For a long time, Mario has been the primary beneficiary of Nintendo’s excellent 3D platforming development. Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and Super Mario Odyssey make up the vast majority of the games, though there are a few for characters like Kirby or Toad. But with Donkey Kong Bananza now out and being a huge hit, it indicates that the best platformers Nintendo makes do not have to star its flagship character. They can easily make really good games, probably starring any one of their characters, and there are quite a few options still without a major 3D platformer. Here’s who Nintendo should consider putting in the platformer spotlight next.
5. Bowser
A Bowser 3D platformer would be so much fun. It’s always interesting to get to play as the villain, and that hasn’t really been possible very much throughout Nintendo’s history. Their most iconic villain has been around since the first Super Mario Bros., but he hasn’t been given the chance to truly shine on a major platformer.
Donkey King was once an antagonist, too, so it’s not as if they couldn’t make use of Bowser. Of course, to stand out, Nintendo could simply develop the game and focus it on Bowser being bad. Maybe this time, Bowser is traipsing across the galaxy or the world to kidnap Peach instead of Mario traversing to save her. It could also get into Bowser’s origins, either making him a tragic villain who needs Peach for some reason or a genuinely evil character who just kidnaps her because he wants her.
4. Pauline
Everyone loved Pauline in Super Mario Odyssey. She was a hit in Mario Kart Tour, too. In Donkey Kong Bananza, Pauline really shone even as the secondary character. The relatively new character to this series already has plenty of fans. She would be fantastic in her own platformer since she can clearly make an impact as a side character in them.
It could easily be a spin-off of Odyssey, too. There’s a timeline in between Bananza and Odyssey where she eventually becomes the mayor of New Donk City. After the events of Bananza, it would be fascinating to see what happens to her and how the city evolves, and Nintendo could absolutely craft a really stellar 3D platformer set mostly in that locale.
3. Peach
The Mario franchise can take a page from the Zelda series in this instance. They just developed a very successful and enjoyable Zelda game with the princess as the protagonist, tasked with rescuing Link. That formula is just begging to be applied to Mario as well. Maybe this time, Mario’s been kidnapped and Peach has to go save him.
This would fit with the way Nintendo is going. With the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, games are slowly starting to follow the film. Some character designs in Mario Kart World are just like the movie versions. Donkey Kong looks the same in Bananza and the film. And in the movie, Princess Peach is far from a damsel in distress, and that could make for an awesome game.
2. Waluigi
Waluigi just deserves a game in general. He’s not quite a fan favorite, but that’s largely because he’s only ever been used as an alternate in games that feature a ton of characters. He hasn’t been given a chance to shine, and that should change sometime soon.
Realistically, a Waluigi game could be anything, but Nintendo has really never missed in 3D platforming, so that’s obviously the company’s bread and butter. That’s where they should aim to bring Waluigi really into the mainstream, because those games are more popular and often just better.
1. Yoshi
Yoshi is perhaps the most deserving character here. He’s been Mario’s sidekick and trusty helper for so long, but he’s only ever really been that. He does have a few games as the protagonist, but it’s been a while, and he’s never gotten the Mario or Donkey Kong treatment.
That’s a shame, because the foray into 2D platforming with Yoshi was a major success. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is one of the best 2D platformers to date, and it’s 30 years old. He would be perfect in a 3D platformer (Yoshi’s Crafted World isn’t quite 3D), maybe going aerial (since Donkey Kong Bananza went underground) and utilizing his flutter abilities.
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