Parents' Guide to

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Nostalgic game encourages teamwork and sharing.

Game Nintendo Switch 2023
Super Mario Bros. Wonder boxshot, featuring elephant Mario emerging from a pipe.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 4 parent reviews

erika142
erika142 Parent of 7 and 10-year-old
October 20, 2023
age 6+

Phenomenally Fun & Entertaining -- Best Game for Families | ♡

This game, along with many other 2D & 3D Nintendo Platformers, has met and exceeded my expectations for a Super Mario game. This game inspires creativity and has elements never seen before in a Mario adventure before. It is incredibly fun and has a wide range & diversity of characters to choose from. This game was intended to be a little more challenging than previous Mario games, so if your child likes to have an easy-going experience, they will appreciate the game's offering of two new characters; Yoshi (4 variations) and Nabbit, which both are unable to be damaged by enemies and can easily glide through levels, without the frustrations and anger that usually arises from games. The game also has tons of other classics, which include Mario, Luigi, (2) Toads, Daisy, Toadette, and Princess Peach. I really love this game's incorporation of happy and positive elements throughout the levels, and all of the colorful scenery, which I find to be the best aspect of this game. Conclusively, this game is great for families with tons of kiddos -- you can play multi-player with up to four people but will require additional controllers. It supports cooperation, sends positive messages, and has the ability to make the game less challenging for those younger kiddos who are fans, this game is the perfect addition to your household and provides countless hours of entertainment.
zaire S.
zaire S. Adult
October 20, 2023
age 5+
Mario wonder is an amazing game for kids
See all 4 parent reviews

What’s It About?

SUPER MARIO BROS. WONDER shifts the action from the Mushroom Kingdom to the Flower Kingdom, which is under attack by Bowser and his minions. Mario and his pals Peach, Luigi, Daisy, Yoshi, Nabbit, and various Toads explore various realms to track down magic seeds in order to save the kingdom and its inhabitants. As with all 2D Mario games, this is a traditional run-to-the-right adventure in which players run, jump, slide, and ground-pound their way through countless courses until they reach the flag at the end. New to the experience is a badge system that allows players to equip perks, like being able to dash-swim, get more coins from enemies, or pull out a giant hat to use as a parachute. One badge can be used per level. Players can also now play online in what amounts to parallel play, allowing players to see and casually interact with other people playing the same levels they are. You can assist or receive assistance in novel ways, such as reviving other players when they're in a ghost state, giving them your stored power-up, or simply sending an encouraging emoji. The game also supports local multiplayer for up to four players.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (4 ):

There's probably nothing more iconic or familiar to players in the world of video games than a Mario side-scroller. Indeed, Super Mario Bros. Wonder will make anyone who's played a Mario game in the past feel instantly at home. The tried-and-true running and jumping mechanics carry over seamlessly from previous games in the franchise, and many of the enemies, sound effects, and jokes are meant to make players recall their favorite Mario moments from the past. But it's also friendly to brand new players. The controls make use of just a few buttons plus the d-pad, and the difficulty ramps up gradually. More than that, the game's badge system can provide vital aids -- like the ability to place blocks to use as platforms -- that can help struggling players through trickier courses. And if you're playing with others locally or online, they can help by making sure you get revived if you keep getting knocked out in a tough area.

The real stars of the show are the levels. Nintendo's designers have a knack for creating courses that are ingenious, challenging, and fair, all at the same time. Figuring out what the game wants you to do and then executing a series of perfectly timed jumps across platforms and past enemies can be deeply satisfying. And with the elimination of level timers -- that's right, you can take as long as you like to finish each course -- players now have time to investigate every nook and cranny of the world they're running through, revealing loads of secret vines, blocks, and hidden areas along the way. It's been 11 years since the last brand new side-scrolling Super Mario game (an entire generation of pre-teens has yet to experience a new one), but Super Mario Bros. Wonder was well worth the wait.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about screen time. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is carved into bite-sized levels, most of which take only minutes to complete. How many do you usually play to feel like you've made enough progress that you're willing to take a break? Can pacing yourself make the game more fun?

  • Talk about diversity in Mario games, or the lack of it. Do you think Nintendo should introduce new key characters in the Mario universe with darker skin tones? Or would this simply be tokenization? Should they allow players to customize character appearance?

  • This game encourages empathy and teamwork. Why are these important character strengths?

Game Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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