What to Expect From the Mario Franchise in 2024

The Super Mario franchise had a huge year in 2023 between its numerous video game releases, as well as the release of the Super Mario Bros. Movie that saw Nintendo’s iconic plumber take to the big screen. Along with the release of the film, fans were treated to a handful of fantastic Mario games in 2023, including Super Mario Bros. Wonder and a remake of Super Mario RPG. It will be hard for 2024 to top the year the Mario series had in 2023, but there are already a few titles confirmed for this year and even more could be on the way.

A big factor to consider for the Mario franchise in 2024 is the likelihood that Nintendo will launch its successor to the Switch this year. Although nothing has been confirmed yet, rumors point towards a potential Switch 2 launching in 2024, which would mean fans will likely see a big must-play launch title from Nintendo to help sell this new console. It wouldn’t be surprising if this game was a Mario title, given how iconic the franchise is for Nintendo, and the company may want to build on the momentum the franchise had last year.

Several Mario Titles are Already Confirmed for a 2024 Release

Despite the Switch likely entering its last year as Nintendo’s flagship console, there are still several Mario titles that have been confirmed to be launching on the console in 2024. Although many of these games are remakes or remasters, they still represent some fan-favorite titles that deserve to see a modern re-release. Some of these titles still lack concrete release dates, so Nintendo will likely share more information about their releases in a 2024 Nintendo Direct.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

The first Mario game Nintendo has slated for a 2024 release is the Switch remake of the original Game Boy Advance Mario vs. Donkey Kong. This title was first announced in the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, making it the first Mario vs. Donkey title to be released since Mario vs. Donkey: Tipping Stars in 2015. Gameplay for Mario vs. Donkey Kong involves guiding mini-Marios through a series of platform puzzles to reach the stage’s goal, with players ultimately working their way toward defeating Donkey Kong.

Princess Peach: Showtime!

The sole brand-new Mario franchise title confirmed for 2024 doesn’t star the plumber at all, instead showcasing Princess Peach in her first solo game since Super Princess Peach on the Nintendo DS. It was first teased as an untitled Princess Peach game at the June 2023 Nintendo Direct before being fully unveiled as Princess Peach: Showtime! in September 2023. The game follows Peach as she battles the Sour Bunch inside Sparkle Theater alongside the theater’s guardian, Stella, and players will be able to transform the princess into a variety of different forms, including Swordfighter Peach, Detective Peach, Kung Fu Peach, and more.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a Switch remaster of the 3DS title Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, which was simply titled Luigi’s Mansion 2 for its European release. This HD remaster of the game adopts the Luigi’s Mansion 2 title for its global release, and follows the naming convention established by Luigi’s Mansion 3, released on the Switch in 2019. While Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD retains much of the original game’s story and mechanics, players can look forward to the visual overhaul that brings it in line with Luigi’s Mansion 3‘s graphical style.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Perhaps one of the most highly-anticipated Mario games releasing in 2024 is the remaster of the fan-favorite GameCube title Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Despite only being a remaster, this title took many fans by surprise when it was announced during the September 2023 Nintendo Direct, quickly becoming many fans’ most anticipated 2024 release. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is widely considered the best entry in the series and marks an era that Nintendo has seemingly moved on from with recent Paper Mario entries, so this release has been taken as a good sign by fans hoping to see a return to form in the future.

It’s Time for a New 3D Mario Game

Past Release Years for 3D Mario Games

The elephant in the room for the Mario series in 2024 is the possibility of a new 3D Mario game being released with the launch of the Switch’s successor. Not including the Switch port of Super Mario 3D World, the last brand-new 3D Mario game was Super Mario Odyssey, released in the Switch’s launch year of 2017, meaning it’s been seven years since fans got a new 3D Mario entry. While it’s unclear if this new title will be Super Mario Odyssey 2 or a completely new direction for the series, it’s very likely that Nintendo is planning to release a new 3D Mario game as a launch title for the Switch 2 in 2024.

The Status of Other Potential Mario Content in 2024

Although nothing has been confirmed, there is some other potential Mario content that could be announced in 2024, such as possible DLC for Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Additionally, now that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has completed its Booster Course Pass, there is also speculation that Mario Kart 9 could be announced to coincide with the launch of the Switch’s successor, but this seems unlikely to happen in 2024. It’s also unlikely that fans will get an announcement regarding a sequel to the Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2024, as Bowser actor Jack Black has stated that he hasn’t heard anything about making a sequel yet.