The Super Mario series has brought some critically acclaimed titles to Nintendo consoles over the past few decades. We’ve been fortunate to get a few Mario games for the Nintendo Switch, most notably Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario Bros. Wonder. While we’re already getting a new Mario title on the highly-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Kart 9, many Nintendo fans are looking forward to a new mainline installment to make its way to the console. This might seem like wishing upon a star, but it’s not too difficult to see the Nintendo Switch 2’s opportunity to bring a threequel we’ve been asking for years: Super Mario Galaxy 3.
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In a galaxy not too long ago, 2007, Nintendo Wii players were introduced to Super Mario Galaxy. Mario has typically kept his journeys on the ground, so seeing his debut in a space-centered setting was exciting. The game still keeps the traditional rescue mission plotline, but elevates it to outer space, which changes the gameplay experience with the introduction of gravity. The movement changed how Mario moves around a stage, which can be a bit tricky to maneuver, but just like anyone defying gravity, you get used to it over time. To tie it all together, the outstanding soundtrack, impeccable level design, and fun gameplay mechanics created a masterpiece. Sequels to Super Mario games are pretty rare to come across but given its success, Super Mario Galaxy 2 was released in 2010, which was also met with universal acclaim.
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Something special about these two installments is the creativity. Ambition is the only word that I could think of when trying to identify these two games. The gravity mechanic stemmed from a testing demo that Nintendo was originally going to have in a new Super Mario 64 sequel. While that game never moved forward, the technology for the game was used in the Super Mario Galaxy series. We’ve seen glimpses of this element in the latest mainline installments, but Galaxy delivered an experience centered around it, which changed the traditional gameplay and flipped it upside down.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 continued the genius stroke of Nintendo’s former installment but brought new gameplay elements and innovative level designs that utilized the gravity aspect to its advantage. From flying around as Bee Mario/Luigi in the Honeyhive Galaxy to rolling around as Rock Mario/Luigi in the Boulder Bowl Galaxy, the essence of the former Super Mario titles can be found within this game. Super Mario Galaxy paved the way for future installments to be ambitious with their interpretations and to continue bringing new and exciting ways to play.
While we can say that Super Mario Odyssey was a great way of utilizing the Nintendo Switch to its full advantage, Galaxy did the same for the Wii with the Nunchuck and motion sensors. Interactivity has always been a staple in the Mario series but Super Mario Galaxy delivered an experience that lets two players tackle a level together, with one playing Mario and the other collecting star bits. This same cooperative experience could fare well with a potential Super Mario Galaxy 3 on the Nintendo Switch 2 with its Joy-Cons.
Fans have been asking for a third installment for a long time, with many thinking at one point that it would be a launch title for the Nintendo Switch. While Super Mario Galaxy 3 would be a dream come true, the Nintendo Switch 2 currently has no mainline Mario games going to the console yet. Seeing how the Switch 2 could advance the motion controls and gameplay experience, it would be wise to take advantage of the opportunity to bring a beloved series to the new console with Super Mario Galaxy 3.
