Nintendo is planning to celebrate Super Mario Bros.’ 35th anniversary this year with severalMario Switch Remasters.
Multiple sources have told VGC that the platform holder is planning to hold an event to coincide with this year’s anniversary, which marks 35 years since the start of the mainline Super Mario series in 1985.
As part of its anniversary celebrations,Nintendowill reveal plans to re-release most of Super Mario’s 35-year back catalogue this year, remastered forNintendo Switch, VGC was told.
UPDATE:Nintendo has officially announced theMario Switch Remasters:
further reading
ORIGINAL STORY CONTINUES:As VGC’s network partnerEurogamerreported in a follow-up to this story, the remasters will include 1996’s Super Mario 64, 2002’s Super Mario Sunshine and 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy.
Nintendo will also release several other Mario titles in 2020, including a new instalment in the Paper Mario series and a Deluxe version of 2013’s Super Mario 3D World. [UPDATE 14/05:Nintendo has now announcedPaper Mario for Nintendo Switch]
The plans are set to be revealed alongside new details of Nintendo’s partnership with Universal, and the pair’sSuper Nintendo World theme parkattractions andanimated Super Mario movie.
Nintendo has already unveiled one flagship licensing deal planned to commemorate the anniversary:a special interactive Lego Mario setwhich sees players collecting coins and defeating enemies in real-life ‘levels’.
Mario Switch Remasters
Which Mario remasters are coming to Switch?
1996’s Super Mario 64, 2002’s Super Mario Sunshine and 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy will be released for Nintendo Switch, VGC understands.
When will Mario Switch remasters release?
The Mario Switch remasters will be released in late 2020 as part of Super Mario’s 35th anniversary celebrations.
The Super Mario 35thAnniversary reveal was originally due to take place as a physical event at E3 in June, VGC was told, but Nintendo is now reviewing its plans in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.E3 2020 has been cancelleddue to the virus outbreak and Nintendo could instead opt for a digital showcase.
Approached for comment on this story, Nintendo said it “does not comment on rumour and speculation.”
Nintendo last celebrated a milestone Mario anniversary with the series’ 30thanniversary in 2015.
VGC’s Nintendo Features:
History of Mario Kart|Best Wii Games|Best N64 Games|Best GameCube Games|Switch classic games|How to buy Switch games from different regions|Super Nintendo World Stamps guide|Super Nintendo World Keys guide|Pokémon Go free codes
The company commemorated the occasion with various events and merchandise, including two special edition 8-bit Mario Amiibos. Super Mario was licensed for products from Hot Wheels, Moschino, Trump cards and more.
That year’s celebrations culminated with the release of Super Mario Maker forWii Uin September 2015, exactly 30 years since Super Mario Bros.’ original release for Famicom in Japan.
While its core business remains making and selling games, Nintendo has increasingly moved to leverage its popular IP in various ways in recent years.
The company’s newNintendo Tokyo store opened in November 2019, while theSuper Nintendo World theme park landat Universal Studios Japan was scheduled to launch this summer.
The company has also recently partnered with fashion brands such as Uniqlo and Levis for Nintendo-themed clothing lines.
Nintendo presidentShuntaro Furukawa recently saidthe company’s efforts to broaden its audience by leveraging its IP outside of video games was bearing fruit, and Nintendo directorShigeru Miyamotoalso touched on this topic in a Famitsu interview.
“We want to expand our video game characters to a variety of settings – not just in games, all while keeping their value,” Miyamoto said. “In other words, we’ll be collaborating with various other companies. If we’re able to accomplish that, we can create more opportunities for people to make contact with our characters on a much larger scale than usual.”
