Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park

Before even talking about this new version, it is important to remember the impact of . After years of following a more traditional structure in the franchise’s 2D games, Nintendo broke with the predictable and presented an experience that embraced the unexpected as its main identity. The Flor Kingdom is a living, strange and creative place, where each phase seems to hide a completely different surprise from the previous one.

The so-called Wonder Flowers transform the game in real time, creating chaotic, fun and often unpredictable moments, a simple but extremely effective idea for renewing the classic Mario formula. Now, with , this experience returns in a refined version that tries to go beyond what already worked, adding new content, modes and a much more focused approach to local and online multiplayer.

Someone just needs to let Nintendo know that their game titles could be shorter, please. Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park is an absurdly big name. Can we at least say that the DLC matches the greatness of the title? It will be?

The fun continues in Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park

Don’t think that multiplayer was missing in the original version, as the entire adventure to restore the Flor Kingdom could be played with up to 4 players, locally and online. I finished the game with Wagner, my boyfriend. But the Meetup in Bellabel Park expansion is here to shake things up with some new narratives. Here we are taken to a new map, a park, as the title says, and it is full of activities that soon become missions.

The structure is divided into attractions for local and online multiplayer. Both options require at least 1 friend connected with you. In other words, no playing with bots here, not even during local sessions. Therefore, if there are no friends, the park becomes a museum with explanations of the attractions. Another detail is that, in online mode within the park, you can only connect with your friends through game rooms.

You can create rooms and invite up to 11 friends. You can also join an active room, however, this only works with friends you have added on Switch Online. This way, no one randomly enters your playground and this is problematic in a world where it is increasingly difficult to arrange a time with friends. It’s difficult to understand this decision, given that there is a general connection option throughout the rest of the game. During my game, for example, I looked for groups on the internet to create rooms and finally test the attractions, but it was really difficult to align the group’s schedules.

And when you understand that attractions reward you with items that help you complete collectible lists and customizations to restore the park itself, the desire to play only increases. But, if there is no one to play with, the game is frustrating.

There are just six online attractions, which include different races with ships, flowers, balls and even a giant roller skate. There are also mazes and a tag game which, without a doubt, is the funniest. With the exception of the mazes, the others have a list of phases with varied environments and challenges. They are all competitive and when you win, you receive drops. With them, you can water the seedlings scattered around and release countless items. It’s clear that there are few options and, seriously, where are the online cooperative minigames, Nintendo?

In local mode there are six competitive attractions, which include collecting coins, tag, battles with different types of projectiles, challenges against enemies and even feeding Yoshis. At least the phase options are even more varied. In addition, there are 7 cooperative attractions, such as creating paths with temporary blocks while others cross, or the famous hot potato, but with a Bomb Bob.

A 2D platform party game

To break with tradition, the coin counting minigames require precision to collect only what is necessary, so you can’t go around grabbing everything without thinking. The same goes for jumping challenges. And, speaking of them, there are also continuous and musically synchronized jumping challenges (those who played the adventure know what I’m talking about).

Finally, there is a challenge where one player controls the movement while the other takes care of the jumps until completing the level. They are all fun and very creative. It’s not exactly like Mario Party, as it has its own identity. It’s a shame that you can’t play alone with bots or with any online player, that was the biggest mistake of this DLC, it makes this place invite-only.

The park also has a competition where you can mix different types of attractions, defining rounds and difficulty levels. This goes for both connections (it just doesn’t apply if you’re alone, lol). Despite the criticism, this limitation can be really frustrating for anyone who doesn’t have access to online mode or the presence of friends nearby. Bellabel is full of secrets and makes you want to explore every corner: there are bells scattered around, objects in ruins, signs with instructions, empty areas that seem to indicate future constructions… and the way to discover all of this, apparently, is by playing with friends.

Fortunately, besides the park there are other ways to get drops and these allow you to play alone. The first of these is the Toad Brigade training. Here you face a series of adventure mode stages, but with different conditions: whether by time, number of enemies defeated, collecting coins, winning with invincibility (honestly, I feel like the game wants to be too accessible) and even extra challenges, such as completing the stage without touching any of the enemies.

In addition to drops, the brigade also has levels. As you progress, you can earn badges to decorate an exclusive brigadista backpack. It’s something simple, but it will definitely attract collectors and I include myself in that, even though I know I’ll be repeating stages over and over again.

The return dos Koopaling

Maybe the stars of Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park truly is the triumphant return of the Koopaling. Here there is a small expansion of the story, where Bowser’s henchmen steal the Bellabel flowers and hide around the Flower Kingdom, which opens up space to revisit the map, if you have already completed the game previously.

The battles are unique, as each enemy transforms with the power of the flowers, creating their own battlefield. But until the fight starts, the stages are unprecedented, full of challenges and very good, so good that they leave you with a huge desire for more. It’s worth remembering that you can face them alone or with friends.

Winning these battles helps restore the gardens of Bellabel Park. Adding up everything there is to do, there is a lot of content to explore, even with the connection limitations and the brigade’s repetitions. Still, there’s a lot to enjoy in this new version, and there’s even more.

You can play all this with Rosalina and still count on Luma’s support. In this case, player 2 controls the star and provides support throughout the level. There is also a new power that transforms the character into a flower, as well as badges with double abilities that help a lot in challenges. And, if it still seems difficult, there is now an assistant mode that allows you to play without dying, even when falling off platforms.

On Switch 2 the game is beautiful. The 4K look makes everything even more “wonderful”. The soundtrack, however, at times can sound a little excessive with songs and Poplins singing together, which can be tiring. Wagner, for example, wasn’t a big fan during our game. On the other hand, when we complete the Poplins choir, it is extremely fun to see them performing around the park.

The same charm, now more complete

Remembering that you can also use mouse mode to control Luma, for example, and with GameShare you can share the game with that friend you don’t have, who knows, maybe this will help make playing together easier.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park expands the scope of the experience, adding new ways to play, explore and interact. The heart of the game, its creativity, rhythm and visual identity, remains intact. At the same time, Bellabel Park brings a different proposal, more focused on multiplayer and experimentation, creating an experience that can be both fun and frustrating, depending on the level of online interaction you have.

In the end, this new version reinforces something that was already evident in the original: Super Mario Bros still manages to reinvent itself, please and engage its players. And even with the park requiring constant interaction, there was a concern to bring solo content, both well contextualized, full of surprises and maintaining the rhythm that Nintendo knows how to conduct. So, yes, the DLC lives up to its giant title.