Since the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch, Nintendo has continued to release updated editions of some of its library for the original Nintendo Switch, giving newcomers to the company’s hybrid family of systems another chance to check out these much-beloved games, whilst offering existing fans something new to upgrade their original version. When it comes to the latter, this has ranged from the obvious boost in visuals to adding new modes and characters. While these upgrades have been a nice little bonus – a holding dish of sorts while we wait for the next main entry in these series – they’ve tended to fall in the category of good but not great. Fun but not essential. Can Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s turn to bat break the trend?
Meetup in Bellabel Park adds an entirely new area to the game’s world map alongside a host of additional extras. While it may not be the epic second adventure I was hoping for, like New Super Luigi U, it still delivers an entertaining time, one enjoyed on your own or with others.
Bellabel Park itself is split into two: Attraction Central and Camp Central. The former focuses on platforming challenges and the game’s main “story-driven” chunk of the expansion, and the latter offers short multiplayer-style modes involving teamwork or competition. Let’s start with Camp Central, the content I was definitely more interested in when first loading up the game.
Camp Central presents the player with two types of levels. The first are challenge-focused missions, broken down into five categories (speed running, collecting coins, taking out enemies, speeding through a stage with a Star and a miscellaneous group). These are handed out by a Toad and grow progressively harder as you make your way through its sixty or so lineup. Successfully completing each challenge awards the player Bellabel Water, this used to grow plants or purchase them from the local shop to then decorate Bellabel Park with a range of flowery displays. These challenges are certainly a good time, some proving particularly tricky as you’re sometimes forced to avoid every single coin or take out every baddie in a short span of time. Some challenges can also make use of the game’s badges, tasking you with making it through a stage whilst constantly bouncing and invisible, for instance.
The other portion of Camp Central focuses on the return of the Koopalings; these are essentially seven new stages culminating in a boss battle against one of the seven at the end. For instance, the first of the bunch is Wendy and using the power of the Wonder Flower, she turns herself into a giant fish. Not only will you have to chase her through a stage, but you also have to take her on in a final showdown at the end. These levels prove to be a real highlight, each one granting the Koopaling with a unique power. It’s a shame then that there are only seven of these, almost acting as a tease of sorts of what could have been in the update.
Between the two, then, what you have is a decent time, but one that ultimately left me hungry for more. I would have loved to have seen some new Wonder effects or less reusing of stages, for example.
What surprised me about my time with this update, though, is just how much fun I’ve been having with its numerous multiplayer modes. Split between either local play or online, these offer a mishmash of cooperative and competitive mini modes – sort of like a Super Mario Bros. Wonder meets Mario Party style affair, if you will. These range from carrying and feeding Baby Yoshis more fruit than your opponents to simply trying to survive longest on a danger-filled arena. On the teamwork side of things, these too proved to be just as entertaining as when we were at each other’s throats. Two firm favourites of the group involved passing a Bob-omb back and forth when our names were called out whilst making it through a stage, while another required us to complete a level using a certain number of jumps, an easy task on paper, but one made all the more difficult as you add more players to the mix. Some games can even be played online with up to twelve players, a number of these being race-focused involving bouncing balls, Propeller Flowers and rockets. Players can opt to pick and choose what games they play, but we found ourselves enjoying Attraction Tour, pitting the group through a series of minigames and scoring them based on their results.
While Bellabel Park is the add-ons main focus, a few other extras are included. Rosalina gets added to the roster, with her abilities the same as Mario and the main cast, while Luma offers less experienced gamers a chance to lend a hand by flying around basically invincible, using either a standard controller or mouse controls. The Super Flower Pot power-up gives Mario and the group a fresh new look, allowing them to float and gain more height on jumps along with the ability to summon flowers that send them skyward. Double badges, meanwhile, take two existing badges and combine them into one, offering players a chance to try out different combos of abilities. Lastly, assist mode offers further options for less experienced players who still want to get involved in the fun.
All in all, Meetup in Bellabel Park is an entertaining addition to what was an already excellent adventure. While it’s not the New Super Luigi U-sized expansion many were likely hoping, it manages to deliver just enough meat to chew on both for platforming challenge-seekers and group-based shenanigans.
Version Tested: Nintendo Switch 2
Review Copy Provided by Nintendo
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