The 35th anniversary of theMariofranchise debut is here and with it comes a variety of announcements. Early in September, Nintendo announced multiple games and hardware in a Mario-themed Direct to celebrate the mustached icon’s birthday.
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Some of the big announcements include a collection of Super Mario hits inSuper Mario 3D All-Starsand an augmented realityMario Kartgame calledMario Kart Live: Home Circuit. When Nintendo drops a Direct like this, it is sure to get fans talking. Not only did it spark intense discussions online, but the meme game from fans has been incredible to watch.
10At Long Last
(Source: Reddit)
Ever since the Nintendo Switch came out, many fans of theMarioseries have wanted to see older games in the series be brought to the console. Three of the most beloved games in the franchise areSuper Mario 64,Super Mario Sunshine, andSuper Mario Galaxy.
It is no wonder that, when the collection was announced, it sparked plenty of excitement. This also isn’t the first collection game Nintendo has put out, as this meme shows here with two earlier iterations ofSuper Mario All-Stars.
9Comparing Collections
Unfortunately, the announcement ofSuper Mario 3D All-Starsdidn’t come without its problems. Many fans were disappointed by the games not being a full remaster, especiallySuper Mario 64. There is also the limited release window which is forcing consumers' hands to buy the game within the next six months.
During the same direct, the originalSuper Mario All-Starswas re-released for free on Nintendo Switch Online. It includes remakes that are fully revamped and different from the originals, and it even includes a game that wasn’t initially released in North America.
8Price Problem
(Source: Know Your Meme)
One more major complaint aboutSuper Mario 3D All-Starsis the price tag. Although players are ultimately paying $20 per game, it is understandable for fans to feel cheated in buying the same games over and over again that have barely changed.
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This pales in comparison to the recent release ofSpyro: Reignited Trilogy. The three games in this collection were completely remastered with a whole new look and only costs $40, which is just over $13 per game. Nintendo fans will still buy the game, but they aren’t happy about the price tag.
7Left Out
It was easy for Nintendo to choose which games to re-release for Mario’s anniversary.Super Mario 64is one of the best games of all-time.Super Mario Sunshinedidn’t reach that level of hype, but it still has a strong following.Super Mario Galaxywas among the more popular titleson the Wii.
But, there was another game on the Wii that got a lot of love when it was released but was left out of the collection.Super Mario Galaxy 2may seem like just an expansion to its predecessor, but it’s just as beloved. It’s strange how it didn’t make the cut.
6Forgetful Nintendo
WithSuper Mario Galaxy 2being the glaring omission ofSuper Mario 3D All-Stars, speculation began to run rampant within the community as to why Nintendo left the game out. One common reason people point to is that Nintendo may have forgotten the game’s existence.
There could be some truth to this as the game was omitted from the Mario montage at the end of the anniversary Direct video. This is probably not the case, but it’s hilarious to think Nintendo is just forgetting about one of their more popular games.
5A New Mario Kart?
WhileSuper Mario 3D All-Starswas the talk of the Nintendo community following the slew of announcements, it’s worth highlighting some of the other notable creations Nintendo is bringing to fans. WhileMario Kartfans haveMario Kart 8 Deluxeto tide them over, there are some that are hoping for a newMario Kartannouncement.
Well, they got one in the 35th-anniversary presentation withMario Kart Live: Home Circuit, a toy that can be driven around at home using augmented reality to create a race on the Switch.
4Mario’s Battle Royale
Battle royales continue to be all the rage in the video game world. Nintendo has already dipped its toes in withTetris 99, but now it’s bringing an original Nintendo IP into the genre. WithSuper Mario Bros. 35, players will be able to play the originalSuper Mario Bros.game with the added twist that they will be playing alongside 34 other people.
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The layout is reminiscent ofTetris 99,with boxes on the left and right off the screen showing the other players. The goal is to be the last person standing in the platforming levels.
3Switching Music Players
One of the strangest Nintendo business practices that remain to this day is the company’s unwillingness to release their music on multiple platforms. Instead, the company is insistent that players instead use their Switch as a music player.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimatehas a collection of music that players can listen to on-the-go, and nowSuper Mario 3D All-Starswill also have a music player. It is understandable that Nintendo wants its fans to use their console at all times, but it is frustrating for fans who want a simpler way to access these great tunes.
2Sunshine Request
WithSuper Mario Sunshinecoming to the Switch, nostalgia for the GameCube era has come rushing back through the veins of Nintendo fans. The company has somewhat catered to this nostalgia in the Switch era. WhenSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatereleased, the company also released a Gamecube controller that was compatible with the game.
Considering it has all of the classic buttons, wouldn’t it be wonderful for Nintendo to allow fans to use that controller while playing the re-released game on the Switch? The ball is in their court.
1Fan Backlash
Nintendo fans can be rather critical of their beloved company. This wasevident during the Mario 35 announcementsas fans nitpicked a lot of the new content the company was bringing to the table.Super Mario 3D All-Starswas one of the biggest receivers of that criticism, with plenty of understandable reasons for the complaints.
However, it is strange that some fans were upset that they were getting a port while a game like this had been in high demand from the moment the Switch was released.
