The long-rumored Super Mario Nintendo Direct turned out to be true! Nintendo packed quite a bit into its 16-minute presentation. Won’t cover absolutely everything shown, but here are my notes on what I loved (and loathed) from this presentation!

LOVED: Super Mario 3D World is Coming to the Switch

Super Mario 3D World is a fantastic entry in the series that most missed due to its roots on the Wii U. As with pretty much every other major release on that platform, it too is making a triumphant return to the Switch. Better yet, it appears to be coming with new content and online co-op! If it’s anything like the co-op in Super Mario Maker 2, I wouldn’t pin my hopes on this particular feature being what we would hope. Nevertheless, this great game gets a second wind!

LOATHED: Super Mario Game & Watch

Mario starred in a few Game & Watch games back in the day. Having Mario in a modern Game & Watch makes sense. However, cramming Super Mario Bros. and Lost Levels into a form factor it never existed on beforehand seems all sorts of cash-grabby to me. Don’t really see the appeal in this unless you strictly want it for the novelty.

LOVED: Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit

Mario Kart goes augmented reality in Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit! Controlling either Mario or Luigi from your Nintendo Switch, it looks like an amazing way to merge the digital world into the real world. Though I don’t really have the space to make use of this with any frequency, I want this strictly for the cool-factor!

LOATHED: Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Pricing

At a retail price of $100 USD, racing won’t come cheap. Especially since the kit only comes with one car. The game supports up to four players, but each player will need their own car and their own Switch. Still might cave, but wow it’s pricey.

LOVED: Super Mario Bros. 35

With Tetris 99 being a runaway success for Nintendo, it felt like Nintendo would continue to riff on the idea. But I certainly didn’t see this coming! You and 34 other players will partake in a Super Mario speed-running battle royale where players will race until there’s only one Mario to rule them all! Can’t wait to try this one!

LOATHED: Super Mario Bros. 35 is a Limited Release

After March 31st, 2021, the game will be taken offline. Why? There’s no reason for the game to just not exist after a few months. It’ll be even more of a shame if it turns out great!

LOVED: Super Mario 3D All-Stars

Nintendo’s worst kept secret finally makes its known. Super Mario 3D All-Stars features Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy. Great to see these pivotal releases get another day in the sun (sorry) in just a few days!

LOATHED: Super Mario 3D All-Stars is Missing Stuff

Where’s Super Mario Galaxy 2 when you include the original? Feels like an odd omission all things considered. Also, while I might be reaching here, I would have liked to have seen a bit more polish added to Super Mario 64. HD textures or at least 16:9 support would have been a nice touch (though I really wanted a full-on remake).

LOVED: Super Mario All-Stars is Part of the SNES Lineup Right Now

If you’ve got Nintendo Switch Online, you don’t have to pay any more for Super Mario All-Stars. I adore these versions of the Super Mario series and it’s great to have access to them on a modern console. If you by chance have missed these versions, check them out now!

LOATHED: Super Mario 3D All-Stars is Also a Limited Release

The greasiest part of the whole presentation was the limited release window for Super Mario 3D All-Stars. This compilation would easily sell millions for years to come, but Nintendo is creating artificial scarcity for the hype right now. Doubt that Nintendo is going to reverse their stance on this, so if you want it, grab it while you still can!

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