As a fan of platformers, I’m eagerly awaiting any announcements about a newMariogame coming to theNintendoSwitch2. However, I’m not terribly concerned about the state of the next 3DMariotitle. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve loved all the 3D games up until this point, and I’ll be excited to play what comes next. That said, a great 3D Mario game likeSuperMario Odysseyis essentially the norm for Nintendo, so I’m more worried about the future of a different type ofMariogame.
There are a ton of different types ofMariogames, and the Switch 2 is already giving us one of my favorite kinds, anewMario Kart. Mario and his fellow Mushroom Kingdom residents have also starred in sports titles, RPGs, and puzzle games. Although I enjoy many of these,I’ve always been the biggest fan of Mario’s platforming roots.Mariogames tend to have tight controls and creative twists on the platforming genre, and there’s oneSuper Marioplatforming game that I’d love to see a follow-up to on Switch 2.
Super Mario Wonder Deserves A Switch 2 Follow-Up
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Was One Of The Most Creative 2D Entries In The Series
Super Mario Bros. Wonderwas one of thebest 2DMariogames in recent memory, and I would love to see it get a follow-up on the Switch 2. Even if this isn’t a direct sequel, I’d hope Nintendo’s next 2DMariogame isa spiritual successor and followsSuper Mario Bros. Wonder’s cue when it comes to creative innovations. One of the best things aboutSuper Mario Bros. Wonderwas all the new, creative ideas it introduced.
Super Mario Bros. Wondertook classic features from 2DMariogames and added fun new twists.Traditionally static elements of the map like pipes moved around more frequently, even crawling around like caterpillars. I was shocked at an early level when the Pirhana Plants started jumping out of their pipes to chase me down, and even more shocked when they, and the hills in the background, started singing together.
There was also a slew of new transformation items inSuper Mario Bros. Wonderthat added fun new dynamics to each level. The elephant lets you water plants to get coins, or crash through blocks. You can roll around as a giant spiky ball destroying enemies and obstacles, or you can even become a Goomba to safely walk over environmental elements that would normally hurt you. These are just a few of the many creative waysSuper Bros. Mario Wonderlets you navigate its levels, and a follow-up to the game could add even more fun new ideas.
I also really appreciatedSuper Mario Bros. Wonder’s large roster of playable characters.Aside from Mario and Luigi, you can also play as Peach, Daisy, Toadette, Nabbit, and several styles of both Toad and Yoshi. This lets you tackle levels with the character best suited to them, and also creates a fun opportunity for replayability, as you may want to go back and try earlier levels with a different character. Overall,Super Mario Bros. Wonderadded a lot of great new gameplay ideas, something that was sorely lacking in 2DMariogames for a while.
2D Mario Games Spent Years In A Creative Rut
2D Mario Games Stagnated In The New Super Mario Bros. Era
The first batch of 2DMariogames, starting with the originalSuper Mario Bros., did a great job at constantly innovating. However,after the release ofSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Islandin 1995, there was a massive drought when it came to new 2DMariocontent. While the existing games would be re-released for the Game Boy Advance in the intervening years, the next new 2DMariogame wasNew Super Mario Bros.in 2006.
When it first came out,New Super Mario Bros. felt like as big an innovation in the series asSuper Mario Bros. Wonderdid. Not only did it completely rework the way the games looked, but it also introduced some gameplay elements from 3DMariogames. This included things like ground-pounding, triple jumps, and wall jumps. However, whileNew Super Mario Bros.was an exciting step forward, the momentum it created for new 2DMariogames quickly stagnated. The game was followed by numerous sequels which, while fun, didn’t seem like they were taking major creative risks.
After fourNew Super Mario Bros.games, Nintendo came out withSuper Mario Maker. Nobody can argue that this wasn’t a creative idea, nor that a lot of cool fan-made levels came out of theMario Makergames. However, these games mostly used gameplay elements from existing 2DMariotitles and, apart from their unique format, didn’t add that many new ideas.They also weren’t the same as getting a full new 2DMariogamewith intentionally designed levels from Nintendo.
WhenSuper Mario Bros. Wondercame out,its gameplay innovations felt even more exciting because of this long period of stagnation. My hope would be that, whatever the next 2DMariogame is, it will continue to differentiate itself from past entries in bold ways. Given the track record for 2DMariogames, I’m a bit more concerned about their future than I am about that of the 3D platformers.
3D Mario Will Likely Be Great On Switch 2
3D Mario Games Are Consistently Unique
3DMariogames are consistently strong, and often have a unique identity. Except forSuper Mario GalaxyandSuper Mario Galaxy 2, the games in the series all feel completely different from one another.Super Mario Sunshine’s F.L.U.D.D. mechanics were very different fromSuper Mario Odyssey’s hat shenanigans, both of which were very distinct from the waysSuper Mario Galaxyplayed with things like gravity and smaller planets. With so much constant change and creativity on display in the world of 3DMariogames, I’m sure theSwitch 2’s new hypothetical entrywill be just as original.
It would be great if each 2DMariogame were as fresh as each new 3D one. That’s why I hope the Switch 2gives us a 2DMariogame that is just as unique asSuper Mario Bros. Wonderwas. It would establish an expectation that each new game in the series would feel new and exciting, instead of getting stuck in a rut like theNew Super Mario Bros.series did. I have my fingers crossed that theSwitch 2will take the series in the right direction.
