2020 marks the 35th anniversary for Nintendo’s Mario franchise. In the last week, a lot of news has been swirling around regarding their plans for this year. Including Eurogamer reporting the company’s plans to release remastered versions of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Sunshine on the Switch. There’s still a lot more in store for the franchise this year. With so much anticipation about what’s in store, here’s our list of Mario games we want to see remastered first.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

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Starting off the list is the first Mario RPG ever created. Released in 1996 on the SNES, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was the collaboration result of Square (now Square Enix) and Nintendo. Outside of it being the first Mario RPG, its graphics were also unique. Square, responsible for the creation of the Final Fantasy series, had been designing their RPGs with top-down 2D graphics. Super Mario RPG broke away from this model and implemented isometric 3D graphics. The game itself garnered a lot of attention and was responsible for laying the groundwork for future Mario RPG games.

Super Mario RPG begins with Mario rescuing Princess Peach, who has been taken by Bowser. However, the game takes an unexpected twist when Bowser’s castle is decimated by a giant, mysterious sword by the name of Exor. Exor’s assault scatters Mario, Princess Peach, and Bowser to different worlds and destroys the Star Road in the process. Star Pieces, or fragments of the road, are also launched into different worlds. This game introduces players to a new antagonist and sends Mario on a journey that will unite him with both familiar and unlikely allies. As the game progresses, players experience seven different worlds, all with their distinct landscapes and obstacles.

By including Super Mario RPG in their Switch remaster line up, Nintendo would be acknowledging the importance of this game and its influence on other RPGs within the franchise. We know already that among the list of new releases for this year is an addition to the Paper Mario series. What better way to celebrate the release of a new Paper Mario than by remastering the RPG that started it all?

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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Speaking of Paper Mario, what about Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door? This beloved RPG was originally released in the fall of 2004 as the second title in the Paper Mario series. Taking after its namesake, The Thousand-Year Door uses a 2D character design, while allowing players to navigate through a 3D world.

For those new to the game, the plot follows Mario after he receives a letter and a treasure map from Princess Peach, who urges him to meet her in the town of Rogueport. It is rumored the town sits atop a lost kingdom, where an unknown treasure lies in wait. Upon his arrival, Mario discovers Princess Peach is, of course, missing. Assuming she has gone to find the mysterious treasure on her own, Mario sets out to find her. The original game includes likable NPC’s, exciting turn-based combat, dynamic chapters with unique quests, and the ability to play as Mario, Princess Peach, and even Bowser. With side quests, collectibles, and so many characters to meet and interact with, you can expect to be busy with this game for hours.

It is clear that among all the Mario games that deserve to be remastered, this one is at the top. And we aren’t the only ones who think so. Some fans have even started a petition for Nintendo to bring it back (with over 47,000 signatures).

Revisiting this tale and giving new life to The Thousand-Year Door with improved graphics would bring joy to any fan who grew up playing Mario games and perhaps gather some new fans along the way.

Super Mario World

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If any Mario game deserves a chance at being remastered for the Switch, it’s the 2D platformer, Super Mario World. This game, initially released in Japan in 1990, has made its mark on the gaming industry. IGN even named it number one in their 2019 “Top 100 Video Games of All Time”. Many fans of the game will recognize it as the one that gave us Yoshi, the green dino-like companion that we all know and love. Along with Yoshi, players were also given a powerup called Cape Feather that allowed Mario to glide through the air.

The plot consists of Mario and Luigi traveling with Princess Peach to Dinosaur Island where, not long after their arrival, they discover Princess Peach has disappeared. During their attempt to find her, the brothers come across Yoshi, who has been trapped in an egg by the Bowser and Koopalings. It is then the brothers discover other Yoshis have also fallen victim to the egg entrapment. Together, the trio sets off to rescue the damsel and eradicate the entrapment of other Yoshis across Dinosaur Island.

Not only does 2020 mark the 35th anniversary of the franchise, but it also marks 30 years since the release of Super Mario World. If Nintendo is planning to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the massive canon by releasing several new and remastered games, it makes sense that Super Mario World be a part of it.

In the end, Nintendo has a plethora of amazing Mario games they could remaster, these are just the ones we think deserve a chance first. What Mario games would you like to see get remastered in 2020?

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