Super Mario Bros. Wonder: 13 Tricks, Tips & Hints

Super Mario Bros. Wonder might not be the most difficult Mario game out there, but that doesn't mean that it's without its own set of challenges. If you find yourself bumping up against a specific gameplay problem while making your way through the Flower Kingdom, then this guide has got you covered.

We have assembled a list of 13 hints and tips to make your platforming playtime that bit more, well, wonderful. From tweaks in your settings to handy menu options, there are a number of things that you can keep an eye on to change the way you play.

So, let's check some of them out, shall we?

Super Mario Bros. Wonder Tricks, Tips & Hints

Our wonderful video producer, Felix was on hand to put these tips and tricks into video form, so if you would rather watch than read, you can do so by checking out the video at the top of the page.

Still after the tips in written form? Read on!

Quickly Check Your Level Completion (And Find Secret Exits)

If you are after a 100% completion, then you need to make a note of the green ticks that appear over fully finished levels.

Normally, collecting the three big Flower Coins, all Wonder Seeds, and getting to the top of the Flagpole will give you this checkmark, but if you have all of these and the tick still isn't present, then you know that there is a sneaky secret exit somewhere in the level that you are yet to find.

Check Out The Action Guide

You can find detailed instructions for every available move by checking out the 'Action Guide' on the third page of the 'Control Guide' menu.

Want to know how to pull off moves like kicking items into the air? This is your place to go.

Spend Your Purple Coins

You can only hold a maximum of 999 Purple Coins at once. Any that you collect after this point will not be added to your collection, so make sure to spend them on Badges, Wonder Seeds, Standees or Power-Ups at every opportunity that you get — you don't want to see any of your hard collecting going to waste.

Push Pipes Harder And Faster

Holding 'Y' while running will make you dash, but doing the same while pushing a pipe will let you shift it along much faster.

It's not much, but it helps to save precious seconds in a race.

Plan Your Power-Ups

Unlike previous 2D Mario games, you can hold a Power-Up in reserve which, when holding 'A', can be summoned and swapped out for whichever one you are currently using.

This is a lifesaver if you want to make sure that you can use a specific Power-Up at a late stage in a level, but remember, picking up another Power-Up will replace the one that you have in reserve, so plan accordingly.

Set A Control Scheme That Works For You

If you find that Wonder's default controls aren't working for you, head into the settings and change them to your liking.

The settings menu lets you swap dash and jump buttons, change how you Ground Pound and even turn off Motion Controls if you are prone to moving about a lot while you play and don't want to see any unexpected Spin Jumps.

Get Ready To Rumble

Your Joy-Con will rumble away at various moments throughout Wonder, but did you know that they will also play music?

You can change the rumble strength and music volume in the game settings.

Turn Off Talking Flowers

There are multiple Talking Flower options in the game settings if the in-game running commentary isn't for you.

You can choose whether you hear their voices, see the text and even decide what language you want to get it in — perfect if you like the idea of the Talking Flowers, but don't actually want to hear their words of wisdom.

Be Wary Of The Default Settings

Now that you have your settings nicely set up to your liking, you must not press 'X' as this will restore all of your hard work to the default options.

Don't bother wondering whether there is a pop-up with a message like 'Are you sure you want to restore the default settings?', there is not.

Sniff Out Secret Blocks

Every playable character has certain blocks that are only visible to them, so be sure to switch up your main if you want to find every secret that the game has to offer.

This is particularly useful in the game's Search Party stages, where swapping characters or going into the level in co-op can be a quick and easy way to spot those sneaky Flower Tokens.

Lend A Hand Online

Mario Wonder's online options can be a great way to discover secrets, get some quick revives, or see stages in a different light.

Using standees or flying back to your fellow players ensures that you don't prematurely bite the dust on a tricky level, and working together on puzzles like the aforementioned Search Party stages is a surefire way to save time.

Head to one of the stands in the overworld, or press the connection icon in the game's pause menu to play with others online.

Switch Up Your Greeting

Pressing 'X' in the overworld will bring up a sweet smiley face for everyone to see, but did you know that you can also hold 'X' and navigate the option wheel to select one of four other greetings?

Just like that, you now know how to greet everyone with a friendly... uhh... megaphone.

Turn That Frown Upside Down

Okay, this isn't really a game-changer, but holding down 'Y' when you are standing still will change your character from their normal idle animation to an angry-looking one.

It's not the most live-saving tip, but it's fun to know!

Well, that's your lot. We hope that this helped showcase some of Mario Wonder's fun features that might not be immediately obvious. Now, the Flower Kingdom awaits — let's explore!