Could The Mario Games Without a Sequel Eventually Get a Successor?

There are a lot of great Mario titles out there, including the classic platformers. There are more than 20 main-line Mario games, with many of them being classics. Some Mario games have unique concepts not truly seen in any other game in the series, and some of these concepts deserve to be revisited, especially with the older Mario games still being played today. There are a bunch of Mario games with sequels, including Super Mario Bros., Super Mario World, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario 3D Land, and Super Mario Maker. However, there are other games that don’t, and do they deserve them? Well, let’s take a look. I’ll be giving my opinion of how the standalone Mario games’ sequels could work, and if there is a possibility a sequel could come eventually. So, without further ado, let’s-a-go!
Disclaimer: For this list, Super Mario 3D World is considered a sequel to Super Mario 3D Land, and Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3 will not be considered sequels to the original Super Mario Bros. because of Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels. Remakes like Super Mario 64 DS or Super Mario Advance are not considered sequels.

Super Mario Bros. 2

Super Mario Bros. 2 is full of so many concepts and ideas that haven’t been seen in any other Mario game since this game. The closest we’ve gotten was the Super Mario Bros. 2 Mushroom in Super Mario Maker 2. Instead of stomping enemies, Mario jumps on their head to pick them up and throw them at other things. Mario can also pull plants, vegetables, and potions. This is also the only 2D Mario game with vertical segments (outside of Mario Maker). All of these are concepts pretty much exclusive to Super Mario Bros. 2 and not seen since. There are rumors of a new 2D Mario game not part of the New Super Mario Bros. series currently in development, so maybe it could include some of these concepts. It would be so neat to play a new 2D Mario where you get to pick up vegetables to throw out shy guys again, or at least something familiar. While it wouldn’t really be a sequel, I see that these concepts in a new Mario game is very likely in the future.

Super Mario Bros. 3

Super Mario Bros. 3 is a very interesting game on this list. While like Super Mario Bros. 2 a new game with these concepts wouldn’t really be a sequel, we’ve already seen lots of ideas from this classic game in later titles. The raccoon and tanooki suits can both be used in New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario 3D Land and World, games like Super Mario World took inspiration from Mario 3’s level design, and the New Super Mario Bros. games took inspiration from the world map from Super Mario Bros. 3. The only thing we haven’t seen are some of the power-ups, including the hammer and frog suits. However, since these concepts would work better in a game as a reference more than the full concept of the game, a sequel or anything similar to sequel would be unlikely to happen.

Super Mario 64

While I’m not counting Super Mario 64 DS as a sequel to Super Mario 64, it does still include ideas toward a future version of Super Mario 64. However, there would be one small issue towards a sequel to Super Mario 64: Super Mario Odyssey. The game is in the same vein as 64, but better. A Super Mario 64 sequel would end up seeming like an upgrade to its predecessor but a downgrade to Odyssey. Super Mario 64’s worlds are smaller than Odyssey, there aren’t as many challenges, and there are no special gameplay features like Cappy in Odyssey. I guess there is kicking and punching, but I never found those moves that intuitive. If Super Mario 64’s sequel were to fix these, it would pretty much just be Super Mario Odyssey 2 instead. That is why I deem a Super Mario 64 sequel unlikely to come.

Super Mario Sunshine

Super Mario Sunshine is a game in which a sequel would easily work but won’t ever happen because Nintendo would never make a Super Mario Sunshine 2. However, it could work. There are so many concepts in this game we’ve haven’t seen anywhere else, including F.L.U.D.D. and his unique controls, the central theme for all the levels (in this case the tropical vacation theme), and a large, robust hub era being Isle Delfino, which still is the best hub world in the 3D Mario series (in my opinion). Also, we haven’t really seen Shadow Mario as a prime antagonist since this game, outside of his challenge stages from Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 3D Land. Plus, we haven’t heard a peep from the Piantas since Sunshine, outside of cameos from Mario Kart and Super Mario Galaxy 2. If there ever was a Mario Sunshine sequel, it would primarily need to thoroughly update the controls, make new and unique stages, remove voice clips for characters, and a bit more. Otherwise, Super Mario Sunshine is probably the most appropriate game on this list to receive a sequel. Therefore, very likely.

Super Mario Odyssey

Super Mario Odyssey is probably the most unique game on this list. Each level in Mario Odyssey is a large kingdom with lots of places to explore. However, this could mean that a Super Mario Odyssey sequel could be simpler to craft than it seems. The easiest way to make a sequel would be to make the game pretty much the same but with new kingdoms instead. Now, there are a few details about Super Mario Odyssey that could probably be fixed in the sequel to make the game better. The main thing is captures. My idea is that each kingdom should have their own exclusive captures, but when you need a capture for something, the game doesn’t make it clear what capture you’ll need. This would add some puzzle-solving to the game, as well as making the captures designed more intuitively compared to the first game. Otherwise, I think a Super Mario Odyssey sequel would be very easy, just with new things and modified things to make the game all the better. Plus, it would be smart since the base game sold about 25 million copies. Even The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is getting a sequel, and that game sold 29 million copies; not too much more. While it was obvious for Breath of the Wild to get a sequel first, Super Mario Odyssey is not completely out of the picture. I think this sequel is very likely to come down the pipe sooner or later.

Bowser’s Fury

Bowser’s Fury is another Mario title perfect for a sequel. Over the years I’ve grown to enjoy this Mario game more and more, though I’ve always seen it more as an extension or side-game to the Super Mario 3D World remake on Switch. Bowser’s Fury is technically the only true open-world Mario title. The large world of Lake Lapcat has several islands spread about, each playing like a bite-sized level that could be found in 3D World. Nintendo could do two things with a Bowser’s Fury sequel – they could 1. make an entirely new world or 2. add onto Lake Lapcat with more islands and challenges, kind of like how Hyrule is similar but different in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s sequel, Tears of the Kingdom. There is a lot Nintendo can do with a Bowser’s Fury sequel, but the main thing is that it should be a larger, standalone game instead of a smaller title playing as a side-campaign to another title. That’s why I say that a Bowser’s Fury sequel is very likely to eventually happen, especially since it’s a newer title and open-world video games are becoming more and more popular now. Nintendo could try this with Mario by making a giant open world to explore instead of a few bigger levels, and Bowser’s Fury is a perfect base for that kind of game.

What Super Mario game would you like to see get a sequel? Would you like any of the games from this list to get sequels or a game already with sequels (like Super Mario Galaxy 3)? Let me know in the comments below.

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