Unveiling the Astonishing Co-Op Enhancements in One Mario Wonder: An Epic Gameplay Experience
Super Mario Bros Wonder's Co-Op Crown: A Frustrating Feature Hindering the Fun of Playing Together
Highlights
Super Mario Bros. Wonder introduces a new voice actor for Mario and features four-player cooperative play, but the crown feature needs improvement.
The co-op crown in Super Mario Bros. Wonder can be incredibly frustrating for players, particularly when playing with children or those with disabilities. To alleviate this, Nintendo should consider revising the crown by adding a feature that allows players to disable its player-switching ability and introducing a visually more subdued design.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder, released earlier this month, marks a new chapter for Nintendo's cherished characters. It introduces fresh voice actors for Mario and company, and is anticipated to be the last installment of the Super Mario Bros. series on the Nintendo Switch. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is designed for shared enjoyment, with local and online co-op accommodating up to four players. While the new online co-op feature functions seamlessly, one aspect has unexpectedly caused frustration among some players. The inclusion of a seemingly inconsequential crown on the lead player requires improvement.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first 2D Mario game released since 2012's New Super Mario Bros. 2. This installment transports Mario and his friends to the neighboring Flower Kingdom, where a unique item known as Wonder Flowers holds the power to create bizarre and reality-altering effects. When Bowser seizes control of the Flower Kingdom, he merges himself with the Koopa Clown Car and Prince Florian's Castle using one of these flowers. Mario, Luigi, Daisy, and Peach team up with a new character, Prince Florian, in a mission to liberate the Flower Kingdom from Bowser's wonder-induced havoc and prevent him from executing his ultimate scheme.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder's Co-Op Crown is an Unnecessary Complication
When playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder cooperatively, one character will have a floating orange crown icon above their head. This icon indicates that the camera will remain focused on that character, instead of using a split-screen co-op format like other games. However, the crown's appearance is visually displeasing and can be distracting as it hovers above the player. Additionally, the way the crown is assigned in Super Mario Bros. Wonder can cause frustration for certain groups of players.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder offers various play styles, including invincible playable characters, to accommodate fans of all ages in the plumber's latest adventure. The crown feature is likely intended to provide a similar benefit, as the crown and camera usually follow the player who reached the highest point on the flagpole in the previous level. However, this creates a frustrating situation for players who are playing with children or have disabilities. If the leading player dies, the crown and camera will immediately switch to another player. This means that if the leading player is paired with a small child playing as Yoshi or Nabbit, the crown will remain fixed on their invincible character until the leading player reaches the top of the flagpole and completes the level.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Needs to Rework The Co-op Crown
The co-op crown feature in Super Mario Bros. Wonder can be improved in several ways. Visually, the issue lies in the crown hovering above the character consistently. One solution is to provide fans with the option to disable the visual or replace it with a more subtle designator on the character, such as a slight color change, HUD visual, or a small outline. By doing so, the problem can be completely avoided, allowing the game's visuals to stay true to the Super Mario Bros. Wonder universe.
Additionally, players in Super Mario Bros. Wonder should be given the choice to disable the crown's ability to switch players. This would prevent older fans from having to rely on a younger or less experienced player to reach the finish line in order to regain control. Even if all players are required to restart from a checkpoint when the lead player runs out of lives, this adjustment would prove less frustrating in the long term. By implementing this simple fix, Nintendo can ensure that Super Mario Bros. Wonder provides a satisfying experience for all players, whether they are playing alone or with friends.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is available now, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
