Switch Weekly - #197: Your Mario-filled Nintendo digest

▶ Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct — After so much smoke, we finally found the fire. This Direct presentation put an end to months of speculation and finally gave us a HUGE helping of Mario news to celebrate the series 35th anniversary. If you ain't caught up yet, it's worth a watch, but here are the headlines:

• Super Mario 3D All-Stars brings 64, Sunshine and Galaxy to the Switch in less than two weeks. It's not the 'remaster' many expected, but I'm happy to see it all the same — after all SM64 is my GOAT. You bet I've got my pre-order in. 
• Switch Online member? Well, if you fancy some 2D Mario you can play the original SNES Super Mario All-Stars collection from 1993 right now.
• The Wii U game Super Mario 3D World is coming to Switch in February next year with a seemingly impressive add-on called 'Bowser's Fury'.
• For you collectors out there Cat Mario & Cat Peach amiibo are expected to arrive alongside SM3DW early next year.
• Tetris 99 was cool right - so how about that, but playing the original SMB versus a ton of other players. That's what Super Mario Bros. 35 is. Mario battle royale!
• A new collectable Game & Watch device that lets you play both the original Super Mario Bros and The Lost Levels is out in November. I've pre-ordered.
• A crazy AR Mario Kart experience in which you can race real, mini karts around your living room is on the way before Christmas. It looks rad, but you may need a fair bit of room to get the most out of it.

Hat tip to the team at VGC for calling this back in March. A few other tidbits also got announced, IGN has a full list if you'd rather read more over watching the video.

Nintendo // YouTube

▶ Nintendo Shack 149 - Super Mario Bros Direct — I enjoyed this podcast/stream after the Mario Direct picking apart all the annoucements, you might too.

PSVG // YouTube

Nintendo site suggests Mario 35 plans could have been delayed by nearly six months

Andy Robinson // VGC

REVIEW Lair of the Clockwork God — This point and click adventure meets platformer is "a welcome trip off the beaten path, filled with stellar comedy and a wealth of lighthearted, enjoyable puzzles".

Neal Ronaghan // Nintendo World Report

REVIEW Helheim Hassle — "The overall package is impressively constructed. From the writing, to the humour, the beautiful illustrations, and the excellent voice acting, Helheim Hassle shines...".

Bobby Jack // Switch Player

REVIEW Spinch — "stands tall as a wonderfully unique, aesthetically gorgeous experience".

Cameron Daxon // Goomba Stomp

REVIEW A Short Hike — Found myself nodding along with this review a lot: "cute without being twee, challenging without being obnoxious, and emotional without being cloying. A landmark game for all ages. Don't miss this one".

Stuart Gipp // Nintendo Life

Zelda 35th Anniversary: What Mario 3D All Stars could be hinting towards— This article suggests that Nintendo could give Zelda the 'All Stars' treatment early next year. I share in the sceptism that Nintendo would make the exact same moves for Zelda's anniversary — however, that's not to say I wouldn't like to see it! Also, I thought it fun that Daryl puts a speculative date out there for when you may see such a Zelda Direct.

Daryl Baxter // Stealth Optional

Super Mario. Bros 35 is a reality, but would Dr. Mario 30 have been the better choice?

Solid Jack // Miketendo64

Super Mario: If you love Odyssey, you NEED to play Sunshine

Abram Buehner // CBR

'Blasphemous' was written in Spanish. Now, its characters finally speak it

Patrick Klepek // Vice

How savvy innovators are plugging gaps in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Abby Lee Hood // Nintendo Life

▶ The quiet sadness of Mario Galaxy — This video isn't new, but I recently came across it, and with Galaxy coming to the Switch now seems like a good time to share it. It explores the calm and sometimes isolating nature of Mario's Galaxy hopping adventure.

Jacob Geller // YouTube

Monday, September 7

• Circuit Dude — Top down puzzler with 120 levels. Quite like the look of this.
• Shaolin vs Wutang — Everybody is casually kung fu fighting.

Tuesday, September 8

• 🎮📦 AVICII Invector — A rhythm action 'experience' from the late superstar DJ.
• Meganoid — Pixel platformer with new levels every time you play.
• OkunoKA Madness — Platformer with over 100 levels.
• Party Hard 2 — Deal with noisy partygoers in this stealth strategy game. First one was fun.

Wednesday, September 9

• Minoria — Action platformer from the creators of Momodora. (Sep 10 in U.S)

Thursday, September 10

• Adventures of Pip — Pixel-powered side-scrolling action platformer.
• Bake 'n Switch — Couch co-op and PVP party brawler.
• Bounty Battle — Fighting game with lots of Indie heroes.
• Death and Taxes — Take up the role of the Grim Reaper and decide who lives and who dies.
• Deleveled — A momentum based puzzle platformer with over 120 levels.
• Hotshot Racing — Arcade-style racer with 90s retro visuals to match.
• Mo:Astray — An eerie sci-fi side-scrolling action platformer.
• Space Robinson — Survive the elements in this action rogue-like .
• The Snake King — It's Snake.
• Tomoyo After -It's a Wonderful Life- CS Edition — Romance visual novel.
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York — A political horror visual novel.
• Wintermoor Tactics Club — Survive high school in this tactical RPG adventure.

Friday, September 11

• Doodle Derby — This toybox racer is the 'least realistic car game ever'.
• Firework — Save the facility from burning in this action platformer.
• Inertial Drift — An arcade 3D racer set in a '90s retro future'.
• 📦 RPG Maker MV — A rather involved looking tool of sorts to create your own RPG.
• WeakWood Throne — A budget 2D open world action RPG.

🙌  Here's how you can help keep Switch Weekly sustainable:

Every week I bring you the latest Switch news and upcoming releases. If you're enjoying this digest then please do consider supporting it from just a dollar a month via Patreon. You can also make a one-off pledge of support via Ko-Fi. It really does help keep the newsletter sustainable long term.