If you’re a fan of Nintendo games, you’ll know that it’s often the little details that make the difference. The fact that everything has Super Mario games themselves.
In the Mushroom Kingdom, even clouds and hills have huge, adorable grins, which probably tells you all you need to know. Super Mario 64 to Super Mario World and beyond) is undeniable. Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel were particular highlights, but is the time ripe for a third entry in the series? Here are some arguments for and against a potential Super Mario Galaxy 3!
Want It: The First Two Were Just That Good
Every Super Mario fan has their own favorite title in the series. From Super Mario 64 to Super Mario Sunshine, the main series is just solid platforming gold throughout. However, for many, Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel represent the very pinnacle of the franchise.
From the amazing soundtrack to the stunning presentation, from the liberating sense of space-faring freedom to the imaginative level design, these two titles lent a sense of awe to the series that fans hadn’t really experienced before. A third Galaxy title utilizing current-gen (or even next-gen) hardware? Yes, please!
Don't Want It: There’s Not Much Else That Can Be Done With The Concept
Now, granted, repetitive plots aren’t exactly the biggest of issues when it comes to the Mario games. Everybody knows that Bowser’s going to devise another fiendish plot involving Princess Peach and Mario’s going to set out after him. These aren’t exactly Dan Brown novel levels of twisty-turning plotting here.
Nevertheless, a third adventure utilizing that space setting could be a bit of a stretch. Where could it be taken, beyond a rehash of what came before in the first two games? Nintendo would need to tread very carefully here, that’s for sure.
Want It: Super Mario Odyssey’s Success Has Made Mario More Popular Than Ever
Early in Nintendo Switch’s lifetime, the system boasted a lot of lesser-appreciated games, but it lacked those true big-hitters that made the system an essential purchase (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was already available on Wii U, after all, for the seven people around the world who owned that console).
With the arrival of if only for the brilliant memes it's inspired). With this in mind, a potential third entry in the Galaxy series could be guaranteed even more sales impetus.
Don't Want It: The Space Environments May Be A Little Samey
Needless to say, gamers’ tastes radically differ and Mario’s titles aren’t for everybody. Even if you’re not a fan, though, there’s one thing that can’t really be denied: these colorful, creative platformers are some of the finest examples of the genre ever made.
For this reason, Galaxy’s overarching space theme was a real curveball for one reason in particular: it meant a lot of super similar backgrounds. The depths of space don’t exactly have a lot of potential for varied backdrops, however different the stage design itself may be. Brand new, bright and colorful series entries may be more appealing to newer Mario fans.
Want It: Super Mario Galaxy 2 Was An Excellent Sequel
In any medium, from video games to movies, comic books, and beyond, sequels are always a darn tricky concept to approach. The fact is, developers/movie makers/writers just can’t win a lot of the time. The more successful the original was, the more pressure there is on the sequel. If it’s too similar to the original, fans will riot, and if it’s too different, they’ll… also riot.
It’s very tough for a sequel to top an excellent first entry, but Super Mario Galaxy 2 did just about everything right. Staying faithful to the first game while adding just the right features (a rideable Yoshi in space was a surefire winner) in just the right places, Galaxy 2 was a fantastic achievement. On the strength of its reputation alone, the potential of a possible Galaxy 3 is clear to see.
Don't Want It: The Super Mario Franchise Really Needs Something Brand New
It’s easy for even the most beloved and popular franchises to become stuck in a rut. The Pokémon series is often criticised for being too samey when it comes to plotting, mechanics and so on, and it’s not alone.
The New Super Mario Bros. games, in particular, become distinctly less ‘new’ with each release. Nintendo is resting on their laurels a little here, and, with that in mind, yet another sequel (even to such beloved titles) might be the wrong move.
Want It: Nintendo Are Masters Of Platformers And Would Make It Great
Of course, even the iconic Mario isn’t infallible, having featured in some rather questionable titles in his time. By and large, though, players can always be sure of a solid and enjoyable experience when Nintendo’s mustachioed mascot is at the helm.
Fans may have their reservations at the hypothetical announcement of a Super Mario Galaxy 3, but the team have all but perfected the art of lovingly crafted platformers. It may not be super different to what came before, but it would almost certainly be a solid and joyous experience.
Don't Want It: It Would Be Relentlessly Compared To The Two Existing Galaxy Games
Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel hold a very special place in the hearts of Nintendo fans around the world. Given the Wii’s popularity, they were many players’ first major exposure to the character. With this and the two games’ lofty reputation in mind, a sequel would be subjected to serious scrutiny.
Each new Mario release is compared to the very best of the series and thoroughly hated on if it’s considered to fall short. What if Galaxy 3 didn’t reach the standards of the first two? Players would rip the game to shreds, and their reputation is just too solid to risk.
Want It: Super Mario Galaxy’s Unique Mechanics Are Worth Revisiting
Now, if you’re not a fan of starry skies and copious amounts of outer space, Galaxy’s overall motif won’t have done an awful lot for you. There’s just no getting away from this sort of thing with a space-based title.
As samey as the backgrounds may be, though, this setting allowed Nintendo to experiment with some new mechanics found nowhere else in Super Mario. Circumnavigating small planetoids (and larger ones) was an exhilarating concept that made players really feel the grand scale of the areas they were exploring, and the idea of collecting star bits and the like was both new and naturally Mario. It felt like he’d been performing these acts his whole career, which is a very tough thing to do with such an established series. Our hero was a joy to control in this all-new environment, so why not allow fans to do so all over again in an all-new game?
Don't Want It: Motion Controls Could Be Shoehorned In
With the original Super Mario Galaxy releasing for the Wii in 2007 (and the second following it in 2010), it’s no surprise that motion controls are a significant feature in them. The question, then, is how would this be handled in a potential sequel?
The spinning move and collection of Star Bits with the Wii Remote wasn’t exactly necessary, but it pushed the unique aspects of the system’s controller. These sorts of controls simply aren’t available to some players, so making Joy-Con flailing shenanigans mandatory in a potential sequel would sour the experience for them all over again.
