First Thoughts: Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Channel: 00dani
Date: 25/10/2023

i have played a LOT more of this game since recording this, so i have a few additional thoughts:
- i was right about the story implying you can visit the worlds out of order! worlds 1 to 3 must be completed in that order, but after that you ARE actually allowed to unlock and visit the remaining three worlds in any order (provided you gather enough wonder seeds to open them). i like this a lot. i'm not sure why it only happens about halfway through the game, but i'm very glad it happens eventually
- there's a badge (grappling vine) which is a straight-up better version of wall-climb jump and can be used to keep climbing up a wall forever rather than just once? there is actually no reason to ever use the wall-climb jump badge outside of badge challenges that force it. baffling
- this game has a special world and it's really fucking hard. like, i think it's more difficult than smw's special world? it's intense and it feels really good when you finally clear a special world course

but most importantly:
- i really like it. it should be obvious from my preamble and how i was talking during the early parts of the game that i wasn't expecting to, but i really really do like super mario bros wonder
- obviously i don't think it's perfect? i wish it had a better design for the badge system and didn't have an extra life mechanic, and also having yet another random gacha mechanic in the form of standees is obnoxious
- but everything else is so damn good that i can't help but love it. it absolutely won me over, i like this particular mario game an awful lot even though it's "course clear" style