There has only been 1 main series brand new Mario game in the last 8 years

Super MarioThe future hasn't been very clear in recent memory, with the iconic plumber only appearing in a single main game in the last 8 years. The Super Mario franchise, arguably gaming's most iconic series of games, helped bring the medium into living rooms worldwide as Nintendo's mascot, appearing in many titles early in the company's history.

While the 1981s Donkey Kong started Nintendo's long-term success, the release of Super Mario Bros. in September 1985, the company's home console sales went through the roof. A follow-up to the arcade hit mario bros, which introduced series staples like the Koopas and even Mario's brother Luigi, Super Mario Bros. expanded on these concepts to create a fully realized side-scrolling platformer. Characters like Bowser and Princess Toadstool would become icons in their own right, with the later renamed Princess Peach getting her own games.

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Mario has only had 1 main series title in 8 years

Although Mario is the mascot of one of the game's most popular developers, there has only been one main line Super Mario title in the last 8 years. As pointed out by Reddit user TJmaster87 in a post on the Mario-focused subreddit, Mario's only major release since 2017 has been 2023's Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Although the game was very well received, there has been some controversy surrounding it Super Maro Bros. Wonders upcoming Switch 2 release, and the Reddit post echoes fan preference for a brand new title over Wonders announced DLC.

However, the franchise saw 9 releases between the 2007s Super Mario Galaxy and in 2017, when Mario's latest 3D platformer, Super Mario Odyssey, was released. Although parts of both of these games will appear in Mario's next feature film, super mario galaxy the movie, many fans are wondering if a new game could be on the horizon to capitalize on the success of the upcoming movie. the super mario bros movie, released in April 2023, grossed over a billion dollars worldwide, making it the highest-grossing video game adaptation in film history. Super Mario Wonder was released just over four months later at the end of October 2023, and quickly became the fastest selling Super Mario title in history, and some Nintendo gamers are hoping to see the company repeat this past success.

Fixed Wonder is a fantastic title in its own right, some longtime fans are hoping to see the mustachioed plumber return to the 3D platformer world specifically. Super Mario 64s role in inspiring the popular 3D platformer genre of the 90s cannot be overstated, and each of the series' third-person three-dimensional adventures has been excellent in its own unique way. With games like the 2024 century Astro Bot is making waves across the gaming landscape, that influence is still there, and there's plenty of room for Mario to return and reclaim his crown.

Fury Bowser shoots a large beam of fire while Mario swims in the water and Bowser Jr. hovers nearby in Bowser's Fury.

As for the direction the series could take next, many fans feel they've had an idea of Nintendo's intentions ever since the Switch re-release of the Wii U title Super Mario 3D Land. That game's added DLC, titled “Bowser's Fury”, featured a massive, terrifying version of the series' main antagonist chasing Mario across an “open world” area. The extra content's wide-open environment felt like a testing ground for the potential future Super Mario series, although nothing has come of the experiment so far. With the Nintendo Switch 2's launch in June 2025, the console is set for its own exclusive Mario title, and the franchise could be headed in a bold new direction when it finally arrives.