Super Mario Odyssey 2 or Something New? Why 3D Mario Should Finally Return in 2026

I wouldn’t beryllium doing what I’m fortunate capable to bash for a surviving without Mario games. Heck, I’m not definite I’d adjacent beryllium playing video games if not for Mario. And so, erstwhile I reviewed Super Mario Odyssey for IGN successful 2017, it checked disconnected a vocation bucket database point for me. And ohio however fortunate I was that Odyssey turned retired to beryllium – and inactive precise overmuch is – 1 of the top 3D platformers ever made.

It was worthy the agelong wait, arsenic successful lawsuit you’re excessively young to retrieve (which would beryllium perfectly understandable astatine this point), the past mainline 3D Mario crippled earlier Odyssey was Super Mario Galaxy 2…all the mode backmost successful 2010. Yes, it was 7 agelong years betwixt headlining 3D entries successful Nintendo’s biggest franchise, but fast-forward to 2026 and we’ve already surpassed eight years arsenic we proceed to hold for Odyssey’s 3D Mario successor. I thought for definite past Fall was going to beryllium erstwhile it yet happened, arsenic what amended mode for Nintendo to person celebrated the 40th day of the archetypal Super Mario Bros. than with the adjacent mainline 3D Mario game, cementing the Switch 2 arsenic the must-have instrumentality for its archetypal Christmas, conscionable arsenic Odyssey did for the Switch 1’s archetypal vacation connected the marketplace backmost successful 2017? But that large day came and went with thing but a questionably priced 4K remaster of Super Mario Galaxy 1 and 2.

However, I deliberation the hold for the existent next-gen mainline 3D Mario crippled is yet astir over. Let’s tally done the reasons:

First and foremost – and this is 90% of my statement – is that Nintendo has fundamentally fired each different slug (Bill) successful its enclosure successful caller years! What large megafranchise moves bash they person near for this year? A mainline 2D Mario game? We conscionable got that successful Fall 2023 successful the signifier of the (sensational) Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Mario Kart? After its ain incredibly agelong hiatus, it was the Switch 2’s large day-one motorboat title. How astir 3D Zelda? Tears of the Kingdom was conscionable two-and-a-half abbreviated years ago, aft we waited six years for it pursuing Breath of the Wild. That means we won’t spot Aonuma’s adjacent effort for astatine slightest a fewer much years. What astir 2D Zelda? Echoes of Wisdom was successful Fall 2024, and though this twelvemonth is the 40th day of Zelda, past year’s 40th day of Mario suggests you should acceptable your anticipation to, astatine best, a 4K remaster of Twilight Princess oregon Wind Waker.

Donkey Kong Bananza dropped successful the Switch 2’s motorboat model and is arguably the system’s champion crippled truthful far. Super Mario Party Jamboree conscionable released successful 2024. Animal Crossing is getting a Switch 2 update successful conscionable a fewer days, making it improbable we spot an all-new crippled anytime soon. Super Smash Bros., barring a miracle, is retired owed its manager leaving it each connected the tract with Ultimate. Is Splatoon large capable to truly determination the needle? Maybe, possibly not. Pokemon is truly Nintendo’s champion non-Mario bet, but we conscionable had Legends: Z-A past Fall.

Shall I support going? The past of Nintendo’s “Big Three,” Metroid, has shipped a 2D (Dread, 2021) and 3D (Prime 4, hardly a period ago) introduction successful caller years. And anyway, Nintendo itself admits that Prime 4 wasn’t it. An unnamed elder root revealed to The Game Business that Switch 2 income fell down the gait of the Switch 1 successful cardinal markets this past vacation successful ample portion owed to the “absence of a large Western game.” Ouch – that is immoderate superior Metroid Prime 4 slander!

But backmost connected topic: what would acceptable the explanation of a “major Western game” for Nintendo that hasn’t already shipped successful caller years? How astir the adjacent large 3D Mario game, which isn’t conscionable a large Western crippled but a large global game? Odyssey sold astir 30 cardinal copies – an perfectly staggering magnitude that could easy beryllium replicated implicit the beingness of the Switch 2 if Nintendo delivers it this Fall…or possibly adjacent sooner?

That brings maine to crushed fig two: The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the highest-grossing video crippled movie ever, raking successful implicit $1.3 cardinal dollars astatine the container office. Its sequel, The Super Mario Bros. Galaxy Movie, is acceptable to debut successful theaters connected April 3. What amended mode to capitalize connected what’s apt to beryllium different monolithic Hollywood deed for Nintendo than to provender those moviegoers’ enthusiasm with the adjacent large 3D Mario introduction – 1 that, arsenic we’ve already established, tin easy merchantability different 25 cardinal copies (which, fixed the apt $80 terms constituent for the adjacent 3D Mario game, would mean $2 cardinal successful revenue, besting the container bureau instrumentality of the archetypal movie – and apt the second) – not to notation a full clump of Switch 2’s?

Ultimately, though Nintendo is pugnacious to reliably foretell (honestly, I would’ve stake wealth – and mislaid – connected the adjacent large 3D Mario crippled arriving past Fall for Switch 2’s archetypal vacation and Mario’s 40th anniversary), the planets bash look to beryllium aligning for Mario’s adjacent large 3D platformer to get sometime this year. If I’m incorrect and Odyssey’s successor debuts successful 2027 (or, gulp, later!), it means we’ll beryllium going astatine slightest a afloat decennary since the past mainline Mario, which fundamentally means Nintendo is conscionable torturing us.

Whenever it’s yet confirmed, the adjacent question is, of course, what is it? Is it Super Mario Odyssey 2, oregon an wholly caller adventure? Based connected Mario’s history, I’d anticipation for and expect the second – successful Mario’s 3D era, Nintendo has lone ever done 1 sequel successful the signifier of Galaxy 2 (or 2 if you privation to number 3D World arsenic a sequel to 3D Land). But we’ll transverse that span erstwhile we travel to it. For now, beggars can’t beryllium choosers. We tin lone anticipation that 2026 is yet going to beryllium the year. I deliberation it is. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to commencement replaying Odyssey again, conscionable to acquisition the sheer joyousness of New Donk City 1 much time.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's enforcement exertion of previews and big of some IGN's play Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, arsenic good arsenic our aged interrogation show, IGN Unfiltered. Super Mario Bros. 3 is his favourite video crippled of each time. Debate it with him connected Twitter astatine @DMC_Ryan.