by decades of Mario games”.
It’s as if developers unearthed the “stuffed notebook of chaos” of every wacky idea ever rejected from the series and turned it into a single game, Plante said.
The new story once again gives players the task of defeating Bowser, who is looking to exploit the new Flower Kingdom’s powers for his gain.
It’s a tale as old as virtual time, but the game offers “so many different looks and wild hooks that the typically forgettable story simply didn’t matter,” said IGN’s Ryan McCaffrey, who enthused: “Every frame oozes joy.”
The Wonder Effects were “like dessert in the middle of the main course of each stage, they were irresistible and always put a smile on my face,” McCaffrey said.
