Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder launched October 20, 2023 on Nintendo Switch, and its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park releases March 26, 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. Developed and published by Nintendo, it’s a return to classic side-scrolling Mario with a simple twist that changes everything: Wonder Flowers can warp a level’s rules on the fly, turning a familiar run into something weird, musical, or slightly unhinged. You’re still sprinting, jumping, and hunting secrets across the Flower Kingdom, but the game constantly looks for excuses to surprise you, with new power-ups, character options, and co-op chaos baked in.
DLC
No DLC announced at this time.
Editions – what’s included
- Nintendo Switch version: Base game.
- Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park: Base game + the additional “Meetup in Bellabel Park” content.
- Nintendo Switch 2 Upgrade Pack: Upgrade access for owners of the Nintendo Switch version, adding the “Meetup in Bellabel Park” content.
Review
Super Mario Bros. Wonder feels like Nintendo got bored of making “another one of these” and decided to mess with the formula in the best way. The level design is still that classic Mario cadence, short bursts of ideas, clean reads, plenty of hidden routes, but the Wonder Flower turns the game into a comedy of timing. One minute you’re playing a normal stage. The next the level is singing at you, pipes start moving like living creatures, or the ground decides it has opinions. It’s not random, though. The best Wonder moments are carefully choreographed, like a short set piece that knows exactly when to start and when to get out.
The new power-ups are strong because they feel purposeful, not just cosmetic. Elephant Mario is the headline, but the real value is how often the game gives you a tool that changes how you approach secrets and platforming without turning everything into a breeze. That balance matters. Mario lives on confidence. You want to feel capable, but you also want the game to keep asking for attention.
Co-op is where the tone shifts. Playing with others can turn a tight platformer into joyful mess, and Wonder leans into that. It’s easy to laugh at a mistake, then immediately try again because the checkpointing and pacing stay generous. The only mild downside is that some of the best surprises land hardest the first time, so repeat runs can feel more like “tour guide mode” than discovery.
Verdict: A playful, idea-packed Mario that remembers the series’ real superpower is surprise, not nostalgia.
