Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a cry for help that can no longer be heard, an unequivocal statement on drug addiction.
After years of normalcy, Mario denies himself of convention and looks to experiment with the hallucinogens of innovation. This choice is felt throughout his journey across the Flower Kingdom as we witness the deteriorating health of gaming's greatest icon. If New SMB was Mario getting clean, Wonder is the relapse, crossing the point of no return. To put it simply, Mario is not okay; he needs help. Nintendo has decided help is no longer necessary and this is the result.
Among these innovations is the implementation of Wonder Flowers. Its impact on gameplay is the platformer equivalent to what one may experience during an acid trip. Upon consumption of said plant, courses are given a psychedelic makeover and altered beyond recognition, radically shifting their design and appearance until a Wonder Seed is obtained. The outcome of this is dynamic levels brimming with ingenuity.
This unabashed rejection of lucidity is accompanied by the badge system, intensifying Mario's sensation of ecstacy derived from each course. Action badges open the door for experimentation with a variety of skills that provide unique solutions to the design. Boost badges are passive and typically serve to keep Mario out of harms way. These are boring and should be avoided. Expert badges, by contrast, mix in a far stronger substance that will test how much Mario can take, reserved only for those seeking a true challenge.
By this point, Mario can no longer walk a straight line and we're left with a nonlinear map. Wonder's obscured progression brings forth an incentive to explore with a degree of secrecy thats been absent from the series since SMW. Utilization of multiple badges and power ups are cleanly worked into the design as shifting through them will be necessary to make the most out of Mario's remaining days.
At its core, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the story of a helpless drug addict whose life has become a flickering flame, ready to burn out at any moment. Sentient flowers are fun. Singing Piranha plants are fun. Sociopathic castles are fun. We don’t want Mario to sober up. We want him to continue destroying his mind because its fun. We may carry this sin with us for the rest of our lives. Looking back on how much fun I had, I am fully prepared to do exactly that.
After years of normalcy, Mario denies himself of convention and looks to experiment with the hallucinogens of innovation. This choice is felt throughout his journey across the Flower Kingdom as we witness the deteriorating health of gaming's greatest icon. If New SMB was Mario getting clean, Wonder is the relapse, crossing the point of no return. To put it simply, Mario is not okay; he needs help. Nintendo has decided help is no longer necessary and this is the result.
Among these innovations is the implementation of Wonder Flowers. Its impact on gameplay is the platformer equivalent to what one may experience during an acid trip. Upon consumption of said plant, courses are given a psychedelic makeover and altered beyond recognition, radically shifting their design and appearance until a Wonder Seed is obtained. The outcome of this is dynamic levels brimming with ingenuity.
This unabashed rejection of lucidity is accompanied by the badge system, intensifying Mario's sensation of ecstacy derived from each course. Action badges open the door for experimentation with a variety of skills that provide unique solutions to the design. Boost badges are passive and typically serve to keep Mario out of harms way. These are boring and should be avoided. Expert badges, by contrast, mix in a far stronger substance that will test how much Mario can take, reserved only for those seeking a true challenge.
By this point, Mario can no longer walk a straight line and we're left with a nonlinear map. Wonder's obscured progression brings forth an incentive to explore with a degree of secrecy thats been absent from the series since SMW. Utilization of multiple badges and power ups are cleanly worked into the design as shifting through them will be necessary to make the most out of Mario's remaining days.
At its core, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the story of a helpless drug addict whose life has become a flickering flame, ready to burn out at any moment. Sentient flowers are fun. Singing Piranha plants are fun. Sociopathic castles are fun. We don’t want Mario to sober up. We want him to continue destroying his mind because its fun. We may carry this sin with us for the rest of our lives. Looking back on how much fun I had, I am fully prepared to do exactly that.