Super Mario Bros. Wonder Fans Say It's The Best 2D Mario Game in 30 Years

Super Mario Bros. Wonder finally released on Nintendo Switch to end this past week, and by all accounts, it's already one of the best entries in the storied franchise. Since 1985, Nintendo has been releasing 2D Super Mario games for platforms like NES, SNES, Wii, DS, and 3DS. And while virtually every Mario title has been popular in its own way, it seems like Super Mario Bros. Wonder is already on a shortlist of the best in the eyes of many fans. 

Since its launch on October 20, social media and other various platforms have been filled with praise for Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Most players have said that Wonder is a big step up compared to the New Super Mario Bros. sub-series, which first began on Nintendo DS. Although New Super Mario Bros. wasn't disliked by fans in a general sense, the consensus seems to be that Nintendo has been far more inventive with Wonder, making it a 2D entry that is the most enjoyable since 1991's Super Mario World. 

"I've been playing the new Mario game and it's fantastic. This is the absolute best 2D Mario game we've had since the 90s and while the New Super Mario games make that title frankly not worth that much, Mario Wonder really is up there with Mario 3 and World," said user willrsauls on Reddit. "This is Nintendo at its most imaginative and one of the freshest platformers in an era where it feels like the genre keeps treading old ground. [...] This is the best Mario has felt in 2D without a doubt."

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Reviews Are Incredibly High

Generally speaking, it's quite apparent that critics happen to agree with fans when it comes to Super Mario Bros. Wonder. At this point in time, the latest Mario installment boasts a staggering 93/100 aggregate score on Metacritic, making it one of the best-reviewed games that has released in 2023. As for ourselves here at ComicBook.com, we're also massive fans of Mario Wonder and gave the Switch title a rare 5/5 score on our own scale. It remains to be seen if Wonder gets any Game of the Year consideration as 2023 wraps up, but it would certainly seem to be in the running. 

To see more of what we think about Super Mario Bros. Wonder, you can check out a snippet from our review here:

"Super Mario Bros. Wonder is about as close to perfection as it gets for a 2D Mario game. While the New Super Mario Bros. games were fun, they never felt like they had their own distinct identity, the way we saw with classic Mario games like Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is dripping with creativity and personality in every facet. The game has set a new high bar for future Mario titles, offering an adventure that can stand with the very best games on Nintendo Switch. Nearly 40 years after the original Super Mario Bros., Nintendo has come along once again to prove that no one does the platforming genre better."