Super Mario Bros. Wonder Mod Turns Talking Flowers Foul-Mouthed, Nintendo Quickly Takes Action

Authored by Ryan Dinsdale, this article reports that Nintendo swiftly removed videos of a modified version of Super Mario Bros. Wonder that transformed the game's cheerful talking flowers into offensive bullies. According to Eurogamer, despite the game's official release being scheduled for October 20, mods are already accessible for users emulating it on PC. Twitter user Contendo first pointed out what seemed to be harmless gameplay, only to be surprised by a foul-mouthed flower yelling "F**k you".

In consequence, Nintendo swiftly lodged a copyright strike against the video, leading to its disabling. However, Nintendo's struggle isn't limited to this issue alone as it fights against leaks, chiefly instigated by emulation. The company is stern against anyone emulating or leaking its games, as exhibited when it severed ties with a media outlet that prematurely revealed images of Pokémon Sword and Shield in 2020. It also recently issued a cease and desist order against the Wii and GameCube emulator Dolphin for launching on Steam.

Modder teesam commented on Contendo's video, suggesting that the game shares similarities with Tears of the Kingdom, which makes it "surprisingly easy" to modify. It's noteworthy that Super Mario Bros. Wonder officially launches on Nintendo Switch only and introduces Mario's new voice actor, confirming original star Charles Martinet's departure from the role announced in August.

Despite the controversy, there's strong anticipation for Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the first full side-scrolling entry since New Super Mario Bros. U in 2012. After its announcement in June, fans have been excitedly anticipating the new power-up that transforms Mario and friends into elephants. IGN's review, scoring 9/10, complimented the game for its surprising and delightful Wonder effects, vibrant and refreshing Flower Kingdom, and Elephant Mario stealing the show.