Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo Switch)

Best: The Wonder Flower

Most levels in Super Mario Bros. Wonder have multiple paths to the ending thanks to the Wonder Flower. This new power-up triggers a Wonder Effect, which shifts the level entirely in varied and unpredictable ways. In one stage, it might conjure bubbles from the ground that can send Mario and friends bouncing above (or, if you’re not careful, into) hazards, sparing you the need to arduously trek through the environment, while in the next, it may turn the stage into an auto-scrolling musical. Some can make you feel like you’re in a whole new level entirely, like one that launches Mario into space, allowing you to float through zero gravity over the original terrain. You never know quite what you’re going to get, and seeking them out makes each level worth replaying.

Worst: Repetitive bosses

It’s nothing new for a Mario game to make you face the same boss or bosses multiple times throughout your journey; in fact, this trend dates back to the original Super Mario Bros.However, it sticks out a bit more in Wonder when mechanics like the Wonder Flower are constantly shaking things up. You fight Bowser Jr. four times in the main quest and while Mario’s strategy changes depending on what power-ups you have at your disposal, the little koopa’s doing the same withdraw-and-spin maneuver throughout. Different villains sprout up in between those encounters, but Wonder’s boss runs can feel monotonous when the same angry kid keeps popping up.