Today is a big day for Mario fans. A new 2D Mario game, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, has been officially released by Nintendo. One of the pre-release topics that fans have been discussing in regards to the game has been about how the game’s graphics look like a major step up from the New Super Mario Bros. games.
That said, the graphic and technical abilities of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the main subject in a new tech review that has been released by Digital Foundry. There is also some attention given to the game’s creativity, new voice of Mario and the level design. You can see the review down below.
Digital Foundry has stated in their written review that Super Mario Bros. Wonder runs at 1080p when played in docked mode and 720p in handheld mode. The site points out that Nintendo has utilized dynamic resolution scaling in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which they say can drop to 864p (80 percent of 1080p). They say that “this is relatively uncommon.” Regarding Nintendo’s achievement, they have managed to get the sublime 2D platformer running at a near-flawless 60fps. There are occasional dips, but they are very uncommon. This leads them to summarise that all in all, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is an excellent showcase for the Nintendo Switch platform.
“The detail in the animation goes way beyond just Mario, however – the enemies and other characters also exhibit a range of expressions. Both Mario and his foes now use eye tracking to glare at each other as you run through the stage and enemies can even react to Mario’s actions – when Mario lands on a Goombrat, his buddy reacts with a terrified expression knowing a similar fate awaits him.”
There are some nifty technical tricks here too, including shadows projected from dynamic objects, suitably-cartoony particle effects and some mind-bending stage transformations – all running at a near-flawless 60fps. I say near flawless because there were occasional hiccups when transitioning into a level, but this never seems to impede gameplay and the overall experience feels solid. I’d expect no less from a side-scrolling Mario game, but it’s nice to confirm it.
“Mario Wonder is not just a great game, but it’s a game that actually lifted my mood and reminded me what I enjoy about games in the first place. It also demonstrates what’s possible on low-spec, “outdated” hardware. Wonder does not push any technical boundaries, but it shows the benefits of perfectly focusing on a target and ensuring that you nail it.”
You can read our very own review here.
I think Super Mario Wonder is the best true to form Mario game yet!
Odyssy was amazing but Wonder I think really brings me back to my Childhood play Super Mario World
Nintendo has been on a roll lately with the recent Mario + Rabbids 2 DLC with Rayman and now Super Mario Wonder, lets hope this keeps going into 2024
It successfully captures the essence of what makes gaming enjoyable, further solidifying its place in the hearts of fans.