On Thursday I'm on the verge of getting out of bed and after taking my Chromebook out of sleep mode, I see that Nintendo dropped a direct. And not just any direct, but a Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct. Yup, Mr. Video Game is gonna be 35 years old this month and the Big N is rolling out the red carpet for him and his buddies. With 2020 being the crappy year it has, I almost forgot what a big year it is for Mario and in spite of some qualms, I'm gonna take this as a very nice W.
Game & Watch Super Mario Bros.
I've never owned any of the Game & Watch devices but I've always admired the sleek designs of the units. I also respect the history behind the Game & Watch line, being that they predate the NES and Game Boy and much like Nintendo's handhelds, the Game & Watch series was very successful. I'd love to own the Game & Watch Super Mario Bros. if only to display it on a shelf. The box alone looks really cool. Not the most hype thing of the SMB35th Direct but still pretty neat, nonetheless.
Super Mario Bros. 35
Super Mario Bros. basically got the Tetris 99 treatment but with far fewer players. This looks insanely fun and I am foaming at the mouth with anticipation for it. I suspect anyone familiar with SMB should be on good footing but as was the case with Tetris 99, players will have to learn how to best use the new mechanics. It looks like it will use the same "stiff" controls from the original SMB rather than the more fluid movement from Super Mario Maker. My one gripe is the limited availability of Super Mario 35. We'll be able to play the game on October 1st, but when March 31, 2021 rolls around, that's a rap. Why is this game being canned after 6 months? Super Mario 35 will no doubt be massively popular so there is no reason for Nintendo to limit the game's lifespan. Hopefully they have a change of heart. If not, we'll have to enjoy Super Mario 35 while it lasts.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury
I was waiting for Super Mario 3D World to be ported to the Switch. With all the other Wii U ports that came over, it was only a matter of time. And yes, I will gladly pay $60 for this game a second time because 3D World is a beautifully made platformer that didn't have anywhere near enough exposure due to the system it was on. Thankfully, 3D World will now get the exposure it rightly deserves. I would have been just fine with a vanilla port but the extra Bowser's Fury has me intrigued. Some (more) super hard levels? I'm in.
Super Mario All-Stars
Super Mario Bros. 1, 2, 3 and The Lost Levels with updated graphics and sound. Originally released in 1993 on the SNES and then re-released on the Wii U in 2010 for Super Mario Bros. 25th anniversary. 10 years later, Super Mario All-Stars is back again. I've always liked these remade versions of these early Super Mario titles and this is coming from a guy who loves the 8-bit versions. Since these are on the Switch, we get that super awesome rewind feature. Still, even rewind is not enough to make me torture myself playing Lost Levels. I know to some people Super Mario All-Stars being added to the SNES Nintendo Switch Online isn't a big deal, but me, I'm about it.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars
I place zero stock into rumors. This way, if they are proven untrue, I'm spared disappointment. For months, we've heard that a Super Mario 3D collection was coming to the Switch. Turns out that rumor was true and I am so glad it was.
Super Mario 64 is one of my favorite games of all-time. I own it on the N64, the Wii and in a few weeks, I'll own it on the Switch and be able to play it anywhere! Yes, I also own Super Mario 64 DS and I like the added content that version has but the controls have always made me prefer the N64 version. Super Mario 64 just feels better to me with analog controls so even though I get less with the N64 version, it will always be the way I play.
I know Super Mario Sunshine is a game very much loved by many but to me, it has always been the odd duck. Not only is the game glitchy, it has some very questionable design choices that keep me from loving it. Still, I don't think Sunshine is a bad game. There's a lot I really love about it. The tropical island locals, the music, the Delfino residents. Sunshine may not be my fav 3D Mario but I'm happy that it's being included for those that do favor it.
I'm one of those weirdos that prefers Super Mario Galaxy to Super Mario Galaxy 2. The movement, the level design, the orchestral soundtrack; Galaxy hits so many of the right spots. To think that I'll be able to play it on the Switch in a higher resolution. I do think it's strange that Galaxy 2 wasn't included. Stranger still is Super Mario 3D All-Stars will be limited in both physical and digital release formats through March 2021. Super Mario All-Stars on the Wii was originally a limited release back in 2010 but Nintendo issued more copies and it went on to be part of the Nintendo Selects line of discounted titles. This is a collection of Super Mario games so the demand is gonna be pretty high but this isn't the first time Nintendo has sat on money to be made. Who knows, maybe the limited availability of Super Mario 3D All-Stars won't be so limited. We'll have to wait and see.
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It really is a great time to be a Mario fan. Sure, 2020 may be on some serious suck but fun times are ahead for Mario and company and as a long time fan, I've no intention of missing out on this Mario party.
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