New Super Mario game in the works

The creator of Super Mario Bros. has given new details about an upcoming Mario game that has yet to be announced after years of silence.

A new Super Mario game is reportedly in the works, after the last new game, Super Mario Odyssey, was released almost five years ago.

Nintendo has been working on a number of Mario-related projects in recent years, but the most recent main line Mario game was released in 2017. Since then, there have been no new games in the series, only ports and remasters of existing games.

In the gaming sphere, Nintendo has released a number of new tracks for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as DLC. The company also released Super Mario Maker 2 in 2019, which allowed players to create and share their own Super Mario levels.

Nintendo has also been working on a Super Mario Bros. movie, which was recently delayed in Australia. Princess Peach was also revealed to be getting an expanded role in the movie, being active in the story rather than a damsel in distress as she is in most games.

Most recently, the company worked with Universal Studios to open Super Nintendo Land in Universal Studios in Hollywood, after previously opening similar parks in Japan. Two more Super Nintendo Land parks are due to be opened in Singapore and Orlando, but are expected to be quite some time away.

Shigeru Miyamoto, pictured here with Princess Peach and Mario, is credited as the creator of Super Mario Bros. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

To celebrate the opening of the park, Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Super Mario Bros, spoke with IGN in an interview, something that’s become somewhat of a rarity in recent years. Miyamoto confirmed that Nintendo was working on a new game, but wouldn’t give any more information.

“We’re always working on Mario,” Miyamoto said, “So when we get to a time where we can share information, we’ll certainly do so”.

Nintendo likes to introduce new mechanics with each new Mario game, but the general formula of platforming gameplay generally stays the same. Spin-off games like Paper Mario: The Origami King typically have a lot more freedom to experiment with gameplay.

Miyamoto says that gameplay is the most important aspect of any Mario game, and that the story is typically not quite as crucial to get right.

Nintendo recently opened a new theme park in Hollywood. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

“For me, the starting story is how to make the gameplay fun,” Miyamoto said, “That’s how I begin thinking about and creating a game”.

When asked what Mario’s next adventure could bring, the legendary developer joked, “Maybe we can send Mario to Jupiter”.

Written by Oliver Brandt on behalf of GLHF.