Summary
It’s commonly believed that Nintendo’sAnimal Crossingis one of the best casual gaming franchises of all time, inspiring a number of important, best-selling games in the so-called ‘cozy’ genre. There seems to have been a boom in low-stakes games built around satisfying and repetitive tasks in recent years, and althoughAnimal Crossingis still going strong, withNew Horizonsarguably being the series' most popular release, Nintendo may want to double down on the cozy genre by bringingMariointo the mix.
Even though it’s typically associated with 2D and 3D platformers, theMarioIP has been applied to countless different genres over the years.Series likeSuper Mario Strikers,Paper Mario,Luigi’s Mansion, andMario Partyall stem from theSuper Mariotree, and their success shows how versatile the IP has become, as it can be seamlessly applied to distinct genres like sport, puzzle, RPG, and party. With this franchise flexibility and Nintendo’s commitment to quality, a farming or business management sim set in theMarioworld has a lot of potential.
A Super Mario Cozy Game Makes a Lot of Sense
Mario’s Mushroom Kingdom Would Be a Great Setting for a Farming or Management Game
Promising upcomingcozy games likeTraveler’s Resthave a lot at stake in their setting, and for good reason; worldbuilding, tone, and atmosphere can make or break these sorts of games. Indeed, many fans ofStardew ValleyandAnimal Crossingcite their relaxing music, pleasant art direction, and low-stakes, straightforward lore as their most appealing qualities. In the arena of charming and alluring worldbuilding, aMariofarming or business sim would already have a leg up in the competition.
AMariocozy game could make excellent use of the Mushroom Kingdom, giving players a glimpse into what the fabled land looks like when there isn’t some kidnapping-related crisis. Crossover cozy gameDisney Dreamlight Valleyhas attained successfor a number of reasons, but a major draw of the game is its inclusion of recognizable, beloved characters, whom the players can interact with in a low-stakes, drama-free environment. A similar game under theSuper Mariobrand umbrella could achieve something similar, as players could create a custom avatar and communicate with franchise mainstays like Wario, Luigi, and Princess Peach, making for a novel, charming experience.
A Super Mario Cozy Game Could Be More Than Just An Animal Crossing Re-Skin
Although it has helped inspire so many modern casual games,Animal Crossingis actually still rather unique when it comes to its core game design pillars. While most contemporarycozy titles draw inspiration fromStardew Valleyand other similar games, focusing on micromanagement and daily tasks,Animal Crossingis more focused on social-sim elements and personalization, making it distinct within the genre. It would be particularly important for this theoreticalSuper Mariocozy sim to differentiate itself fromAnimal Crossing, and this could be easily accomplished.
A farming or business management framework, which isn’t really a staple ofAnimal Crossing, would fitMarioquite well. Players could farm iconic produce like Piranha Plants, Fire Flowers, and, of course, mushrooms, all while customizing their own corner of the Mushroom Kingdom and growing their fantasy enterprise. There are several other lore elements that could be integrated, such as shipping goods through pipes or using the iconic gold coins as currency.
Cozy games andMarioare two of the most mainstream and marketable concepts in gaming, so merging the two could be a commercial lay-up. A farming or management simulator set in theMarioworld could indeed sell itself, but it could (and should) be more than just an opportunistic, trend-chasing release, as the franchise’s world is a natural fit for that sort of game.
Super Mario
Super Mario is one of the biggest names in gaming. The first game in the franchise was 1985’s Super Mario Bros., a game that is credited with helping the gaming industry recover from its two-year crash that began in 1983.The Super Mario series still has an important place in gaming today, largely thanks to Nintendo’s ability to continuously innovate the platform games.
