Once again, the most important day of the year has come around. The day that celebrates that beloved platforming plumber, Mario. MAR10 Day is here! We’ve celebrated Super Mario in many different ways over the years—from his best iterations to his best powerups and beyond! We’ve talked a lot about Mario, but this year is special since we may have a brand new console on the way and a whole new world of possibilities for Super Mario titles.
I’ve seen a lot of conversations surrounding the potential of the Super Mario series on the Nintendo Switch 2, and it is a lot of fun to think about. This new console promises more power than its predecessor and may even come with some new features, all of which could be utilized to their fullest potential in Super Mario. With that in mind, to once again celebrate MAR10 Day, we’ve compiled a list of what we’d love to see from our favourite plumber on the Nintendo Switch 2.
1. A New Mario Paint or Mario Maker
There’s been a lot of speculation regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Cons and whether they may or may not function as mice. If this is true, then it would just make sense to bring back the iconic SNES creativity tool that was defined by its exclusive mouse controller: Mario Paint. Nintendo has already tried multiple times to make the Switch an avenue for expression and creativity with games like Nintendo Labo and Game Builder Garage, so why not revive the game that started it all?
A modern-day Mario Paint could not only utilize the controllers, but introduce younger gamers to digital art, audio mixing and even animation in a way that’s understandable and fun—heck, Nintendo already got started on the animation side with Flipnote Studio. While most gamers are only familiar with Mario Paint on the SNES, there was actually a Japan-only follow-up to it on the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive called Mario Artist, which was even more sophisticated and allowed multiple players to draw at once—an idea that would be perfect for the Switch.
If nothing else, a new Mario Maker would be a welcome addition, enhanced by mouse controls in the same way the first game was specifically designed for the Wii U touchpad. Not only that, but the added power of the Nintendo Switch 2 coupled with the controller might finally open the door for the thing players have wanted for years now—the ability to create 3D Super Mario levels. Even the title, Mario Maker 3D, is right there!
2. A New Yoshi’s Island Game
Every year we pay a lot of special attention to Mario himself, but what about his iconic green sidekick who literally carried him to greatness? While it may not be Mario-specific, it’s important to remember that the modern Yoshi series started as Super Mario World 2. By that token, I think the Switch 2 should feature a brand new adventure in the Yoshi’s Island series.
While I really loved Yoshi’s Woolly World, I think a proper adventure pairing Yoshi and Baby Mario once more is really in order. Actually, with the expanded roster of characters in the Super Mario universe, borrowing an idea from Yoshi’s Island DS and bringing in more Baby characters would be the added expansion this game could feature on a bigger, better console.
Think about it: you could introduce Baby Waluigi, Baby Daisy, Baby Rosalina, heck even Baby Pauline—each with their own unique abilities and characteristics to make this new outing feel even more grand and expansive than ever. Furthermore, just as Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island was given a unique pencil crayon aesthetic, the Switch 2 could employ some interesting cel-shading or even water colouring effects to give a new Yoshi’s Island a distinct look that really takes advantage of the new hardware.
3. A New Modern Paper Mario
While the success of the Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remake had fans hopeful that Nintendo would take the series back to basics, I have long been an advocate for the weird and experimental direction the series has taken—seriously, Paper Mario: Sticker Star is my favourite of the franchise. Honestly, I think if Nintendo were to make just another Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, it would be doing a massive disservice to the Nintendo Switch 2.
Modern Paper Mario games have come a long way. Paper Mario: The Origami King showed that the games can have the big world and grand story-telling the series is known for while still implementing interesting ideas to shake up the combat. That’s why my hope is that the series will continue its fun and interesting papercraft theming with Nintendo Switch 2.
Returning to the potential Joy-Con mice functionality, a new Modern Paper Mario could even implement some elements of digital art—like simple copy-and-paste functions or environment manipulation. There are so many interesting possibilities with a new Switch for both exploration and combat, why would you not want to experience them?
4. A New Super Mario Land
Mario’s first outing on a portable console saw him venturing far away from the Mushroom Kingdom to the weird and wonderful Sarasaland. There, he battled fire-breathing Sphyxs, rampaging Moai Statues—called Tokotoko—and even facing jumping Jiangshi—named Pionpi. He dove into the depths of the ocean and took to the skies in a fighter plane. His second game on the Game Boy brought him to his own Kingdom, where a mischievous doppelganger had seized control of his castle.
My point is that the Super Mario Land games were incredibly weird and also incredibly creative. They created worlds so distinctly different from the ones we’ve come to know in love in the more “traditional” Super Mario games. And while the Switch 2 is a relatively safe console, compared to its unique and experimental predecessor, I think it still shares in a lot of that creativity.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder has shown us that Nintendo can still embrace the weird and wonderful in Super Mario games, so wouldn’t it be a bold step for a bold new console to go back to the place where handheld Mario began? Why not make Wario the villain of a game again or have Luigi run off to rescue Princess Daisy? Even if you want to keep it traditional with Bowser capturing Peach, just find a reason to return to Sarasaland—and find a reason to bring back Tatanga!
1. A New 3D Super Mario
This may seem like the most obvious, but I do think it is well warranted. Gamers have been clamouring for a new 3D Super Mario since 2017—one day after Super Mario Odyssey was released (just kidding). But the Switch 2 brings with it a whole host of new possibilities for a new 3D Super Mario, and one of the things I’ve seen a few gamers discussing online was something like a massive open-world game in the style of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or the Bowser’s Fury expansion in Super Mario 3D World.
But honestly, while I think this would show off the potential power of the Nintendo Switch 2, I think this would be the wrong move for a new Super Mario. Mario is at its best when it combines tight platforming controls with interesting level design. What makes Super Mario Odyssey so amazing isn’t the size of each Kingdom but how intricately they’re designed to encourage exploration and experimentation.
What I would love from a new 3D Super Mario isn’t a sequel to Odyssey but something that captures the same spirit of that game. Something that not only utilizes the system’s power to create expansive and creative worlds but also shows off all the features the Switch 2 has to offer—but for the love of Luigi, make them optional.
Personally, I think the 3D Mario games are at their best when Mario is given a companion like Cappy or F.L.U.D.D—something that adds some personality to the game, but is also specifically designed to enhance the platforming—so a new partner that changes how you approach the game is a must.
But above all, it should be a celebration of both Mario himself —like MAR10 Day—and the new system his games are going to be on. Something that puts a smile on your face and gives you the same feeling of fun and excitement we used to get the first time we put a new cartridge into our systems.
