Shacknews Top 23 Games of the Year 2023

#4 Game of the Year 2023 - Super Mario Bros. Wonder

It's safe to say that after more than 15 years, the New Super Mario Bros. series had run its course. It was finally time for something truly new. Super Mario Bros. Wonder understood the assignment and brought something fresh to the long-running 2D platforming series.

Wonder takes the best of Super Mario Bros.-style platforming and gives it a fresh injection of imagination. A new kingdom, new enemies, and new platforming challenges await. Players can approach them in the usual Mario way or they can equip special Badges to help tackle specific situations. Beyond the strong level layouts, the hidden exits, and goodies, Wonder Flowers give Wonder the biggest twist in a Mario game in years. Collecting a Wonder Flower gives players a chance to try levels in entirely new ways depending on their effect. They play with the Mario formula in ways that have never been seen.

There's also something to be said about Super Mario Bros. Wonder being a game for everyone. Younger or less experienced players can try playing as Yoshi or Nabbit in order to get a safety net against enemies. Four-player local co-op is supported and it allows friends to actually play with each other and help one another. The days of bumping into each other and throwing each other off cliffs have been left behind with the NSMB series. Plus, even if one opts to play alone, a new asynchronous play option allows users to play with ghosts from around the world. With this online environment, players can help each other with life-saving standees and watch each other's movements for in-the-moment guidance.

If Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the future of 2D Mario platforming, it's a bright future indeed. It's simply wonderful.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is available on Nintendo Switch.

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.