At the moment, it isn’t clear what’s happening with theSuper Mariofranchise. Mario has been as active as ever in spin-offs and merchandising, but his mainline games have taken a backseat over the past few years. The most recent major release was technically theBowser’s Furyexpansion included in the 2021 Switch re-release ofSuper Mario 3D World. Before that, there wasSuper Mario Maker 2in 2019, and the famousSuper Mario Odysseyin 2017. No one can accuseSuper Marioof having no presence on the Switch, but as the console nears the probable end of its life cycle, it feels like Mario is missing.
There’s no doubt that a newSuper Mariogame is in the works at Nintendo. No one knows what it is, and opinion is split on whether it’sthe rumoredSuper Mario Odyssey 2or something completely different. There’s also the possibility that Nintendo could be waiting to reveal it as a launch game for the Switch’s successor. Regardless, there has been a noticeable change inSuper Mario’s major releases over the past decade. No new 2DMarioplatformers have come out in a decade, and it feels well past time to revisit Mario’s original dimensions.
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There Has Been A Noticeable Lack of 2D Mario Platformers
In 2012, the two majorSuper Mariogames released wereNew Super Mario Bros. 2andNew Super Mario Bros. U. Both of these games landed in the controversialNew Super Mario Bros.line, though theWii U title was more appreciated thanNSMB2. Since then, Mario’s 2D platformer offerings have consisted of the 2019 release ofNew Super Mario Bros. U Deluxefor the Switch, and the twoSuper Mario Makergames. After such a concentrated effort to keep Mario’s classic 2D look alive in the face of the growing 3DMariotitles, it seems strange for the effort to be relegated to spin-offs and lesser releases.
Mario has proven, perhaps more so than any other gaming mascot, that his games can work on 2D and 3D planes. His platforming rise to greatness was built on some of the best 2D level design at that time, and said design is still relevant today.Super Mario 64, meanwhile, led gaming into the age of 3D innovation and single-handedly defined the landscape of 3D platformers. These two styles of Mario have gone hand in hand for years, and nowhere better can this be seen thanMario Odyssey’s sidescrolling sections seamlessly blending with 3D action. There is more than enough room for high quality 2D and 3DMariotitles, and Nintendo should consider flipping between the two as leadSuper Marioprojects.
Now Is Perfect For A 2D Mario Revival
It seems likely that Nintendo has done all it can with theSuper Mario Makerconcept at the moment. After introducingNSMBU’s tileset and power-ups forSuper Mario Bros. 2andSuper Mario Land, it seemed like adding Link’s moveset was the only thing left for it to do. Where Mario appears to be headed next is towards a truly open world, as evidenced by the unbroken map ofBowser’s Fury. However, after a decade of near-silence, 2DMarioshould be given a chance to shine again.Metroid Dreadproved that 2D gamescan still work in a modern context, and a great 2DMariowill leave no room for argument.
A decade removed from theNew Super Mario Bros.formula may be just what 2DMarioneeded. Those games had a high degree of similarity, and the players were beginning to tire of how little was really changing. Aside from the time gap giving a new 2D effort some breathing room, Nintendo would be able to design it with the full budget and strength of its development studios. A 2DMariotreated with the gravity ofa system-selling 3DMariofeels like it hasn’t happened sinceNew Super Mario Bros. Wii, and whatever new mechanics and design tricks a new 2D title would bring to the table could impress just as much.
MORE:Nintendo Should Announce a New Super Mario Game in October 2022
