Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Nostalgic game encourages teamwork and sharing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
What’s It About?
SUPER MARIO BROS. WONDER shifts the action from the Mushroom Kingdom to the Flower Kingdom, which is under attack by Bowser and his minions. Mario and his pals Peach, Luigi, Daisy, Yoshi, Nabbit, and various Toads explore various realms to track down magic seeds in order to save the kingdom and its inhabitants. As with all 2D Mario games, this is a traditional run-to-the-right adventure in which players run, jump, slide, and ground-pound their way through countless courses until they reach the flag at the end. New to the experience is a badge system that allows players to equip perks, like being able to dash-swim, get more coins from enemies, or pull out a giant hat to use as a parachute. One badge can be used per level. Players can also now play online in what amounts to parallel play, allowing players to see and casually interact with other people playing the same levels they are. You can assist or receive assistance in novel ways, such as reviving other players when they're in a ghost state, giving them your stored power-up, or simply sending an encouraging emoji. The game also supports local multiplayer for up to four players.
Is It Any Good?
There's probably nothing more iconic or familiar to players in the world of video games than a Mario side-scroller. Indeed, Super Mario Bros. Wonder will make anyone who's played a Mario game in the past feel instantly at home. The tried-and-true running and jumping mechanics carry over seamlessly from previous games in the franchise, and many of the enemies, sound effects, and jokes are meant to make players recall their favorite Mario moments from the past. But it's also friendly to brand new players. The controls make use of just a few buttons plus the d-pad, and the difficulty ramps up gradually. More than that, the game's badge system can provide vital aids -- like the ability to place blocks to use as platforms -- that can help struggling players through trickier courses. And if you're playing with others locally or online, they can help by making sure you get revived if you keep getting knocked out in a tough area.
The real stars of the show are the levels. Nintendo's designers have a knack for creating courses that are ingenious, challenging, and fair, all at the same time. Figuring out what the game wants you to do and then executing a series of perfectly timed jumps across platforms and past enemies can be deeply satisfying. And with the elimination of level timers -- that's right, you can take as long as you like to finish each course -- players now have time to investigate every nook and cranny of the world they're running through, revealing loads of secret vines, blocks, and hidden areas along the way. It's been 11 years since the last brand new side-scrolling Super Mario game (an entire generation of pre-teens has yet to experience a new one), but Super Mario Bros. Wonder was well worth the wait.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about screen time. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is carved into bite-sized levels, most of which take only minutes to complete. How many do you usually play to feel like you've made enough progress that you're willing to take a break? Can pacing yourself make the game more fun?
Talk about diversity in Mario games, or the lack of it. Do you think Nintendo should introduce new key characters in the Mario universe with darker skin tones? Or would this simply be tokenization? Should they allow players to customize character appearance?
This game encourages empathy and teamwork. Why are these important character strengths?
Game Details
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
- Pricing structure: Paid ($59.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Nintendo of America
- Release date: October 20, 2023
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Adventures
- Character Strengths: Empathy , Teamwork
- ESRB rating: E for Mild Fantasy Violence
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: October 18, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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