It's thrilling seeing 2D Mario back to heights it hasn't reached since the 80s. No longer relegated to low effort (but still decent) nostalgia bait, this has been given the love, attention, and sheer bombast that has been reserved only for the 3D entries ever since they came around.
This is a game of beautiful setpieces and a barrage of new ideas only used for exactly as long as they still feel fresh. That is, Nintendo recognizes that while solid platforming and smooth level design can make for a good enough 2D Mario, in an age where those fundamentals have been mined again and again, the series is in desperate need of novelty. The wonder mechanics make every level an opportunity to try something new, exciting, and beautiful and it makes for the most memorable experiences the series has offered in decades, moving it far closer to the rapidfire paradigm shifts in Odyssey than the straightforward simplicity of NSMB.
Wonder is adorable, joyful, and gorgeous in every way. It genuinely feels like Nintendo packed every little idea they've had in the last 30 years into one game. On toward 100%!
This is a game of beautiful setpieces and a barrage of new ideas only used for exactly as long as they still feel fresh. That is, Nintendo recognizes that while solid platforming and smooth level design can make for a good enough 2D Mario, in an age where those fundamentals have been mined again and again, the series is in desperate need of novelty. The wonder mechanics make every level an opportunity to try something new, exciting, and beautiful and it makes for the most memorable experiences the series has offered in decades, moving it far closer to the rapidfire paradigm shifts in Odyssey than the straightforward simplicity of NSMB.
Wonder is adorable, joyful, and gorgeous in every way. It genuinely feels like Nintendo packed every little idea they've had in the last 30 years into one game. On toward 100%!