Nintendo confirms new Super Mario game for Switch 2 but when is it out?
Nintendo has said that fans should 'stay tuned' for news of a new 3D Super Mario but why is taking so long?
As the most famous Nintendo character, and star of both the world's best-selling video game franchise and the highest grossing video game movie (for now at least), it was surprising not to see a new Super Mario game announced, or even teased, at this month's Nintendo Switch 2 showcase.
Yes, Nintendo is launching a new Mario Kart alongside the console, which is still a very smart choice for a killer app, but a traditional 3D platformer starring the portly plumber was presumed to be among the Switch 2's first wave of games.
It always seemed fair to assume one is underway but while Nintendo has now confirmed that it is, it's still unclear when exactly it's going to be announced or released.
In the wake of the Switch 2 showcase, at the beginning of April, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser sat down with CNN to discuss the new console.
When the topic of a new 3D Mario was brought up, Bowser said: 'Stay tuned. You know, we have a long, long catalogue, and a long list of (intellectual property) that I'm sure will make its way to the platform.'
The fact that there would be a follow-up to Super Mario Odyssey, which sold more than 29 million copies, was never in doubt, but as you can see, Bowser is purposefully not saying any more.
The uncertainty around the next 3D Mario centres around what developer EPD (Entertainment Planning & Development) is doing at the moment, since Nintendo's top studio has been behind the series since the early 90s.
EPD is split into several different teams and Nintendo doesn't usual specify which one works on what games (Nintendo's general attitude towards crediting developers has been shameful in the last year, as they've repeatedly withheld the details of who makes their games until the last possible moment).
Nevertheless, it's believed that the Odyssey team, under Yoshiaki Koizumi, hasn't worked on anything significant since that game was released in late 2017.
It was rumoured years ago that the Super Mario Odyssey team was working on a 3D Donkey Kong game and that seemed to be confirmed by the annoucement of Donkey Kong Bananza, which will launch on July 17, just over a month after the Switch 2.
Nintendo has not said who the developer is, but if it is the Odyssey team then that could mean the next 3D Mario is still many more years away.
That seems hard to believe though. Nintendo won't want the Switch 2 to lack a premiere Mario platformer for too long, especially when Odyssey was such a sales success. And especially because 3D Mario games, as opposed to 2D ones, don't necessarily always sell that well – Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii sold less than half that of Odyssey, for example.
The most likely explanation is that either Donkey Kong is not by the Odyssey team or somehow EPD is managing to churn out two big budget titles in quick(-ish) succession, which is not something they normally do but which they do have the capacity for, in theory.
If Donkey Kong Bananza is not by EPD there's very few other developers that would have the expertise to make a game like that or who Nintendo would be willing to trust with such an important IP.
Luigi's Mansion 3 developer Next Level Games is one possibility, especially as they haven't announced a new game since 2022's Mario Strikers: Battle League Football. Although three years doesn't seem quite enough time to make a game of Bananza's importance.
Before the Switch 2 showcase, most would've been confident in predicting that a new 3D Mario would launch for the console by the end of 2025, but it's looking like that may not be the case. More Trending
If it were, you'd think Nintendo would make that known during the showcase. Instead, its big 3D platformer for the year is the aforementioned Donkey Kong Bananza, with other franchises like The Legend Of Zelda, Metroid, and Pokémon padding out the rest of 2025.
Mario Kart World – June 5
Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour – June 5
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – June 5
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – June 5
Donkey Kong Bananza – July 17
Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV – July 24
Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World – August 28
Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment – Winter 2025
Drag X Drive – 2025
Kirby Air Riders – 2025
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 2025
Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – 2025
The next best guess would be 2026, if only because Nintendo has the second Super Mario Bros. movie locked in for April 3, 2026. Although, Nintendo had no new game to cross-promote with the first movie, when it hit cinemas in 2023, so there's no evidence that Nintendo considers that important.
Doug Bowser's 'stay tuned' comment makes it seem like fans won't have to wait too long for news to be shared on a 3D Mario, but if Nintendo does have one prepped for the near future, it'd be even stranger that it didn't show it as part of its big Switch 2 preview.
It's all very puzzling and as the chances of a release in 2025 ebb away, there's no obvious answer as to why Nintendo didn't consider the game a priority for the Switch 2's first year.
Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter.
To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
MORE: How Nintendo Switch 2 must reinvent 3D Mario for the Astro Bot era
MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 ad brings back Paul Rudd in a 90s throwback
MORE: Nintendo Switch 2 avoids price hike in US but accessory costs go up
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Evening Standard
an hour ago
- Evening Standard
Nintendo's Switch 2 is out: here are the best games to get
You can't say Nintendo without Zelda. Both of its mega-successful flagship games, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, have been given shiny new updates for the Switch 2, and they look fantastic: the colours are richer, the graphics are more detailed and Link moves through Hyrule with more ease than ever before. Load times have also been decreased, while HDR support has been increased. Link's adventures through Hyrule in search of the missing Princess Zelda have never looked better; you won't be able to go back.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Fast Fusion review – anti-gravity racer offers brings 60fps fun to Switch 2
Shin'en Multimedia returns with another excellent, high-speed entry into its anti-gravity racing series, retaining what works with some small appreciated adjustments. Fast Fusion tears up the anti-gravity track for a fourth time thanks to improved visuals and framerate, which allows you to feel the high-speed thrill of futuristic racing like never before only on Nintendo Switch 2. It must be the law that whenever a new Nintendo console launches, so too will an anti-gravity racing game developed by Shin'en Multimedia soon after. For four – count them, four! – straight generations now the studio has been on hand to provide fast-paced racing nirvana, first launching its F-Zero and Wipeout inspired series with 2011's Fast Racing League on Wii, followed by Fast Racing Neo on Wii U, and then the simply titled Fast RMX in 2017 on Nintendo Switch. Fast forward to today and the studio is back (as is tradition) with the equally brilliant Fast Fusion for the Nintendo Switch 2. Surprising absolutely no-one it's yet another stylish futuristic racer that excels in delivering high-speed thrills with little to no frills – this time complete with a fresh new fusion mechanic. Anyone familiar with the series up until this point will feel right at home with Fast Fusion. You work your way through a series of three-circuit tournaments while trying to stay on the track racing a high-powered anti-gravity racing machine. With the ability to drive into orbs that enable you to engage a boost to let you race even faster, it's a clear harken back to the days when minimalist racers dominated the early 3D era of racers using stripped-back control schemes and super sleek aesthetic design. Given Nintendo itself hasn't released a proper console F-Zero game since 2003's GX, Shin'en Multimedia's continued attempts at recapturing this style of racer have been forever welcome. Doubly so on the Nintendo Switch 2 with Fast Fusion, it turns out, since for the very first time I got the sense while playing that this is the first proper Fast series entry to not have to compromise due to old hardware or technical limitation. The extra oomph in horsepower the new hybrid console provides is immediately noticeable upon firing up this latest anti-gravity racer, where playing in handheld mode means getting to enjoy silky smooth 60fps at 1080p, with the resolution increasing to 4K when played on the big screen. Such a difference in framerate and resolution truly benefits Fast Fusion, since the sense of speed feels the fastest and smoothest it has ever been. Even outside of technical performance, however, Fast Fusion brings the heat with a great selection of varied track designs and environmental course themes. While it's a tad disappointing to know that there's only 12 tracks in total to race on (less than half of what's available in Mario Kart World) all excel in making every bend, corner, and chicane matter. One thing that always surprised me the more I explored Fast Fusion's racing delights was the sense of weight these hulking, metal vehicles offer. Leaping into the air in search of more boost orbs or coins only to come crashing down onto the track feels satisfyingly hefty, giving races a sense of drama and intensity other indie racers could only dream of. Need for speed Speaking honestly, most of what Fast Fusion does well are elements that Shin'en Multimedia has already executed pretty perfectly with previous entries. Finding sly shortcuts by venturing off track early, engaging boosts at the correct time, and switching between blue and red modes to take advantage of on-track boost strips are all present and accounted for again. It's really only the new hyper jump ability that forces you to consider your actions on the track slightly more strategically. However, the number of vehicles you can pilot has been stepped up thanks to the new titular mechanic, which genuinely does bring a new level of excitement to the same familiar yet fun high-speed races. At any point in between tournaments you can visit the Fusion shop to not just unlock new vehicles boasting different, better stats using any money earned, but fuse any two of them together also. As such, while picking two higher-tier vehicles for fusion might see them taken off the track, it often leads to more powerful vehicles with increased speed, acceleration, and boost to become available in your racing roster. Competing without these beasts in the early hours works perfectly fine to maintain your lead in races across icescapes, neon cities, and abandoned woodland, but eventually new fusion vehicles become essential to hold your own in tournaments played on the toughest difficulty level. Thankfully, Fast Fusion encourages plenty of experimentation with its fusion mechanic thanks to the ability to break a vehicle back into two for a small cost. I didn't need to rely on this too much, however, since the game always provides a handy rating to indicate the kind of quality the outcome vehicle will be following fusion, although its exact properties are kept a mystery up until after. Overall, the fusion mechanic isn't significantly game-changing in terms of the way you should approach races on the track, but it does add another string to the bow of this already stylish racing package that makes for a good deal of personalisation that wasn't there before. To the extent that I'll be gutted if the mechanic doesn't return in the hypothetical Nintendo Switch 3's eventual instalment. Fast Fusion isn't too dissimilar to what's come before in the series, yet this hasn't stopped Shin'en Multimedia from nipping and tucking its anti-gravity racing formula marginally to find ways that make it more even more exciting but still pure. Careening around bends and clashing into rival vehicles is still as intensely thrilling as it has been for over 10 years. However, thanks to improved visuals and framerate that do real justice to the franchise's futuristic inclinations, the new hyper jump ability, and the surprisingly flexible fusion mechanic, racing through stylish circuits at a fast pace has been given additional depth and dimensions.
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
How to unlock everything in Mario Kart World: all characters, costumes and more
Nintendo's flagship launch title for the Switch 2 has a lot of very specific requirements for unlocking all of its secrets, including Mirror mode. The Switch 2's headline attraction at the moment is Mario Kart World and, as explained in our review, it's a brilliant evolution for Nintendo's kart racer. While Mario Kart games always have secret characters and vehicles, the series isn't known for making things particularly difficult in unlocking them – with most tied to beating the Grand Prix cups or collecting enough coins during races. Mario Kart World has these same progression paths but things get more complicated with its Free Roam mode, which broadens how you can unlock its various hidden delights. If you're looking to chase down every costume, or if you're simply trying to figure out how to crack into Mirror mode, we've compiled all the information you'll need below. There are two ways to unlock characters in Mario Kart World. A bunch are tied to completing Grand Prix cups (on any cc difficulty, with no placement requirements), while the rest have to be triggered by the Kamek item during races. However, the Kamek item, which transforms players into different characters for a short period, has an annoying quirk. If you use Kamek yourself, you won't unlock the character your opponents turn into. So during races, you simply have to hope another player uses the item and it picks a character you haven't already unlocked, in order to attain the full roster. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Donkey Kong – beat Mushroom CupDaisy – beat Flower CupBirdo – beat Banana CupRosalina – beat Star CupLakitu – beat Shell CupKing Boo – beat Leaf CupBowser Jr – beat Lightning CupCataquack – Kamek itemChargin' Chuck – Kamek itemCoin Coffer – Kamek itemConkodor – Kamek itemDolphin – Kamek itemFish Bone – Kamek itemPeepa – Kamek itemPianta – Kamek itemRocky Wrench – Kamek itemSpike – Kamek item Swoop – Kamek item In a similar vein to Mario Kart 8, every kart and motorbike is unlocked by collecting coins in Mario Kart World. You start out with 11 vehicles but there are 40 in total, and you unlock each one (in a random order) every time you hit a milestone, which is usually every 100, 200, or 300 coins. Starting vehicles: Standard KartRally KartStandard BikeRally BikePlushbuggyBaby BlooperCute ScootMach RocketZoom BuggyChargin' Truck Funky Dorrie Require coins:Hyper PipeHot RodRoadster RoyaleBuggybudRibbit RevsterB DasherRally RomperTune ThumperW-Twin ChopperDread SledJunkyard HogLobster RollerStellar SledReel RacerCarpet FlyerBig HornBumble VFin TwinR.O.B. FlyerCloud 9Dolphin DasherBlastronaut IIILi'l DumpyLoco MotoMecha TrikePipe FrameBilldozerRallygator Bowser Bruiser The classic Mario Kart course is part of the Special Cup, which is unlocked by completing every other cup in Grand Prix on any cc and in any position. Along with Rainbow Road, the cup includes Acorn Heights, Mario Circuit, and Peach Stadium. This is easily the most tricky secret to uncover, especially as the unlock requirements aren't exactly clear. However, it seems you have to complete the four steps below to unlock Mirror mode. Complete all Grand Prix cups on 150cc (third or higher) Finish every Knockout Tour rally on 150cc (fourth or higher) Find 10 Peach Medallions, 10 panels, and complete 10 P-switch missions in Free Roam. Complete the Special Cup again after the above is completed Some players have claimed they unlocked Mirror mode without the final position requirements, so there may be some variation in what causes the special cutscene to trigger after completing Special Cup again. Once you have unlocked Mirror mode, you can access it in Free Roam as well. If you travel to Peach Stadium and navigate your way to the Princess Peach stained glass window near the top of the castle, you can drive into it and flip the entire world. There are an overwhelming amount of stickers – well into the hundreds – in Mario Kart World, which you can use to customise your vehicles. We won't list them all here, but you can unlock them by completing specific tasks (racing a specific distance, doing a certain number of tricks) across all modes. You also unlock some by finishing all the Grand Prix races, and completing missions, collecting medallions, and activating ? panels in Free Roam. All the costumes for different characters are tied to the golden meal bags called Dash Food you find outside of Yoshi's drive-through diners, or on the back of trucks, scattered around races and Free Roam. When you use Dash Food, you'll receive a speed boost and your character might change into a new outfit. More Trending Every outfit you uncover will be added to the character select screen, so you can cross reference the ones you have with the table below. Crucially, the outfit you unlock for each character is determined by the food they eat, and different food spawns at different courses across Grand Prix, Knockout Tour, and Free Roam. For example, the curry with naan can be found around Desert Hills, while pancakes are mostly restricted to Acorn Heights. As such, the easiest way to unlock every costume is by hopping between the areas in Free Roam, rotating between characters and consuming the required Dash Food. We won't tell you how to have fun though, but you can find the full list below. MarioHappi (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls)Aviator (Spicy Curry at Wario Stadium)Sightseeing (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Cowboy (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Dune Rider (Pokey Roast at Choco Mountain)Mechanic (Chips and Soda at Dry Bones Burnout)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City) All-Terrain (Donut at Mario Circuit) LuigiPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Happi (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls)Mechanic (Chips/Soda at Dry Bones Burnout)Gondolier (Coffee/Chips at Whistlestop Summit)All-Terrain (Donut at Mario Circuit)Touring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Oasis (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Farmer (Milk at Moo Moo Meadows) PeachTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Farmer (Milk at Moo Moo Meadows)Sightseeing (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Aviator (Spicy Curry at Wario Stadium)Yukata (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls)Aero (Donut at Mario Circuit) Vacation (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) YoshiTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Aristocrat (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Soft Server (Ice Cream at Sky-High Sundae)Biker (Spicy Curry at Wario Stadium)Swimwear (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Matsuri (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) Food Slinger (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) BowserPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Supercharged (Coffee/Chips at Whistletop Summit)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) All-Terrain (Donut at Mario Circuit) ToadPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Engineer (Coffee/chips at Whistlestop Summit)Burger Bud (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) ToadettePro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Conductor (Chips at Whistlestop Summit)Soft Server (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Koopa TroopaRunner (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)All-Terrain (Curry at Desert Hills) Work Crew (Chips at Whistlestop Summit) WarioPro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Oasis (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Wicked Wasp (Pancakes at Acorn Heights)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pirate (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar)Road Ruffian (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport) Work Crew (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) WaluigiMariachi (Chips/Soda at Dry Bones Burnout)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Road Ruffian (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Wampire (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Baby MarioWork Crew (Pancakes at Acorn Heights)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Swimwear (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) Baby LuigiPro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Work Crew (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Baby PeachTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Baby DaisyTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Baby RosalinaTouring (Burgers at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Sailor (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Pauline Aero (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Shy GuyPit Crew (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Slope Styler (Ice Cream at Sky High Sundae) Donkey Kong All-Terrain (Curry at Desert Hills) BirdoPro Racer (Cake at Crown City) Vacation (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) DaisyTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Oasis (Popcorn at Boo Cinema)Swimwear (DK Barrel Bites at DK Spaceport)Aero (Donuts at Mario Circuit) Vacation (Chips at Whistlestop Summit) RosalinaTouring (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Pro Racer (Cake at Crown City)Aurora (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Aero (Donuts at Mario Circuit) LakituPit Crew (Curry at Desert Hills) Fisherman (Sushi at Cheep Cheep Falls) King BooPro Racer (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit)Aristocrat (Popcorn at Boo Cinema) Pirate (Kebab at Shy Guy Bazaar) Bowser Racer (Donut at Mario Circuit)Biker (Burger at Mario Bros. Circuit) Explorer (Pancakes at Acorn Heights) Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Games Inbox: Is Mario Kart World too hard? MORE: Fast Fusion review – 4K and 60fps on the Nintendo Switch 2 MORE: The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – the GOAT gets an upgrade
