Nintendo’s Giving Super Mario an Epic 35th Birthday Party
Super Mario Brothers is considered by many the most important game in all of video game history. The landmark franchise changed gaming forever and put Nintendo on the map for good upon its initial release in late 1985 first in Japan and then the U.S. The game is now celebrating this milestone 35th birthday, and Nintendo is commemorating the occasion with a number of initiatives.
Read More »The first unique thing Nintendo is doing is to give Nintendo Switch users access to a unique Super Mario themed game the company is dubbing Super Mario Bros. 35. The game will feature 35 players all battling it out much like the original Super Mario Bros. Nintendo is set to release this on October 1st. The game uses a similar format as another exclusive battle game for the Switch, Tetris 99. This version will allow each one of the 35 players to navigate through a level in Mario World and fight to the last plumber standing. Fighting off other players will then push them to battle others taking part. All of the well known aspects of the Mario Bros. franchise will be on full display with a coin count, the ability to earn power-ups and more to pay homage to the influential series. This version is somewhat similar to a version called Mario Royale that was made by a fan. Mario Royale allowed a total of 75 players at a time, though Nintendo removed it but inevitably took a few notes while doing so.
Avid gameplayers must take note, however, as Nintendo only plans to have this game on the market for a couple of months from the October launch date until the end of March.
Super Mario 3D World and Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Another thing Nintendo is doing to celebrate 35 years of Super Mario is to release an enhanced version of Super Mario 3D World to the Switch. Super Mario 3D World was originally released on the Wii U in 2013 and gave game players an updated way of navigating through the Mushroom Kingdom with friends. Mario got additional power-ups like a new catsuit, while this updated version will also add more content that Nintendo is calling “Bowser’s Fury”.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars will also be released. This will give gamers the ability to wax nostalgic and play older Mario games, particularly Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Sunshine. These games will also be slightly tweaked to allow for the advancements in technology since their initial releases and will hit the market on September 18th. Much like Super Mario Bros. 35, the game will see a temporary release dating until the end of March, though it will stay until a year later in 2021.
If that wasn’t enough, Nintendo has also made the first version of Super Mario All-Stars available through Nintendo Switch Online. This release goes full on nostalgic as it includes the original trilogy of Super Mario games released for the NES as well as Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.
Game & Watch
If that wasn’t enough to meet the cravings of Super Mario diehards, Nintendo is going even further by releasing a newer version of a retro handheld known as the Game & Watch. This new version will be in full-color and will feature, you guessed it, Super Mario Bros. The aforementioned Lost Levels will also be playable.
This version of the Game & Watch pays tribute to the 1980 model, and also features a clock that will include a very fitting 35 easter eggs. The new release will also feature a USB-C port. The release date is set for November 13th at around $50, but consumer demand may be quite high. Quantities are said to be pretty limited.
Considering that Mario is the most iconic character in video game history, it should come as no surprise that Nintendo is pulling out all of the stops to remind both old school gamers and new ones of his importance. It doesn’t seem like gamers are getting tired of the resourceful plumber, and there may be even more surprises in store that revolve around the Mushroom Kingdom.
