Recently, rumors of a collection of 3D Mario remakes have circulated around the industry. Many think this would fill the hole in Nintendo’s 2020 lineup, which remains relatively empty.
But how likely are we to get a slew of 3D Mario remakes? To try and make sense of it, I have put together a complete timeline of evidence to determine whether this rumor is worth getting excited about.
March 30, 2020:
VGC reports being told by “multiple sources” that Nintendo has big plans for the 35th anniversary of the Mario franchise. They say that the company plans to remaster most of the series’ previous entries to release on Switch this year.
On the same day, Eurogamer publishes a follow up to VGC’s initial article, confirming the report and going on to suggest several titles that are up for remaster. These include Super Mario Galaxy and several other 3D classics. On top of this, they also report that a new Paper Mario game is in development, as well as a deluxe edition of Super Mario 3D World with extra content.
Later, several sources – including VGC, Gematsu, and VentureBeat – report that Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine will also be remastered. However, there is debate over whether they will be released as a collection or separate releases.
In terms of credibility, one piece of insight here spoke volumes. Jeff Grubb, a writer at VentureBeat, said his sources also supported the rumor. This is particularly significant as Grubb previously reported on both the indie world presentation on March 18th and Nintendo Direct on March 26th, prior to their announcement. Famed Nintendo leaker, Sabi, also said that the Paper Mario series would make a return in 2020.
April 30, 2020:
Reports surface that due to COVID-19 restrictions, Nintendo’s annual June Direct is unable to be held. This is supported by both VentureBeat and VGC, who suggest that this is when the Mario remasters would have been announced.
May 14, 2020:
Seemingly out of the blue, Nintendo releases a trailer for Paper Mario: The Origami King. This brings hope after the Direct’s seeming cancellation, supporting the previous leaks. It also suggests that the remasters may be unveiled in a similar manner.
This adds even more credibility to Grubb’s claims, as he had reported the Paper Mario game would represent “a return to the franchise’s roots”. This new game seems to do just that.
Additionally, VentureBeat report that the 3D remasters will soon be ready for release. This takes place alongside the recently-rumored Pikmin 3 Deluxe Edition.
So will these rumors be proven true?
In terms of Nintendo rumors, these certainly seem more credible than most. With so many reputable sources backing them up, as well as the Paper Mario announcement, it’s almost tempting to say that they’re guaranteed. And well, let’s be honest: an HD remaster of Super Mario Galaxy sounds so incredible that it’s hard to believe it doesn’t exist already.
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However, this wouldn’t be the first time a popular, rumored Nintendo project never ended up happening (the racing game Star Fox Grand Prix immediately springs to mind). Ultimately, we just have to wait and see. However, we can certainly hope – and by all accounts, it seems very likely.
Which 3D Mario game would you like to see remastered the most?
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