Daily Debate: What Do You Think The Zelda Series Could Learn from Super Mario Bros. Wonder?

Posted on October 23 2023 by Kora Burton

With Super Mario Bros. Wonder having just released on Friday, October 20, many fans have picked up the game and gotten in some play hours this past weekend. The first traditional side-scrolling Super Mario Bros. game we’ve seen in over a decade, the game has boasted a host of new power-ups and surprises. I’ve been looking so forward to the release of this game since it was announced, and odds are as you’re reading this I’m still delving into all things funky and weird about Wonder‘s aesthetic and gameplay.

While the Zelda series contains relatively rare snippets of side-scrolling action (mainly within Zelda II: The Adventure of Link), Nintendo’s newest release may spark some conversations about the future direction of many of their most iconic properties. So if you’ve had the chance to try the new game, I’ll put the question to you: what do you think the Zelda series could learn from Super Mario Bros. Wonder?

Obviously, The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. games have different styles, histories, and aims, so it may feel unfair to ask how one should add on to the other. That being said, the two series have grown side-by-side, and many Nintendo fans are avid enthusiasts of both, so the way they influence one another is certainly worth discussing. Your answer to this question will also probably depend on what you thought of the latest Zelda installment and whether the first few days of playing Wonder has impressed you. I’ve personally really enjoyed how collaborative Super Mario Bros. Wonder feels, and how it is inclusive of different player abilities while also allowing those players to interact with the game simultaneously.

What do you think? What do you wish Zelda developers might take from Super Mario Bros. Wonder as we look ahead to future Zelda titles? What do you think Zelda has done better than the most recent Super Mario Bros. title? Let us know down below!