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Super Mario Bros. Wonder arrived in 2023 as a refreshingly inventive return to 2D Mario, pairing classic stage design with a string of modern twists. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition lands as a modest update rather than a reinvention: the same core platforming experience remains, bolstered by a handful of new features and technical refinements that will please fans but are unlikely to convert sceptics.
What has changed
The Switch 2 Edition does not overhaul the original game. Instead, it layers on small pieces of extra content and optimisation. New meet-up events and cameo appearances, including light Pikmin-related touches, add colour to familiar stages. These additions feel like optional trinkets rather than must-play expansions — enjoyable for players who loved the original, but not essential to the game’s core appeal.
Gameplay and design
The platforming that made Wonder notable remains intact: crisp controls, inventive enemy and hazard placement, and stages that encourage experimentation. The game balances accessible pacing with occasional bursts of clever challenge, and the Switch 2 Edition preserves those strengths. New bits of content slot into existing levels or present brief standalone encounters, contributing variety without altering level flow or difficulty curves in any meaningful way.
Presentation and performance
The Switch 2 Edition delivers a degree of technical polish. Visuals appear slightly cleaner and animations feel a touch smoother, lending added sparkle to the game’s already colourful aesthetic. Frame-rate and loading improvements provide a more seamless playthrough, particularly in co-operative sessions where performance consistency matters. These enhancements are welcome but subtle: they improve the experience rather than redefine it.
Content and replayability
Replay value is driven largely by the same forces as the original release: hidden secrets, challenge levels and local co-op. The new meet-ups and cameos provide short-term novelty and incentives to revisit certain stages, but they do not expand the game’s breadth in the way a full extra world, extensive DLC campaign or substantial new mechanics would have done. Players after additional depth or a tougher post-game may feel underwhelmed.
Verdict
Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is a careful, well-executed polish of an already strong platformer. The extras are pleasant and the technical tweaks improve day-to-day play, but the package is deliberately lightweight: inessential bells and whistles rather than a content-rich sequel. For newcomers, it remains one of the best modern 2D Marios; for owners of the original, it is a nice but ultimately non-essential upgrade.
Score: 8/10 — An excellent game given a neat polish on Switch 2, but not transformed by its additions.