Ignoring the 'Super Mario Maker' games, 'Wonder' is easily the best mainline side-scrolling 'Mario' game since 'Yoshi's Island.' Now that isn't a very strong statement because the 'New Super Mario' era was a dark time indeed. But 'Wonder' finally brings back the magic of 2D Mario, that bopping FLOW that 'New' games never seemed to capture. Perhaps it's the returning focus on solo play that fixed the problem? Ignore all the new additions, the (too few) power ups, the wonder flower effects (that strongly and smartly recall 'Odyssey's' Cappy transformations), the badges, and there is still something so satisfying in just how Mario moves through these spaces. If I have any complaint, it is that none of the music ever even approaches the quality of any given theme from those titanic 'Super Mario' 2D games of the past. A shame then, given the score, that 'Wonder' didn't make more use of some of those legendary tracks. Might have remixed or reconsidered them in new ways just to add a jolt to this songbook. That aside, this a big, satisfying, (at times) insanely difficult 'Super Mario' game. In other words, this is close to peak video game.