Highlights
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder, set to release in October, will feature fan-favorite King Boo as a boss enemy, delighting fans of the classic Mario villain.
- The upcoming game will introduce a badge system, new power-up items, and unique gameplay hooks, adding exciting new elements to the traditional 2D Mario experience.
- In addition, Daisy and Nabbit will be playable characters, expanding the character roster and bringing familiar and new mechanics to the game.
A new commercial for Super Mario Bros. Wonder confirms that fan favorite Mario boss, King Boo, will be making an appearance in the game. The upcoming 2D Mario game has been an eagerly anticipated release for 2023, as Nintendo has been showing plenty of information about the game before its October launch. This includes Wonder‘s game-changing badge system, brand-new power-up items, and other unique gameplay hooks.
The big thing that people were excited about was the character roster, with many people being pleased when Daisy was revealed to be playable in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, a character who usually only was featured in spin-off games. In addition, Nabbit, a character whose last appearance in a Mario platformer was the Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Switch port, makes a return in Wonder as a playable character. Most of these characters have the same attributes and mechanics, except the Yoshis and Nabbit, who have different mechanics that make them friendly for newcomers. Alongside these classic characters, the ghostly boss enemy King Boo will also be appearing in this 2D platformer.
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King Boo was featured in a brand-new commercial posted to the Japanese Nintendo YouTube channel, briefly showing off a number of elements fans have previously seen in past Super Mario Bros. Wonder presentations. This includes the badges, the Wonder Flower, and more. One thing that immediately stood out was King Boo, who is chasing the players through what appears to be a Ghost House. Ghost Houses are a common level featured in both Super Mario World and the New Super Mario Bros. series of games, where players must solve puzzles to escape from the haunted building. Based on King Boo and the other Boos’ animations, they appear to be singing in the commercial.
King Boo debuted in the first Luigi’s Mansion on the GameCube, though with a different design than what fans are used to now. The king would have his design solidified with Mario Kart: Double Dash, where this version of King Boo would frequently appear in spin-offs. The ghostly monarch would however be put in the spotlight with the Luigi’s Mansion series. He frequently appears as the main antagonist and final boss, complete with a menacing design antithetical to his appearances in Mario Kart or Mario Party. There was also a King Boo that appeared in Super Mario Sunshine, though it is a different King Boo than the one that has appeared in the series.
After several spin-off appearances, this is King Boo’s first appearance in a mainline 2D Mario platformer. Fans of this classic Mario boss were ecstatic to see him, where much like Daisy, he has ascended from appearing only in spin-offs to being a mainline game character. Past Ghost House levels featured a similar chase from a big Boo enemy, so having King Boo in one of these chases is a good piece of fanservice.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder launches on October 20, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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Source: Nintendo / YouTube
