Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park Review

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is one of the best 2D platformers ever made.

It's full of so much imagination and is expertly paced from beginning to end. The level design is peak Super Mario, the Wonder Flowers are brimming with creativity, and it's just flat-out impossible not to play the game with a smile plastered on your face.

That said, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, featuring Meetup in Bellabel Park, is a bit of a disappointment. On the one hand, it comes with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. That's well worth the price of admission, especially if you somehow missed out on the game for the Nintendo Switch in 2023. If you've already seen everything Wonder has to offer, though, I'm not sure the Bellabel Park content is worth shelling out for.

The Best Part about Super Mario Bros. Wonder on the Switch 2 is Super Mario Bros. Wonder

In hindsight, Super Mario Bros. Wonder occupies an interesting space in the world of Nintendo platformers.

Super Mario Bros. Odyssey blew everyone away and helped remind everyone of what's possible from a 3D platforming experience. That said, there's still plenty of interest in the world of 2D gaming, platforming, or otherwise. Thankfully, nestled between two revolutionary games in Odyssey and Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo didn't rest on its laurels; Super Mario Bros. Wonder throws a musical number your way in its second stage. It's clearly not messing around.

Despite having seen just about everything there is to Wonder several years ago, the game remains a delight today. If you put me next to 2023 Jake, there's a chance I'd be laughing and smiling at the exact same spots. It's truly a testament to the staying power of Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Wonder Flowers remain over-the-top, wacky, and enjoyable as well. For those unaware, Wonder Flowers transform the level into something completely different, ranging from said musical number to a stealth-based mission, and everything in between. They're reminiscent of the constant barrage of new ideas thrown at you in Super Mario Odyssey, elevating what's already a 2D platforming wonderland to something entirely new.

The Koopalings Make Their Presence Known

While Bellabel Park is the main attraction (pun not intended) in the Switch 2 version of Mario Wonder, there's also the introduction of the Koopalings and their boss-level stages.

It's a shame, because these Koopaling stages do a great job of highlighting what I always found to be the biggest weakness of Mario Wonder: the boss fights. You'll encounter the Koopalings through Captain Toad, who can be found in every world in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. He'll let you challenge a Koopaling directly, which involves participating in creative platforming before engaging in a dull boss fight.

The second the platforming ends, all the imagination and creativity that make Mario Wonder a delight is zapped from the room. Boss fights try their best, but the gameplay still comes to a screeching halt here. No matter how creative these encounters get, the rhythm and flow that exist in traditional platforming are non-existent. I spent too much time waiting for the right time to strike the enemy.

It feels less like a platforming game and more like a queue to wait my turn and jump on someone's head. I can't help but wonder if the Koopaling content is an afterthought, especially since the presentation in these stages feels a little uninspiring. It gives me New Super Mario Bros. U vibes. They're still solid, but they could have been so much more.

Bellabel Park, On the Other Hand, is a Miss

That being said, I'd rather play through the Koopaling stages than Bellabel Park.

The Switch 2 Edition of Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduces Bellabel Park, a playground of various mini-games that you can compete in. In some ways, Bellabel Park presents itself as a fully fledged version of Super Mario. There are platforming challenges that await, collectibles to unlock, and progress to be made as you upgrade the Park itself. It becomes available after completing Wonder's first world, making it pretty accessible from the start.

In theory, all of this is an excellent idea that should be adding to what's already a great Mario game. I like platforming! I like collecting stuff! I want to do more of it! The issue with Bellabel Park, though, is that it feels like an idea ripped from a worse Super Mario game. Now, I may simply not be the target demographic here, but the New Super Mario Bros. U vibes are turned up to eleven inside Bellabel Park.

It feels less like a focus on joyous, unique platforming and more like a co-operative tech demo that showcases what the Switch 2 is capable of. On occasion, it's nice to turn the brain off and play through its attractions, but for me, Bellabel Park feels more like the kiddie land at my local amusement park, and I'd rather wait in line for the Giga Coaster.

The Gameplay of Bellabel Park is at Odds With the Core Super Mario Bros. Wonder Experience

Bellabel Park's mini-games feel like they're more in line with what you'd see in Mario Party. Worst of all, there's no option to play them online unless it's with friends. Local co-op is fun, don't get me wrong, but if it's just me, I don't want to have to rely on friends also being online to play a game's newest features. It's 2026; why can't I participate in these games with some sort of online lobby?

I'd be far more forgiving of Bellabel Park's shortcomings if it featured some quality-of-life accessibility, but it's nowhere to be found. It's a shame, because some of these mini-games legitimately have great ideas happening. I'd just rather be playing nearly any other co-op game.

This is my biggest predicament for Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park, aside from its comically long name. After the breakout success of Bowser's Fury, I was hoping for the same in Bellabel Park. Something that pushes Mario forward and gives us a glimpse of the future of the franchise. Instead of taking that step forward, it feels like I'm moving back to a time I'd rather not revisit.

The main gameplay in Super Mario Bros. Wonder does an excellent job of flowing together. You're building momentum as you progress through a stage. You learn the ins and outs of what's possible with the badges you've recently picked up. Every new stage represents a new challenge that asks you to demonstrate everything you've learned thus far. Bellabel Park doesn't offer much of that. It's just a collection of mini-games where I feel I spend more time in the lobby than in the actual game.

It's honestly tough scoring Super Mario Bros. Wonder + Meetup in Bellabel Park. The base game, Mario Wonder, is still excellent, but it's a three-year-old title at this point. You can also pick up the Nintendo Switch version for cheaper and not feel like you're missing out on any content. Despite my issues with Bellabel Park, it doesn't make Mario Wonder a bad game. If anything, it just makes the newest version one worth picking up only if you're looking to play with your kids or younger siblings. They'll undoubtedly love what's in store for them. If you're like me, though, and were hoping for something along the lines of Donkey Kong Bananza, Odyssey, and the original Wonder content, you'll be disappointed.