I despised platformers. The mere idea of playing a 2D platformer filled me with utter dread. They are often tedious, lifeless, and dull, each simply adding its own gimmick to the same formula. You go from one stage of a level to the next, collecting some arbitrary item until you finally reach a boss at the end to save the day. <\/p>
The Mario<\/em> games were no exception in my mind, including the recent New Super Mario Bros<\/em>. titles from the Wii era onwards. Each one felt devoid of life and joy, as the core gameplay was a repetition of going from point A to point B, just with different layouts and backgrounds. <\/p>
Then I played Super Mario Bros. Wonder.<\/em><\/p>