Nintendo’s Mario has been a household staple worldwide for decades with over 200 games. With installments like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Mario & Luigi: Brothership continuing to keep Mario afloat, many are now anticipating the next Super Mario game and the upcoming Mario Kart 9 installment for the Nintendo Switch 2. While we ponder the many Mario games that have made their way to players over the past couple of decades, it’s surprising to know that there are 13 sequels to come out of the Mario franchise. Many still ask whether certain Mario titles should get another installment, which brings us to one sequel that was in production but never made it to the public.
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Considered one of the greatest games of all time, Super Mario 64 is the best-selling Nintendo 64 game for a good reason. Praised for its visuals, level design, and enticing gameplay, many have cited Super Mario 64 as the heaviest influence on 3D platform games. While the game has amassed a cult-like following through its speedruns and Nintendo console ports, there was no question that Nintendo kept an eye on the critically acclaimed title as a potential candidate for a sequel.
In fact, there was set to be a direct sequel to Super Mario 64, which was only referenced as Super Mario 64-2. In an interview in 1997 with The 64DREAM, Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto discussed that Super Mario 64-2 was in development with hopes of releasing the title for the N64DD. For anyone who knew about the Nintendo 64DD, the magnetic disk drive was a commercial failure in the Japanese market as it was sold through a subscription service. Before the product went to consumers, Super Mario 64-2 was early in production and was set to feature Luigi and Yoshi. It was planned for this installment to be multiplayer, as it was reported that the first playable demo level was two-player.
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With the failure of the N64DD and a lack of progress with the title, Super Mario 64-2 was canceled. While we might never see the game’s potential, some of the elements from the development process were salvaged and reportedly used in Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Galaxy 2. Speaking of Galaxy, a tech demo of another Super Mario 64 sequel at the Nintendo Space World 2000 event was showcased, which featured sphere-walking.
The chances of getting a Super Mario 64 sequel now are essentially impossible, but it’s interesting to visualize what the game could’ve looked like. Which Mario title would you be interested in seeing a sequel for? Would you rather have a new Super Mario project than a sequel? Let us know in the comments down below!
