Badges are one of the more innovative additions to the 2D Mario series. They are essentially equippable abilities and passive enhancements to the player, but can only be equipped one at a time per level. Here’s all the badges in Super Mario Bros. Wonder and what levels they’re good for.
Action Badges
There are three kinds of badges in Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Action Badges, Boost Badges, and Expert Badges. Action Badges give the player an added ability that aids platforming.
There are five abilities tied to jumping and floating, one for running, and two for climbing. There’s only one badge that’s useful underwater. Below, I’ve grouped up all the Action Badges into their respective categories, which I’ve indicated within parentheses. Below each badge’s description is the kind of level best suited for it.
Parachute Cap (Jump/Float)
In-game description: “While in midair, press R or shake the controller to open your hat and float slowly downward.”
Great for: Any level with platforms above ground. Since this is the very first Badge you get in the game, you’ll use this a ton in the first couple of Worlds.
Floating High Jump (Jump)
In-game description: “Jump higher than usual and momentarily float.”
Great for: When you want to control like Luigi from Super Mario Bros. 2. But really, this is good for levels with platforms above ground.
Boosting Spin Jump (Jump)
In-game description: “While in midair, press R or shake the controller to gain a little exra altitude.”
Great for: Everywhere. Out of all the action badges I use this one the most. Unlike the Floating High Jump and Crouching High Jump, you can choose when to activate this badge while in mid-air. This is essentially a double jump, which is useful anywhere besides underwater.
Crouching High Jump (Jump)
In-game description: “Crouch and charge up power to jump higher than usual.”
Great for: Any level with high platforms.
Timed High Jump (Jump)
In-game description: “Time consecutive jumps just right to jump higher than usual. You’ll even jump high on sand.”
Great for: Levels with lots of flat ground or lateral platforms. This badge takes a bit more skill to pull off and offers the same results as the Boosting Spin Jump badge.
Fast Dash (Run)
In-game description: “Dash a little faster than usual. You’ll walk a little faster too, even across sandy areas!”
Great for: Races and quicksand levels such as those found in the Sunbaked Desert world.
Wall-Climb Jump (Climb)
In-game description: “Jump against a wall, and then press B to jump straight up once.”
Great for: Any stages with walls and platforms. This is one of the most useful badges you can use and it gets you over high obstacles with great control.
Grappling Vine (Climb)
In-game description: “While in midair, press R or shake the controller to launch a vine that can grab a wall.”
Great for: Levels with walls and ledges. Especially good for levels with lots of pits or places to fall.
Dolphin Kick (Swim)
In-game description: “While underwater, press R or shake the controller to unleash a brief burst of speed.”
Great for: Underwater levels only. This Badge can only be used while swimming, so every single level that isn’t underwater renders the Dolphin Kick Badge useless. But for the very small number of underwater levels in the game, Dolphin Kick is an absolute necessity!
Bad for: Every non-underwater level!
Boost Badges
Boost Badges don’t give the player more mobility or action abilities, they add other periphery benefits such as more coins and choosing specific power-ups to get.
Safety Bounce
In-game description: “Bounce back out of pits, lava, or poison swamps just one time per fall.”
Great for: Stages with lots of pits and magma. You’ll get particularly good use of this badge in the Deep Magma Bog world and the Special World.
Sensor
In-game description: “Detect significant items nearby, such as Wonder Flowers or 10-flower coins.”
Great for: Any stage you’re having trouble locating stuff in. Stages where you haven’t found Wonder Flowers or 10-purple coins go great with the Sensor badge.
Add ! Blocks
In-game description: “Add ! Blocks to courses. The ! Blocks may act as extra platforms, contain items, or serve other purposes.”
Great for: Stages with projectiles. If you’re having trouble avoiding missiles or other flying objects, this badge does a great job placing blocks in the way to prevent them from hitting you. This badge is also great for levels with lots of pits and lava, since it’ll add blocks above such pits to help you.
This is one of the most useful badges in the game since almost every level gets a benefit out of the added ! Blocks. Though, be warned, blocks sometimes get placed in locations that hinder you too!
Coin Reward
In-game description: “Earn coins for defeating enemies.”
Great for: Levels with lots of enemies.
Coin Magnet
In-game description: “Pull in nearby coins and flower coins.”
Great for: Most levels.
Rhythm Jump
In-game description: “Earn coins by jumping in time with the beat.”
Great for: Levels with lots of land.
Auto Super Mushroom
In-game description: “Start a course with a Super Mushroom power-up.”
Great for: Every level.
All Elephant Power
In-game description: “Change into Elephant form when you collect any power-up.”
Great for: Every stage. Despite its size, the Elephant power-up can fit in tight spaces and manoeuvre just as fine as the regular forms. Levels with lots of bricks and with spouts of water are great places to wear this badge due to the Elephant’s break ability and water squirt.
All Fire Power
In-game description: “Change into Fire form when you collect any power-up.”
Great for: Levels with lots of enemies. If fireballs could break bricks, it would be good in those levels too, but they don’t.
All Bubble Power
In-game description: “Change into Bubble form when you collect any power-up.”
Great for: Levels with verticality and levels with hard-to-reach enemies such as those inside walls. The Bubble power-up is versatile for its ability to place bubble platforms anywhere in the level. While the bubble doesn’t destroy most enemies, it’ll engulf small enemies such as goombas.
All Drill Power
In-game description: “Change into Drill form when you collect any power-up.”
Great for: Levels with soft dirt on the ceiling and ground. You’ll know an area is drillable by its unique texture and color, as shown here. Many stages feature soft dirt that can be exploited by drilling into it, both from above and below.
Expert Badges
Expert Badges are the most unique of them all, and there are only four of them. Three of these make playing the game more challenging, yet give the player an added edge for mastery. While the humorous Sound Off! Badge is mostly just for curious fun.
Spring Feet
In-game description: “Perpetually hop along. You can also jump higher than usual.”
Great for: Vertically oriented stages requiring a lot of jumping.
Bad for: This badge is difficult to control with precision, so avoid using it on stages requiring tight control in small spaces!
Jet Run
In-game description: “Dash continuously at incredible speed. If you run off an edge, you’ll also have a short window where you can jump in midair.”
Great for: Longitudinal stages where you go left to right. Also, super for the Wiggler races!
Bad for: Since this badge takes away control of your speed, you need to use this carefully and not in vertical stages that go upward and require precise jumping.
Invisibility
In-game description: “Disappear from sight, making it impossible for enemies to spot you.”
Great for: Stages with lots of enemies. Boss fights and the Boo levels are ideally paired with the Invisibility Badge.
Bad for: Avoid using this badge in platform-intensive levels! Because you can’t see your character just like enemies can’t, it makes jumping and maneuvering really difficult.
Sound Off?
In-game description: “Hear strange voices …”
Great for: Any stage! Experiment and see what you’ll hear.
That’s all the badges in Super Mario Bros. Wonder and what levels they’re good for. If you enjoyed this guide, check out our other Super Mario Bros. Wonder guides and read our review!
