TheSuper Mariofranchise has always been extremely popular for Nintendo. Over the decades, the games have retained their core formula while also pushing the platformer genre forward in ways that are truly innovative. It’s satisfying to see Nintendo celebrate the series’ 35thanniversary with some very exciting titles that showcase fresh takes on old ideas.
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Super Mario Bros. 35is an upcomingSwitch gamethat takesSuper Mario Bros.and turns it into a tense battle royale experience. There’s a lot of potential in such a game and with the right touches,Mario 35can be truly special.
10A Single Player Story Mode
Clearly a title likeSuper Mario Bros. 35is supposed to prioritizeonline multiplayer, especially since it’s a title that will only be available through Switch Online. That being said, there’s no reason why a single-player story mode with CPU opponents, even a simplistic one, could not be worked into the game.
The fact that the Switch is portable and can be played on the go makes a feature like this even more advantageous. A satisfying ending to working through a collection of levels would help make this feel like even more of an anniversary celebration.
9A Physical Release
Nintendo has a strange fascination with holding back on physical releases for their special titles. It’s an understandable way to cut back on costs, but gamers also have a valid reason to be worried about the impermanent status of online purchases. Nintendo hasn’t just restrictedSuper Mario Bros. 35toSwitch Online, but they’ve also said it will only be available until March.
Tetris 99started as a Switch Online-exclusive, but Nintendo eventually released a physical version that comes bundled with Switch Online. It’d be nice to seeMario 35get the same treatment.
8Team & Co-Op Play
There’s certainly a level of adrenaline that’s experienced in something likeSuper Mario Bros. 35that pits 35 opponents against each other. That being said, a sense of community can be fostered through co-op play, and it would not take anything away from the game’s chaotic pacing.
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Something like this could make a huge difference inMario 35 aseven splitting up the 35 players into smaller teams would introduce a whole other style of strategy. This feels particularly necessary considering thatSuper Mario’sroots go back toMario and Luigiworking together as a team.
7Different Playable Characters
TheSuper Marioseries has featured agrowing list of supporting charactersover the years. There’s a level of absurd novelty behind 35 Marios locked in combat with each other, but it’d also be a shame to not take advantage of the many other exciting characters from theSuper Mario.
It’s shocking how much of a difference something like the ability to play as Peach,Yoshi, or Toad can make for people. These characters don’t even need to do anything different and simple palette swaps would be enough. It’s a better way to celebrate 35 years of Mario.
6Tournaments
The tension that is created from 35 different players competing against each other should ideally be enough to satisfy gamers. Battle royale titles survive on this energy and how there are always new players who will bring a unique level of challenge to the game.
At the same time, stakes can be made even higher by the implementation of simple things like tournaments. These can help corral in the chaos and can lead to bigger events and celebrations throughMario 35.Other titles likeMario Karthave indulged here, soMario 35should be no exception.
5Many Different Gameplay Modes
Super Mario Bros. 35seems like it will be able to work so well because the basic formula toSuper Mario Bros.is so simple and easy to pick up. In that sense, it’s the addition of many competitors that forms the challenge, butMario 35will hopefully do a lot more in this area.
There are many different gameplay modes thatMario 35could feature that showcase variations on its structure. These don’t have to be radical changes, but even shifts like focusing on time, coins, or enemies lend themselves to many diverse options.
4DLC
A game likeSuper Mario Bros. 35can provide a ton of fun upon its initial release, but then the appeal can have diminishing returns and players have less reason to return.DLC is a great wayfor a game to assure its fans that it will have continued support.
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This is an even greater concern forMario 35since the game will only be available until March. There are plenty of areas for DLC, like new maps, weapons, characters, gameplay modes, or tournaments. More than anything, fans just want to know that the game has a future.
3Timed Missions
Another way that titles likeSuper Mario Bros. 35can prolong their replay value is through the addition oftimed missions and eventsthat find ways to continually bring their audience back to the experience.
Tetris 99,for instance, has daily missions that offer new goals and incentives. It’d be appreciated to see the same level of love involved inMario 35,even if these missions were done at a less frequent rate. Extra challenges like this are what fans crave once the standard multiplayer experience begins to wear thin.
2Local Multiplayer
Super Mario Bros. 35wants players to experience the madness of 35 opponents from across the world going head-to-head with each other, but that doesn’t meanlocal multiplayercan’t also be exhilarating.
There’s just as much fun to be had in a living room full of friends playing this game against each other, whether it involves the addition of CPU opponents or not. Even a game likeTetris 99,which also started as a Nintendo Switch Online exclusive, eventually incorporated local arena multiplayer options, whether through the game’s DLC or with its later physical release.
1Unlockable Content
Battle royaletitles likeSuper Mario Bros. 35are often only as good as the players who are involved. Still, it would be nice to have an achievement to strive towards other than bragging rights over a high ranking.
Mario 35could add a whole lot more replay value if there is some kind of system to gain experience or points that can be redeemed for new content, even if it’s superfluous stuff like themes or music. This feeling of success is so satisfying and it adds more to the experience than purely the need to defeat others.
Next:Super Mario Bros.: 10 Characters Who Actually Died (& Stayed Dead)
