Before I explain each of the two ways, I’ll say that I’m 100% certain that the next 3D Mario game will not be a remake.
Both Super Mario Odyssey and Bowser’s Fury (a new campaign in the Switch port of 3D World) brought a ton of new ideas and concepts to the table for 3D Mario, and in an interview in 2021, Miyamoto expressed that he wanted to try “expanding [3D Mario] further in new ways” (https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/miyamoto-wants-the-next-3d-mario-game-to-further-expand-the-series/).
If you ask me, it would make zero sense for these factors to culminate into a remake, especially since Odyssey will be 7 years old this year. That’s a long time, and Nintendo’s most likely been cooking the next 3D Mario for a while now. And given how long game development tends to take, perhaps Nintendo began working on this game even before the pandemic.
I’m also 100% certain that this game will be another sandbox-style experience that emphasizes exploration; Odyssey, a sandbox-style 3D Mario, is the best-selling 3D Mario game, and much of the hype surrounding Odyssey back in the day was from the fact alone that it was the first sandbox 3D Mario in a long time. Moreover, Nintendo experimented with the sandbox style a bit more via Bowser’s Fury, so it’s clear that they’re interested in exploring it further with new ideas.
Here are the two ways I think the next 3D Mario could go:
A) It’s a direct sequel to Super Mario Odyssey, albeit mainly by name. Unlike Super Mario Galaxy 2, it’s not a derivative sequel; in fact, it’s a sequel that stands out so significantly from its predecessor that it feels like it’s much more than just “glorified DLC”. It would’ve released a lot sooner if it were derivative (Galaxy 2 released only 3 years after Galaxy, and was intended to just be additional content for Galaxy before it was turned into a full-on sequel), but it’s taking so long because it’s substantially fresh and different. Moreover, a sequel to Odyssey makes sense from a business standpoint since, as aforementioned, Odyssey is the best-selling 3D Mario game.
B) It’s a brand new game entirely, not even a sequel, but it’ll have a ton of DNA from both Super Mario Odyssey and Bowser’s Fury. Its primary motif/theme will be something 3D Mario hasn’t explored before, and it’ll be something most people would have never guessed. Whatever it is, it’s sure to blow people’s minds.
So what do you guys think?
I posted this in the Mario subreddit around a month ago, but I’m reposting it here since I’m interested in reading opinions from you guys, as this subreddit is more broadly Nintendo rather than Mario-specific.
by Ok_Performance4330