i really, really appreciate the amount of time spent on sound design. that's something most reviewers completely neglect
@godbelow11 ай бұрын
Unfortunately something most people completely neglect. Sound for me is a much more critical element when it comes to film and games. Way more so than visually.
@ryan01119311 ай бұрын
I completely agree with you that sound design is often neglected in game reviews and analysis. John is very good at mentioning audio design in his videos however.
@timytimeerased11 ай бұрын
ACG has been talking about sound in all his reviews for 5+ years
@XZ-III11 ай бұрын
I think that's ALL i keep hearing actually
@Teremei11 ай бұрын
@@godbelow yeah for sure. I really love a good musical score. But I also really enjoy games that have great environmental sounds. To this day I still have a vivid memory of playing aidyn chronicles on N64 and hearing the birds and a slight breeze, then at the same location at night a gentle cricket sound, and as I got closer to the stream, the water noise got louder.
@Millahtime11 ай бұрын
Nintendo has been on a roll this year (hell this entire generation). They just keep showing us, time and time again, why they are truly masters of their craft.
@ThomastheDankEngine890011 ай бұрын
Super Mario Bros. Wonder had no time limit. It was as passionate and creative as a passion project can get.
@gabrielguedes616611 ай бұрын
@@ThomastheDankEngine8900 Somewhat similar to Tears of the Kingdom. Nintendo didn't give them a deadline at first, and the game was finished in 2022 but the team decided to give it another full year just to test things out and polish it. That's what makes these games stand out from the rest
@SakuraAvalon9 ай бұрын
I love Wonder, and a lot of good games have come out from them. But I can't agree. This generation started off slow, with full price ports of old games(some that were 20 dollars, now 60 dollars because they were on Switch. Like DK Tropical Freeze, which retailed at 50 dollars, was reduced to 20, and then re-released on Switch for 60) Then there handling of their sports titles has been abysmal. Releasing unfinished games, and adding the rest of the game in as 'free DLC'. And even then, the games remain lacking in content, as the DLC boils down to just mostly characters.
@GetShrekd2 ай бұрын
@@SakuraAvalon the sports games have been pretty disappointing but I would still say they're all at the least decent.
@MrMarinus1817 күн бұрын
I feel like the thought process behind Mario Wonder was to make a game that has the same market as NSMB but doesn't have the sameyness or bad reputation.
@darky167711 ай бұрын
genuinely one of the best digital foundry videos,i like how you talked about things you normally don't since you can't really follow the base structure every video follows with looking at resolution,switching from performance to quality mode, seeing where the game dips some frames,etc... and it felt more like a love letter to the mario franchise. absolutely stunning work
@hododod24611 ай бұрын
This is a cool thing about John. He doesn't see video games just as numbers and stats.
@dougr864611 ай бұрын
He also called all of us transphobes for playing a fucking game
@GraveUypo11 ай бұрын
@@dougr8646 he did?
@ShadowMan6457211 ай бұрын
@@dougr8646 Fake news. He never said that.
@dougr864611 ай бұрын
He 100% did lol. I read the tweet and it pissed me off. Just bc he deleted it and apologized doesn't mean it never happened
@kooijbas11 ай бұрын
This is an incredible game review. I love how you analyzed and explained what defines the "feel" of a game.
@DP1232111 ай бұрын
Momentum! Now I realize why I never loved the "New" series of games. He explained that very well. I could never put my finger on it, always felt floaty.
@purwantiallan508911 ай бұрын
@@DP12321SMW (Super Mario Wonder) for me is basically Super Mario 3 Prototype Version.
@user-le2hu1ct4t11 ай бұрын
I love those games, but get what you’re saying, feels a bit more Rayman than classic Mario. Unreal engine default play assets are extremely loose and floaty for some reason and Ive noticed a lot of indie games don’t really adjust it and those mechanics drive me crazy.
@kooijbas11 ай бұрын
@@user-le2hu1ct4t Have you ever played Ori and the blind forest? Those controls are perfect. So tight. You can perform incredible feats by the end of the game, all effortlessly.
@Bolkiebasher11 ай бұрын
I watched the whole 26 minutes. You must have spent ages putting this video together. 200% worth it, love the enthusiasm and detail in this review. The postman just delivered my game. Wish me luck!
@Hawallanxx11 ай бұрын
hows your experience been so far?😄
@purwantiallan508911 ай бұрын
For me its absolute awesome.
@seth780711 ай бұрын
Enjoy the game it’s been an absolute joy to play for me
@Bolkiebasher11 ай бұрын
@@Hawallanxx Brilliant! The colours, the sounds, the play mechanics. You can feel this is 100% polished.
@TheCommenterHimself11 ай бұрын
Really interesting how Nintendo has successfully managed to foundationally improve on a concept that most would define as being already effectively mastered.
@JuanCruz-cb1lf11 ай бұрын
As a 40+ year old man, I am very much enjoying this game. I don't play games often, but this game is fun.
@theoryofeverywhere629311 ай бұрын
This is by far the best review I have seen on the game. And addressing the controls with the direct comparison to the New series was exactly what I needed. Thanks so much!!!
@Khn9011 ай бұрын
Reviewers, take note. This video is a masterpiece
@Edino_Chattino11 ай бұрын
Reminds me of GameTrailers Zelda Timeline in terms of effort
@allluckyseven11 ай бұрын
To me, even after all these years, it is pretty impressive how Switch games such as this can still wow me from a visual standpoint. So while I agree with the "outdated hardware" remark, it's still really impressive, and it makes me think that the jump to the next iteration will quite likely make for truly amazing games.
@gunsharck11 ай бұрын
Aye mate calm down, the switch is only six years old. You make it sound like Indiana Jones unearthed it
@megapro12511 ай бұрын
@gunsharck the hardware components used in the switch are 8 years old however. In computing performance terms that *is* ancient and even more amazing what they are pulling off with the hardware.
@Kamelosk11 ай бұрын
I agree, thats why i kinda feel good we havent got another 3d mario after oddyssey, they must be cooking something huge for the switch 2
@TheRealTact11 ай бұрын
It’s the art style bro
@allluckyseven11 ай бұрын
@@TheRealTact Nope, it's the Tegra chip. Although yes, the art style does play some part, of course, some games will look better than others, some studios are better at it than others and all that.
@tdotran11 ай бұрын
Can’t wait to play this with my little daughter. It will be her first Mario game. Man, time flies by so quickly.
@GrimAbstract11 ай бұрын
Congrats man! I still think bout the good ol days playing this game with my parents especially around thanks giving haha
@tdotran11 ай бұрын
@@GrimAbstractthat’s the point. I want to have those memorable moments with her and hopefully she remembers her childhood since I rarely have any memories when I was a kid.
@soboring182611 ай бұрын
I was playing with my 3 year old son today and he spent a good 30 minutes "blowing balloons" (hold A) on the first level.
@purwantiallan508911 ай бұрын
@@GrimAbstracti also still remembered the days of SUPER MARIO NES. THE GOAT OF platforming games.
@purwantiallan508911 ай бұрын
@NaNoRarhStep 2: Defeat Bowser.
@maximilian354411 ай бұрын
Such a in-depth review. John raising the bar for videogame reviews by a lot. Tried watching other reviews for SMBW and they can't even compare.
@mayatung11 ай бұрын
I love your ability to break down rather dry topics in an engaging way with loads of examples. Excellent review!
@purwantiallan508911 ай бұрын
Well true.
@trinityskitz792911 ай бұрын
This is what happens when Nintendo is passionate and doesn't limit the dev's creativity and let their mind run wild with ideas. Currently in the second world and I am absolutely in love with the game, the entire visual style and the snappy platforming. 10/10 imo
@ViridianFlow11 ай бұрын
Can you imagine Nintendo quality and creativity, but with a modern studios technical prowess and hardware? If Nintendo weren't 2 gens behind (or 3 if we're talking Pokemon) but had the same brilliant visions they have, we'd be getting some indisputable games of the generation out of them. Hell, with TotK we're almost getting that already even though they're way behind technically. It's stuff like this and TotK that make people hype about "Ok but imagine Metroid Prime 4 on the next gen switch"
@MattJBarnes11 ай бұрын
If only other publishers and devs understood this.
@robardian369711 ай бұрын
@ViridianFlow it's also proof that you don't need the best graphics to make masterpieces. With ballooning budgets and game development taking so long with 1st party on PS5 and SX in reality Nintendo made the best choice to stay profitable and creating realistic timelines for games.
@thebravegallade73111 ай бұрын
@@ViridianFlow That 'modern hardware' actually sucks even more dev time and money from other aspects of a project...
@ViridianFlow11 ай бұрын
@@thebravegallade731 Perhaps, but that doesn't excuse certain Nintendo games (like the Pokemon franchise in particular) from releasing half assed half finished barely trying nonsense. We know what is possible on switch thanks to other Nintendo titles like Zelda, Mario, Splatoon and Xenoblade so when a new Pokemon game comes out looking like a GameCube title with no real new gameplay and textures that look like a new mod creator made them that's unacceptable
@squarewindow11 ай бұрын
John putting dedicated reviewers to shame, as usual. I was lucky enough to receive this in the post today and it reminds me a lot of Super Mario 3D World in terms of its creativity. As stated in the video, most devs would be happy to base an entire game around each of these gameplay ideas, but with Mario it's more like use it for one level and then move on to the next new and exciting thing. Nintendo in-house at the top of their game, as ever. I agree with your four pillars in general, John, but for me they're far from of equal importance - controls are #1 by far, then level design #2. I love music but I could definitely play a great-controlling game with bad music, but I'd struggle to do the opposite. The joy of controlling Mario on the NES effectively committed me to 40 years (and counting) of this hobby. Looking forward to playing further into the game over the next few days!
@ReLapse8511 ай бұрын
For me, the momentum is a game changer. I would always rage quit MarioU but playing wonder, I’m having so much fun! Thanks John, is was your recommendation during DF weekly that made me pull the trigger 👍
@coolioam813711 ай бұрын
I was up till midnight waiting for it to drop, and when it did I could NOT put it down. They killed it in every way imaginable, Nintendo has been killing it lately.
@ascendantMethEnjoyer11 ай бұрын
Have.. have you slept?
@coolioam813711 ай бұрын
@@ascendantMethEnjoyer NO SEND HELP.
@pandabearmadness626311 ай бұрын
I'm in California and I was able to play it 10/19 did you try the game early
@MikeJones888x11 ай бұрын
It's free, why did you pay $60??
@linkvagar233611 ай бұрын
@@MikeJones888xmaybe because they aren't a thieving scumbag?
@ggouveia1311 ай бұрын
This game is an instant classic. Nintendo always surprises us with their games, truly a masterpiece.
@ThomastheDankEngine890011 ай бұрын
Mario Wonder will be the game to challenge DKC Tropical Freeze for title of best 2D Platformer of all time! Only Nintendo can one up Nintendo.
@TheFondalizer11 ай бұрын
@@ThomastheDankEngine8900I'm not even a huge DK fan but that game had great bosses all throughout. This game has 1 great boss.
@darrendyson834711 ай бұрын
I know three bangers within 4 months is crazy.
@gunsharck11 ай бұрын
@@ThomastheDankEngine8900You’re having a serious bubble there mate eh? Best 2d platformer is Mario world bar none
@LZMP6011 ай бұрын
@@gunsharck says you
@pointlessfailure11 ай бұрын
I feel like people forget the last few Rayman 2D games. Those were super revolutionary and actually difficult.
@noahsabadish381211 ай бұрын
those games are great. i’m excited to play the new Prince of Persia which comes from the same developers. but I also wish they’d bring back 2D Rayman. Legends was too good not to have a follow-up. Those music levels…
@keviaaar11 ай бұрын
Genuinely one of the best Mario review I've ever seen, it's great how you go in-depth for everything that matters but most reviewers ignore, like sound design.
@darkknightniner986211 ай бұрын
Could never put my finger on what it was exactly about the "New SMB" games that never clicked with me like most of the rest of the 2D Marios, but this review it think finally nailed it and it's not just 1 thing, but multiple. Presentstion, gameplay and definitely the music!
@izuthree11 ай бұрын
I was always unsure about why I felt really bad at the 'New' games and how they handled, and the direct comparison of momentum I feel like in a simple clip shows why I just couldn't gel with them. The animation work on top of that makes Wonder just look so much more responsive and better to play.
@CharmedReally711 ай бұрын
for me it is the cookie cutter style, music sounds more like an ad for nintendo rather than actual game music, visuals are too clean, not enough stylization and the keyframe thing they mentioned in the video, plus the unimaginative world types. Wonder really blows them all out of the park.
@traviscunningham706211 ай бұрын
3D Land and World is what NSMB should have been IMO.
@darkknightniner986211 ай бұрын
@traviscunningham7062 Well 3D Land/World are more like meshing of the 3D games and 2D games. NSMB is just straight up side scroller. But yeah, s far as the title, the "New" would have made sense, since it was a completely different type of gameplay and camera angle from before.
@lukemoonwalker844411 ай бұрын
I'm so, so happy that they decided to get ballsy again with the 2D Mario games, it was so convenient for them to just push out iterations on the New style, yet here we are with EVERYONE being excited for Wonder and reviewers claiming it's one of the best games of the year. I'm sure sales will also reflect this newfound appeal of the game.
@mmd358511 ай бұрын
Super Mario World keeps rising as one of the GOATs for me. How insane is that 25 years ago, I was playing a game that is basically unrivalled in terms of mechanics?
@traviscunningham706211 ай бұрын
You know another game with good mechanics? 3D World.
@VagrantValmar11 ай бұрын
@traviscunningham7062 3D World is top tier Mario and most people sleep on it. It's literally my favorite Mario game
@traviscunningham706211 ай бұрын
Noice. Wonder is just like 3D World. Both games have creativity in every level, both have a lot of playable characters, both have new power ups, and both have a great soundtrack. Also Mario can become a furry in both games. 🐘 🐱
@ErenTheWarcriminal11 ай бұрын
Everyone sleep on 3D Land
@hoodrichhaul754511 ай бұрын
I can see Nintendo double dipping with a Mario world remaster.
@bravebiird11 ай бұрын
i love when you guys talk about audio and music in games, it's a lot of fun. i'd love to see more stuff about it in the future!
@BusStopWilly11 ай бұрын
At 51 and a lifetime gamer its such a shame to see a lack of 2D side scrollers with good graphics. I'm really bored with retro pixel styled graphics, I was playing games like that 40 years ago so glad to see games like this and the new 2D Sonic.
@Admiral_Cant_Hackett11 ай бұрын
That Wonder underground theme goes WAY too hard for its own good. Love the deep dive into the music.
@cj9012311 ай бұрын
I honestly feel this is one of the best game reviews i have ever seen. You just made my hype for this game grow even more, i can't wait for my copy to arrive!!
@alondite21511 ай бұрын
It's strange how sprites are often so much more expressive than 3D models given how much less detail there is and how many fewer frames of animation they have, but I think it really comes down to the really strong, energetic posing (by necessity, for the aforementioned reasons), and animating the models in the same manner was a clever little way of injecting some liveliness into the animations.
@ketchup786711 ай бұрын
I was genuinely so happy John is covering this game
@ivorytower584711 ай бұрын
John I wholeheartedly agree with your closing sentiments. There are a wealth of great games that check nearly every box, but that special and elusive game that elicits that "this is why I love video games" sensation is worthy of a different level of praise.
@mmo536611 ай бұрын
Just when we thought Switch had no big titles left in it’s schedule before being superseded, Nintendo pulls another gem from the rough
@noahsabadish381211 ай бұрын
Princess Peach Showtime will probably be amazing, too…
@mmo536611 ай бұрын
@@noahsabadish3812 Yep, and I’m also looking forward to Super Mario RPG remake.
@MoonSarito11 ай бұрын
The explanation of "Mario moves like a sprite" reminds me a lot of the techniques that ArcSystem used with Dragon Ball Fighter Z. It's really cool to see more games adopting this technique, it's really something I'd like to see more of in current games.
@jlidean354110 ай бұрын
What is interesting is we are seeing it in film as well.
@DonkeyRhubarb2111 ай бұрын
Got it today, and I agree. It's the best 2D Mario game I've played in perhaps 30 years. That's a LOT of time!!! Thanks for always excellent reviews and break-downs!
@purwantiallan508911 ай бұрын
Yep. Seems like Super Mario Bros 3 finally got its match.
@luqnotperfect11 ай бұрын
I love when John makes videos from his heart, it really shows how mucho love it has for games outside of just dipping ultra deep into performance and pixelcount
@dirtydirtsgt475111 ай бұрын
I admit I did not enjoy the New series as much as the old pixel art games, maybe except for the DS one I'm also not a fan of 2d platforming in general but there are few that I love (noteably metroid games) but this is one of them SMB Wonder blew my expectations away and had me excited and wanting for more all the time
@JayOfSpade11 ай бұрын
I feel like people have forgotten how weird and interesting the original New Super Mario Bros is on the DS, people tend to lump it in with the rest of the New games, but I feel like it was honestly pretty special, Wonder captures and exceeds my favorite parts of that game
@echobay202311 ай бұрын
Your parameters for a great 2d platformer also describe for me why Celeste is one of my favorite games of all time. Ticks all of those boxes with a meaningful story to boot.
@dark1x11 ай бұрын
Yep. It absolutely does!
@DimzReacts11 ай бұрын
That was one of the only games I finished, it was really good
@CodyCallaway11 ай бұрын
Your videos are a real treat, John. This is an amazing breakdown of this game and makes me really excited to play it after work. Look forward to a Digital Foundry video with all new video game releases, but even the high bar DF sets your videos always seem to even eclipse that.
@jason207711 ай бұрын
NOTHING can beat the Super Mario World soundtracks. Hearing those again brought back so many memories and reminded me just how good it is.
@Nice_Places11 ай бұрын
I agree 100%. It was Koji Kondo’s masterpiece. it’s also because things seemed to be a bit more special, a bit more magical in that era and the Super Nintendo produced some beautiful soundtracks. F-Zero, Starfox, Super Castlevania IV, Actraiser, UN Squadron, Street Fighter II, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, and many other games have beautiful soundtracks. That era was special and I’m glad I was there to experience it.
@kikkergnl919311 ай бұрын
I agree that those times were special as a kid. The transition from NES to SNES to 3D games was mindblowing to witness. But you have to count for the nostalgia factor here. Imagine being 8-10 years old right now and getting a Switch with Mario Wonder and Tears of the Kingdom. Those kids will say the same in 2050. Amazing that Nintendo is still able to reinvent their games again and again, staying relevant in videogames for almost 40 years!!
@gunsharck11 ай бұрын
Streets of rage 2 has the best soundtrack ever but Mario world is special
@r.c.c.1011 ай бұрын
I can name 50 games.
@redsaints11 ай бұрын
Hearing it on headphones for the first time was amazing, only ever heard it on a small colour TV before many years ago.
@ianwood643810 ай бұрын
Just got my copy today and as the owner of a PS5 Xbox series X and switch I can safely say the graphics and presentation of this game have blown my mind considering its a glorified mobile phone the graphics are so sharp the colours pop and the animation is sublime it’s amazing
@demantim11 ай бұрын
Lovely video John, it's been a long time since 1995 but having Nintendo's full creative (and budgetary) powers applied to a 2D platformer again is super uplifting. Also appreciated your segment on audio - NSMB does sound sedate. Wonder has a lot more energy due to more use of transients (sharp attack) in it's sounds, plus it tends to interlock a lot more which results in a more driving sound. And just plain variety in music and sample usage. What's going on in 17:56 BTW, Mario doing a flutter jump in World?! :O
@JoaoRenatoBail11 ай бұрын
Can't wait to hear your renditions of the game Tim!
@Markynava77711 ай бұрын
Holy cow that was weird!!! What the hell did Mario do LMAO
@get_stached11 ай бұрын
Dude, I hope you make some remixes of Wonder's music!
@TurboPikachu11 ай бұрын
Ah I see why Mario looks like he's fluttering. That was the 16:9 video cutting off the bottom of the stage. Mario's standing on grass that would otherwise be in-frame if DF were showing the game in a 4:3 (or SNES' native 8:7) aspect ratio
@purwantiallan508911 ай бұрын
@@Markynava777Mario got Michael Jackson vibe.😂
@James-gj8rn4 ай бұрын
7:31 I love the small details like that, when you're just about to land a jump on the Goomba, the shocked face on the Goomba is so good
@frombauer11 ай бұрын
Another exceptional video John. One can easily see the passion you have for these games.
@korniliosjs11 ай бұрын
Can I just say, this is one of the best reviews I've ever seen. You've literally broken down the game and explained the mechanics behind it. Instead of just voicing your opinion you actually explain why the game is what it is
@EmersonFlemingEmRock1311 ай бұрын
I didn’t realize just how in-depth the Wonder mechanic would be. I’ve been playing the game for a while and literally not a single concept gets reused in the wonder sections of the levels, it’s all brand-new stuff and it’s awesome. The polar opposite of the NSMB games, where you’re lucky to get a new concept in a level.
@steven746511 ай бұрын
Surprised you didn't mention Super Mario 3D World. Although it's a hybrid, I would say it was an installment in Super Mario platforming. The soundtrack for that game was phenomenal.
@davidtodd210411 ай бұрын
Better review than almost any other site has put out John. Well done!
@Sabre_Wulf111 ай бұрын
Well im still gaming on mario after 42 years of his existance. Its still going strong. Love wonder as much as the original mario and the day i was introduced to donkey kong.
@jaritsu11 ай бұрын
I have been recovering this week from hernia surgery and I basically hung out in bed watching TV and playing on my neglected switch. Tried to get into NSMB for the upteenth time and it just really doesn't hit right. I fired up Rayman Legends and it's such a contrast how much better a platformer Rayman is. It's good to hear Nintendo is figuring things back out. Just wish this came out last week!
@GameMageVideos11 ай бұрын
This is one of the best reviews I've ever seen. You watch an IGN review or something and it's just like "Mario is HARD. Old school hard." or something. It'll be like a 5-minute video and they're just gonna give every game an 8 anyway. This is spectacular.
@willkelmanpenapena355111 ай бұрын
Music instrumentation also change depending if you are stand still, moving or have the elephant power.
@ScaricoOleoso11 ай бұрын
Another change in mechanics that I noticed: in every other Mario game, no matter how fast Mario is flying and, falling along, when he lands in water, he immediately stops, and all that momentum is gone. This is the first game where that doesn't happen. The momentum continues into the water for a moment, just like if a person dove in.
@أسامةإمارةأبوظبي11 ай бұрын
We need a comparison between GT7 and FM
@nesaaliyah482111 ай бұрын
“I consider myself a connoisseur of 2D platformers. I shall now deploy a unique 4-category evaluation system, which I devised specially for judging games in this specific genre: gameplay, level design, graphics, and music.” Astonishing.
@Polyh3dron11 ай бұрын
Thank you so much for encapsulating exactly why I never liked the New Super Mario Bros games. I wholeheartedly agree that the use of samples was so much more inspired in the SNES games than it ever was in the "New" series. You hit the nail on the head in every single aspect. The "New" games were a creative regression for the Mario series in every single aspect, but I cannot wait to dive into this game.
@traviscunningham706211 ай бұрын
Unpopular opinion: 3D Land feels more like a sequel to World than NSMB.
@Drothen-11 ай бұрын
“Encapsulating” lol okay grabdpa
@HrabiaKaczula11 ай бұрын
I was not expecting the music section to be that. The new track is goosebumping!!!! It is rad!!!! I'm getting the game today. As always John, you are doing an exceptional work!
@davidcharles24311 ай бұрын
So nice to see a top tier game that lives up to its promise... and thank god theres no talk of day 1 patches ,raytracing, black level raise, which graphics mode to pick, stuttering etc etc... all things which are slightly ruining modern games
@fensoxx11 ай бұрын
I agree. I love all the latest tech. But it’s nice to see a game just come out of the gate looking beautiful, playing great, and being fun.
@alfrankowski82979 ай бұрын
Great review John. Thanks. The thing that surprised me the most about Mario Wonder (and TOTK) was that they made me feel good during and after playing them. I love a difficult, dark brooding game, but it is nice to be reminded why I enjoyed video games as a kid and these two really do deliver.
@mattmanley711811 ай бұрын
My god why do there have to be so many good games releasing this year non stop?😅 I want to play this so bad and I want to support the new voice actor who sounds wonderful by the way!! He has a lower pitch voice wise than Charles but had I not been used to Charles voice for over 30 years I would never know the difference!! Welcome Kevin to the Mushroom Kingdom!❤
@SpammusX11 ай бұрын
Kevin had a higher voice than Charles. He can't reach the lows that Charles has. He does well, but there's definitely a difference.
@mattmanley711811 ай бұрын
@@SpammusXthere is a difference for sure but it’s interesting what our ears hear! I hear the opposite but regardless I’ll try to find time to play this ASAP❤😂
@anthonyrizzo904311 ай бұрын
Refreshing to see a dev still care to make a full single player experience on release and not have to give a heads up about missing features that are coming like NG+ etc. Especially if your going to release a physical copy, they shouldn't be stuck with the unfinished version.
@mr_m461311 ай бұрын
Now this is a next gen game as we can clearly see the advancements from new super mario brothers U to Wonder visually AND Gameplay wise.
@MatthewCampbell76511 ай бұрын
With music in New Super Mario Bros, I'd probably describe it as always sounding like a breather level even when a more energetic theme would be more appropriate.
@timewaveZer011 ай бұрын
One of the most nuanced and in-depth reviews I've heard. This one speaks to my ❤. You articulated what I think I've known for years, but couldn't put my finger on regarding animation/movement. You've got yourself another subscriber. Keep the content coming. TY
@Derrickb199011 ай бұрын
I’m really glad to see you guys going over the audio in games as well
@steel589711 ай бұрын
This is basically Bespoke: The Game. Every single level is absolutely unique not just in theme but in mechanics as well, then the wonder seed is like a level within a level and that is always unique as well. There's enough ideas here to make like 20 different platforming games. I finished it today and can't wait to go for 100% and some casual speedrunning later.
@northernassassin605611 ай бұрын
I'm not even into platformers anymore but this has me really intrigued. This looks like a truly special game.
@gabrielguedes616611 ай бұрын
It is. It's fun to play both alone and with someone else. Even online mode actually works for a change, and it's also fun.
@KRG3000111 ай бұрын
Mario 3 and Super Mario World are the greatest platformers ever made in my opinion. Can’t wait to see where this one ranks
@traviscunningham706211 ай бұрын
To me, it’s my 7th favorite of the mainstream Mario’s. Both Galaxy games are still my favorite.
@Trench30311 ай бұрын
18:15 gotta disagree this did and still absolutely slaps with perfect sample tbh Amazing video though, look forward to playing it as yoshi’s island is probably my favourite game of all time
@nineplusten11 ай бұрын
Regarding the sound and music, it's important to point out that Koji Kondo was the sound director on Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Why is this important? This might surprise you, but Kondo hasn't been the sound director for a mainline 2D Mario game since 2006 (New Super Mario Bros. for DS). Almost 40 years later, Kondo still understands the Mario sound better than anyone. After all, he invented it.
@drifter218511 ай бұрын
Another candidate for GOTY. A year with fantastic games, but the pure joy you get from playing a Mario game, makes it very special 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@The_MEMEphis11 ай бұрын
Probably not gonna win since way to many good games came out this year I wouldn't even put it in my top 10 and I still think it's an amazing game this year was just stacked
@CuriousJet11 ай бұрын
I played both Baldur’s Gate 3 and Mario Wonder. They are both great in their own way. I know BG3 will probably win it, but my vote goes to Mario because it gives me joy no other game could.
@JFinns11 ай бұрын
No where near a GOTY candidate, but still a great game mainly if you have kids.
@traviscunningham706211 ай бұрын
I think TOTK will be GOTY.
@JFinns11 ай бұрын
It was good but not even close to BG3
@giggsy4211 ай бұрын
Played for 5 hours with daughter yesterday, the game is an absolute joy. What an insane year for gaming - Mario, Zelda, Pikmin 4, Metroid remastered ,Advance Wars, Fire Emblem Engage, Diablo IV, Starfield , Baldurs Gate 3, Final Fantasy 16, Resident Evil 4 remake, Dead Space remake, Street Fighter VI, Mortal Kombat, Spiderman 2, Jedi Urvivor, Tenant 2, ,Forza Motorsport, Cocoon - just to name a few, there are dozens of decent Indies, it's been amazing.
@deathtrooper204811 ай бұрын
I gotta say, this video completely misses the mark on some things like the physics the reason why the new super mario series gets called uninspired. The main reason why it gets called uninspired or lazy is because after the Wii game Nintendo pretty much stopped trying new things with 2d Mario after the Wii title and the fact that 2 and U looked almost the same as Wii. Also for the music section, I feel like a comparison to the Wii OST or not just the U ost would've been better.
@fatyoshi145611 ай бұрын
When you walk on note blocks the rumble in your controller plays the sound of the notes 10/10 game
@PurpleSanz11 ай бұрын
New Super Mario Bros. games were all literally unplayable for me because of the extremely slippery controls and how long it took to gain momentum. It was like playing an ice level from the beginning. Controls in Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the other hand, feel almost as tight as they did in Super Mario Bros. 3. Well done!
@anothershitusername11 ай бұрын
More videos like this please DF. I really enjoy hearing someone as knowledgable as John just advocating for a video game they personally enjoyed.
@jono68011 ай бұрын
Well done Nintendo and Insomniac. At a time when I thought modern gaming wouldn't sell me another console. I'll always give Mario games a chance, though I am hardly a fan, and there have been a few misses along the way. This is the game of of 2023 and its origins are in one gaming's oldest templates, on the least powerful hardware. The new underground theme is gangster.
@solonepeon580511 ай бұрын
The fireball sounds like the original Mario 1 Nes fireball mixed up & I love it.
@lmnt6611 ай бұрын
Just listening to the music and sound design alone makes me want to play this game. I‘ve never had that with a 2D Mario game ever since Super Mario Land 2. Coupled with the expressive art and animation work, it all just exudes fun and wonder.
@itsalwaysdarkestbeforethes119811 ай бұрын
This year was the strongest year for video games in like a decade. Baldur Gate 3, Tears of the Kingdom, Mario Wonder, Spider-Man 2, Starfield, Armored Core 6, Re4 remake, Dead Space remake, Pikman 4, FF16, Blasphemous 2, the phantom liberty dlc. Like sweet Jesus
@cusman11 ай бұрын
What a thorough and detailed review. Much appreciated.
@Corybander11 ай бұрын
Well spoken, sir. You share your enthusiasm and love with palpable points.
@willwunsche694011 ай бұрын
I honestly think New Super Mario Bros DS and Wii are extremely underrated due to the two games that followed. A successful reboot of the series and the arrival of true multiplayer were both incredibly meaningful.
@Bones_11 ай бұрын
I agree that New SMB DS is underrated. That game had fantastic level design and plenty of challenge, that unfortunately felt diluted with future entries. I lost interest in the last New entry as it even after four worlds in it was painfully easy to 100% up to that point. Happy to say Wonder very early on starts offering extra challenges and hidden paths to hunt down so I think they were aware of this too.
@willwunsche694011 ай бұрын
@@Bones_ Ooo I'm excited can't wait to try it! Yeah some of the reviews for Mario DS back in the day called it a true classic to be remembered like Super Mario Bros 3 and World and I think it's deserved. Wii version was a little more samey but I have so many incredible memories playing that 4 person multiplayer with friends. It's truly a blast even if it's a short game. DS/Wii era of Nintendo had a certain charm
@Bones_11 ай бұрын
@@willwunsche6940 If they made several more Super Mario World entries that were all derivative of the original but trying to more and more appeal to the Wii market mindset of making things easier than needed to not scare people away, it also would likely not be remembered as fondly. Although to Nintendo's credit, they never tried to advertise them as anything "more" than more New Super Mario so when they bother to give a new 2D entry a completely unique name like Wonder, it's because they really mean it's so different and special that the name Wonder is justified. This reminds me that the development culture in Japan takes names very seriously in terms of what it conveys to people about that game, in terms of making something another iteration of another series or giving it an entirely different name than the series it was intended to be a part of because the game has grown to be so different. Prime examples being Devil May Cry which was originally meant to be a Resident Evil entry and Sekiro which was intended as a Tenchu sequel before it also deviated too much. They could've kept the branding and just used the name recognition for free marketing but respecting a name and it's legacy is very important for them.
@bromax36011 ай бұрын
Definitely agreed, his comparisons seemed aimed at all the NSMB games when it’s just U with most of the problems lol
@callinater613311 ай бұрын
@@Bones_ you’re kidding right? NSMBDS is arguably the easiest game in the whole series and the level design was very basic and not layered at all.
@TexRobNC10 ай бұрын
I mean, I feel like a lot of the criticisms of NSMB should tie it all back together with, Why?, and it's because it is a decade plus old game originally made for the the Nintendo DS?
@danfry90911 ай бұрын
Incredible break-down. DF's analysis once again at another level, forgive the pun! Great vid John.
@molsen754911 ай бұрын
I'm not big into Mario games or platformers in general, but I love seeing a passionate gamer critique a passionately-made game.
@lucassfer11 ай бұрын
This is one of the best analysis in the channel. Congratulations!
@embryonx11 ай бұрын
This was an amazingly eloquent and well-produced review. Thank you for delving deep into aspects like sound design and the less-easily-quantifiable aspects of what makes Mario a platformer "feel" good.
@LogainAblar11 ай бұрын
SM: Wonder is nuts because it shows that Switch, even at this late stage in its lifespan, even with its technical limitations, is still capable of some truly excellent results. Great art direction, design and execution can overcome tech limitations. I also find it interesting that Super Mario Wonder and Sonic Superstars arrives at the same time, both on Switch and both are excellent. That, is awesome considering the history behind Mario, Sonic and the battles Sega and Nintendo had for our money using those IP. 25 years ago, I would have never thought that possible. Anyways, I bought Wonder, downloaded it this morning, but I'm considering getting Sonic on PC so I can run it on Steam Deck.
@GraveUypo11 ай бұрын
i don't think that is restricted to switch only either. i think you can very well make a legit great looking dreamcast game nowadays if you have good art direction, a well honed render target and clear vision. which are all things most modern games lack.
@dougr864611 ай бұрын
Modern games lack???? I just played a fully path traced cyberpunk and my jaw was on the gathering whole time at damn near 4k 120. And you're praising a kid game locked at 720p mostly 60. What a joke.
@ShadowMan6457211 ай бұрын
Fake news. At the end of the day, this is a simple 2D title, not on the budget of the likes of Demon's Souls PS5 or RDR2. The Switch can easily run this.
@elistewart317011 ай бұрын
@@dougr8646 Yes modern games lack since you're sucking off a game that was released unfinished and STILL doesn't look like its gameplay trailer. But ooh pretty reflections
@matthewbrennan975811 ай бұрын
@dougr8646 I don't really think he's wrong, think more formulaic games like far cry etc... He did say *most* games after all, you kinda chose to take what he said in the wort way possible for some reason.
@TheRustyLampPost11 ай бұрын
Playing this on a 55” OLED has been a dream, the colours are so stunning and the image clarity is insane, I’m not lying when I say the 1080p image produced in this game looks sharper than many 4K games on my PS5. Technical wizardry.
@stevenm183211 ай бұрын
A modern Mario all stars with wonder graphics like what we had back on SNES would be fantastic!
@gunsharck11 ай бұрын
By gum yes!!
@flewis0211 ай бұрын
Bro that new underground theme goes HARD ASF! There will be many rap songs based on it in the fan community
@zZiL341yRj73611 ай бұрын
I like how the new Mario model has Japanese facial animations amd proportion similar to the artwork in Super Mario 3 instruction booklet.
@LayneWhite11 ай бұрын
Your attention to details made this review so wonderful to listen to thank you for posting
@briengakaplan-b155011 ай бұрын
Love this game. It truly is a spiritual successor to Mario World.
@ku930511 ай бұрын
I always love when you guys talk more about the gameplay and design side of things and don't just focus on the visuals, would love to see more of that!
@Shieftain11 ай бұрын
I was hoping that you'd have measured the input lag for Wonder and NSMBU. Maybe there's a slight difference there too that gives Wonder a better feel.
@kinomanssky11 ай бұрын
You can feel Rich love for retro style games like this one! Thx DF!
@beins912411 ай бұрын
Great job on the editing of this video John. Nice touches with the transitions and sound effects.
@aionios179611 ай бұрын
Love that Digital Foundry acknowledges David Wise’s Aquatic Ambiance from Donkey Kong Country! One of the best pieces of game music ever!
@OgoTheKeeper11 ай бұрын
While the new sound track is better, its still not great and pales in comparison to SMW. The key with instrumentation in SMW is the clear distinction and separation between the instruments. They also contrast quite well with one another. As a result, you can hear each instrument clearly while they all blending well together. The new music is also quite generic as well clearly lacking in the flair displayed by the instrumentation team for SMW. I must say, I particularly dislike the underground theme of Wonder. Its quite bad imo.