Super Mario Bros. 3DS confirmed

By Fred Dutton Published 1 February, 2011

Miyamoto itching to unveil new platformer.

Work is underway on a new Super Mario Bros. game for the 3DS, Nintendo lynchpin Shigeru Miyamoto has confirmed.

Speaking in a new Iwata Asks interview on the platform holder's official site, Miyamoto announced, "In the interests of adopting new technology for the Super Mario Bros. tradition, I am now making a new Super Mario Bros. game for the Nintendo 3DS system."

No further details were offered but, referencing a comment from Mario co-creator Takashi Tezuka regarding how Mario games must always be family friendly, Miyamoto added that every entry series needed new elements. Presumably the plumber's 3DS incarnation will be no different.

"I think Tezuka-san is exactly right about making something that families can enjoy together," he explained, "but I also think it's important to always use the most advanced technology for Mario in order to create something no one has ever seen before.

"Of course, it's important to make sure people still say things like "Falling down the holes is the most fun!" but something new is necessary for other aspects of the games, and it's those new elements that make a Super Mario Bros. game what it is. "

Mario's last 2D outing, 2009's excellent New Super Mario Bros. Wii, successfully bolted cooperative and competitive multiplayer onto the series' core platforming formula, helping the game win a 9/10 from Eurogamer's Oli Welsh.

Miyamoto didn't reveal how long we'd have to wait to find out what the 3DS iteration adds to the franchise, but he seemed pretty pumped about it, insisting "I want to show everyone as soon as possible what the new Super Mario Bros. will be like on the Nintendo 3DS."

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • LazyDan #1 1 year ago

    In related news, reports indicate that the Earth is still orbiting the sun.

  • coolbritannia #2 1 year ago

    Wow, Mario, but in 3-D! This is going to change everything.

  • RawNinjaKid #3 1 year ago

    some new Mature franchises please Big N!

    Get to work!!

  • spazmo #4 1 year ago

    GOTY 2012 contender announced.

  • Steroyd #5 1 year ago

    I am shocked.

  • bad09 #6 1 year ago

    "Super Mario Bros. 3DS confirmed"

    Did it really need confirming? :)

  • HisDudness #7 1 year ago

    Can't wait to find out what happens next in this riveting saga of the world's most famous Italian-American plumbers!

  • RobTheBuilder #8 1 year ago

    A new SMGalaxy in 3D would be amazing.

  • neilka #9 1 year ago

    Falling down the holes is the most fun!

  • NewbieZilla #10 1 year ago

    They could revisit Super Mario World. Did no one tell them?

  • Pac-man-ate-my-wife #11 1 year ago

    some new Mature franchises please Big N!

    No thanks. There's more than enough faux 'maturity' in games as it is, sometimes it's wonderful - look at RDR - sometimes it's painful - look at every boring space marine shooter. Let Nintendo do what Nintendo does best; whimsy nailed to some of the very best gameplay experiences in the world.

  • AlcohollicA #12 1 year ago

    I want a new 2D Super Mario game but I don't want a new New Super Mario Bros. game.

    Does that make sense?

  • layleeloo #13 1 year ago

    Oooooooooooooooohhh, now there's a feckin surprise! As much as I love Nintendo we all know they just re hash EVERY Ninty game thats ever sold more than 100 and stick "3D" in the title

  • likebees #14 1 year ago

    Falling down the holes is the most fun!


    Miyamoto's new hobby : ketamine

  • Golgo #15 1 year ago

    Nintendo are not all about rehashes. Don't forget Steel Diver, people. That soon-to-be-forgotten ALL-NEW launch IP!

    :)

  • AmpH #16 1 year ago

    Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the best platformer ever made, so I see no problem with it.

  • trav #17 1 year ago

    Misread that... thought it was Super Smash Bros. 3DS and got really excited. :(
    Edited by trav at 01/02/11 @ 17:24

  • Dolly #18 1 year ago

    I actually had Wario Land on the Virtual Boy, and would love it if they threw it in as a freebie/free downloadable game with the purchase of a Mario 3DS game (Ok it's Nintendo, maybe I'm being a bit naive with their generosity..)

    It was the best game on the system by far, and barely anyone I know has even seen a real-life Virtual Boy, never mind play a game on one.

  • captain_Carl #19 1 year ago

    A Mario game on a Nintendo console? WOW

  • RawNinjaKid #20 1 year ago

    @Pac-man ate my wife

    RDR soulless?? Yeah, I agree.
    Edited by RawNinjaKid at 01/02/11 @ 17:32

  • carrotcake #21 1 year ago

    Mario Bros and Mario Kart are pretty much required to be part of life now, it's like I owe Nintendo money at this point. Multiply the number of key Nintendo properties by the number of console generations until my death - that will tell you some of what I owe them to keep me supplied.

  • fongy #22 1 year ago

    OF COURSE IT'S BEING RELEASED!
    (alongside every other game that has previously been released on a Nintendo for the past 25 years)
    I have to say, it was bad enough releasing the same games on the DS with worse graphics, but doing it again in 3D...
    I'll wait for the PSP2 thanks...

  • AlcohollicA #23 1 year ago

    fongy, you do realise these will be new entrys in the series, not the same games (Zelda 64 aside). The GBA was the only one where they were lazy and didnt make a new mario game, instead porting the nes and snes ones.
    Edited by AlcohollicA at 01/02/11 @ 17:47

  • Diogo_Ribeiro #24 1 year ago

    Even if I found myself supporting Nintendo in times when it wasn't seen as the "cool" thing to do, I have to admit to having become less interested in SMB over time. Part because people seem adamant to complain about lovely titles in the series like SMB 2 and SM Sunsine, part because Nintendo listens to them and keeps churning out the same sacred cows. NSMBW was damn good - in some ways better than SMG, in others clearly not - but at some point, the ability to amaze either peaks or just isn't there anymore.

    It will sell millions, of course. Too bad numbers aren't what I look to when I think about games.

  • CallousB #25 1 year ago


    Gameplay wise there's stuff they could do in a true "3D" sidescroller that would be tricky on a 2D screen due to the lack of depth.

    Will be interesting to see if they limit the gameplay so it will work in 2D as well..or if they'll go all out and design purely to take advantage of the depth of the 3D screen.

  • TheEarlOfZinger #26 1 year ago

    I'm less interested in SMB these days because I'm a grown man in my 30's - I've moved on from platform games. If other people enjoy them, then fine - no problem from me but I have been playing these types of games since 1986. To say they have become stale would be an understatement.

    I hear Mario Galaxy is great though. Why not a version of that instead?
    Edited by TheEarlOfZinger at 01/02/11 @ 18:22

  • darkmorgado #27 1 year ago

    Oooooooooooooooohhh, now there's a feckin surprise! As much as I love Nintendo we all know they just re hash EVERY Ninty game thats ever sold more than 100 and stick "3D" in the title

    Nintendo aren't Activision.

  • coolbritannia #28 1 year ago

    they might as well be. for every quality title they generate these days, they churn out twice as much shite.

  • weebl #29 1 year ago

    I would argue that the motives of Nintendo and Activision are exactly the same - rinse and repeat every IP that has ever made you money. The only difference is that Nintendo products are generally of higher quality.

    They should try and do something different with this one and not use 3D as the only selling point. A new IP completely would be preferable though...

  • Der_tolle_Emil #30 1 year ago

    @TheEarlOfZinger: I know it's not really related but I saw Kruder & Dorfmeister feat. Earl Zinger on Saturday. Had a good time :) Unless your nickname has nothing to do with him.

    Back on topic: I'm looking forward to a new Mario Bros title, as always. Hopefully it will be a completely new title. The NSMB titles were great and Super Mario Galaxy 2 might be the best 3d platformer ever but I don't know if I want yet another sequel in these two series at the moment.

  • Phishfood #31 1 year ago

    I am not shocked but its always interesting to see what new gameplay mechanics Miyamoto introduces.

  • kobashi #32 1 year ago

    We all know this will be a classic!!

  • Raiko101 #33 1 year ago

    Awesome news! The last two were brilliant games.

  • FenderMaster #34 1 year ago

    No thanks. There's more than enough faux 'maturity' in games as it is, sometimes it's wonderful - look at RDR - sometimes it's painful - look at every boring space marine shooter. Let Nintendo do what Nintendo does best; whimsy nailed to some of the very best gameplay experiences in the world.

    maturity doesn't meanit has to involve guns ans space marines, look at Shadow of the Colossus/Ico

    Nintendo does need new franchises, and for want of a better term, for hardcore gamers and mature, emotionally involving, or thought provoking even...

    Pikmin came close, Animal Crossing did not, and the Wii series isn't substantial enough...

  • Pwnsweet #35 1 year ago

    Oh great. Now governments the world over will have to start printing more money...