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 course in Petal Isles…
- Step 1 – Petal Isles is the hub world that connects all the other worlds, as well as where you’ll face Bowser, but even though you tackle it in a kind of piecemeal way, it still has a Special stage. Head to the “Wiggler Race – Spelunking!” stage near the entrance to W6. This is a fairly tough 4-star stage, but stick to it and you can master it. If you’ve unlocked it, try using the Jet Run badge and you’ll leave Wiggler in your dust.
- Step 2 – Complete the Wiggler Race and a new path will open up, connecting all the Petal Islands together in a circle. It will also unlock the path to the Petal Isles Special World course.
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.
