Upon its announcement as the grand finale of the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, Super Mario Bros. Wonder declared the series’ return to the 2D side-scrolling genre with a colorful bang. The game signals the return to Mario’s roots from a core gameplay perspective, but it’s more connected to Mario’s past than most people initially realized. While many remember the creative level design, expressive art style, and discovery of the game-changing Wonder Flowers, the most memorable moment came at the end of the announcement trailer, as everyone’s favorite plumber grabbed a never-before-seen item and transformed into an elephant. That moment told everyone that Super Mario Bros. Wonder, despite taking the series back to its 2D origins, is trying bold, new things unlike anything the franchise has seen before. Read more…