Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo Switch 2 Version Preview: Minigame Mayhem in Bellabel Park

With Switch 2 on store shelves, it was only a matter of time before Super Mario Wonder got an upgrade to the new format, and it comes with a whole new set of mini-games that all take place in the colourful amusement park Bellabel Park. Together with a group of four players, I got to spend over an hour in the park trying out some of the mini-games on offer.

Because Bellabel Park essentially is a collection of new mini-games for up to four players. There are both cooperative and versus mini-games, and the overall feeling is that Nintendo has really chosen to focus on the kind of gaming fun that makes Mario Party the success it is, at least in my book. Since the mini-games take place within the framework of Super Mario Bros Wonder, it goes without saying that they are all based on the two-dimensional side-scrolling foundation of the main game. However, there is no lack of creativity in the new game modes.

To begin with, before each mini-game, I get to choose from a range of different "perks" that I take with me into the matches. These can be advantages such as the ability to glide for a short time, as well as other similar features. What caught my attention, however, is what the game calls Expert Mode, where I instead take a challenging circumstance with me into the mini-games. For example, my ability to jump with precision was significantly more challenging due to the fact that my character couldn't stand still, but always sprinted at top speed to the right or left. This is fun for those looking for an extra challenge, even in party games.

The mini-games themselves also offered us fun variety, which I think will be a contributing factor in keeping Super Mario Bros Wonder alive for a long time to come. Since I had limited time with the game, I unfortunately didn't have time to try out all the modes, but the ones I did get to try were all varied and fun to play. For example, we got to try two different mini-games where racing was the focus, but in completely different ways. In one, we had to fly on flower stems and avoid various enemies, while in the other, we were transformed into bouncing balls and had to think strategically and use the level's surfaces in the best way possible to achieve maximum bounce speed. These were interspersed with a kind of hide-and-seek game where two players had to turn into flowers in order to hide from the other two, and another mini-game where the group had to pass a bomb between themselves while trying to get through a level before it exploded. In another mini-game, the Switch 2's computer mouse function was used to draw platforms to help other players get past various obstacles.

Although what I got to try out at Bellabel Park was limited, we ran past other mini-games that I assume had the same charm as the ones I played. As I said, it's great that Nintendo continues to focus on multiplayer entertainment, even in existing titles such as Super Mario Bros Wonder, and even though Bellabel Park should be seen as a minor expansion of the base game, I think it will contribute its fair share of hours of boisterous party gaming at home on the sofa. We'll know what the full experience looks like when Mario Bros Wonder is released for Switch 2 on 26 March.