Brace yourselves, Nintendo aficionados! If you’ve been wondering what’s next for Mario and the gang after the Tears of the Kingdom hype, the Big N has some news for you.
On August 31 at 10:00 AM EST, a special Nintendo Direct dedicated exclusively to the upcoming 2D side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. Wonder will air on Nintendo’s various social media channels, including YouTube and Twitch. Don’t anticipate surprise reveals for other titles; this 15-minute show is all about Wonder.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is hyped up as the “next evolution” in Mario’s 2D adventures, a franchise that has not seen a 2D addition for more than a decade.
Scheduled to release on October 30 – just in time to spice up the Switch’s comparatively dry holiday schedule – Wonder is setting out to offer something truly innovative. And when we say innovative, we mean that you can turn Mario into a lot of things, like an elephant. That’s right, Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduces some mind-bending new power-ups, including the aptly named Wonder Flower. This psychedelic flora seems capable of anything from bringing pipes to life, spawning new enemy hordes, or even reshaping an entire level’s look and feel. The game sets Mario and his traditional Mushroom Kingdom crew – Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, Yoshi – on a new quest in the Flower Kingdom, a realm as whimsical as it sounds.
One of the most talked-about aspects of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the sudden retirement of Charles Martinet, who’s served as the iconic voice behind Mario for decades. Martinet, who has been exclaiming “It’s-a me, Mario!” since Super Mario 64, will not lend his voice to Wonder. Instead, he’s transitioning into the role of Nintendo’s “Mario Ambassador.” Given the immediate fan curiosity that was piqued when Mario’s voice seemed “off” in the initial game reveal, Nintendo confirmed that a special message from both Martinet and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto will be part of the event. There’s also rumors that the new voice of Mario may be unveiled during this presentation.
There’s something bigger afoot here as well. Historically, Nintendo has treated us to a major Nintendo Direct event every September. Considering this Wonder-focused Direct is taking place at the tail end of August, it begs the question: Will this replace the annual comprehensive update, or is it merely an appetizer for a bigger feast of announcements? Last year’s single-game Splatoon 3 Direct suggests that Nintendo is no stranger to whetting our appetites with specific game details before unloading a barrage of updates.
Despite Wonder being the only Mario game released this year, the franchise has had a fantastic year in other avenues, especially with the financial blockbuster of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. This movie not only pulled in over a billion dollars worldwide but might also be on track to win a Grammy, courtesy of Jack Black’s remarkable rendition of “Peaches.”
At the end of the day, Nintendo’s got us at the edge of our seats. Super Mario Bros. Wonder looks like it’s ramping up to be a vibrant, unpredictable addition to a franchise that, let’s face it, can do with a little shake-up. The absence of the iconic voice of Mario, Charles Martinet, will be a bittersweet note for many but we’re hoping the upcoming Nintendo Direct sheds some light on this new era for our favorite plumber.
Get your popcorn ready; the Wonder-focused Direct promises an “in-depth look” at the game, with likely gameplay footage and potentially some exciting announcements (Super Mario Bros. Wonder amiibo, perhaps?). So mark your calendars, because this is a trip to the Flower Kingdom you won’t want to miss.
