Super Mario Bros. Wonder : le Mario 2D réinventé

Super Mario Bros. Wonder: 2D Mario Reimagined

1491 words | Reading time : 7 minute(s)

GameSuper Mario Bros. WonderNintendo Switch

Eleven years after New Super Mario Bros. U, 2D Mario cuts loose again. Released on October 20, 2023, developed by Nintendo EPD under the direction of Shiro Mouri and produced by Takashi Tezuka, Wonder is built around the Wonder Flowers that warp its levels. This page details the new transformations, the badge system, co-op play and the talking flowers.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder was released on October 20, 2023 on Nintendo Switch, marking the return of side-scrolling 2D Mario eleven years after New Super Mario Bros. U. Developed by Nintendo EPD under the direction of Shiro Mouri and produced by Takashi Tezuka, the game leaves the Mushroom Kingdom for the Flower Kingdom, ruled by Prince Florian.

The Drill Mushroom perfectly illustrates that logic: it turns Mario into a burrower, able to hit armoured enemies from below.

Driven by the Wonder Flowers that turn levels upside down, an unprecedented badge system and new transformations such as the Elephant Fruit, Wonder was hailed as one of the finest 2D entries in the series. An instant best-seller, it has sold more than 16 million copies, becoming the fastest-selling Mario game in history.

Contents

A fresh start for 2D Mario

After a long line of New Super Mario Bros., Nintendo wanted to reinvent the formula. Development, led by the Nintendo EPD studio, began around 2019 with a clear brief from producer Takashi Tezuka: surprise players in every single level. To pull that off, the team built a brand-new graphics engine, dropping the smooth look of previous entries in favour of a far more expressive art direction, where Mario and his friends show off a whole new range of animations and facial expressions.

The game takes place in the Flower Kingdom, a land neighbouring the Mushroom Kingdom, home to the Poplins and ruled by Prince Florian. Invited by the prince himself, Mario, Luigi, Peach and their friends see the party cut short when Bowser seizes a Wonder Flower and merges with the castle, becoming the colossal Castle Bowser, a flying fortress come to life.

The Super Mario Bros. Wonder cast gathered in a flowery setting
A fresh start for 2D Mario, eleven years after the previous original entry.

Wonder Flowers: the mechanic that changes everything

The heart of Wonder is the Wonder Flowers (Wonder Flowers). By touching one of them partway through a level, you trigger a Wonder Effect that completely transforms the scene: Warp Pipes start crawling, hordes of enemies pour in, the camera flips, your character morphs or the whole set breaks into song.

Every level has its own Wonder Effect, which keeps the adventure unpredictable from start to finish. Picking up the Wonder Seed that then appears ends the effect and returns the level to its normal state. These seeds, scattered by the hundreds across the game, act as collectibles and open the way through the worlds of the Flower Kingdom.

The new transformations

Wonder introduces several brand-new power-ups that round out the classic Super Mushroom and the Fire Flower:

  • Elephant Fruit: turns your character into Elephant Mario, able to sweep enemies aside with a swing of the trunk, smash blocks and spray water to nourish plants.
  • Bubble Flower: lets you fire bubbles that trap enemies and also double as temporary platforms to bounce off and reach otherwise unreachable heights.
  • Drill Mushroom: crowns the hero with a drill to burrow into the ground or the ceiling, dodge hazards and pop up right under enemies.

The elephant transformation quickly became the game's signature image, to the point of headlining most of its marketing.

Elephant Mario, trunk raised, in his most iconic transformation
Elephant Mario promoted the game all by himself — but he is only one transformation among several.

The badge system

A major gameplay addition, the badges let you tailor the way you play. Equipped from Prince Florian, only one badge is active per level and grants an extra ability. There are three families:

  • Action badges: an ability you trigger yourself, such as the Parachute Cap for gliding, the climbing vine or the wall jump.
  • Boost badges: passive bonuses, such as a coin to start with or better swimming.
  • Expert badges: powerful but risky abilities, reserved for seasoned players.

This system fine-tunes the difficulty and opens up varied approaches, for beginners and challenge-hungry experts alike.

The badge selection screen in Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Badges are picked before each level and lastingly change the way you play.

Characters, co-op and Talking Flowers

Super Mario Bros. Wonder offers twelve playable characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, two Toads, Toadette, Nabbit and four Yoshis. One quirk families love: Yoshis and Nabbit take no damage, which makes them ideal picks for the youngest players. You can play solo or with up to four in local co-op, plus an online mode where you cross paths with other players as helpful silhouettes.

The game's offbeat tone comes through in the Talking Flowers, those chatty blooms that comment on the adventure with humour and drop the odd hint. Their expressive faces and one-liners did a lot for Wonder's cheerful atmosphere.

The playable character selection screen in Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Twelve playable characters, including four Yoshis and Nabbit, immune to damage.

A critical and commercial success

Greeted by enthusiastic reviews, Super Mario Bros. Wonder won the award for best family game at the Game Awards 2023. On the sales front, it shifted around 4.3 million copies in two weeks, becoming the fastest-selling Mario game in history, before passing 16 million copies. An enhanced version, adapted for Nintendo Switch 2, extended its run in 2026, for the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.

By reconnecting with the inventiveness of the earliest entries while daring a total overhaul, Wonder proved that 2D Mario still had fine surprises in store, four decades after his debut.

Quick facts

First release October 20, 2023 (Nintendo Switch)
Developer / Publisher Nintendo EPD / Nintendo
Director / Producer Shiro Mouri / Takashi Tezuka
Genre 2D side-scrolling platformer
Key new features Wonder Flowers, badges, Elephant Fruit
Setting Flower Kingdom, ruled by Prince Florian
Sales More than 16 million copies

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FAQ

  • When did Super Mario Bros. Wonder come out?
    The game was released on October 20, 2023 on Nintendo Switch. A version adapted for Nintendo Switch 2 arrived in 2026, for the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros.
  • What is a Wonder Flower?
    It is the game's central item. Touching it triggers a Wonder Effect that radically transforms the level. Picking up the Wonder Seed that appears returns the level to its normal state.
  • What are the new transformations in Wonder?
    The game introduces the Elephant Fruit (Elephant Mario), the Bubble Flower and the Drill Mushroom, on top of classic power-ups like the Super Mushroom and the Fire Flower.
  • What are badges for?
    Badges grant an extra ability, with only one active per level. They come as action badges, boost badges and expert badges, and let you tune the difficulty.
  • Can you play with others?
    Yes, up to four players in local co-op, with twelve characters available. Yoshis and Nabbit take no damage, which makes them perfect choices for beginners.
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