Review: Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch 2 Edition and Meetup in Bellabel Park (Nintendo Switch 2)

Deep breath … Super Mario Bros. Wonder Switch 2 Edition and Meetup in Bellabel Park is an update for the original Switch outing from 2023. It brings new modes, characters, and ways to play to an already great game. Is it worth the upgrade? In short, yes.

The Switch 2 Edition brings a lot of new content, perhaps the most we’ve seen in one of these enhanced versions for Nintendo’s newest hybrid console. To start with, there are two new characters: Roslina and Luma. Rosalina plays like any of the other main characters, but Luma is special by making use of the Switch 2’s mouse controls. It’s an innovative approach that works well. 

Super Mario Bros. Wonder already has a large roster of characters on offer. Giving Luma unique abilities not only adds variety but makes sense – I’m not sure how this star-shaped character would stomp on those pesky Goombas anyway. Plus, we’re seeing more and more support for the mouse controls, and I dig it.

My previous niggle regarding character settings remains, though; why can’t Nabbit and Yoshi be played in the same style as everyone else? I’m all for accessibility options that allow any player to join in regardless of age or skill level. But also, make it an option. Why can’t I play as Nabbit with accessibility features switched off? Speaking of which…

There’s a new assist mode. This allows players to dive back into action after falling into a pit. Again, it’s great for accessibility, allowing everyone to enjoy Mario Wonder’s charm without feeling frustrated. However, this mode applies to all players in your local party. It’s either on or off for everyone. Why can’t it be set per person?

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the good stuff: the new content. There’s plenty to keep players busy. Firstly, the Koopalings make their triumphant return to platforming, taking over the Flower Kingdom and stealing the Bellabel Flowers. It’s up to Mario and co. to chase them through each world. 

This entails two parts: firstly, find Captain Toad’s tent. There’s one within each world. So, head over to Pipe-Rock Plateau, walk around until you find him, and then it’s time to take on Wendy. You’ll have to unlock the relevant area of the world in order to find Captain Toad by playing the base game; I was surprised to find a few levels I’d somehow missed. It reminded me just how fun Wonder is.

In Koopaling levels, each turtle sibling uses their stolen item to transform themselves and the level, similar to the Wonder Flower effect in other levels. The difference is that these take effect at the beginning of the level, adding plenty of chaos and enemies that lasts the entire outing. Once you reach the end, a boss fight awaits. These are more challenging than the boss fights of the base game, thankfully. They’re also creative and fun, with each Koopaling using a unique method to attack. One transforms into a ghost, another a giant fish, while a third is some kind of insanely huge marionette in the background. Little Magikoopas even control his strings from the foreground. It’s super cool and imaginative. 

Another new addition is the Toad Brigade. This is a series of challenges across multiple categories, such as collecting all coins, defeating all enemies, completing a level within a time limit, or even avoiding coins. The first few are easy, but they soon ramp up in difficulty, providing that challenge I’ve been looking for. You’ll earn water and badges for your trouble. And that satisfying tick of completion is a good incentive to have one more go.

The main attraction of this update is undeniably Bellabel Park. This is a new section of minigames for multiple players. And they’re heaps of fun; I haven’t laughed this much in ages. There are too many minigames to go through, but I’ll highlight a few.

Phanto Tag is a standout. This version of hide and seek starts with one person as “it”. Everyone else can disguise themselves as objects. Playing locally means you can see where they are of course; that is, until the lights go out. Then it becomes a frantic, fast-paced race to pass on the cursed Phanto before the time runs out. It’s hilarious. 

Donut Block Maker is another highlight. This is a cooperative outing where at least one player builds paths using donut blocks. The other players must make it to the end of the level using these paths. Optional mouse controls are on offer here, too. 

There’s a game where one player controls Captain Toad while another player controls a bird that allows the captain to jump. Cooperation is key here. Another outing sees players hurl electrical bolts at each other. Yet another uses bubble guns to blast opponents into the dangerous walls on each side. Each minigame is a creative way to play with friends, and I appreciate the variety. 

It’s also worth mentioning that some minigames can only be played locally, others only online. It’s a slightly odd setup, but at least it’s enjoyable.

Apart from minigames, you can also water flowers to earn new items. These include all-new double badges to give you extra boosts during levels. You can also find three types of flowers: instrument, greeting, and decorative. Instruments are my favorite, each one adding a Poplin to the cute little band. This little crew can be spotted wandering throughout Bellabel Park playing its tunes. It’s adorable. Greeting flowers add a new emoji to your collection when playing online. There are well over 80 to collect making this a real mission for completionists. Finally, decorative flowers can be used to, well, decorate the area. Sure, it’s unnecessary. But it adds a little more to proceedings. It all cont5ibutes to a genuinely full expansion that will bring a smile to fans.