Super Mario Bros. Wonder is scheduled to be released this fall with its fun new Elephant Mario and other unique powers and abilities, but that has left many excited fans wondering what they can play in the meantime. The Super Mario franchise has so many great games, and many have special gimmicks to make them stand out from each other. If someone is looking for a game to scratch that same itch that the trailer for Super Mario Bros. Wonder gave them, looking at a few games that are along the same lines is the best way to go.
Mario Wonder will have new power-ups that give hilariously unique abilities, similar to how Tanooki Mario was introduced in Super Mario Bros. 3 and Cat Mario from Super Mario 3D World. Players might just want more of a classic traditional 2D Mario feel as well, or the chance to experiment with a little more creativity. Whatever direction someone wants to go in, it is hard to go wrong with any of the games in Mario's history, and here are a few that would be especially reflective of some of the traits anticipated in SMB Wonder.
7 Super Mario Odyssey
Record-setting Super Mario Odyssey may seem quite different from the Super Mario Bros. Wonder because it is not a traditional 2D platformer, but they do share the same feeling that is conveyed. A trademark of Mario games is often their ability to introduce new gimmicks and ideas and stretch the imagination, which Super Mario Odyssey does even more than any other game in the series. Literally taking Mario to new worlds and environments and experiencing a new form of play makes this game an example of the core theme behind Mario. The Super Mario Bros. Wonder appears through its trailer and even its very name to be carrying on this tradition.
6 Super Mario World
Super Mario World for the SNES is a great example of a 2D side-scrolling Mario platformer and is available to play on Nintendo Switch Online for anyone who is a subscriber to the service. This game introduced new elements of being able to fly or float with the cape as well as using the new Spin Jump move. As players look forward to Super Mario Bros. Wonder with the new elephant power-up and other novel abilities, it is fun to be able to play a game from the beginning of the 1990s as a nostalgic reminder of how much has remained the same.
5 Super Mario Run
Super Mario Run is a free game available on iOS and Android devices where Mario is continuously running forward, and the player taps their device to make Mario jump to collect coins, stomp on goombas, or climb platforms. Like SMB Wonder, Super Mario Run is designed in a 2D platformer style and is another example of Nintendo trying new approaches. One feature that makes this a notable game to try right now is that by linking the game with a players MyNintendo page, they can earn points and rewards by completing weekly challenges.
4 Super Mario 3D World
For players who don't have a lot of experience with Mario games, Super Mario 3D World's a great entry point into the series. Despite its 3D environment, there is a very traditional Mario experience to the puzzles and overall gameplay, and is perfectly suited for multiplayer. Like Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Super Mario 3D World also introduced a new ability in the Cat Suit, gotten from the Super Bell item. Another positive that this game has going for it, is the inclusion of the special Bowser's Fury game with 3D World's Switch port that offers another type of gameplay to try out as more of a collect-a-thon experience.
3 Super Mario Maker 2
Super Mario Maker 2 gives players the tools to create their own Mario levels in the themes of many of the classic styles, including the familiar 2D platforming experience that Super Mario Bros. Wonder will also carry forward. Getting to play around with these tools not only is just a lot of fun but also can help a person gain a better appreciation for some of the game mechanics used in the traditional titles. Also, even if building levels ends up not being as much fun for someone, there are millions of player-made levels to try out.
2 Super Mario Bros. 3
For many people, Super Mario Bros. 3 is the peak of Mario gaming and is a title that remains the favorite 2D Super Mario Bros. game. For those excited about the new elephant power in SMB Wonder, experiencing the wild powers that Super Mario Bros. 3 introduced is a fun blast from the past. This is the game that gave Mario the Tanooki Suit, Frog Suit, Hammer Suit, Super Leaf, P-Wing, and the Goomba's Shoe. This classic is often considered one of the greatest video games by many fans and is one that deserves to be experienced by any Mario fan and is currently available on the Nintendo Switch Online service.
1 New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a very long name for a very good game that happens to also provide a great lead-in to SMB Wonder. While the storylines are completely different, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe gives a modernized 2D platforming style with all the basics that make Mario games a fun, cheerful, and creative experience. It is a solid platformer with multiplayer and has many of the classic elements that players can expect to see in the new Super Mario Bros. Wonder as well.
SMB Wonder is only a couple of months away from being released, with a scheduled launch on October 20, 2023. Developers have not released too much information yet on the details of the game other than its initial trailer, but that is all that was needed to build excitement among the loyal Mario fanbase. Until Super Mario Bros. Wonder releases, the titles above are some great choices to enjoy in preparation for the new game, each with its own unique features that make them classic Mario experiences.
