Sure, let’s dive into this whirlwind of Nintendo nostalgia and future hopes. Okay, first things first — the Nintendo Switch 2, launching on June 5 (mark your calendars or set a sticky note, like I do sometimes), is like a treasure chest for Super Mario fans. It’s kind of wild how many of those classic adventures you’ll be able to play right off the bat. But wait, there’s a catch (isn’t there always?).
No shiny, new Super Mario game is greeting us at launch. Weird, right? I mean, you’d think there’d be some grand new quest, but nope. Instead, Mario pops up in the flagship game Mario Kart World. Everyone’s buzzing (or maybe grumbling?) about that $80 price tag. Yet, I bet it’s gonna be one of those “must-have” titles anyway. Mario Kart has that effect.
Now let’s backtrack. Or fast forward? Anyway, here’s another fun bit. Thanks to backward compatibility and Nintendo Switch Online, nearly all main series Super Mario games are at your fingertips. Well, except for seven (because nothing can be that perfect). These classics, from Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario Odyssey, span both 2D and 3D realms. Whoa, right? Like having the Mario timeline in a handheld device.
But let’s slow down for a sec. Some games, like Super Mario Sunshine and Galaxy, are only playable through that 3D All-Stars pack. And Sunshine is dangling like a carrot — it’s joining Nintendo Classics later. So, patience, my friends.
For those we’re missing at launch — like New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 3D Land, and even Super Mario Galaxy 2 — maybe they’ll pop up later. Fingers crossed for ports or remasters, eh? Oh, and Mario Maker 2 kinda overshadows its predecessor, so you might not even miss the first one.
Anyway — where was I going with this? Oh, right — the future! Nintendo stretched the original Switch life to eight years. So imagine the possibilities for Switch 2. Maybe by its end, every Mario game will be a click away. Wishful thinking? Probably. But a mushroom power-up in a gamer’s wishlist is timeless.
