TheAnimal Crossingfranchise is doing well for itself, thanks to the massive success of its latest installation. For a couple of years now,Animal Crossingfans have been enjoyingAnimal Crossing: New Horizons,a new take on the formula which asks players to cultivate and build on an island with the help of crafting mechanics. Sadly, Nintendo has seemingly ceased expandingNew Horizons,so fans ofAnimal Crossingnow have to wait and wonder what’s next for the franchise. Considering howNew Horizonsshook things up, it wouldn’t be surprising if the nextAnimal Crossinggame tries something entirely new, too.
For instance, Nintendo could consider producing anAnimal Crossingspin-off that crosses over with another one of its IPs. Nintendo has plenty of franchises with charming aesthetics that match the energy ofAnimal Crossingwell, so it has a wealth of crossover options, butSuper Marioseems like the perfect crossover choice above all. TheMariofranchise is constantly getting new spin-offs and side games that use the Mushroom Kingdom and its characters in creative new ways, soanAnimal Crossing-style social sim gamestarring Mario and his friends wouldn’t be so strange. On the contrary, it could be pretty adorable.
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Imagining a Mario Crossing Game
Super Mariogames often make minor references to Mario’s work as a plumber, but anAnimal Crossingspin-off starring Mario would be a great opportunity to actually put those plumbing skills to the test, alongside all of his other handyman skills. In aMario Crossinggame, players might take control of Mario in a new Mushroom Kingdom town where he starts helping out various residents. While the spin-off probably wouldn’t have bipedal animals as its citizens, Nintendo could craft a range of new NPCs based on all the unique beings that live in and around the Mushroom Kingdom, from Toads to Koopas to Goombas, all of which havethe right charisma for anAnimal Crossinggame.
ASuper Mariogame based onAnimal Crossingwould be particularly valuable because of how it can interact withSuper Mario’s world. Lots ofMarioparty games bring back secondary and tertiaryMariocharacters like Daisy, Rosalina, and Waluigi, but a social simMariogame could give these characters more central roles. Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and Rosalina might all help Mario improve the town, while Wario, Waluigi, and Bowser might scheme to inconvenience Mario and his neighbors. Aside from giving these characters new roles to play,Mario Crossingcould feature all kinds of building designs, clothes, and furniture inspired by beloved coreMariogames tohonorSuper Mario’s history.
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Fusing Animal Crossing and Super Mario
Animal Crossinggames are cute and relaxingas a general rule, so any possibleAnimal Crossingcrossover or spin-off has to have the right tools to capture that energy.Super Mariois the perfect franchise for that. A game where Mario works to add new amenities to a town while hanging out with visiting friends and rivals sounds just as charming as a coreAnimal Crossinggame. This theoretical crossover could differentiate itself with platforming segments in which Mario earns coins and powerups that help him fund construction projects in his town, but at its core, the game would ideally be all about having a leisurely time in the Mushroom Kingdom.
Nintendo hasn’t indicated that it plans on making a mutual spin-off ofAnimal CrossingandSuper Mario,but Nintendo’s recent movements make anything seem possible. Core Nintendo franchises fromThe Legend of ZeldatoKirbytoPokemonhave gotten highly inventive and experimental in recent years, so in order torefresh theAnimal Crossingformula, Nintendo might turn toSuper Mariofor inspiration. For now, lovers of bothAnimal CrossingandSuper Mariowill just have to wait and see what’s next for both franchises.
Animal Crossing: New Horizonsis available now for Nintendo Switch.
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