Time for the ol' warning about rumours and the like, up front, here. We don't know for certain that Nintendo is working on new Mario games right now - but what with the company's mascot being a mainstay of so many first-party successes, it's fair to assume they are. And now, a couple of job listings have got us, and others, thinking: yep, some new Mushroom Kingdom creativity is going on, over in Kyoto and Tokyo.
As you can see from the tweets below, Nintendo is advertising for roles on both a 2D action title (probably a platformer, then) and a new 3D game. And a little checking around the internet - not least of all WCCF Tech and Videogamer, who've already carried this story (which is where we saw it, hey guys) - tells us that the Tokyo studio is likely to be Production Group 8, the team that made Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario 3D World.
The tweet above translates as "[Project Recruitment] Posted application guidelines for 'Level Designer for New 3D Action Game' (working in Tokyo)."
Advert
As for the 2D game's development, that seems to be based in Kyoto, the historical home of all things Nintendo - the company was founded in said city, way back in 1889. Looking back at recently active Nintendo series, it's only really the Mario franchise that leaps out as an active 2D project, what with New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe coming out for the Switch in January of this year. And of course, we just had (and loved) Super Mario Maker 2, so there's clearly a healthy appetite out there for classic-styled 2D Mario adventures.
And that one, as "[Project Recruitment] Posted application guidelines for 'Level Designer for New 2D Action Game' (working in Kyoto)."
With Mario being Nintendo's most recognisable character, it's not surprising to see him plastered across these ads. But could his placement also indicate that it's Mario games, specifically, that are in the pipeline? (Yes, it could, obviously.)
To return to that first paragraph, these ads are confirming nothing - but they sure are making us think that, yep, new Mario game projects are now scaling up to begin development in earnest. And it's about time, isn't it? The amazing Super Mario Odyssey is two years old this month, so having a sequel in 2020 or 2021 feels about right, doesn't it? Four years seperated 3D World from Odyssey, so...
What would you love to see in a new Mario game? It's a series that hasn't shied away from switching it up in the past, no pun intended. The 3D games have innovated each time - so where could the series go for a future instalment? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Featured Image Credit: Nintendo
