Super Mario Bros. Wonder's Switch 2 upgrade divides fans

In case you missed it, Super Mario Bros. Wonder an upgrade pack for the Nintendo Switch 2. It will be released on March 26 and will include a content expansion in the form of Meetup in Bellabel Park. Oh, and there are three new Amiibo, including Elephant Mario, to collect.

That March 26 release date will coincide with the release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which is set for April 3, making Wonder's Switch 2 the de facto “new” Mario experience for Nintendo fans to enjoy.

For those who already own Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which dates back to its launch on the original Nintendo Switch in 2023, the upgrade will cost $19.99, like most other non-free Switch 2 bundles.

A collage image shows Mario with the Spin Drill power-up and a second Mario riding a fiery Yoshi in Super Mario Galaxy 2.

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I can't believe no one told me how much better Super Mario Galaxy 2 is than the first game

Super Mario Galaxy left so Super Mario Galaxy 2 could run.

While the add-ons, including Rosalina, look fun, the $19.99 is causing quite a bit of strife among fans, especially as they try to decide if it's “worth” paying.

To be fair, Nintendo hasn't exactly been clear on what differentiates a “free” and “paid” upgrade

On Reddit, where the trailer for the full content was shown, fans debated back and forth whether it's worth a purchase. As a preface, the Switch 2 bundle includes the aforementioned Bellabel Park, new characters, boss stages, and 4K docked resolution, plus higher framerates and better load times.

“Really wish we could just get a performance patch for the games separately,” wrote one user, noting how unfortunate the visual improvements locked behind a paywall are.

As much was echoed by another user who took aim at the $20 fee.

“Nah, I'm good,” they wrote. “Not that I can't afford $20, but I just don't see $20 as value.”

Others pointed out that Rosalina was not very of an upgrade, since it's a shell and all characters ultimately play the same, making the $20 charge for pixels less palatable overall.

“$30 CAD for many of these Switch 2 upgrades is pretty insane, considering things like Ghost of Tsushima and Last of Us Part 2 on PS5 were about half that price for roughly the same type of content, like expanded story or new modes,” wrote another in response to Nintendo's pricing strategy.

It also doesn't help that Nintendo's upgrade strategy has been all over the place. The Switch 2 bundle for Animal Crossing was $5, and Dixie Kong came to Donkey Kong Country Returns along with enhanced visuals for free on Switch 2.

That last bit probably won't be clarified anytime soon, as Nintendo has historically operated on its own terms. What is clear, at least for now, is that some Nintendo fans feel their wallets are being squeezed and will seemingly vote accordingly.