Nintendo revealed its latest 2D side-scrolling Mario game at its June 21 Direct, and to the unsuspecting eye it might have looked like a familiar return to the New Super Mario Bros. spin-offs of old. But longtime fans quickly noticed that Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks full of extra animated flourishes that set it up to potentially be something much more.
The premise of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is that Mario and up to three other characters run through 2D platforming levels that shift in real time thanks to a trippy Wonder Flower power-up. Luigi, Peach, and Toad are also joined by Yoshi and Daisy this time around, and everyone can transform into an elephant. But the stuff that already has fans so excited are the little touches that make it look like Nintendo is really trying to breathe extra life into the retro presentation.
“Haven’t seen this kind of personality and style since the days of 2D sprites. Beautiful,” wrote Twitter user StephenJPlant alongside screenshots of some of Mario’s new facial expressions in Wonder while ground stomping. “Comparing these to their NSMB series equivalents is pretty hilarious,” added GuyWithThePie. “Nintendo was really okay with 2D Mario looking like that for 6 or so games straight.”
Throughout Wonder’s trailer, you can see Mario making an array of different faces and gestures while running, jumping, and climbing. Brief snippets of characters like Peach and Daisy imply they’ll have a similar variety of expressions. Nintendo’s always been lauded for its attention to small details that culminate into a smooth and tactile platforming experience that’s bigger than the sum of its parts, and these additions are a perfect example of that.
Originally released on the Nintendo DS, the New Super Mario Bros. series offered a 2D version of the hit franchise to complement the plumber’s 3D sandbox adventures on console. The games were never quite as good as the NES, SNES, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance games they spiritually channeled, however, even when the sub-series made its way to Wii and Wii U.
With Wonder, the first new Mario game since Super Mario Odyssey six years ago, it looks like Nintendo is going the extra mile. Some fans have worried the 2D game will just be a stop-gap to finish off the Switch’s run until a successor launches. Nintendo rarely indulges in half-measures though, especially on flagship hardware around the holiday season. Hopefully Wonder plays as good as it looks when it arrives on October 20. You can click through the slideshow at the top of the post for a quick look at some of the other bespoke expressions fans have been calling out from the trailer.