free Mario battle royale game released as part of the Super Mario franchise’s 35th anniversary and seemed to only allow gamers to control one of the titular Mario brothers. The object of Super Mario Bros. 35 is to beat one of the game’s classic levels while simultaneously racing against 35 other players who can choose throw enemies into opponents’ paths. Though the runs can get a bit bewildering, it seemed like fans had quickly figured out everything there was to know about this limited-time Mario experience, until Luigi was discovered.
If there are any other secrets to be found in Super Mario Bros. 35, fans had better find them quickly. The game, alongside Super Mario 3D All-Stars, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & The Blade Of Light, will be coming to the West this December in celebration of the game’s 30th anniversary. But like Mario's anniversary-marking games before it, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & The Blade Of Light will only be available until March 2021, setting off a second wave of criticism.
Fans seem to be making the most of Super Mario Bros. 35’s short availability window, as Eurogamer reports. Some players unexpectedly stumbled on Mario’s green-clad brother, Luigi, in the game - a character Nintendo had never even mentioned could be found in the online multiplayer - and the community banded together to get to the bottom of the mystery. Eventually, players worked out that Luigi could be unlocked as a playable character after beating every level one time. Once meeting the criteria, all a player needs to do to take on a level as Luigi is hold down the L button while starting a run.
Mario’s anniversary games have been extraordinarily successful for Nintendo. Super Mario 3D All-Stars hit the number two spot for 2020 game sales on Amazon earlier this year, and that was two weeks before the game even released. And it might be no wonder since the title includes some fan favorites from consoles past, like Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy.
Super Mario Bros. 35, and the other games in Mario’s anniversary collection, are fun offerings from one of gaming’s oldest franchises. The game’s success could possibly open the path to more time-sensitive titles, a trend Nintendo seems to be leaning into with Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & The Blade Of Light, but that remains to be seen. For now, the Mario battle royale is an interesting innovation from the company, and fans are obviously having a good time with it.
Super Mario Bros. 35 is available on Nintendo Switch.
Source: Eurogamer