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The Strange Reward For Beating Super Mario Bros. Wonder's Hardest Challenge
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a delight (read our review here), but getting 100 percent will absolutely test your mettle, particularly later on. If you want to keep the surprise for your own playthrough, we advise you to turn back to avoid spoilers of what happens when you complete the final challenge. However, if you don't think you'll be able to complete the challenges – or you just want to know if the reward is worth it – you can read on below!
We'll put a screenshot here to avoid anyone accidentally seeing anything they don't want to.
After playing through the entire game and opening all the entrances to the Special World, you'll be greeted by three final challenges. The first one, The Semifinal Test: Piranha Plant Reprise, resurfaces one of the more entertaining Wonder Effects in the context of a much more difficult stage. After beating that, you unlock The Final Test: Wonder Gauntlet. This level throws an ever-changing mix of Wonder Effects your way as you progress through the stage. It's difficult, but it's no match for the most difficult level, which unlocks after the fakeout of completing a stage called "The Final Test."
The real last level in Special World, The Final-Final Test: Badge Marathon, tests your skills in ways no other level in Super Mario Bros. Wonder does. Similar to how Wonder Gauntlet has you taking a difficult tour of the various Wonder Effects throughout the game, Badge Marathon offers various segments that almost serve as embedded Badge Challenges. But unlike the ones you completed over the course of your journey, these challenges are fierce, and you'll want to come into this level loaded up on lives.
For completing this difficult test, Super Mario Bros. Wonder rewards you with the final Badge. While other Badges turn you into a coin magnet or allow you to jump higher after a crouch, the final badge, called "Sound Off?" has a peculiar effect. When you enter the stage, it turns many of the game's sound effects into vocalizations instead of the noises you've grown accustomed to. It's certainly a strange way to play through a level, and I don't anticipate using it in any subsequent gameplay sessions, but it's a fun Badge to round out my arsenal.
You can see it in action on the first level of Super Mario Bros. Wonder below.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is out now on Switch. If you're looking to score this Badge for yourself, we have a guide to help you gather all the Wonder Seeds and 10 Flower Coins here. We also have a guide to the sometimes tricky Search Party levels here. Or, if you just want to know how the game is, you can check out our review right here.
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