Current Events > The thing that sets SMBW apart is it takes inspiration from the 3D games, not 2D

(+) Yeah! (+)

From SMB through the NSMB games, you were following a fairly linear map: beat this level to unlock the next, and so on. There would be shortcuts and hidden exits around that map, and maybe branching paths here or there, but the basic mode of progression is getting to the end of levels.

But the 3D games have instead gated progression behind collectibles: stars, shines, moons, etc. It hasn't mattered as much which specific stars you collect, just that you pile together enough from wherever you can find them. And collecting these items has often meant things that aren't traditional platforming levels or courses in the way of the 2D games. Instead of just "reach the flagpole," you have races and puzzles and red coin collections. Even 3D World, which explicitly returns to levels, includes the Captain Toad puzzles and shorter mini-game style stars. There's a lot greater variety to the objectives, and greater freedom in the order you tackle them.

You really see this approach in the design of Wonder. Where the NSMB games were content to follow the established pattern of the 2D games before it, Wonder is less committed to the traditional level structure, and gates progression behind the wonder seeds, which again can be acquired in a lot of different ways.

I don't know why I've typed all this, but here it is.