It came as something of a shock for there to have been no new 3DSuper Marioplatformer revealed at theNintendo Switch 2 Directon April 2, but Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has hinted that there may be one on the way. The announcement of theupcomingDonkey Kong Bananzawas a decent substitute, but there’s really no perfect replacement for Mario during his eight-year mainline hiatus coming off of 2017’sSuper Mario Odyssey.
Speaking toCNN(viaNintendo Life),Bowser said to “stay tuned” for a successor toSuper Mario Odyssey.“We have a long, long catalog, and a long list of [intellectual property] that I’m sure will make its way to the [Switch 2].“This isn’t exactly outright confirmation of an upcoming 3DMario, but “stay tuned” does have an air of urgency about it. Among all of Nintendo’s iconic IP,Super Mario’s 3D platformers are arguably the company’s most important flagship series, so it was clearly only a matter of time untilOdysseysaw a sequel on the new console.
It’s Been 8 Years Since Super Mario Odyssey
Nintendo EPD Has Been Busy Since
Long waits for a new 3DSuper Marioaren’t unheard of, butthe eight-year span sinceOdysseyhas been the longest.Odysseyitself came seven years afterSuper Mario Galaxy 2, which was the mainline series' quickest sequel, coming three years afterGalaxy. The waits between 1996’sSuper Mario 64, 2002’sSuper Mario Sunshine, and 2007’sSuper Mario Galaxywere all notably lengthy. Ever-increasing development times for AAA games makes Mario’s hiatus unsurprising, especially since its assumed developer has kept very busy in the years prior to the Switch 2.
Nintendo EPD is split into several divisions to work on many games at once, so it’s difficult to know what’s in development with Nintendo’s notorious lack of transparency.
Odysseywas developed by Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development (EPD), and the same studio is likely working on its successor. However, EPD balances several projects and many of Nintendo’s biggest games, including 2D platformerSuper Mario Bros. Wonder, theexcellentThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, andSplatoon 3, the latest in Nintendo’s shooter series, in recent years.There is speculation that Nintendo EPD is responsible forDonkey Kong Bananza, but Nintendo has not yet clarified its exact development studio.
What Can We Expect From A 3D Mario On Switch 2?
Was Bowser’s Fury A Test Run?
Ever sinceSuper Mario 64laid the groundwork, the mainline series has followed a rather straightforward formula, even if its gameplay is altered greatly by new mechanics.64,Sunshine, bothGalaxygames, andOdysseyall have disparate, self-contained levels, butBowser’s Fury, a standalone spin-off packaged withSuper Mario 3D World’s Switch rerelease, is arguably the most recent 3DSuper Mariogame we’ve gotten, and it made significant changes. While it’s of a relatively modest size,Bowser’s Furyis essentially an open-world 3DMario, and could be a hint at how the series is evolving.
Bowser’s Furyitself is now over four years old, having come out in early 2021, but it could be something of a tech demo forOdyssey’s successor – if not one contiguous open world, then perhaps much larger levels than the series has featured thus far. Nintendo’s flagship series have been indulging in open worlds since the start of the Switch era, withBreath of the Wild,TOTK, and even the upcomingMario Kart World. Building onBowser’s Furywouldn’t be a surprise forSuper Mario, but with Nintendo so secretive, it may be impossible to know until the next game is officially revealed.
