Summary
2023’sSuper Mario Bros. Wonderdid a lot of good for the aging franchise. After theNew Super Mario Bros.series overstayed its welcome,Super Mario Bros. Wonderneeded to shake things up to justify its return, and it managed to do so while retainingMario’s trademark 2D platforming excellence. Complete with a vibrant new art style, more attention given to character and environmental animations, and variedWondereffects that make each stage feel distinct,Super Mario Bros. Wonderwill no doubt go down as one of the series’ all-time greats.
An understated, but nonetheless important, part of this isMario Wonder’s new multiplayer system. Player collision has mostly been removed in local play, and even that major change pales next to the online overhaul. Instead of making offline and online sessions equivalent,Mario Wonderinstead turned online players intoDark Souls-like phantoms, displaying their movements alongside the host player’s own. This permits larger populations in a single session while also setting the stage for speedrun-esque races, sharing items, and placing standees in tough spots to revive players. It’s a conceptually simple system that’s game-changing enough for otherMarioseries’ to take notes.
Mario Kart Is Already A Step Away From Using Mario Wonder’s Multiplayer
Perhaps the greatest strength ofMario Wonder’s “live player shadow” co-opis in how it unites its community without interfering in single-player gameplay. Traditional multiplayer is only possible online by opting into a race, and otherwise, players are free to go wherever they want without fear of disconnects or latency issues. MostMariospin-offs don’t have interconnected worlds to precisely mirror this, but there is a race-oriented line ofMariogames that suit this mechanic perfectly.
Not only are time trial ghosts already present inMario Kartwith similar visuals toMario Wonder’s online players, but the two could be united without much change. Ideally, racers coulddrop intoMario Kart’s time trialsand coexist on separate laps, as well as reset their runs whenever they want without leaving a session. This mode would need distinct leaderboards to account for players copying the best drivers in the lobby en masse, but that in itself makes it a great communal learning tool. Records by other players could even be saved and viewed offline, giving players inspiration on how to improve their own times.
Lots of Mario Spin-Offs Have Room For Ghost Players Somewhere
FittingMario Wonder’s multiplayer into otherMariospin-offs is a risky proposition, as series likeMario PartyandMariosports games are predicated on direct competition. Linear single-player series likeCaptain Toad,Wario Land,Donkey Kong Country, andYoshisynergize with contact-free co-op just as well asMario Wonder, butMario Party’s turn-based boards and quick-but-separate minigames demand active participation. Ghosts would have to be confined to a new mode that could involve players taking their turns simultaneously while using items in real time. Minigames, puzzle games likeDr. Mario, and theWarioWareseries’ microgames, could potentially fit into a daily challenge mode or battle royale where other participants are visible, but their actions won’t impede local players’ own.
Mario Wonder’s Online Play Best Lends Itself To Cooperative Modes
Mariosports titles, as well as other assorted spin-offs likeMario vs. Donkey Kong, would be better servedsharingMario Wonder’s cooperative angle. Special modes likeMario Tennis’ minigames should work with multiple players on the same court, as could a simultaneousMario Golfmode where other players could have some option to rescue balls from out-of-bounds and sand traps. There are lots of ways forMariogames to expand their online multiplayer, andSuper Mario Bros. Wonderoffers a good set of ideas to start with.
