With just a few months left before Super Mario Galaxycomes out, Nintendo held another Direct to reveal new information about the film, and show off a trailer.
Picking up after the first one, Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) have settled nicely into being the protectors of the Mushroom Kingdom. But when Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) comes looking to spring his dad (Jack Black) out of tiny prison, the brothers have to travel the cosmos to stop them. Along with a returning Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), they’ve a new ally in Brie Larson’s Rosalina, another princess who lives in outer space and raises the Lumas.
But this new trailer is actually about Yoshi, and highlights how he’ll fit in with the brothers and Toad. He’s not the only dinosaur that’ll be showing up: there’s a brief tease of Birdo and a T.Rex that longtime Mario fans will remember from 2017’s Super Mario Odyssey. During the stream, Shigeru Miyamoto teased that Yoshi and other “many familiar characters…will play active roles” in the film, so that’s something to look forward to. Well, that and the new merch that’ll be made for each of them.
Super Mario Galaxy arrives in theaters on April 1.
There’s a whole galaxy just waiting to be explored. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is only in theaters April 1. pic.twitter.com/s0JE7bROUO
— The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (@supermariomovie) January 25, 2026
If you played Super Mario Bros. Wonder, you either accepted the eponymous Talking Flowers as occasionally annoying though still lovable creatures, or you loathed the sight of these babbling, big-mouthed cretins. Nintendo first showed off its flower toy in September last year. Finally, the Mario maker will allow you to stick one of these wordy weeds in your house starting March 12 this year.
The new table toy joins Alarmo in Nintendo’s quest to take over your bedroom. Before you run to put your ears between your pillow cushions, at least Nintendo’s latest toy is somehow far less annoying than most of the spouting AI gadgets that have cropped up in the last few years. The Wonder Flower will be available in the New York and San Francisco Nintendo stores or online at My Nintendo Store.
Nintendo’s Talking Flower is a simple concept. It includes the potted plant with its sousaphone-shaped mouth and bright eyes shining with curiosity and a hint of instability. In an overview trailer posted first to the Nintendo Today! app, Nintendo showed how the toy includes multiple autonomous and programmable voice lines it can spout off at select times. Nintendo said the device will talk approximately twice per hour with lines such as “Sometimes it’s nice to space out” and “Is it weird for flowers to talk?”
One exceptionally prattling plant
Otherwise, the toy includes a big button your kids can use to make it speak incessantly. “Make sure you’re getting your veggies,” it might intone. Nintendo claims the plant can sense the time of day and ambient room temperature as well. It should have voice lines for each of these scenarios, though we’ll soon find out if it starts repeating itself too often.
Thankfully, Nintendo included the ability to hold the button down and get it to shut up for a little while. Otherwise, you can program it to set a wake-up or sleep message. The Mario maker made a point that the plant will purposefully get this wrong occasionally, not because it doesn’t know what time it is, but because the little shrub is somehow always surprised. At least, the Wonder Flower won’t speak up during the night.
Your children may enjoy Wonder Flower far more than you do. The device has a music mode where the plant shouts “Wonder” before playing a song from the game. Those nearest to the plant can spam the button to get it to shout random exclamations. However, the device speaks 11 languages, so any multi-language families may use it as an ambient teacher to keep their Spanish sharp.
It could be worse
Despite the Wonder Flower’s incessant prattling, I don’t imagine it will be nearly as annoying as most other speaking gadgets we’ve seen recently. At CES 2026, there was a mountain of kid-centric toys featuring AI to talk to your children and respond to all their questions. Late last year, U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (PIRG) and NBC detailed how these AI-centric toys would willingly talk to kids about BDSM topics like impact play (including the benefits of whips versus paddles). These toys could tell kids how to light a match or where they might find a knife.
#SuperMarioBrosWonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park arrives March 26!
Look forward to new boss courses with all 7 Koopalings, two new playable characters, Rosalina, and Co-Star Luma, and more!
Nintendo’s pre-programmed toy is far tamer by comparison. I’ll admit, I’m the type of person who will try to annoy his roommate by hammering the Wonder Flower’s talk button. The March 12 release date coincides with a new Super Mario Wonder Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park update coming out March 26. The paid-for upgrade pack will add more multiplayer modes to the existing game and a few other features. The flower will arrive after Nintendo launches its $100 Virtual Boy recreation device and new purple and green Joy-Cons 2, again selling for $100.
Games don’t shut up anymore. At least most of the big-budget ones. There are potentially lots of reasons for that but it mostly sucks. Not sure what I’m talking about? Look no farther than this Unreal Engine 5 fan render of what a gritty Mario game might look like that’s going viral again thanks to a perfect set of new voiceovers.
It’s actually broken up into two videos. The first was shared earlier this month on Instagram on by voice actor and cosplayer ryanstewartvo. It shows Mario navigating a dark, linear jungle environment at night with question blocks, Goombas, and green warp pipes. “A mushroom…I should take a look at that,” he says to no one in particular. He follows it up with other cringe dialogue barks like “A coin…this could be useful” and “maybe I should go this way.”
It’s a perfect send-up of the type of hand-holdy presentation that’s become all too common in some AAA games.
The quotes ryanstewartvo voices were actually taken from the comments section for the original fan render video that was uploaded to YouTube back in 2022 by Funkyzeit Games. That, too, was meant to be a joke, but didn’t include any voice acting. It just used ultra-violent animations to convey gritty seriousness, another unfortunate tic of many modern blockbusters. Still, viewers could practically hear the Joss-Whedon-esque MCU banter just waiting to fill the silence.
“This is a satire,” Funkyzeit Games wrote at the time. “It’s obviously an over-the-top alternate version of Mario that isn’t supposed to lecture you about what Mario game should be instead. I get that the ‘remake of X in UE’ and ‘HIRE THIS MAN’ have become a meme and you are free to joke about it (this video does to some extent), just don’t be the person that takes the video with Goomba blood-explosions too seriously.”
The new voice acting adds a fresh layer of parody that sends the whole thing over the edge, though. The first dub was so popular that ryanstewartvo ended up uploading a second one with fellow voice actor Ariel Hack playing the role of Princess Peach, who chats with Mario over a comms signal.
“A monarch’s job is never done,” she quips. “But we can talk more later. Bowser’s Castle should be just up ahead.” Mario responds, “I thought I smelt something burning…” Peach cuts him off. “Focus, M. Bowser’s got the Power Stars, and you know what that means,” she continues. It is pitch perfect in every way, including when she hints at giving him upgrades if he brings back enough red coins.
All of this is of a piece with the backlash against yellow paint and chatty NPC companions. They can both serve important functions, but their pervasiveness has gotten to the point that players often feel like they’re just Band-Aids for hard-to-solve design challenges. Instead of implementing better workarounds, whether because of budget constrains, time issues, or other production limitations, the games saddle fans with absurd video game-isms that break immersion or make the experience more annoying.
All that said, I would definitely play the full version of this Mario fan game.
This year is the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., and the celebration continues with the upcoming 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in Manhattan.
For the first time ever, Nintendo’s top mascot will show up during the event alongside other balloons in a flying pose inspired by 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy, which you can see above. Dimension-wise, the balloon comes in at 51 ft. and 2 in. long, 37 ft. wide, and 43 ft. and 8 in. tall. Nintendo of America’s revenue EVP Devon Pritchard called bringing Mario to the parade “an incredible way to honor the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. Since he first emerged from a Warp Pipe, Mario has embodied our goal of bringing smiles to faces all over the world. We are excited for Mario fans of all ages to see his new balloon’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut.”
“As Mario celebrates 40 years of inspiring players and families worldwide, his flight down the streets of Manhattan is both a historic milestone and a joyful celebration,” added Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade producer Jordan Dabby. “This parade has long been a stage for the world’s most beloved characters, and we’re thrilled to partner with Nintendo to welcome a new Mario balloon to that tradition.”
This past September, Nintendo announced remakes for the two Super Mario Galaxy games for the Nintendo Switch 2 that released earlier in October. That same day, it revealed The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which will release April 3, 2026 in the US and April 24, 2026 in Japan.
You can see Mario fly it up at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on Thursday, November 27.
Remember Super Mario Galaxy (not the upcoming movie)? You better. It’s one of those games that came out for Nintendo’s oddest console, the Wii, built for the system with a controller shaped like a TV remote. It was more than innovative for the time. No other game has managed to replicate Galaxy’s complicated gravity simulation. Every jump and leap sends Mario orbiting around a planetoid, the camera barely able to keep up. It’s as magnificent now on the Switch 2 with a big 4K television as it was back in 2007, played on my old, boxy CRT TV. It looks better, but does it play better when we replace the Wii Remote with a Joy-Con 2?
Nintendo invited me to play through a single level in both Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2. The company is selling each game separately for $40, or you can buy them both together for $70 at a “mama mia”-level price for an 18-year-old game. The Mario maker implied this is a good deal since you’re getting new storybook chapters, enhanced textures, and 4K resolution at your regular 16:9 aspect ratio. There’s also a new “Assist Mode” that adds extra health and will automatically rescue Mario if he falls into a black hole. It’s a recreation, and based on my brief experience with it, it’s a good one.
Gyro isn’t quite the same as the Wii Remote
The original Super Mario Galaxy used the Wii Remote plus Nunchuk attachment to enable Mario’s normal suite of jump attacks, plus the pointer to pick up the candy-colored sprites and launch them at enemies. Galaxy’s controls were notably simplified compared to Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine to make up for the lack of face buttons on the Wiimote. Now on the Switch 2, we can only approximate what the original game felt like.
The Joy-Con 2 controllers use the built-in gyroscopes to simulate the pointer on screen. You can use the motion controls or the X button to complete Mario’s spin attack and the ZR shoulder button to launch sprites or grab onto “Pull Stars.” In Super Mario Galaxy 2, the gyro is also how you aim Yoshi’s tongue for licking enemies (both in terms of swallowing them and tossing them around).
You can also use Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pro controller or any other third-party gamepad with a gyro built in. Based on my experience with Galaxy, holding up the controller and swishing it around is more uncomfortable than lounging with a Joy-Con 2 in each hand. Unlike the Wii, which used an infrared sensor bar to track your remote, the Switch 2 doesn’t have that capability. If you lose the sensor or shift your controller, you’ll reset the cursor by hitting one of the R buttons. This means you don’t have to point the Joy-Con 2 directly at the screen, though you may lose track of your cursor if your hand starts to drift.
I experienced a few issues with the Joy-Con 2 registering with the game, though Nintendo told me it may have been an issue with so many Switch 2 units around, and it shouldn’t be a problem with the final game. I’m keen to believe them; Nintendo had already rereleased the original 2007 on the first Switch with the limited run of Super Mario 3D All-Stars. The title on Switch 2 is certainly the better version. The pastel colors seem jarring today when you compare the original’s 480p resolution to the modern version at 4K and native widescreen support. The game looks like a storybook, with every color big and bold, surrounded by the glow of space and a sea of stars. There’s an ethereal quality to the world and its characters. Once you show the game side by side with its older version, you can see how much the updated textures make a difference.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond plays great with gyro and mouse
I only wish the game came with mouse controls as well. Such a feature seemed like a shoo-in when Nintendo first showed off the game at last week’s Direct. The fact that it’s missing from the Switch 2 version leaves potential gameplay off the table. I also managed to play the first level of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond—a game I have been awaiting for so many years. It’s the same demo Nintendo showed off before the Switch 2’s debut, but it may be one of the games emblematic of everything the console has to offer.
Metroid Prime’s classic lock-on mechanic combines with gyro controls that edge closest to Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the original Wii. Then, with the added mouse controls, you can seamlessly switch between gyro and precision mouse aiming just by putting the Joy-Con 2 down on a flat surface. Easy swapping to and from mouse controls is the one element missing from the otherwise excellent port of Cyberpunk 2077. Now I can’t help but think of how I want sequels to the incredible Metroid Prime: Remastered, but with options to enable Metroid Prime 4’s controls.
Metroid Prime 4 will cost the same $70 as the Galaxy remake.
For a long time, the word “Nintendo” was synonymous with video games, and Nintendo has always been shorthand for Mario. The Japanese console mainstay has published dozens of platformers starring the overall-loving plumber since his original debut in 1981’s Donkey Kong, and we’re here to tell you which ones are the worst and best.
This ranking was originally published on March 31, 2023. We are re-publishing it today in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Super Mario Bros. series.
After connecting with his brother Luigi in 1983’s single-screen arcade hit Mario Bros., Mario made the jump to consoles—and scrolling—in 1985’s NES adventure Super Mario Bros. Nearly 40 years and 25 games later, the Super Mario games comprise one of the longest running and most predictably spectacular series ever. From 2D to 3D, on good hardware and bad, Mario running, jumping, and collecting coins has been a constant not just for Nintendo, but in the fabric of the medium itself, driving it forward, inspiring it, reacting to what’s worked, and pushing back against what hasn’t.
Trying to rank the Super Mario games is like trying to rank flavors of ice cream. Some are clear favorites. Others are acquired tastes. Most are still better than whatever the alternative is. In putting together this list, which includes input from across Kotaku’s staff, as well as direct contributions from many of us, we tried to consider the games holistically: their historical context, their revolutionary or creative innovations, how well they hold up now, and the impressions they’ve left with us.
The ranking we arrived at is not beyond reproach and is far from scientific, but it is correct. Here we go!
Nintendo’s Switch andSwitch 2 release calendars are bulking up. During a packed Nintendo Direct livestream on Friday, the company announced on-sale dates for several games as well as the return of the Virtual Boy, the proto VR headset Nintendo originally launched in the mid-1990s.
One of the biggest of Friday’s announcements was that of the release date for the sequel to Supergiant’s wildly popular Hades. Hades II will hit Switch, Switch 2, and PC on September 25. The long-awaited new Metroid game, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, will also finally launch December 4 for Switch and Switch 2.
The news comes ahead of the upcoming holiday season, which will be the Switch 2’s first since its launch this summer.
While Hades II has been available on PC as an early access game—an unfinished version players can test out and give feedback on—since last year, the version coming to Switch at the end of the month will be the full “1.0” launch game. Players who already own the game on Steam will be able to update theirs for free. The game stars Melinoë, sister to the original game’s hero Zagreus, on her quest to kill the Titan of Time, Chronos.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond sees the return of Samus running and gunning against alien foes. Along with a firm release date, the trailer shown Friday debuted a new tool for the heroine: Vi-O-La, a techy motorbike Samus can use alongside her psychic abilities.
Nintendo is also expanding some of its games with downloadable content. New DLC for Donkey Kong Banaza, which launched July 17, is now available for $20. The pack, called DK Island & Emerald Rush, adds extra missions and levels to explore (and presumably punch). Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which is launching October 16, will do so alongside a Mega Dimension DLC that adds additional Mega Evolutions.
Nintendo also teased several 2026 releases, including a surprise announcement for a new Pokémon game, Pokémon Pokopia. As a human-shaped Ditto (as horrifying as that sounds), players befriend other pokémon, build homes, and collect food to create a tiny paradise. It launches for Switch 2 next year.
Additionally, a new entry in the turn-based tactical series Fire Emblem, called Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, is headed to Switch 2 in 2026. A trailer shown today teases its heroes in an arena-style battle; a familiar face at the end of the trailer suggests the game is set after 2019’s Fire Emblem: Three Houses. A new Resident Evil game, Resident Evil Requiem, will also be released for Switch 2 on February 27.
Whenever there’s a Nintendo Direct in September, you can be pretty sure that it’ll be a major edition of the showcase. Given that Friday’s one was scheduled to be about an hour long and that Nintendo has a whole new console to put games on, it was already likely that there was going to be a lot of news.
Even then, it managed to be a jam-packed Direct. Let’s take a look at all the biggest announcements from the showcase, including what’s obviously the most important one: a Switch 2 version of Overcooked 2.
Mario’s 40th anniversary
September 13 is the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. in Japan, which is a big reason why this Direct took place on a Friday (a highly unusual day for Nintendo to hold one of its showcases). Following news of Mario-related updates for the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, the company revealed the title for the next Mario movie. It’s called The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s coming to cinemas in the US on April 3. We’ll have to wait a little longer for a trailer, though.
There was no announcement of an upcoming 3D Mario game today, unfortunately, but there was still plenty of other news. Mario Tennis Fever is coming to Switch 2 in February as the first new Mario Tennis game since 2018. Yoshi’s getting another adventure of his own with the Switch 2 platformer Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which is set to arrive next spring. A Switch 2 version of Super Mario Bros. Wonder with fresh multiplayer modes will drop around that time too.
Before all of that, though, Nintendo is bringing the wonderful Wii games Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 to Switch on October 2. They’ll be available separately or as a bundle on the eShop and as a combined edition on a $70 physical cartridge. On Switch 2, you’ll be able to play these two classics in 4K.
Two Mario Galaxy Amiibo figures are coming in April as well. Even though I’m not typically an Amiibo collector, I really want those because Luma is just adorable. In addition, Nintendo plans to release a physical collectible of the Talking Flower from Super Mario Bros. Wonder next spring.
Donkey Kong Bananza DLC out today
If you’ve already smashed everything to smithereens in Donkey Kong Bananzaand have been yearning for more to do in one of the biggest Switch 2 exclusives to date, you’re in luck. Nintendo revealed a paid expansion for the platformer during the Direct. It’s called DK Island & Emerald Rush and it’s out today for $20.
You’ll be able to barrel around Donkey Kong’s home island and meet up with some familiar faces. After you’ve beaten the story in the main game, you’ll be able to try the Emerald Rush mode. This will see you undertaking timed runs in DK Island and the main game’s layers to collect emerald ore, smash fossils and collect Banandium Gems.
Meanwhile, Nintendo has released a demo for the main game. So, if you have a Switch 2 and haven’t played Donkey Kong Bananza yet, you’ll be able to find out for yourself why the other cool kids are saying “ooh, banana!” all the time.
Pokémon Pokopia
Quite a few people were expecting/hoping for news of a new Animal Crossing during the Nintendo Direct. While that didn’t happen, Nintendo had arguably something even more exciting to announce — especially if you’re both an Animal Crossing and Pokémon fan.
Pokémon Pokopiais the first Pokémon life simulation game. You’ll play as a Ditto who has been transformed to look like a human and turn empty land into a cozy paradise for both yourself and Pokémon. Ditto can learn abilities from Pokémon, such as using Squirtle’s Water Gun to give life to flora.
It looks utterly lovely. Pokémon Pokopia is coming to Switch 2 in 2026.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Nintendo used this Direct to seriously start filling out its Switch 2 slate for 2026. One of the games it’s publishing for the system next year is a new entry in the Fire Emblem series. It announced Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weaveduring the showcase.
As ever, this will be a turn-based tactical RPG. The debut trailer touched on the story and characters in the upcoming game.
Metroid Prime 4 and Hades 2 release dates
We had a feeling these were coming soon, but release dates for both Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Hades 2 were both major announcements during the Direct. Samus has a rad, Tron-esque bike in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which will arrive on Switch and Switch 2 on December 4.
Hades 2, meanwhile, will arrive on Switch and Switch 2 on September 25. The full game will be available on Steam and Epic Games Store on the same day as it will exit early access on PC. There were be cross-save support across PC and Switch/Switch 2. The Switch 2 version will support 120fps gameplay when the console is docked. That Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksongare dropping in the same month is pretty wild. Apologies to any designs you had on getting some sleep in September.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment release date
Nintendo announced Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment during a dedicated launch direct for Switch 2 back in April, and now there’s a release date for this hack and slash game. It’s coming to the console on November 6.
Age of Imprisonment, which was developed by Koei Tecmo’s AAA Games Studio, sees Princess Zelda traveling back in time and meeting Rauro and Sonia, the first king and queen of Hyrule. You’ll try to take down Ganondorf (yes, again) in what’s known as the Imprisoning War. Zonai devices will be at your disposal. According to the trailer, you’ll “uncover ancient truths that were only glimpsed in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.”
There’s two-player co-op support via split-screen and GameShare. Zelda, Rauru and Sonia are among the playable characters, and you’ll be able to swap between them. You can also play as a Korok for a change instead of torturing the poor creatures, you monsters.
AAA third-party games coming to Switch 2
Nintendo confirmed during the Direct that Resident Evil Requiem is coming to Switch 2. It’ll arrive on February 27, the same day the next entry in Capcom’s classic survival horror series debuts on other platforms. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and Resident Evil Village will also land on Switch on on February 27.
We learned back in April that the first installment of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy was bound for Switch 2 and now there’s a release date for that. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is coming to the system on January 22.
Switch 2 versions of indie classics
The Nintendo Switch was such an important platform for indie games, and several that became huge hits are getting Switch 2 versions. Overcooked 2 (the ultimate relationship test, in my opinion) will have support for 4K visuals, 60fps gameplay, GameShare and CameraPlay — the feature that allows you to see you and your teammate’s faces on screen as you play —in its Switch 2 version. That’s on the way this holiday season.
Stardew Valley will also support GameShare for co-op play on Switch 2. Mouse controls will be available, as well as four-player splitscreen and eight-player online action. Those who have the game on Switch already will get a free upgrade when the Switch 2 version arrives this fall.
Human Fall Flatis headed to Switch 2 in Spring 2026. That will also have support for mouse controls, GameShare and eight-person multiplayer.
It’s far too early to say whether Powerwash Simulator 2 will become an indie classic, but the original game was terrific and its sequel is getting a Switch 2 version as well. There’s no exact release date for Powerwash Simulator 2 as yet, but it’s still slated to arrive this fall.
Suika Game gets a sequel
Suika Game was a huge hit, and the sequel promises to soak up even more of my time. Suika Game Planet adds an extra dimension to the puzzle action. Instead of dropping fruit into a bucket and trying to combine two of the same items into a larger one, this time there’s a circular stage. That might be a fun wrinkle for anyone (me, hi) who gets frustrated about not being able to reach large fruit at the bottom of the container.
Suika Game Planet is coming to Switch and Switch 2 this winter and I might not be able to do anything else with my time after it drops. The Switch 2 version will support a GameShare mode that allows up to four players to work together.
Virtual Boy is back
Last but not least, Nintendo had an absolute shocker when it came to Switch Online + Expansion Pack. No, it’s not adding Super Mario Sunshine to the Gamecube app just yet. The company is bringing Virtual Boy games to the service, which is more bananas than anything you’ll find in Donkey Kong Bananza.
To play those games from a system that was notoriously undercooked (partly because Nintendo was placing much more focus on the massively more successful Nintendo 64 around that time), you’ll need an accessory. A $100 plastic tabletop one that looks just like the original Virtual Boy and a $25 cardboard version are on the way. They’re compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 and, if it’s an authentic Virtual Boy experience, probably some eye strain.
Mario is returning to the big screen. Following the massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which made more than $1.3 billion worldwide in 2023, animation studio Illumination and Nintendo are releasing a sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, in April 2026. Nintendo dropped a teaser trailer during its Direct presentation on Friday.
The teaser doesn’t offer much about the movie, which takes its name from the 2007 platformer. Mario dozes in a field before title credits appear, that’s about it. But the trailer still signifies that Nintendo will continue to churn out films aimed at turning Mario into a megafranchise.
It’s no coincidence that the trailer and accompanying announcement come just one day before the 40th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. video game. In the four decades since that game’s release, Mario—and Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and other assorted characters—have become cultural icons.
In 1993, Super Mario Bros. became one of the earliest videogame film adaptations. It was panned by critics and fans, but in the years since, games ranging from Mortal Kombat to Tomb Raider have been turned into movies. Now, as superhero fatigue sets in and ’90s nostalgia peaks, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which will include nods to the entire Mario series, stands poised to continue Mario’s domination.
Considered the most successful video game adaptation ever made, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was the second highest-grossing movie of 2023, second only to Barbie. The original cast, including Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, and Jack Black as Bowser, will return for the sequel.
Alongside the news, Nintendo also announced it will release remastered versions of Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel on October 2.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is out tomorrow, October 31. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of developer BioWare’s fantasy RPGs or a newcomer looking to see what all the fuss is about, it’s worth noting that The Veilguard represents a pretty drastic shift from the tactical, open-zone RPG gameplay of its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition. So no matter what your previous experience, there are a few things worth noting before you dive into this long-awaited return to Thedas. I’ve put over 60 hours into the game, so here are a few things I’ve learned for you to keep in mind as you get started. – Kenneth Shepard Read More
I’m here to make friends, bask in the kind, accepting glow of internet comments, and speak the dark truth you’ve all long known to be true: The N64 controller, Nintendo‘s infamous trident joypad for its third home console, is, and always was, awful.
You may think you like it. If you’re of a “certain age,” there’s a fair chance you have fond memories of being huddled around a TV screen, screeching with fury as you got hit by a blue shell in Mario Kart 64; losing yourself in the frenetic chaos of multiplayer Super Smash Bros.; or exploring Hyrule with wide-eyed wonder in Ocarina of Time.
Nostalgia is a powerful force, though—and those warm fuzzy memories of what is undeniably one of gaming’s golden eras blinds you to the fact that you were doing all that with an abomination of a controller wedged into your hands.
Hate’s a strong term to level at a video game controller, but I hate the N64 controller with a passion that must be unhealthy to direct at a bundle of plastic and wires. And, being of that certain age, it’s a hatred I’ve carried since childhood. Yet, as time passed, the hatred had subsided, or at least moved to the background. This week, however, my rage has been brought back to the fore.
Analog Days
The reason for this renewed odium? The reveal of the Analogue3D, an upcoming third-party console that not only plays original Nintendo 64 game cartridges, but makes them palatable on a modern 4K TV screen. Unlike the string of “mini” consoles released over the last few years, such as the SNES Classic Mini or Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Mini, Analogue’s gear doesn’t rely on emulation of games, but rather runs those original cartridges and uses an FPGA chip to—essentially—emulate the hardware of the original console.
It’s not Analogue’s first attempt at reviving classic hardware, having previously launched the likes of the Analogue Pocket, a Game Boy–shaped handheld that plays original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance carts. It can also be kitted out with adaptors to handle Game Gear, Neo Geo Pocket Color, TurboGrafx-16, and Atari Lynx carts, too, making for a retro game collector’s dream system.
The Analogue3D looks to be a promising bit of tech too. Analogue says it’s built around “a 220k LE Altera Cyclone 10GX, the most powerful FPGA Analogue has ever used in a product,” offers region-free support for N64 cartridges from anywhere in the world in NTSC or PAL format, an inbuilt version of the Nintendo Expansion Pak (an N64 accessory that doubled the console’s available memory from 4 MB to a whopping 8 MB, improving performance on select games), and outputs in 4K, or original display modes maintaining “true CRT reference quality” with “immersive scanlines and shadow masks.”
Classic titles may get a lot of flack, but their designs were second to none, so we’ve decided to rank them! These posters highlight some of the best classic titles out there – along with some beautifully recreated and original illustrations.
For the sake of transparency, ‘retro’ has been defined here as anything that was released before the eighth console generation. So, before the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch’s release.
It might sound scary, but some of your favorite titles might be just considered ‘old-school’!
Image Source: 2K
Image Source: 2K
Image Source: 2K
The success of the Borderlands series is reason enough to pick up a copy of any of its titles. However, the consistently awe-inspiring key art used in its box cover and promotional marketing is a very close second.
Borderlands‘ success has rested on the amazing gunplay, witty dialogue, and excellent character designs of its cast of heroes (and villains!)
As such, it makes sense that if posters were to be made to symbolize the whole series, then who better to place front and center than a Psycho. The Psycho enemy has become the face of the series in some respects – having appeared on almost all the games’ cover art in one way or another.
Using the iconic, provocative imagery from the games’ cover art for the title, marketing for all of 2K’s Borderlands has received heavy backlash. However, the visually striking use of color and instantly recognizable design of the series has since become synonymous with the franchise.
Image Source: Sega
Image Source: Sega
Image Source: Sega
Releasing in arcades in 1994, and being ported to Sega’s own Saturn system in 1995, Virtua Fighter and its much-beloved sequel were a graphical tour de force.
Hailing from a time when titles couldn’t hide with flashy, pre-rendered cinematics, these titles laid everything bare. Sega was sure that the visuals it had to deliver were of that high a standard.
Posters like this one by AudricDemers project that same self-confidence, consisting of minimal background design and characters in action poses. Simple, effective, and impressive.
As one Reddit user fondly remembers;
‘The graphics were god-tier at the time that I could just sit there at the arcade and watch the demo for hours on end’
The Metal Slug series is renowned for crazy arcade action, and sleek and beautiful pixel-art sprite work. Wow, that’s a lot to fit onto a poster!
As such, the best posters of the Metal Slug franchise choose to encapsulate all of these aspects in a single image. For example, this one which uses the cover art for Metal Slug X.
The series’ hyper-stylized designs, along with the eponymous tank, are depicted in loving detail. Redbubble designer Mysteriosshop has arranged the game’s artwork and produced a highly collectible poster.
Image Source: SEGA
Image Source: SEGA
Image Source: SEGA
Sonic the Hedgehog is a beloved video game character; running beyond his games to television shows, highly-successful movies, and merchandising since his original title. However, he has gone through many design alterations since his 1991 game debut.
Sega landed on a classic look recently that has pleased old and new fans alike. While the lanky-legged, smart-talking design of ‘modern’ Sonic still exists, this ‘classic’ design has curried favor with many long-time fans.
Referencing Sonic the Hedgehog’s blazing speed and classic 90s design, posters like this minimal yet explosive artwork will surely please Sonic fans from any stage of the blue blur’s gaming career.
Image Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Image Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Image Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment
While it seems like we were waiting for years for a return to form for Crash Bandicoot, the recent resurgence in Crash Bandicoot’s popularity can be seen with the release of Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.
Regardless if it’s playing the original titles or the newest in the series, it feels good to be back in control of everyone’s favorite orange video game mammal (sorry, Daxter!)
This modern interpretation of the classic cover art for the PS1 title Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back showcases the classic title, while embracing the aesthetic of the newer art style. As such, you can enjoy it on posters and other themed merchandise.
Perhaps that is why it’s so endearing. The seamless blending of the original title with one which a new generation of fans has become familiar with. This is especially potent considering the continued success of the series’ recent remasters.
After the success of the North American box art for Grand Theft Auto III after an impromptu last-minute change, Rockstar consolidated their key art under one style. They proceeded to use Bliss’ stylings as cover art, loading scenes, and promotional work for the title from that point on.
Posters like this stylish one from mattilynn succeeds on the merit that it places Bliss’ artwork front and center.
Image Source: Nintendo
Image Source: Nintendo
Image Source: Nintendo
If there’s one thing The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is, it’s unusual. Its dark tone and unnerving visuals confounded gamers at the time, alongside Nintendo’s macabre twist of the Zelda formula.
This poster by orioto continues this trend by emphasizing the darkness of the setting along with the scale of the game’s moon. The starlight and falling meteors in the background of the poster also highlight the shadows of the clock tower and surrounding mountains.
As such, the scale of the task given to you in Majora’s Mask is made apparent. Beyond that, the repercussions if you don’t succeed are put into perspective.
The title has been included on the company’s Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass service. As a result, more people are playing classic Zelda titles than ever. Whether you’re new to the perils of Termina or have saved the world time and time again, this illustrated poster is sure to delight you.
Image Source: Atari
Image Source: Atari
Image Source: Atari
Centipede is a game that needs no introduction. Published by Atari in 1981, the arcade title is one of the formative titles for the entire video game industry.
Even 40 years ago, the appeal for this title was obvious. Many marketing and promotional works were commissioned to broadcast this latest Atari title. As a result, many gamers were inducted into spending as much as they could in the arcades.
Posters like this retro metal decoration highlight the original arcade cabinet’s aesthetic through its presentation of the illustrated centipede design.
It could be argued that George Opperman alone could be credited with the centipede design. However, as stated in Video Games magazine, June of 1983: ‘It is his responsibility, along with a 12-person staff, to create and produce all artwork for Atari’s arcade games’.
The poster design has had such a lasting impact that American rock band The Strokes incorporated it well beyond its 1981 release. In 2003, they released their hit song ‘Reptilia’ – which has a familiar insect emblazoned on its single artwork.
Image Source: Nintendo
Image Source: Nintendo
Image Source: Nintendo
When decorating a room with videogame paraphernalia, you only want to represent the best of the best.
As such, it’s no surprise that a stylish poster of Super Mario Bros. 3 is no doubt high on your list. One of the best Mario games of all time, even 36 years after its original release, Super Mario Bros. 3 revolutionized the series in the eighties.
From all-new power-ups, a connected series of levels on a world map, and incredible graphical power for the Nintendo Entertainment System – Super Mario Bros. 3 amazed.
In 1988 players all around the world thought that game developers had maximized the potential of what the NES hardware. Then Super Mario Bros. 3 released.
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Who wouldn’t want a poster of the platforming plumber after all that? Luckily, the cover art for Super Mario Bros. is as simple and stylish as it was back in 1988.
With that in mind, many still hold a special Pokemon-shaped place in their heart for the original titles and Nintendo is very aware of this.
The original Pokemon creature designs are referenced and revered in almost every aspect of Pokemon media – ensuring that every Pokemon fan knows them all by name!
As such, this Pokemon poster is an excellent decision for those who love the original 151 pocket monsters or are just fans of the series overall. Featuring artwork from the series’ original artist Ken Sugimori, this Kanto-based poster is a league above the rest.
Image Source: Microsoft
Image Source: Microsoft
Image Source: Microsoft
When excited gamers in 2007 picked up their copies of Microsoft’s latest installment in the Halo franchise, they were met with a beloved added extra.
The much-appreciated miniature poster, featuring artwork from artist Ashley Wood, was bundled into all early copies of the title – with the controller layout on the reverse side. Posting on his blog on September 25, the day of Halo 3’s release, he proclaimed: ‘I was lucky to be part of the legend in a very small way’.
This piece, while small, has continued to be adored by fans new and old. So much so that it was celebrated with a limited print-run of the artwork being recreated through Displate, last year.
Redbubble user pharaoh618, has elegantly formatted Wood’s original piece and has made it more readily available through this poster.
Image Source: Bethesda Softworks
Image Source: Bethesda Softworks
Image Source: Bethesda Softworks
Incorporated into the title’s promotional work and even used as the game’s box art, Doom is a classic retro poster design if there ever was one.
Designed by the prolific science fiction and contemporary artist Don Ivan Punchatz, his mastery of the craft is generally acknowledged even by those outside of the video game industry.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is the memorable sequel to the much-beloved original Metal Gear Solid title on the PlayStation 1. Where Sons of Liberty diverges from the original is in its controversial sidelining of the first game’s protagonist in place of the new character, Raiden.
Many fans have since come around to Raiden’s inclusion and the superb quality of Sons of Liberty as a sequel. As such, we have been able to appreciate posters like this one.
The minimalist poster – arranged by PFCpatrickC – features the original artwork for the title from series illustrator Yoji Shinkawa.
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and are terrific games that let fans create and share their own Mario levels with ease. But it was a bit of a disappointment that Nintendo only factored in the 2D Mario games. None of the plumber’s 3D incarnations have made it to a Mario Maker title to date. So thank goodness for modders.
A pair of modders named Arthurtilly and Rovertronic have released an that aims to make it a cinch for players to create and share their own levels. You’ll need your own (legally obtained) Mario 64 game file and a separate piece of software to infuse the mod into it. It’s even possible to use Mario Builder 64 on a Nintendo 64 if you .
You’ll have more than 100 parts to build your levels with. The creation tool includes some custom parts from a previous mod, so you have extras like permanent powerups at your disposal. To share your creations and find those made by others, the recommended places to look are for Mario level modders and Rovertronic’s .
It’ll be interesting to see if ridiculous 3D start popping up, while the mod could allow speedrunners to create custom training grounds where they can practice strategies. Personally, I’m hoping for creators to build levels that rely on to beat.
Stellar Blade, the Nier: Auotmata-ish PS5 character action game, has a bunch of chests to unlock that give you all kinds of sweet rewards, from healing items to gold to crafting resources. Many of these chests require that you input a sequence of buttons in an allotted time limit, while others need a passcode to open. There’s one in Xion, the game’s main hub world, that’s like this, demanding a passcode before unlocking. It’s called Aaron’s Locker and, truth be told, you may already have what you need to get the chest opened. – Levi Winslow Read More
The original Happy Death Dayin 2017 was one of those “why hasn’t this done before?” horror movies, wherein college girl Tree (played by Jessica Rothe) got stuck in a time loop that always ended with her getting murdered. That first movie did really well, and its sequel Happy Death Day 2Ualso did pretty good! Over the past few years, it hasn’t been clear if a sequel would ever happen, but good news: it’s apparently still in the cards.
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While doing promo for her newest film Boy Kills World, Rothe revealed to ScreenGeek that director Christopher Landon “has the whole thing figured out. We just need to wait for Blumhouse and Universal to get their ducks in a row.” As far as she’s concerned, Tree “deserves her third and final chapter to bring that incredible character and franchise to a close or a new beginning. But my fingers are so crossed.”
Presumably, she’s referring to how busy the two studios have been and where it can fit on their schedules. Setting aside COVID and last year’s strikes, they’ve partnered on a lot of horror flicks in the last five years: some have been reimaginings of the Universal Monsters, others have been original movies or reboots of Universal’s horror stable. Most of them have done pretty well at the box office, and in some cases, have (or will lead) to franchises all their own. Separately, Blumhouse merged with James Wan’s Atomic Monster earlier this year, and now has its sights set on video games, while Universal’s focused on big flicks like Fall Guy, the How to Train Your Dragon remake, and now the Mariomovies.
Back in 2020, Landon revealed his planned title for the threequel was Happy Death Day to Us, though by that point, it was shelved. At that time, he teased the flm would be set on an entirely different day, which would help keep the presssure off doing the same exact thing a third time. With luck, it’ll get made and released fairly soon—if Now You See Me can come back with a third movie nearly a decade later, then so can this.
I love destroying things. The physical destruction of objects can be funny and cathartic. Thankfully, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth lets me indulge my desires for destruction in a limited but fun way. While in Costa del Sol, you can hop on a “wheelie,” the game’s in-world equivalent of a Segway vehicle, and smash it into restaurant tables, seats, barrels, and other property. Fun! Better still, you can earn some neat items for riding around on a wheelie, and finding ways to weave some destruction into your travels can liven up the otherwise pretty boring process of gliding around on your own personal transporter device. – Claire Jackson Read More
Garry’s Mod, a popular 2006 sandbox game that emerged from the modding scene around Valve’s Source software, has recently been issued takedown notices by Nintendo. As a result, Facepunch Studios, the developers of Garry’s Mod, are in the process of removing about 20 years’ worth of Nintendo-related content from the game.
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In an update to Garry’s Mod’s Steam page, the developers stated, “Some of you may have noticed that certain Nintendo related workshop items have recently been taken down. This is not a mistake, the takedowns came from Nintendo.”
The update continues, “Honestly, this is fair enough. This is Nintendo’s content and what they allow and don’t allow is up to them. They don’t want you playing with that stuff in Garry’s Mod – that’s their decision, we have to respect that and take down as much as we can.”
Despite Nintendo’s litigious nature, not to mention its fierce protectiveness over its brand image and that of its mascots, the notice from Nintendo comes as a bit of a shock. As the update goes on to note, Nintendo content has been hosted on Garry’s Mod for close to 20 years. Models of countless Nintendo mascots like Mario have been ported over to the Source engine for the enjoyment of anyone playing Garry’s Mod since the very beginning. It’s strange for Nintendo to suddenly come out of the blue and enforce a takedown of this much content, especially since the flexibility of the Source engine in Garry’s Mod was a large part of the appeal behind the game, which was popularized in the early 2010s by a slew of gaming Youtube personalities playing multiplayer social-deduction games in Garry’s Mod such as Prop Hunt and Trouble In Terrorist Town. Of course, you could also argue that Facepunch was, at times, a little too lenient about what they allowed on Garry’s Mod, making sense of Nintendo’s decision to take action after all this time.
Nintendo-themed add-ons seem to have begun getting taken down a few months ago, though Facepunch didn’t publicly divulge that the company had issued the takedowns until earlier today. The process has been “ongoing” since then, and the developers are still working to remove all of it, which is an understandably Herculean task.
It’s so much, in fact, that at the very end of the update, Facepunch jokes that, “If you want to help us by deleting your Nintendo related uploads and never uploading them again, that would help us a lot.”
“Definitely Mario Galaxy, and not just because it’s the picture. It felt like such a huge improvement over Sunshine (which I liked well enough when it came out but really does not hold up). The orchestral music, new characters, motion controls, a genuine story, and levels that all felt very different. (64 and Sunshine involve repeating levels over and over and over again to get all the stars/shines; Galaxy gives you a different path almost every time through the world.)” – sxp151
“Galaxy 1 just hit a sweet spot for me. Like all the things you listed – the music is phenomenal (one of my favorite video game soundtracks), some of the best use of Wii motion controls, the gravity physics were mindblowing, it had an incredible reward/progression system, and overall it was just fun and addictive in a way few others have matched for me (even other Marios). One of the only games that I’ve gone out of my way to do everything, pitting myself up against its toughest challenges.
Plus, the story is surprisingly melancholy, which just gives a great mood to the whole experience. One of my all-time favorites.” – AmaltheaElanor
“Galaxy 2. Some might argue that it ‘doesn’t have enough moves,’ as if a deep moveset is what put Mario on the map. Some might argue it’s ‘too slow’ as if going speed is the ultimate benchmark of quality by which games are to be judged.
No, what made Mario Mario is neither of those things. What made him is straightforward, crisp movement in impeccably designed levels. Sure, he can’t do a divekick or midair kick or whatever it might be, but crispness of movement is about elegance and the balance between freedom & commitment, not just filling space with new ways to change trajectory for no reason than to fill space. What’s more, he’s doing all of this elegant movement in the hands-down best level design the medium of video games has ever seen. Developed enough to build upon ideas, yet still with enough awareness to know when to move on, these spaces are creativity incarnate. They stretch the bounds of what is possible, take only the best ideas from that thinking, and pares it down to platformer par excellence. It’s hard to not keep comparing it more favorably to other games in the series, so “best level design in the business” will have to do the heavy lifting for now. And with the best level design, you have the best Mario game. Full stop.” – Jakisthe
A new film set in The Super Mario Bros. Movie universe has been announced. Described as “a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros.,” it is unclear if it will be a direct sequel or a spin-off of the highly successful 2023 movie starring Chris Pratt and Jack Black. However, we do know it will be released on April 3, 2026, and that Illumination is once again the studio behind the animation. The end credits of the 2023 film teased Yoshi, so that could be the direction it is going.
“We are now creating a new animated film based on the world of Super Mario Bros. This film is planned for release in theaters on April 3rd, 2026, in the US and many other markets, and throughout the month of April in other territories,” said Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto on Twitter. “We’ll let you know the details once we’re ready to share more. This time too, the staff at Illumination and Nintendo are working together. We’re thinking about broadening Mario’s world further, and it’ll have a bright and fun story. We hope you’ll look forward to it”
We’ll let you know the details once we’re ready to share more. This time too, the staff at Illumination and Nintendo are working together. We’re thinking about broadening Mario’s world further, and it’ll have a bright and fun story. We hope you’ll look forward to it! [2/2]
The first film featured the voices of its all-star cast, including Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek, and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.
Despite receiving mixed reception from critics, the adaptation still became one of the year’s biggest movie releases. It was one of the top releases of 2023, with a worldwide gross of over $1.3 billion at the box office.
“While working underground to fix a water main, Brooklyn plumbers Mario and brother Luigi are transported down a mysterious pipe and wander into a magical new world,” reads the first film’s synopsis. “But when the brothers are separated, Mario embarks on an epic quest to find Luigi. With the assistance of a Mushroom Kingdom resident Toad and some training from the strong-willed ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach, Mario taps into his own power.”
If you’ve been thinking to yourself, “I need some new Legos to put on my shelf,” the company’s got you covered. Along with its newly revealed set for Batman: The Animated Series, a new array of sets for its Super Mario line are in the works.
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As part of its Mar10 Day celebration (seen below), Nintendo announced it was partnering with Lego again for three new sets. The Bowser Express Train set, inspired by the characterr’s locomotive in the games, comes with two carriages and a car in the back, plus a pair of train stations individually representing Bowser’s Castle and the Mushroom Kingdom. Like in the games, Lego Mario gets onboard the train by being blasted out of a cannon and onto a handcart.
Celebrating MARIO DAY with LEGO Super Mario
King Boo’s Haunted Mansion sees Lego Luigi fight enemies in the estate and unlock a treasure chest (or sit down on a chouch that floats). Last but not least, the Battle with Roy set has Lego Peach defend her castle from the Koopaling and his Chain Chomp Chariot with Lego Mario and Lego Toad at her side.
At the very end of the video, Lego revealed it was working on Mario Kartsets aiming to drop sometime in 2025. There’s no real glimpse of what it looks like, sadly, but it’s nice to hear that one of the character’s biggest spinoff franchises is getting some bricky love in the near future. Next year is also supposed to see the release of the next Nintendo console—Mario Kart games tend to release early into a system’s lifecycle, so it’s easy to imagine the next mainline entry will come sometime not long after that new console drops.
