Xbox Head Phil Spencer Praises Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Wonder Ahead of Release

Phil Spencer's Xbox may be a competitor to Nintendo, but he still has plenty of admiration for one of the Switch's highly anticipated first-party titles: Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Nintendo officially unveiled a brand-new 2D Mario platformer back in June after months of rumors and speculation, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder is scheduled to grace the Switch on October 20.

Phil Spencer has always been a prominent figure in the gaming industry, particularly after assuming the role of Microsoft's CEO in January 2022. This promotion coincided with Microsoft's announcement of its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard, along with its vast library of gaming properties. Most of Spencer's remarks in the gaming sphere have centered around the Xbox brand, including recent discussions about the Xbox console-exclusive Starfield and Xbox's standing in the ongoing competition with Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo. Therefore, it comes as a surprise to hear him comment on an upcoming game that falls outside his company's usual scope, but that's precisely what occurred.

During the PAX West 2023 event at the Washington State Convention Center over the weekend, Phil Spencer took to Twitter to share some of his experiences. He mentioned how enjoyable it was to explore the bustling PAX West show floor with his family and have the opportunity to play some of the newest games, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Spencer expressed his excitement, stating that he "had a blast" with the 4-player co-op mode of Wonder at the Nintendo Live event. He also extended his gratitude to Nintendo of America for allowing him and other attendees to get a preview of the game before its October release.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder will encompass all the elements of a classic 2D Mario game, while introducing some exciting new features to thrill longtime fans of the franchise. Notably, Princess Daisy, a fan favorite, will finally be a playable character in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Additionally, players can look forward to encountering new power-ups and utilizing the level-warping Wonder Seeds as Mario and his friends navigate a colorful array of levels in their mission to thwart the scheming Bowser's takeover of the Flower Kingdom.

Many gamers are eagerly anticipating Mario's upcoming side-scrolling adventure, set to launch next month. Surprisingly, one of these excited fans is none other than Xbox head Phil Spencer. It's not an everyday occurrence for a highly anticipated Nintendo Switch game to receive accolades from the head of one of its major competitors. However, Phil Spencer's praise for Super Mario Bros. Wonder suggests that Nintendo is poised to deliver another crowd-pleasing platformer featuring Mario and his beloved companions this autumn.