Super Mario Bros. Wonder is here, and fans who have been waiting for a new 2D platformer from the plumber have a lot to be excited about. As I lay out in my review, Mario Wonder is one of Nintendo’s best 2D platformers since their heyday in the 8- and 16-bit eras. Of course, as with all Mario platformers, the game is packed with secrets, collectibles, and daunting late-game challenges.
Note: The following guide contains some non-story SPOILERS.
Continuing a longstanding tradition, Super Mario Bros. Wonder has a final Special World featuring particularly punishing stages for those looking for a final challenge. Special World consists of 9 courses, one for every other World in the game, one unlocked by beating those seven courses, and one unlocked by beating Bowser. So, how do you unlock these courses? For the 7 main Special courses, you’ll need to find hidden exits in the 7 main worlds – 1 per world. Sounds simple enough, but some of them are pretty well hidden or gated behind tough challenges. Here’s how to unlock the Special World course in W6 Deep Magma Bog…
Step 1 – Head to the deepest part of the W6. Even after you’ve completed the world’s castle, there will be an additional stage “Expert Badge Challenge – Jet Run II,” which you can unlock by collecting 25 W6 Wonder Seeds. That’s a bit of a tall order, but if you find all the secret exits, and buy the Wonder Seeds in the Poplin Shops, you can do it.Step 2 – Complete Jet Run II and there are a couple more Badge Challenges to complete, both of which are pretty tricky. Just stick to it.Step 3 – Once you’ve completed the Badge Challenges, a new path to the W6 Special World course will open up. Hop on the flower!And there you have it! Another Special World course, unlocked! Now, good luck actually beating it without tearing your hair out. You can find out how to unlock the other Special World courses, right here.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is available now on Nintendo Switch. You can check out Wccftech’s other Mario Wonder guides here.