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Super Mario Bros Wonder has completely overhauled the 2D Mario franchise. With completely new mechanics, abilities, and animations, Mario, as we know it, is extremely different. One of the most obvious changes that has been made is the inclusion of new items called badges. Unlike previous Mario games, Badges can now be equipped to give the player unique abilities. Ranging from cool movement options to small power-up bonuses, each of the 24 Badges mixes up your usual Mario gameplay. Once players find them all, it can be a bit difficult to choose just one to bring to a level.
Though some are great for specific levels, most of the time, players will have to choose for themselves. To make this decision easier, here are 10 of the best Super Mario Bros Wonder Badges you should try out next.
Dolphin Kick Badge
Starting with something simple, Super Mario Wonder’s Dolphin Kick Badge is an amazing improvement to 2D Mario water levels. With this badge, players will have the ability to boost themselves in a direction while swimming. This gives them increased water mobility and the power to smash through underwater blocks. In most cases, this Badge is essential in water levels and makes a normally tedious experience far more bearable.
Parachute Cap Badge
Since the Parachute Cap is the first Badge players receive in Super Mario Bros Wonder, it’s easy to overlook it. Despite this, the Parachute Cap Badge is one of the best in terms of gameplay options and movement. Besides giving players some much-needed air mobility, the Parachute Cap can also give players some interesting gimmicks that they can pull off. This includes air stalling and scaling vertical walls with well-timed inputs.
Timed High Jump Badge
The Timed High Jump Badge brings a classic technique back to Super Mario Bros Wonder. As was standard in the New Super Mario series, you can perform higher and higher jumps by timing three jumps correctly. Though this classic mechanic isn’t at the start of the game, after unlocking this Badge, players will once again have access to this excellent movement option. Although this Badge won’t break Super Mario Bros Wonder, it still presents a fun mechanic and a little bit of an added skill ceiling.
Spring Feet Badge
For our first Expert Badge of the list, we have Super Mario Bros Wonder’s Spring Feet Badge. These Expert Badges provide an additional skill ceiling for veteran players that gives them a high-risk—high-reward playstyle. If used correctly, though, these Badges can provide some of the best benefits in the game. The Spring Feet Badge lets players jump extremely high, though at the same time, they can never stop jumping. This creates a whole new playstyle that players need to adapt to and a fun experience to mix up your platforming gameplay.
Grappling Vine Badge
Out of any Super Mario Bros Wonder Badge, the Grappling Vine is one of the most fun and unique. This Badge will allow players to send a vine forward that can grapple and pull them toward a nearby wall. For some reason, the Grappling Vine Badge stands out among other Mario-style movement options. It’s a bit tricky to get the hang of at first, but once you’re used to it, you’ll start flying through levels in no time.
Crouch Jump Badge
Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s Crouch Jump Badge is yet another excellent option that reintroduces an old mechanic. As many players know, the crouch jump has been a movement option in various Mario games since Super Mario Bros 2. By crouching down for some time, players can perform a jump much higher than normal. Now, this new badge will allow players to try this old mechanic in Super Mario Bros Wonder. Though the ability is relatively simple, it has some cool applications when combined with fast movement and sliding approaches.
Jet Run Badge
Arguably, one of the hardest Badges to get a handle on in Super Mario Bros Wonder is the Jet Run Badge. This Expert Badge will cause your character to instantly start running at an extremely fast speed, even at the slightest movement. This blinding speed is a lot of fun to play with and an amazing challenge. When you add a mechanic that lets you run on air for a little bit and double jump, this Badge starts to get even more interesting.
Rhythm Jump Badge
Though Super Mario Bros Wonder’s Rhythm Jump Badge doesn’t add any movement options, it’s still a fun Badge that mixes up gameplay. The Rhythm Jump allows you to earn coins by jumping to the beat. Despite not giving any big payoffs in gameplay, it’s still a lot of fun to jump to the beat and earn as many coins as possible. For any player looking to mix up gameplay without affecting the controls too much, this is a great choice.
Invisibility Badge
For the last of the standard Expert Badges, we have Super Mario Bros. Wonder’s Invisibility Badge. This Badge will turn the player character invisible, preventing enemies from detecting them. At the same time, the player themself will be unable to see where their character is on the screen. Though this is a double-edged sword, the fun of the challenge more than makes up for any downside the Badge may have.
Fast Dash Badge
Finally, though it may be the simplest option on this list, the Fast Dash Badge is a great choice to try during your next play session. This Super Mario Bros Wonder Badge allows players to run and walk a little bit faster than normal. While it isn’t nearly as fast as the Jet Run Badge, this little burst of speed is great for players who can’t handle the Jet Run’s speed. Plus, the Badge can help run through sand, making it perfect for players stuck in World 4.
