Super Mario Bros. Wonder is just that - simply wonderful.
From beginning to end, it is an onslaught of new ideas, enemies, power-ups and mechanics.
It feels like Nintendo has unleashed a decade's worth of creativity on a 2D franchise that, compared to its 3D counterpart, has played it too safe for too long.
Forget the Mushroom Kingdom. 2D Mario belongs in the Flower Kingdom.
Especially as an elephant.
New world. New rules. Same story
Bowser is back but this time he's terrorising the Flower Kingdom.
He steals some of the world's "wonder" power and merges with the kingdom's castle to become a giant floating fortress with flaming green hair.
As always, it's up to Mario and friends to stop him.
Luigi, Peach and two Toads are along for the ride, as well as Daisy (finally!), Toadette, Nabbit and four different coloured Yoshi.
Yoshi and Nabbit don't take damage and are excellent options for younger players or - in Yoshi's case - skilled players happy to carry others on their backs to best tough obstacles.
Yoshi also has the ability to eat enemies and hover in the air for a moment after jumping.
However, there is a trade-off. Neither Yoshi nor Nabbit can use any of the game's power-ups.
There are four power-ups to find in Super Mario Bros. Wonder: the fire flower, bubble flower, drill cap and one final costume that is as wild as it is wonderful.
The elephant in the room
Hearing Mario exclaim "wowie-zowie" as he transforms into an elephant never gets old.
Nintendo proved it could design an entire game around the skills of a cat in 2013's Super Mario 3D World, and it has managed to pull off the unexpected (and seemingly ridiculous) again.
Elephant Mario is big, buff and wonderfully animated.
Watching him squeeze that portly frame through tiny doors is remarkably charming.
He can despatch enemies and break blocks with a swing of his trunk, carry water and spray that water on dehydrated flowers or extinguish hot blocks to progress and uncover hidden paths.
Spoiler alert: it's fun being an elephant. But that experience is elevated thanks to meticulously designed levels which take full advantage of those abilities.
The elephant suit may be the star of this show, but there are plenty of puzzles that demand the creative use of Mario's ability to burrow with the drill cap or jump on the bubbles he creates with the bubble flower to reach areas that'd otherwise be hidden.
And that's before even considering arguably the biggest change to Mario's formula - badges.
They gave Mario a grapple hook
Unlike a power-up, badges can be unlocked and equipped for the duration of an entire level.
Here are the one I'm allowed to mention:
Parachute Cap - extends jumps and glide further using your hat as a parachute
Wall-Climb Jump - allows you to climb higher up vertical walls
Dolphin Kick - swim faster and break through blocks
Floating High Jump - mimic's Yoshi's flutter for longer jumps
Crouching High Jump - take a moment to charge a high backflip
Grappling Vine - zip to far off walls and over gaps
Coin Reward - enemies drop extra coins
Auto Super Mushroom - start every level with a mushroom
Safety Bounce - leap out of pits, lava and more automatically if you fall
Sensor - helps to find hidden collectables
Coin Magnet - collect coins from further away
Invisibility - enemies can't see you, but neither can you!
Jet Run - never stop running, even over ledges
Only one badge can be equipped at a time and the right choice can be the difference between completing a level or failure.
At first I was worried badges would make the game too easy but again, thanks to levels designed specifically to test a player's skill with the added abilities, my concerns faded instantly.
Badge challenges are dotted around the Flower Kingdom and some are brutally difficult.
A star rating is now attached to levels in the overworld (one being the easiest, five the most difficult) and you won't have to wait long to be tested.
Branching paths are almost immediately available and hide some four-star challenges. New players can skip these entirely and continue through the story while seasoned players can choose to stop and relish the challenge.
Yes, the platforming can be punishing but there's a real challenge to be found in acclimatising to a new world, enemies and obstacles.
Enemies. Enemies everywhere
An enemy hasn't surprised me in a 2D Mario game for decades.
But when a little white ninja-looking goomba stopped the shell I'd thrown at him like a soccer superstar and kicked it back at me in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I knew I was in for something special.
I lost count of the number of new enemies I encountered and each is a breath of fresh air.
There are mummies to unravel, hoppycats which copy your jump, and even corn kernels that turn into popcorn when they touch a hot surface.
My favourite is the reimagined Bullet Bill which tracks you, launches and lands on walls without exploding, ready to target Mario all over again.
And that's just the enemies. I haven't even mentioned changes to the world.
Special warp pipes can now be moved, you can swim up to clouds when they're pouring rain and sandy surfaces limit Mario's jump. There is so much to discover and almost every level can be turned on its head.
Wonder Flowers can be found in most levels that change everything, triggering brief challenges with a wild twist.
Mario can be carried away by a stampede or warp pipes crawling like worms. He can be transformed into a spiked ball, a balloon that floats in space, stretched into a shadowy silhouette or a ball of goo that sticks to walls.
Again, the sheer creativity on display is awe inspiring.
The chaos a Wonder Flower triggers is rarely repeated and when they are, they push Mario and his allies in whole new directions.
Keep your friends close
Up to four players can play together in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
While I haven't had an opportunity to try its online multiplayer features, I have played through dozens of levels with a friend.
After struggling and abandoning multiplayer efforts in previous 2D Mario games which allowed players to jump on, pick up and throw each other into enemies or pits, I'm pleased to say I enjoyed Wonder's collaborative approach to multiplayer.
You share lives, coins, power-ups and must work together to revive each other if things go pear-shaped.
As mentioned previously, players can also select Yoshi and carry a teammate through tougher sections, which can be a deadly combination if the rider has a bubble, fire or elephant power-up.
They're drastic changes to the formula and yet Nintendo has also managed to preserve a level of competitiveness.
The player who finishes a level first (or jumps to a higher point on the flag pole) is awarded a crown which puts them in control of selecting the next level to beat and centres the camera on them for the duration of that level.
This can be a little frustrating if you'd rather keep the focus on a less experienced player who struggles to run through a level at speed, but it's a subtle way to add some spice to the experience when players of similar skill are going toe-to-toe.
Our verdict
After giving fans the keys to the Mushroom Kingdom in Super Mario Maker 2, Nintendo has re-written the rulebook.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder sets a new, modern standard of animation, level and sound design for our beloved platforming plumber, whose previous 2D adventures were starting to feel stale.
The level design in Mario's latest outing is second to none, even if it never establishes a world or lore that elevated the excellence of games like Rayman Legends, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Celeste.
Personally, I hope our heroes never leave the Flower Kingdom.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a tsunami of creativity that will make millions smile this holiday.
