Summary
TheSuper Mariofranchise had a huge year in 2023 between its numerous video game releases, as well as the release of theSuper Mario Bros. Moviethat saw Nintendo’s iconic plumber take to the big screen. Along with the release of the film, fans were treated to a handful of fantasticMariogames in 2023, includingSuper Mario Bros. Wonderand a remake ofSuper Mario RPG. It will be hard for 2024 to top the year theMarioseries had in 2023, but there are already a few titles confirmed for this year and even more could be on the way.
A big factor to consider for theMariofranchise in 2024 is the likelihood that Nintendo will launch its successor to the Switch this year. Although nothing has been confirmed yet, rumors point towards apotential Switch 2 launching in 2024, which would mean fans will likely see a big must-play launch title from Nintendo to help sell this new console. It wouldn’t be surprising if this game was aMariotitle, given how iconic the franchise is for Nintendo, and the company may want to build on the momentum the franchise had last year.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
TBA 2024
Despite the Switch likely entering its last year asNintendo’s flagship console, there are still severalMariotitles that have been confirmed to be launching on the console in 2024. Although many of these games are remakes or remasters, they still represent some fan-favorite titles that deserve to see a modern re-release. Some of these titles still lack concrete release dates, so Nintendo will likely share more information about their releases in a 2024 Nintendo Direct.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
The firstMariogame Nintendo has slated for a 2024 release is the Switch remake of theoriginal Game Boy AdvanceMario vs. Donkey Kong. This title was first announced in the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, making it the first Mario vs. Donkey title to be released sinceMario vs. Donkey: Tipping Starsin 2015. Gameplay forMario vs. Donkey Konginvolves guiding mini-Marios through a series of platform puzzles to reach the stage’s goal, with players ultimately working their way toward defeating Donkey Kong.
Princess Peach: Showtime!
The sole brand-newMariofranchise title confirmed for 2024 doesn’t star the plumber at all, instead showcasing Princess Peach in her first solo game sinceSuper Princess Peachon the Nintendo DS. It was first teased as an untitled Princess Peach game at the June 2023 Nintendo Direct before being fully unveiled asPrincess Peach: Showtime!in September 2023. The game follows Peach as she battles the Sour Bunch inside Sparkle Theater alongside the theater’s guardian, Stella, and players will be able to transform the princess into a variety of different forms, including Swordfighter Peach, Detective Peach, Kung Fu Peach, and more.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD
Luigi’s Mansion 2 HDis a Switchremaster of the 3DS titleLuigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, which was simply titledLuigi’s Mansion 2for its European release. This HD remaster of the game adopts theLuigi’s Mansion 2title for its global release, and follows the naming convention established byLuigi’s Mansion 3, released on the Switch in 2019. WhileLuigi’s Mansion 2 HDretains much of the original game’s story and mechanics, players can look forward to the visual overhaul that brings it in line withLuigi’s Mansion 3’s graphical style.
Perhaps one of the most highly-anticipatedMariogames releasing in 2024 is the remaster of the fan-favoriteGameCube titlePaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Despite only being a remaster, this title took many fans by surprise when it was announced during the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, quickly becoming many fans' most anticipated 2024 release.Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Dooris widely considered the best entry in the series and marks an era that Nintendo has seemingly moved on from with recentPaper Marioentries, so this release has been taken as a good sign by fans hoping to see a return to form in the future.
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Super Mario Odyssey
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The elephant in the room for theMarioseries in 2024 is the possibility of a new 3DMariogame being released with the launch of the Switch’s successor. Not including the Switch port ofSuper Mario 3D World, the last brand-new 3DMariogame wasSuper Mario Odyssey, released in the Switch’s launch year of 2017, meaning it’s been seven years since fans got a new 3DMarioentry. While it’s unclear if thisnew title will beSuper Mario Odyssey 2or a completely new direction for the series, it’s very likely that Nintendo is planning to release a new 3DMariogame as a launch title for the Switch 2 in 2024.
The Status of Other Potential Mario Content in 2024
Although nothing has been confirmed, there is some other potentialMariocontent that could be announced in 2024, such as possible DLC forSuper Mario Bros. Wonder. Additionally, now thatMario Kart 8 Deluxehas completed its Booster Course Pass, there is also speculation thatMario Kart 9could be announced to coincide with the launch of the Switch’s successor, but this seems unlikely to happen in 2024. It’s also unlikely that fans will get an announcement regarding asequel to theSuper Mario Bros. Moviein 2024, as Bowser actor Jack Black has stated that he hasn’t heard anything about making a sequel yet.
