Super Mario Bros. Wonder Receives First Update on Nintendo Switch

In an era where video games sometimes get updates before they even release, it's incredibly rare for a game to go several weeks after launch before getting one. However, that was the case for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which just received its very first update on Nintendo Switch. The game has now been updated to version 1.0.1, and the actual changes are pretty minimal. Today's update mostly focuses on changes to Heart Points and the game's staff credits. However, the new version also includes some "general updates," as well. Full patch notes from Nintendo's official website can be found below: 

Ver. 1.0.1 (Released November 20, 2023)

Heart Points

• Selecting "Restart" or "Exit Course" will revert points to what they were before entering the course.

Staff Credits

• Additions and adjustments have been made to staff names.

General Updates

• Several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder's Critical Acclaim

Super Mario Bros. Wonder has only been available for a month now, but the game has quickly become one of the most acclaimed of 2023. The 2D adventure received a 5/5 score from ComicBook.com, and has seen strong critical praise from nearly every major gaming outlet; Super Mario Bros. Wonder even made the list of six nominees for Game of the Year by The Game Awards. It remains to be seen whether Mario will be able to pull off an upset against titles like Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Resident Evil 4, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but the game's place on the list alone says a lot about its quality.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder marks the first new 2D Mario game in more than a decade, following 2012's New Super Mario Bros. U. In that time, fans have had to rely on things like DLC and ports to get their 2D Mario fix, but luckily the wait proved to be worth it. 

Nintendo Switch in 2023

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is clearly positioned as Nintendo Switch's big game of the 2023 holiday season. It's a safe bet that a lot of copies of the game will be given over the next few weeks, but Nintendo has had a very strong year overall. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the company's other major 2023 game, but the system has also seen a handful of other big exclusives, including Pikmin 4, Super Mario RPG, and Metroid Prime Remastered. Perhaps the year's most underrated Switch exclusive is Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon. The game received strong critical praise when it released back in March, but didn't seem to find much of an audience. Of course, that could change as different outlets prepare their "Best of the Year" lists!

Are you surprised it took this long for Super Mario Bros. Wonder to get an update? Do you think the game will win Game of the Year at The Game Awards next month? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!