Platform:
Switch
Publisher:
Nintendo
Developer:
Nintendo
Release:
October 20, 2023
When I played Super Mario Bros. Wonder in August, I came away extremely impressed by the creativity at play with the series’ return to the 2D side of the coin. I enjoyed my time so much that I was upset when I had to relinquish the controller at the end of my demo session. Thankfully, as part of our cover story for our latest issue, I was able to get a lot more time with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. While a lot of that time was spent further exploring the levels I had already played, I was also the first to experience three courses that appeared as part of the Super Mario Bros. Wonder-focused Nintendo Direct in late August.
I was able to play through each of these stages multiple times. While I’ll skimp on some details (such as where to find the stage’s Wonder Flower) to avoid spoiling too much, I wanted to deliver my exclusive hands-on impressions of these stages. As such, note that there are spoilers for these stages in both the text and screenshots below.
Condarts Away!
The second exclusive stage I played was “Where The Rrrumbas Rule.” This stage takes place in the sixth world; I’m not allowed to say the name of the world, but I can tell you that it’s a cave and lava biome. This level takes place deep in a cavern and features giant sentient boulders known as Rrrumbas. These enemies spot you and roll towards you, destroying certain objects. Unlike Bulrushes, which appeared to have no way to defeat them, you can take down Rrrumbas with relative ease.
One method I found to avoid them is using the Drill Mushroom, which is present in this course. Using that, I could avoid them by burrowing underground as they rolled toward me. The Rrrumbas are the defining trait for this level, but I would be remiss if I neglected to call out the Topple Rocks. These tall, pillar-like stones stand upright, but can be pushed over to create domino-like chain reactions; they’re also super satisfying to wall-jump off and send toppling down. Be careful, though, as it’s easy to get caught underneath a falling Topple Rock when playing co-op.
One thing I love about Topple Rocks is how they gate certain areas, requiring you to think smart about how to get to the other side to knock them over and reach the secret area. In this stage, the Drill Mushroom is a huge help in that regard, letting me reach a pipe I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to reach.
The Wonder Seed in this stage is one of the most fun out of any that I’ve played in Super Mario Bros. Wonder to date. Mario and his friends turn into Spike Ball versions of themselves as they race through a ramp, coin, and enemy-filled area. As a speedy wrecking ball of destruction, Spike Ball Mario tears through bricks and enemies as he launches off ramps and collects coins, complete with bowling-pin sound effects. A nice touch is in how Mario’s nose squishes as it presses into the ground. The feeling of momentum is fantastic, and it’s a great power trip as you roll through legions of enemies and obstacles. The Rrrumbas never stood a chance.
My second time playing through Where The Rrrumbas Rule, I noticed there wasn’t a timer associated with this Wonder Effect, so I rolled backward to see if I could find anything interesting as Spike Ball Mario. Unfortunately, I didn’t find anything particularly exciting that only Spike Ball Mario could have found, but it is neat to roll through at least a part of the main stage in this form.