Nintendo is celebrating the birthday of their most iconic franchise. The Mario series has turned 35 and along with the anniversary, Nintendo released a showcase of Mario-centered announcements in a 16-minute Direct. The various news items were both big and small, but it gave Mario fans a look at some fun things to look forward to.
There has been plenty of debate since the Direct, with many criticizing business choices by Nintendo with some of their reveals. However, there was enough good to balance the bad. With so many announcements, it's easy to dissect the best and worst of the presentation.
10 BEST: Mario Furniture In Animal Crossing
Nintendo's biggest game of the year has been Animal Crossing: New Horizons, so it's fitting to see the game featured in the presentation. In a brief slide, the company announced that Mario-themed furniture will be coming in March 2021, likely paired with Mario day on March 10. This is an exciting announcement for longtime Animal Crossing fans who have likely missed not having the Mario series in the game. No specific items were announced, but the news itself is exciting enough for players to clear some space.
9 WORST: Mario Kart Tour Additions
Mario Kart Tour is Nintendo's next big mobile game with the ability to play the iconic racing franchise on a smartphone. Similar to other Nintendo mobile games, there are frequent events that bring new items to the game. For the Mario 35th anniversary, the game is celebrating Super Mario Kart, the first game of the franchise. With it comes two characters, the SNES versions of Mario and Donkey Kong Jr. The designs of the characters are cool, but there were fans that were hoping a similar set of characters would've come to Mario Kart 8 as well.
8 BEST: Game & Watch
There's nothing like a good collection item, but it's even better when it's a functioning game system. Kicking off the presentation was the announcement of a device called Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. Designed like the classic Game & Watch systems of the 1980s, this device is pre-loaded with three games on it.
The main games are the original Super Mario Bros., along with its devilish successor Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. There's also the classic Game & Watch: Ball game, which has a Mario-aesthetic unique to this device.
7 WORST: Splatfest
Splatoon 2 was one of the earliest games added to the Nintendo Switch roster and was one of the more popular multiplayer games on the console. The buzz around the game has died down over the last year. However, Nintendo is bringing the Splatfest back with a Mario-themed one pitting the mushroom and star power-ups against each other. The event itself is exciting, but considering the teams aren't as exciting and the game itself not in the spotlight, it just felt like a strange inclusion.
6 BEST: Super Mario Bros. 35
Tetris 99 was a surprisingly exciting addition to the Switch, making a classic single-player game into a battle royale. Nintendo is now looking to include its own IP in a battle royale, hence the announcement of Super Mario Bros. 35. 35 players will be pitted against each other while they complete the original levels of Super Mario Bros. The best part is the ability for players to mess with each other with various obstacles and sabotages. The game is available for a limited time, so enjoy it while it lasts.
5 WORST: Super Mario All-Stars
There were two All-Star collection game announcements in the Direct. Super Mario All-Stars is a game that was initially released for the SNES with four 2D Mario games, each of which included enhanced graphics. This collection includes a graphically-different Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. The game is available for free for Nintendo Switch Online customers. Despite this nice addition, all of these games were already playable on the Switch, making the announcement not as exhilarating.
4 BEST: Super Mario 3D World
The Wii U wasn't the best Nintendo console by any means, but there were a lot of great games. Among them was Super Mario 3D World, a level-by-level platformer and the sequel to Super Mario 3D Land on the Nintendo 3DS.
The game was beloved for its level design and how rewarding it was to replay it, which makes the news of it coming to the Nintendo Switch that more exciting. In addition to the classic game, there will be an expansion to it called "Bowser's Fury," which was shown in an ominous clip during its trailer.
3 WORST: Super Mario 3D Soundtracks
Super Mario 3D All-Stars was the marquee game of the showcase. While the collection included three games, it also included the soundtracks to each of those three games. Players will be able to select from the tunes of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy to listen to. This is a similar feature to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's music section. The problem with this, unfortunately, is that the Switch is not the best music-listening device. It's also frustrating for fans that Nintendo continues to refuse to release its music on other platforms.
2 BEST: Super Mario 3D All-Stars
There is a good amount of frustration surrounding Super Mario 3D All-Stars. The game is only going to be sold for a limited amount of time. The games themselves aren't complete remasters fans were looking for. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a glaring omission. But putting all of that aside, it's still three classic Mario games being brought to Nintendo Switch for the first time. There isn't much beyond slightly crisper versions of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy, buts its enough for old school fans to reminisce and new fans to enjoy.
1 WORST: Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
One of the most unexpected announcements during the direct was a new Mario Kart game, but not one the fans may have hoped for. Nintendo revealed Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, an augmented reality game that turns a room in the house into a Mario Kart track. The game comes with a kart toy that has Mario in it and a camera sticking out the back for AR purposes. The game could be fun with those with space in their house to try this out, but seems to lack much depth that could keep people hooked beyond a few days of home racing.