Reminder the the next Nintendo Direct is scheduled for August 31st at 10AM EST. Nintendo promises that the streaming event will feature an “in-depth look” at the forthcoming 2D side-scrolling adventure Super Mario Bros. Wonder, with around 15 minutes of gameplay and information. More Mario is never bad, but this is a themed-direct that exclusively features Wonder. In other words, don’t get your hopes up for any trailers for other games, surprise reveals or anything like that. You’ll get plenty of juicy tidbits, however, about the first 2D Mario in over a decade.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder has been described as the “next evolution” in the 2D franchise. We’ve only gotten one trailer so far but it was packed with discussion-worthy moments. Mario can turn into an elephant and the game world changes by devouring a psychedelic flower. The appropriately-named Wonder Flower looks to be unpredictable, making pipes come alive, creating hordes of new enemies or completely shifting the overall look and feel of a level. I’m sure the power up does a whole lot more, which should be revealed Thursday.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder launches for the Nintendo Switch on October 30th, just in time for that oh-so-important holiday season. Beyond the sidescroller, the Switch’s holiday release schedule looks pretty dry, compared to other years. There’s Detective Pikachu Returns, a remake of the SNES classic Super Mario RPG and some Pokémon DLC, and that’s pretty much it for first-party releases.
And remember, if you aren’t able to watch, we’ll have a full recap later today!
