In 2023, ‘Super Mario Bros. Wonder’ was released on the original Switch and received universal acclaim from both fans and critics for its classic 2D platforming fun for up to 4 players. Since the Switch 2’s release, various Switch games received upgrades for the Switch 2, and now, it’s Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s turn.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’ + Meetup in Bellabel Park is more than just an upgrade and is bringing loads of new content exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park is available to purchase on its own, both physically and digitally, but for those who already own the original version of Super Mario Bros.

Wonder on their Switch 2, the new content is available to buy and download for $30 AUD. Since we already reviewed the original game, this review will be focused on the upgrades, changes and new content. To read our review of the original game, check it out at this link.

The original game already had a big roster of characters with Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Toad, in either blue or yellow, Toadette, Yoshi in green, blue, red, or yellow, and Nabbit. Joining them are Rosalina and Luma from the Super Mario Galaxy games, who are fan favourites and welcome additions to Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Rosalina plays much like the other human characters, being able to use power-ups and take damage, but has her own unique animations in her base form. Luma is a co-star rather than a normal playable character and can only be used in multiplayer mode.

One of the four players can control Luma and move him anywhere on the screen, not take damage, collect items and use his spin attack to damage enemies and break blocks. Having Luma as an assist character helps make things easier for the main players and is a fun alternative for inexperienced or casual players.

The Switch 2 version also features some gameplay enhancements. Assist Mode can be enabled to make characters immune to damage and save them from falls with the Propeller Flower. Double badges allow players to equip two Badges to use both their abilities and a brand new power-up, Super Flower Pot has been added.

It dresses up characters in a flower suit and allows them to flutter in the air, then jump higher and gives them the ability to shoot big flowers as projectiles going upwards to damage any enemy in their path. Super Flower Pot is a fun, new and handy power-up, perfect for a 2D platform Super Mario game.

Bellabel Park, as mentioned in the game’s title, is a whole new addition to the game. It is a major new multiplayer hub and attraction area with 17 diverse co-op and competitive attractions where players can collect Bellabel Water and find seven missing Bellabel Flowers, which are stolen by Koopalings. It offers a wide range of different offline and online multiplayer modes, with some allowing a single player.

The offline co-op modes include stages where up to 4 players must work together to either get a Bob-omb to the end of the stage before it explodes, 2 players play as any character while the other 2 place donut blocks on the screen for them to run on without falling or every player has to jump in sync to raise the platform to the top before the time runs out.

If you and your friends want to get competitive, they can race against each other to collect the most coins, use weapons to battle each other and have the most lives by the end or play a game of tag while being able to hide in the environment. There are many more stages to discover for both co-op and competitive play.

The online multiplayer modes are mainly racing against each other to see who can complete the challenges the fastest, without being able to interact with each other, similar to playing the main game online while being able to see transparent versions of other players. This also only works with players on your friends list, so you can’t match up with random players, greatly reducing the number of people you can play against.

The online multiplayer modes are still fun for what they are, but not being able to interact with your opponents and having to rely only on people in your friends list to be playing takes a lot of that fun away. Nintendo seriously needs to stop being hesitant about online multiplayer modes.

Meeting Captain Toad will introduce the Toad Brigade Challenges, featuring more than 70 unique challenge stages with different themes, increasing in difficulty the more you complete. All seven Koopalings are back, with Wendy, Roy, Larry, Morton, Iggy, Lemmy and Ludwig for seven new boss battles scattered throughout the Flower Kingdom.

They each have unique conditions to take them down, instead of just having to jump on them three times, making them more of a challenge than ever.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder was already an impressive-looking game on the original Switch with its bright, vibrant colours and art style. The Switch 2 version enhances everything, looking better than ever, especially in 4K for those with 4K televisions. During multiplayer action, the game now allows you to pan the camera back for a wider view, so every player can see what they’re doing more clearly and help prevent more mishaps.

The original Super Mario Bros. Wonder from 2023 was already a fantastic game for Switch owners to have some multiplayer fun. The Switch 2 version isn’t just an upgrade with better-looking graphics; it is packed with loads of new content.

With a wide range of offline and online multiplayer modes to work together or against each other, fan favourite characters Rosalina and Luma being added to the playable roster, and all seven Koopalings returning with their own unique boss battles, there is so much to do and enjoy on top of the base game.

Just like the original game, Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park is a mouthful of a title, but an absolute must-buy for Super Mario fans.

Written by: Sammy Hanson