Wait a minute. Mario’s an elephant? This might not be the plumber’s most startling metamorphosis to date – the one to which we similarly referred at the start of E312’s Super Mario Odyssey review would lay strong claim to that title – but the first power-up on the opening level of his new game indicates a readiness to play fast and loose with series convention. Even before we’ve had our first interactive encounter with the magical bloom referred to in the title, it’s clear we’re in new territory, and we’re not just talking about the change of kingdom (from Mushroom to Flower). For starters, Peach hasn’t been kidnapped; she’s here alongside Mario, Luigi, Daisy, two Toads, a gaggle of Yoshi, and the enigmatic Nabbit in the playable cast.
Bowser’s Castle is no longer a level but a plot summary.
As we swat Goombas aside with our trunk, we can’t help but admire the chutzpah: in handing us such power so early, Nintendo must
