Mario’s 3D games have become a highlight for most Nintendo consoles. Games like Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy were system selling games that defined their respective platforms. A 3D Mario title has not been announced for Nintendo Switch 2 just yet, leaving many to wonder when we might see such a game. Nintendo has avoided the topic thus far, and the company has a completely different 3D platformer on the way next month, which is Donkey Kong Bananza. This has fueled speculation that it could be a long while before we see a true follow-up to Super Mario Odyssey.
Adding to these concerns, Nintendo has not announced who is working on Donkey Kong Bananza. That’s not unusual; Nintendo tends to avoid announcing the developer on its games, often waiting until the game is actually out. However, the theory among Nintendo fans is that, if the Super Mario Odyssey team is behind Bananza, they might not be able to deliver a new 3D Mario for Nintendo Switch 2. However, it seems fans might be able to rest easy. Podcaster Reece “Kiwi Talkz” Reilly addressed the situation in a post on X/Twitter.
“DK Bananza is being developed by a new team that was spun off from the Odyssey team. There are a lot of younger devs in the Odyssey team that grew up playing the DKC games and wanted to make one,” said Reilly. “I’ve heard the Kremlings are making a return. 3D Mario is still on the way.”
Readers are always advised to take this sort of thing with a grain of salt, but it’s important to note that Reilly does seem to have some significant connections. Over the years, the podcaster has spoken to a number of former developers on the Donkey Kong Country series, as well as Metroid Prime. Based on that alone, there’s reason to believe he does have some inside information. In a follow-up post, Reilly hinted that he’s gained this sort of insight while speaking to developers on his podcast, and forming connections even with those that “don’t wish to do interviews.”
It’s not unthinkable that Donkey Kong Bananza has been in the works for a long time. We know that a 3D Donkey Kong game was in the early planning stages several years ago under Vicarious Visions. Between Reece’s comments and what we know about that project, it’s possible that some of Bananza‘s developers picked up the ball after the codenamed “Donkey Kong Freedom” was cancelled. It’s worth noting that there seem to be some similarities between those projects, most notably a major role for Pauline.
If Donkey Kong Bananza has been in the works for a while by an internal team spun-off from the developers of Super Mario Odyssey, it could bode well for a follow-up to the latter. This year happens to be the 40th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. on NES, and next year will see a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie released. It’s very possible we could see something announced this year or early next year. For the time being though, fans will have to wait and see what gets announced. Thankfully, Mario Kart World should fill the void left by Mario, while Donkey Kong Bananza should give Switch 2 owners the type of 3D platformer they’re currently craving.
Are you looking forward to playing Donkey Kong Bananza when it gets released next month? How happy are you to see Diddy Kong in the game? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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