Whilst Sony and Microsoft have spent the year so far hyping up their respective PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles,Nintendohas been very quiet in comparison. Even with new releases, likeAnimal Crossing: New Horizons, and a couple of new announcements, likethe Switch re-release ofPikmin 3, fans are frequently asking when the next major Nintendo Direct will be.
Thelatest rumors suggested that one would be happening this monthand, in typical Nintendo fashion, a Direct did indeed drop with no build up whatsoever. While it is rather short, only lasting 16 minutes, it has addressed a topic that has also been the subject of heavy rumors and leaks throughout the year: theSuper Marioseries' 35th anniversary.
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Firstly, numerousMariorelated merchandise is to be released, ranging from clothes to a novelty Game & Watch console, which comes with the originalSuper Mario Bros.,Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, and a Mario-themed version ofGame & Watch Ball.
Nintendo will also be using other titles to celebrate the occasion.Animal Crossing: New Horizonswill receive themed furniture items,Mario Kart Tourwill have aSuper Mario Kartevent, where players can unlock retro versions of Mario and Donkey Kong Jr. as playable characters,Splatoon 2will host a new Splatfest, andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatewill be having an online tournament centered around the series.
But what’s most eye-grabbing are the game announcements.Super Mario 3DWorld, whichwas leaked back in April,will be arriving on Switch, making it the latest Wii U exclusive to make the jump. It will not only come with online multiplayer, but new content in the form of something calledBowser’s Fury. Details on that are unknown at the moment.
We didn’t see any sign ofMario Kart 9, but Nintendo is releasingMario Kart Live: Home Circuit. By using a specially designed toy kart, players can set up their own race courses in their living room and play them on their Switch.
The biggest announcement, however, is easily theSuper Mario 3D All-Starscollection, a compilation ofSuper Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine,andSuper Mario Galaxy. This wasfirst reported on in March, but now we have official details. Primarily, all three games will have improved resolution, a 16:9 screen ratio, and in-game music players. However, this collection will have a limited release, both physically and digitally.
All in all, the next six to seven months are looking to be chock-full of Mario and fans are already loving it.
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