Does Super Mario Wonder Have Online Multiplayer? Answered

Teeming with familiar characters, wondrous power-ups, and cheerful talking flowers, Super Mario Wonder is great for your couch co-op game night with friends. But you might be wondering: does Super Mario Wonder have online multiplayer, and how is it different from other co-op options? 

Does Super Mario Wonder Have Online Multiplayer? Answered

Yes, Super Mario Bros. Wonder offers both local and online co-op. For local play, you can choose whether one, two, three, or four players will join the game before heading into character selection. Online multiplayer, however, is toggled in-game by interacting with the satellite dish known as Professor Connect on the world map. 

Live Player Shadows and Ghosts in Super Mario Wonder

Online multiplayer in Super Mario Wonder allows you to see other players on the world map and in courses. In a Mario Kart meets Elden Ring fashion, these are live player shadows that look somewhat transparent. You can see them jumping over the same pools of lava, sinking into pipes, gathering power-ups, and more. It’s like they’re right there with you. 

You can’t physically bump into these other players, break their blocks, or defeat foes in their world. However, you can interact in other ways. If you get KO’d, instead of restarting the course, you’ll become a ghost. This lets you get rescued by dashing over to a nearby player, and once you touch them, you’ll revive. Thankfully, as a ghost you can pass through walls and floors, and another player might already be running to you to help out. 

This was really helpful in my first Bowser Jr. boss encounter. A Luigi happened to be doing the same fight and we revived each other more than once. I even shared an Item Balloon with them, so they could use a Super Mushroom. Eventually, we were both able to take down the fire-breathing Koopa. 

Standees

Even more helpful are Standees, which can be purchased from Poplin Shops on the world map.  You can place a Standee by crouching and pressing “X” at the same time. These look like cardboard cutouts of characters, which can be used to revive yourself if other players aren’t nearby. You can also see Heart Points above their heads, indicating how many players they’ve saved. 

While the game explains Standees as ways to say, “I was here,” players have discovered more uses for them, particularly in Search Party courses. For the uninitiated, these courses send you on a hunt for Wonder Tokens, but they’re either hidden or visible but hard to reach. You have to hit invisible blocks for them to appear or to get to them. Puzzling Park left me sorely confused for a while until another player placed their Standee down to show where I could jump and find a hidden block. 

Play with Friends

Playing with friends via online multiplayer is a bit different than local co-op. For one, you’ll have to join your friend’s room or create your own private room, and they’ll be transparent instead of solid. However, you can still revive each other if you get KO’d and share Item Balloons. 

Friend Races are available on certain courses, and they’re exactly how they sound. You’ll race to the Goal Pole, Wonder Seed, or Treasure Chest at the end of the level. If you get first place, you’ll earn a trophy, which will be displayed in Friend Rooms.

That covers all you need to know about online multiplayer in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. You can easily play with faraway friends and family or comfy couch co-op if they’re nearby. Thankfully, I’ve not experienced any lag, even with a lot happening on the screen. So far, it’s been a seamless online experience. For more on Super Mario Wonder, check out our growing guides hub.